Florida Observations

Today I saw an old lady driving an electric scooter down a sidewalk next to a busy road.  She careened along on that thing like it was a Jeep, and at one point she took a corner so fast, I was sure it would tip over and I'd be forced to go provide first aid, but nope.  On she bounced, on down the road.

Next into my field of vision came two sports cars, one after the other, both convertibles, both driven by old men in Hawaiian print shirts.

Within five minutes the bright sun was obscured by dark clouds and a downpour erupted on me.

Florida is funny.

The Long Trip

We did the drive from Baltimore to Orlando in two days.  It wasn't a terrible drive.  The girls were mostly good sports.

Rainy and dismal the morning we left.  Faith stood on the front porch for the last time, watching the rain.

My last look at my first house.  Three family cats are buried here.  Holly was born here.  So many good and bad times over the seven years I lived here.  I will always think of it as my home.  Goodbye...

Holly is annoyed that we are stuck in traffic.

Krispy Kremes to fuel the second day of travel.  I had never had a Krispy Kreme fresh and warm.  It was almost heaven.

Looks like we made it!

A Week In

A week ago this evening we had just arrived at our little apartment at a retirement community near Orlando.  I simultaneously cannot believe a whole week has passed, and cannot believe that we have only been here a week.

Slowly I am getting used to things.  For instance, we get a storm of some kind come through every day.  Seriously, every day this week.  Sometimes it will just cloud up and thunder will boom for a while.  Sometimes wicked lightning storms scare me.  Sometimes there is a torrential downpour.  Sometimes the wind blows but no real rain falls.

At least the clouds bring a drop in temperature.  It is really, really hot here.  The sun blazes down with intensity that is different than in Maryland.  It's so bright that it still surprises me.  But when the sun is not shining, it actually can get relatively cool.  Evenings are almost always very pleasant, unlike Baltimore which remained hot and stuffy all night.

Thea has been in high school for a week and she really seems to be enjoying herself.  I had some trouble getting Faith and Holly enrolled in school, but everything has been worked out for them to begin on Monday.  Holly is beside herself with excitement.  Faith grumbles but I think she is interested in how it's going to be at a different and larger school.  I am looking forward to having all of them out of my hair at once so I can actually get some work done.

I still feel unsettled and transient.  We have another two weeks here at the old folks' home and then we go to our rental house.  Since we will be there for at least six months, I hope it will feel a little more like home.

Pictures next time.

Goodbyes Part Two

How many wonderful friends we have... and so many more that I didn't get pictures of!

Goodbyes

Packing

Seven years of filling up a large house, undone in two weeks.

Poor bewildered Spot.

Dan and Jeff carefully packing the Pod

The first of two Pods in which we had to put everything

Holly looking out over the city for one of the last times.

Forced smile.

Sky

The kids have been going to Vacation Bible School at our church this week in the evenings.  Holly is an attendee, but Thea took on the role of one of the crew leaders and Faith has been an all-around helper.

I was one of the program leaders at VBS my first year at this church.  I had two little kids plus a crawling baby, and I was lonely and tired in the evenings, and thought it would be a good chance for us all to get out of the house.  I don't usually like to be up in front of a group, even a group of kids, so it was out of character for me to volunteer.  I still am not sure what possessed me to do it.

But, I'm glad I did.  I met a lot of people in the church, made some friends, and focused on something outside myself and my troubles.  It was a good, good thing.

I'm gonna miss this place!  It's a flawed little church, but there are earnest and accepting people here who love Jesus, and I have been blessed to be a part of it.

Sunset

While I was in Florida in June I marveled at the beautiful sunsets.  But apparently I had just not paid enough attention here at home.  Yes, even in Baltimore...  In the evenings when I take the dog out for his walk, I look down my street, towards the place where train cargo is unloaded all day and all night and trucked away by huge rigs, and above that place is a colorful display in the sky that surprises me every time.

Today after I admired the western sky, I turned to the east and there was the almost full moon, a beautiful peachy-pink.

Which means I spent the rest of the dog's walk humming "Pink Moon."  :)

I think I will miss the city a little bit after all.  I'm excited to be starting a new chapter in my life down in Florida, for many reasons, but Maryland is home, and I took some pride in being a Baltimorean.

"Pink Moon" by Nick Drake