Florida: Good and Bad

I have devised a list or two of Florida's BEST and.....WORST!!!

The Best

1. Smells.
When you walk out to get your paper in the early morning it smells...well...tropical! Sort of moist, a hint of moldishness, mostly fragrance from the trees and shrubs...early morning is my favorite time here! It's not hot yet, and no-one is around...

2. The Beaches
We are fortunate enough to be within driving distance of some of the best beaches in the United States, if you follow that sort of thing...talcum powder sand, and lots of it, plenty of places to sit, even when it's crowded...and great for walking and shelling!

3. The Views
You can't beat the drive to the airport or the views when you are just going downtown, for instance. The Gulf of Mexico has a beautiful color, especially in winter, when it is turquoise blue.
You can go downtown by Marina Jack's (the main town meeting place!) to a walking loop right next to it that takes you around a point in Sarasota Bay. There are benches everywhere where you can contemplate your navel....

4. The Seasons
What, you say? Florida doesn't have seasons! Oh, yes it does. Just a bit more tempered than "up north"....summer is hot (not much more than the low 90s though), and it gets hotter than that sometimes in New England! Fall is cooler (like right now, today, October 2nd) where the lows finally edge into the 60s at night...Winter is chilly, at least in our area! The highs sometimes don't get out of the 40s believe it or not, and we have had a few days each year of frost! I'm told that Sarasota even experienced some snow! But that was long before we moved here...and finally Spring, where the temperatures start slowly rising, and the grass wakes up, and the breezes cool you off...perfect for sitting on your lanai with your coffee in the morning!

5. Outdoors
You can sit outdoors practically anywhere, even in winter! In restaurants, they have these heater things that heat the space around you if you are outdoors...
Florida homes are designed with the outdoors in mind: you can open a slider right onto the screened patio in most instances, and in most instances the bedroom has french doors that open to the screened patio as well...Christmas parties are especially wonderful, because usually the sliders are open and you can sit and chat either outside or indoors...

6. The Fourth of July
There's nothing like enjoying the fireworks while sitting in a beach chair on the Gulf of Mexico...
You need to get there early, of course, and bring your cooler! (no alcohol, though, you're not allowed to drink on the beach!)

7. The Wildlife
I have always considered Florida wildlife exotic and magical! The little white birds you see everywhere still entrance me, and once there was a great blue heron standing on our garage! Lots of ducks and turtles in our "lakes", and even cormorants, spreading their wings to dry. In winter I once saw a bald eagle fly over the house, and an osprey with a fish in its talons! Not so much fun but still interesting are the snakes and gators...and of course the omnipresent geckos, who look very similar to the little guy in the ad! Did you know that their tails come off if you try to grab them by it? I found that out one morning when I ran screaming from the kitchen because a gecko's tail was on the floor whipping around, and the cat came around the corner with the rest of it in her mouth!!!!! (the tails "live" for a while, much like a chicken after you cut off its head!)

8. Christmas
People here go all out with the lights! It's fun to cruise the neighborhoods and look at them all...it's almost like a contest! And last year, some people have lights that "dance" to music that is piped into their yards...so much fun! There's something weird but amusing to put Christmas lights on a palm tree!

9. Teenagers
For the most part, teenagers who encounter you on walks, or in stores, or anywhere will speak to you and call you ma'am. Excuse me? I don't see anyone else here....are you talking to ME???
I've found that consistently here, and it never ceases to amaze me....in a GOOD way! When we walk the dog, they always say hello, or good morning! Nothing surly about them!

10. Visitors
I love when family and friends visit! Then I get to do the tourist things, like shop at high-end St. Armand's circle, go to Jungle Gardens, the museum, G. Wiz (the science museum), the aquarium, the boat ride around the bay...and of course Busch Gardens, and all the Orlando stuff!
Also, eat out!

11. Year round fresh fruit and veggies
Nothing like it!!!!

12. Air Conditioning
I try to tell people who are reluctant to be here in summer: you stay inside in the air conditioning, just as you would in your warm home in the winter! That is, if they don't want to be out in the sun and be in the pool or at the beach, which is a great time to go, incidentally. Not as many people! And virtually everywhere is air conditioned....it's a must!

13. No heavy outerwear, no coats to drag to work, no huge fuel bill, and NO SHOVELLING!!!!! BUT, as I said before, it DOES get cold every so often. Last winter, I had to wear my New England jacket 5 or 6 times!!!!

14. Good for your skin!
The humidity keeps your skin nice and moist, so it never dries out that much! We went on vacation to Colorado once, and I was itching all the time because my skin was so dry!!!

Not so good things about Florida

1. The heat
My husband Scott would be the first to tell you that the heat and humidity of summer is oppressive and miserable. He sweats a lot, I hardly at all, which makes the comfort level difficult...and I have to admit, that at times, especially early evening when there is no breeze, it can be almost hard to breathe! And you can't open the doors in the evening. You have to wait till fall and early winter. Then it gets too cold!

2. "Season"
You always know when "season" is heating up. The traffic increases, you can't walk into a restaurant without a reservation, the hospital is more crowded, the tourists are everywhere! During spring break time, you literally can't get onto the beaches. It's impossible!

3. Wildlife
As I mentioned before, gators and snakes, I keep my distance! But there are bugs here that need saddles, and they are always trying to terrify me! "Palmetto" bugs, spiders, huge unknown ugly things, infestations of "sugar ants" and moths...we keep our pest control guy busy! And fire ants! If you ever get the pleasure of meeting one you will never forget it! The bites last for a month! Mosquitoes, surprisingly enough, aren't very plentiful. I think it's because they have a good spraying program here...
Every May we have our love bugs, these little guys that are attached to each other by the ass, and one walks forward and one walks backward...kinda funny, they don't bite or hurt you, they are just a pain because of their very numbers! And they are a nightmare for your car...you have to get them washed off or the acid in their bodies will affect the paint! Amazing!

4. It's far away from our families

Need I say more? We couldn't be farther away from the grandchildren...

5. Christmas
There's nothing more depressing than being in a warm climate at Christmas. That's the only time I don't want to be here! (Besides of course not being with my family)...it's just not right to spend Christmas in shorts and flip flops

6. The Sand
That aforementioned talcum powder sand gets all over everything, and it sticks like glue! You should see the trunk of my car!

7. The Electric Bill
It's the biggest utility bill we have. During summer ours tops out at over 350 dollars, which to me, seems pretty steep. We try to keep the air stable at night or when we are away, but it adds up!


I'm sure I'll think of other things to add....stay tuned!!!!