November 30th, 2018

I will be the first to admit that this photo is a slight exaggeration.  Yes the past few days have been much cooler than normal here, but it's not snowing, there is no ice and in fact, the lowest temperature that I personally witnessed was 41 degrees.

But for Florida, especially after the long hot summer that we just had, low 40's is a little brisk.  And when you add in a breeze that is come across the ocean so it's a nice cool wet kind of wind, it feels even cooler than that.   Needless to say, Tim has been very happy.

And yes, even I have been pleased with the cooler temperatures because, once again, I was able to open windows and bring some much needed fresh air into this house!  And before you ask, yes the windows are open, even with the thermometer bottoming out in the low 40's I had every dang window in the house open. Why?  Perhaps for the novelty of being too cold for a change?  I sound like every parent in the world when I say, "If you are cold, put on a sweater".  I did.  And long pants. And closed toe shoes. And socks. And an extra blanket on the bed.  And I slept great.  Nice warm me all snuggied up in my cozy bednest with the cool air all around me. It was loverly.

Right up until I stepped out of bed onto the icey cold tile floor.  Now THERE is a wake up call.

Most houses down here in Florida have tile floors.  It's easy to care for.  Sand, dirt ,water,  spilled coffee, pretty much nothing hurts it. And, during the previously mentioned long, hot, summers, it's cool.  Literally, temperature cool. Cool to the touch.  And when it's really hot and humid outside, that nice cool tile floor feels awesome on your bare tootsies.

And as nice as it feels in summer, it is shockingly cold on a chilly day.  The first time after moving here, that I stepped out of my warm bed onto that ooh so very cold floor, the muscles in my feet contracted and went into spasm from it.  It  was ridiculous.  Now I am more prepared for it.   I KNOW it's going to be like going from the warming tray of a buffet to an ice berg.  So I move a little more tentatively and gradually adapt as I ever so slowly step onto the floor.  OR I tiptoe.  

But in the middle of the night when I get up to pee and I'm sleepy and fuzzy-brained and not really aware of anything and frankly that is the way I want to be so that I can slip right back to dreamland when I get back, instead, I am shocked into a state of full awareness by that cold floor.  I do a zero to sixty in nano-seconds from totally asleep to fully awake. And then I cannot fall back to sleep.  

I'm not sure what, if any, solution there is.  I suppose I could try wearing socks to bed. Maybe that would mitigate that frigid floor temperatures.  Or try putting down a runner carpet that goes from the bedside to the bathroom? But only on cold nights? Because honestly on a hot temperature night that cool floor is a sweet balm.  

Anything else that is cold during these unusually chilly days doesn't bother me a bit.  I am prepared for it.  I even relish it a bit.  I maybe walk a tad bit faster to get where I'm going.  I arrive everywhere with healthy looking rosy cheeks and wind swept hair.  And after all those years in Colorado and Connecticut, I know how to dress in lightweight layers.  As long as I don't have to shovel anything or deal with slippery surfaces, I am A-OK with cooler weather.  

If for no other reason, because it keeps the tourists off the beach. HAH!  As a bonus, the cooler weather provides the most beautiful light for photographs.  And I kind of like the contrast of standing on the beach all bundled up on a cold day, even a gloomy grey foggy damp day.  Every once in awhile, I really appreciate a good Heathcliff on the Moors kind of day.​

So, in short, while everyone else here is staying home with their windows firmly closed against the chill and huddling by space heaters or fireplaces (yes some homes have them even here) cursing the cold, I am outside enjoying a different weather for a change, loving it all.  Well loving most of it.

I will never be a big fan of cold tile on warm feet. Never.