June 03rd, 2019

Well, here we go.  It's a new week, a new month and yes, even a new season.  As of this past Saturday, (June 1st) we have entered both the Rainy Season and the Hurricane Season.  And for a rainy season I can only say, it is amazingly dry out.

I am fine with that by the way.  Once the rainy season commences in earnest, the humidity will rise and that's when the real fun of summer in Florida begins.  Right now it's hot, probably in the 90's somewhere but I kind of like that.  It's toasty.  I think I'm balancing out  all those Connecticut winters I shivered through where the wind felt like it was going right through me and I remember believing that no matter how many layers I had on, I was never going to be warm again.  Well,  I'm warm now.  It's all good.

The lawn however has a completely different opinion.  It is drydrydry.  The lawn is unhappy times a zillion.  The lawn cannot WAIT for the rain to begin.  Once begun, there is a darned good chance of rain every single day. Sometimes it's just a little 15 minute cloudburst surprise.  Other times, maybe just some miserly drizzle on and off throughout the day.  Or, it is certainly possible that it could be a full day onslaught of wind, rain, thunder, lightening and flooding in the backyard.  Very exciting.  The point is, within a very short time the grass will once again be lush and green and the lawn guys will be here mowing every week once again. (they haven't had to mow in quite some time now)

As far as humidity goes, anyone who has chosen to live here full time has made their peace with the humidity.  As is the case with most things, we have adapted.  The first year, of course, was the most difficult which makes sense. If we had arrived from almost anyplace but Colorado, the transition would not have been as big a deal.  But after living with almost zero humidity for ten years, coming to a place that often has more humidity percentage than temperature degrees was, well, let's just say, an adjustment.

But we persevered, we adjusted and now here we are, three years in, and summer is just, summer.  We probably spend more time inside than out by the time August has rolled around.  And we all celebrate the inventor of Air Conditioning, "All Hail Willis Carrier!" (seriously that's who invented air conditioning just FYI).   And a quick shower before bedtime becomes the norm. But we don't avoid being outside.  I cannot. I just cannot be cooped up indoors all day everyday and neither can Tim.  Like mad dogs and Englishmen (as the saying goes) we still do our noonwalk every day unless the sky is dumping torrential amounts of rain upon us.   And walking on the beach is lovely regardless of the weather every single day.

Hurricane season on the other hand is something we pay at least peripheral attention to and that started with a tax free day for Hurricane Supplies.  I think that is a lovely gesture on the part of the state of Florida, so Thank you whoever thought that up.  If I remember correctly that rather broad "Hurricane Supplies" title extended to things like generators and plywood, of course, but also to cases of water and battery operated lanterns.  But we didn't need to take advantage of it.  We looked around and decided that, for the most part, we are ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at us.

The thing is, the experts have no idea for sure what our summer weather, i.e. hurricane activity, really will be.  Ever year we hear the exact same predictions of anything from a below normal activity, to mild activity, to very active.  So they have covered their bases.  Actually NOAA, who makes more sense than most, suggests that lower than usual activity HOWEVER any activity that does exist should be more severe.  Ok.  So we are ready.  We have the battery operated lantern, a crank operated radio, sleeping bags (in case we have to evacuate) lots of water, an extra gas tank for the grill and a generator.  I will slowly start adding to the grocery list foods that do not have to be cooked or refrigerated, or in other words, proper Hurricane Food.

Before Hurricane Irma (the only real hurricane we've experienced here thus far) when we did our zero hour hurricane food search, our minds drew a complete blank and we ended up with essentials like M&M's and cheese crackers.  LOL!  It got us through but this time perhaps I can find something marginally more healthy if and when the time comes.  Hopefully any and all Hurricanes will be confined to somewhere way out in the Atlantic where they only thing it disturbs is some fish.  Only time will tell.  And in the meantime, there is no point in obsessing about it.  It will be whatever it is.  And whatever it is, we will deal with.

I think those of us who elect to stay have a sort of weird pride about it.  Yes, we strong and stalwart few have chosen to remain here through Florida summers, surviving the heat, the humidity, the possibility of hurricanes and tropical storms. And much like the pilgrims who first arrived in the New World facing challenges aplenty, we will survive.  It is not for the faint of heart, not for the weak, not for the weenies!

Welcome to Summertime in Florida, my friends.  Only the hearty need apply.