1. People in Florida need to learn how to drive. My goodness gracious. Unless the laws are different in Florida than in Michigan you all need some lessons.
2. Everything in Florida is hard to get to. It’s not just a hop, skip and jump. While in Florida, my sister and I went down to Ft. Myers to visit Son#1 and family that were vacationing there. When we left for the return trip to my parents the GPS said it would take two hours. After one and a half hours of city, back street, touristy driving the GPS informed us we were still two hours from my parents.
3. The landscape in Florida is either scruffy or completely gorgeous. The grass looks like the fake grass displayed in store windows at home.
4. When we went to the beach it was extremely windy. Sand blowing everywhere. We had the pleasure of being sun kissed and sandblasted at the same time. Sort of like a body scrub at a spa.
5. There are beautiful and amazing fishes and animals in Florida. Several fishes were caught, looked up in the fish book and then let go. Wigglie #3 caught a 3 foot shark. Stingrays and dolphins played just a few feet away. Blue Herons, Pelicans, alligators and other assorted wildlife floated by.
6. I had only one encounter with a grumpy person the whole time I was there. Floridians were kind, accommodating and pleasant.
7. It was hard to hide the chubbies behind shorts and tank tops. Note to self – need to rid myself of the winter protective covering.
8. After looking around I decided to throw caution and wisdom to the wind and spent the day in a bathing suit, cover-up and flip flops – in public. I figure at my age it’s either now or never. All too soon the day will come when there is so much sagging you won’t know where one body part stops and the next one begins.
9. I would miss my Michigan seasons immensely if I was plopped in Florida and expected to live among the palm trees. I am always anticipating the next season while wishing the current one out the door. Besides, if not for seasons how could you justify the purchasing of new wardrobes?
10. I watched as Wiggle #6’s hat was blown off into the water. I was real close to jumping in after it, except it was by a rapidly, moving causeway with who knows what lurking below. Then, Son#1 informed me that the hat had gone through all the boys. Passed down from Wigglie #1, to Wigglie #3 to Wigglie #6, all in the family. So, sad. I wanted to cry. We all just stood there and watched it get carried away on the waves. We had a moment of silence.
It was then I was reminded that there are just some things you can’t control, can’t change and you just need to move on. So, I am taking inventory in my life and hope to do a better job with “things” that come and go that hurt and bring great joy. Life isn’t about figuring it out, steering your ship or plotting your course. While all that is good, I think it’s more about, giving God permission to throw in a curve ball, take you down a bumpy road and pushing you on your swing so high you think you might fall off.
It was then I was reminded that there are just some things you can’t control, can’t change and you just need to move on. So, I am taking inventory in my life and hope to do a better job with “things” that come and go that hurt and bring great joy. Life isn’t about figuring it out, steering your ship or plotting your course. While all that is good, I think it’s more about, giving God permission to throw in a curve ball, take you down a bumpy road and pushing you on your swing so high you think you might fall off.
