Begin Rant.
Don’t bother saying, “Your body will adjust.”
Why? Because I lived in Florida from my 5th birthday until I was 54.5. I never adjusted, or should I say my body never adjusted.
Now, I am a day away from 58. The older you get the harder the heat is on you. Even in my twenties, I would either be in the pool or in the air conditioning for the most part. Just going shopping, I would come home drained and often a step past that. Getting in my car was hell for me. Getting out of my car was hell. Getting back in it was more hell, it heated up even faster. Every day in the mid 80’s definite, some even lower and I was physically unhappy. I am not exaggerating.
Leon didn’t feel good today, ate something this morning that didn’t set well - at all. In fact, he is miserable, and he never complains when he feels bad usually, unlike yours truly.
It is, in theory, only in the low 80’s. The sun is beating down on our car. At 2:00 pm, a horrid time of the day here, I drove literally 2 blocks to the grocery and back to get him something. Now, in fairness to Florida, we do not have a garage, that would have helped the trip there, but not really the trip back, cars heat up down here in no time. I felt crummy in that short time by the time I got home. My candy bar, that I bought and was up front in the two little bags on the passenger seat in front of the A/C vents that were pointing down - As soon as I put three things in the fridge, I ripped it open - and had chocolate all over my hands. Granted a baby would have looked cute with chocolate all over their face… but my computer, not so cute.
This is not a whine, it is pure fact. I flashed back to years working in Tampa and getting in my car at 4:30 or five and not being able to touch the steering wheel without burning my hands… the covers do help a bit, though. By the time the car cooled off, I was miles down the road and drenched. I don’t know how ya’ll do it.
And it isn’t just summer here, that is what is so awful… The last four years we were here I paid to have my groceries delivered. They stopped the service. As soon as we find a new apartment or condo, I am seriously buying tons of nonperishables and more frozen than I like to have on hand so we only have to get the non-perishables during the summer… and I will do without all those except my favored lemons as much as possible. If I am smart, I will just squeeze the lemons and make ice cubes out of them, too.
Moving to Washington, other than seeing our son only once a year, was the best thing we ever did. Coming back to Florida for winter only would have worked, I could deal with the occasional 80’s, but living here all summer this year, I’m honestly not sure I am willing to do it, but I have to back Leon on this - and this is our last ditch effort to earn enough to eat during our 70’s and 80’s - and have a roof over our head. So, suck it up, Marcia, and find a grocery delivery just in case - and an apartment with a garage.
I wish I could solve the heat for the millions of people it bothers, but I wasn’t given that job…. so for now, “Look at the deep blue sky and those few white clouds and those lovely palm trees and that TINY spot of shade they provide.”
End rant.
Now to treat you to a Rave, look at this scanned in photo from one of our trips years ago to Discovery Cove. You can’t come to Florida in the summer without snorkeling at Discovery Cove - if you want to see sharks as if they were swimming next to you but behind thick glass you can’t even see in a “wrecked ship” beneath the surface. And the thousands of schools of fish that you swim through, it is so cool. We went the last two years we were in Florida - and we will go again. More to it than that, and they limit the number of guests per day so you have a little room! Check out their website here. It is one of our three favorite Florida attractions! Someday I will find our other photos and scan them in…
Tags: Attractions, Discovery Cove, Florida, heat, Washington
