Snow came down today. I can see why some people want to live in Florida, since it was 80 degrees every day we were there. Well, that's not totally true. The temperature was 74 in Sarasota, where we visited Stacey's sister, PJ, after a 3 1/2 hour drive around Lake Okeechobee and over to the Gulf coast.
Coming back to snow and colder weather was not as bad as you'd think. Among other things, we have:
1) No fucking huge cockroaches palmetto bugs;
2) No omnipresent smell of bug spray indoors;
3) A sense of "Fuck the Man!" when making U-turns;
4) The large fresh water lake a couple blocks north of here (No, you can't see Canada) which supplies water that doesn't taste like a sulfur-aluminum mixture;
5) Soft drinks in restaurants that don't taste like a sulfur-aluminum mixture;
6) Police that drive marked patrol cars instead of a 2006 silver Dodge Charger.
When Matt was 13, we went to the tattoo parlor together and were initiated into the world of body art. When J-dogg was 13, we went to the tattoo parlor to carry on the tradition; however, somebody changed the fucking laws, deeming that parents who allow their children under 16 to get tattoos are lunatics, and we were turned away.
Thereafter, J-dogg plunged into the dark abyss of substance abuse. Cause and effect, I say. He's been clean and sober for over a year, working his program. We carried on tradition and visited a tattoo parlor, finally. Equilibrium.
Posted by Bill at December 5, 2007 10:31 PMThey do have some crazyass big cockroaches (yeah yeah palmetto, whatever) bugs down there. *shudders at the memory of that rainy night in the motor home*
CONGRATULATIONS (shouted quietly while snoopy dancing) on that year for Jax... I wanna know what the tats are. Did you get it on your butt? ;) Is it a peace sign? ROFL... Maybe a little lightning bolt in honor of that time you trimmed the tree with the lights on it since it is so close to the holidays? Ooh I'm feeling like such a wiseass tonight.
Posted by: keri at December 5, 2007 11:35 PMMy Dad has often mentioned a desire to visit Florida, for the purpose of seeing the everglades before they dry up and blow away. It's never had a pull on me. Maybe because I grew up on a beautiful coast with no bugs and fresh sea air, and I've always loved getting away to the mountains. There aren't any real mountains in Fla are there?
Posted by: Kyle at December 6, 2007 03:53 AMI'm figuring that by 2018 TheBigAssRoachBugs will be up around your area along with the Leprosy afflicted Armadillos (Armadilloes?)we have here now. You'll enjoy the fire ants when they get there, too.
Posted by: Vicki at December 6, 2007 01:32 PMI've only been to Orlando for the Disney World adventure. I remember how awful the mosquitoes were there. Yup, I'd rather have Cleveland any ole' day; as well as where I live now.
A big congratulations to Jackson on his continued recovery. Yay!
Glad you guys got the tatoos finally--cool.
Posted by: tracy at December 6, 2007 10:01 PMum.... now I'm worried if I don't take my son to a tattoo parlor at 13 (which is a year away) that there might be a dark abyss in his future.... I'm really going ot have to consider this deeply.
Or not,
-d
Congrats to Jackson on his sobriety, and to his parents on making it, too.
As a Florida native (close enough), I can unequivocally (i can't spell today and i'm not looking up the fucking word to see if I got it right) that they are COCKROACHES. Fuck that palmetto bug bullshit.
And, didja know we have flying cockroaches, too? Now THOSE freak me the fuck out. (grammar queens, sue me)
The weather here sucks today, et tu?
Posted by: lucy at December 11, 2007 04:33 PM