In The Summertime

 “It’s a hot one.”

You can say that again. 

Remember when the model Ts came in any color as long as it was black? Well, you can get the summer in any color as long as it’s hot. You can get extra hot, too. And if you live in Florida like me, you can’t escape it, unless you’re an air conditioning Gypsie. well then you’re missing out on all the fun! But summer fun can turn into summer heat stroke…so please drink your beverages! 

I didn’t move down here because I love Florida and love summer and love the heat. Actually, I don’t know why I came here. I’m not an athlete or a beach bum: you won’t find me surfing or biking. I’m one of the those gypsies but without the ac (okay I do sleep in ac, I just don’t live in it). So I tolerate the heat and am grateful when I can break out a sweat, which is the best cooling device there is, and it’s natural and free. But if you’re like my sister, you think sweat is just plain gross. That’s too bad.

Summer in Florida is not the end of the world. Even though it can be oppressive, it really is a beautiful thing. You know, because suffering can build character, and as one of my favorite quotes says, good things can spring from the seeds of the worst things. Like flowers…oh how I love hibiscus. And if you’re still not sure, just remember all those blessed thunderstorms we get in the summer, which suddenly drop the temperature. See, God has not forgotten about us. Don’t be a big baby.

“But what about when I get in my car and it feels like a portal to hell just opened up?” 

That, my friend, could be the gateway, so be careful. 

And Maybe you’ve never vacationed here or been here or lived here, but I can tell you from experience that the intensity of the heat is not that different from up north (We just have more humidity, which people say can be engulfing, but it’s not dense enough to drown in, so don’t worry). I remember Virginia being very hot, even in the valley. I remember turning my pillow at night and going outside for shade under a tree and a breeze. Because we lived in a trailer, and I tell you that trailer life is not for the faint of heart. 

And here I find myself in another trailer just in a different state (I can’t get away from mobile homes, I’m telling you). And it’s all good. We live on the water with a breeze, and I mostly sit on the porch, at a very cluttered table, and it’s okay. I’m absorbing the summer vibes and rolling with the punches. And I think I’ll make a cold drink. 

Stay cool :)


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