Begin with the end in mind

It's an awesome morning in Florida as fall sweeps across the sand dunes and sand spurs. A dip in the pool has completely shaken the sleepiness from me. I recline on the chaise in the lanai and look dreamily up at the sky littered with so many twinkling stars and planets.

The morning darkness is still lurking like a feral cat with a cool breeze (some Floridans think 70 is cool) rippling across my body. The quiet and serenity wraps me in a soft cocoon. I count the shining stars and search for the big dipper. Total silence fills my space and I enjoy every second of the peacefulness.

The blinking of the stars lulls me off to dreamland. I take in deep Yoga breaths and my body becomes a feather light vessel. I could stay in this position forever with the breeze and darkness and the stillness soaking in the beauty of the morning. Coffee calls me but I cannot leave this wonderful tranquil space where morning has greeted me with the gems of the earth.

Two are better than one

Yesterday I saw the light- saw it all - saw the ultimate foolishness or addiction. I left early to reach work before the storm broke and dropped upon us the torrential rains. The sky was black and the darkness was spreading fast. I tossed my gear in baby car and headed East just inches ahead of the mean and ugly looking storm. It was to be a replay of last Thursday's disaster.

I was buzzing along just a wee bit over the speed limit watching the blackness behind me in the race to work. I did my left on to Moon Lake Road and out of the corner of my eye I see a man walking a really cute little dog. I go to mush when I see a cute little dog walking so proudly by his master. He was a tiny little critter prancing (almost like Russ) as fast as he could.

I think he could feel the storm approaching and was in a hurry to get his business done. His owner not too concerned about the deluge that was about to drop. I looked out my rear window at the ugliness. She was picking up speed and was no contest for the baby car. Who would be out walking a tiny little creature with the storm of the century fast approaching?

I slowed a bit as I wheeled around the corner and glanced at the man and the dog. I looked again. Here was this dog walking man with two not one but two cigarettes in his mouth. Double the effect? WHAT? Why in the hill would he do that? Then - why would he be out walking his dog minutes before a gigantic storm? That's Florida - land of opportunity.

Within seconds after my car passed the dog walker puffing away at two cigarettes at once and walking a tiny dog the storm broke. Buckets of rain splashed on my windshield making driving very difficult and hazardous - then the hail thunder and the fireworks in the sky. OMG!!! I waited for my windshield to break. The lightening danced around the baby car almost causing my hair to curl.

My thoughts wandered back to the little doggie and the man smoking two cigarettes. Perhaps he didn't have a match and he was wanting the lightening strikes to light his smokes. A death trap waiting for another death trap. I'm hoping the cute little doggie wasn't as terrified as I was.

Serenity Now

The water she calls to me - pulling ever closer - surrounding me with contentment and feelings of happiness. There is something about the water that is so soothing and relaxing that it is almost indescribable. It's like elixir in a bottle. I love the water.

Yesterday we took the visiting family to Tarpon Springs and sailed out to Anclote Key. One of my favorite places but then again I have so many. Peace, beauty and solitude awaited us and we enjoyed every minute of it.

On our wonderful and exciting travels yesterday we hit the tourist gift shops. One of my favorite pastimes even though I am not a tourist in Florida but we had tourist relatives with us. We stopped in this one (mostest tackiest) and I spotted magnetic jewelry. I have heard about the healing properties of magnetic jewelry. It heals, it balances - basically it cures all evils and ills. My sister-in-law and I bought it - hook - line and sinker, a big heavy sinker. What the hey we were on a mission.

I chose the ankle bracelet. It was light weight, magnetic and it only cost $5.99. My sister-in-law went for the smartly colored bracelet. Then, we pondered getting one for each limb but thought we would wait and see if the gems really worked.

Through our discussion right in front of the cashier he snickered. Probably not a good sign - then again he most likely thought we were just tourists.

This morning after I awoke bright and early from the sofa sleeper my foot hurt a bit. The foot that now housed the magnetic anklet. As I'm sitting in the tub trying to alleviate the pains of sofa bed sleeping I looked down at my foot. OMG!!!! A bruise the size of the state of Florida was pulsing from my right ankle. The ankle that was proudly displaying the new magnetic cure all jewelry. I think my sister-in-law and I were taken.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Nicholas Lemmon Lindsey a 16 year old juvenile from St. Petersburg, Florida was arrested for the murder of police officer David Crawford.
My thoughts:
What is a 16 year old doing wandering the streets late at night on a school night? Where were his parents? Was he out of control? Did the parents seek help or were they overwhelmed?

Is this student just one of the many that fall through the cracks into the great dark abyss? We say we put children first - but do we really? Do we help and guide these lost souls or toss them to the trash? Whose responsibility is it to raise children?

I could be judgemental and make all sorts of remarks ----- like where was the supervision ------ by viewing the video I presume he's just another thug or wanna be thug. He was dressed in the black hoodie (in Florida) the pants were hanging down to his ankles with the all too frequently seen boxers taking center stage. Flip flops and white socks. He would never make the cover to GQ. But he has made the cover of the St. Petersburg Times as a murderer. He is 16. He killed a cop but presumed innocent till proven guilty - although he did confess.

Where have we gone so terribly wrong? We seem to be a broken community in need of a complete overhaul. Our budget is in tatters - so where do we go from here?

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung in Florida and it's only January. My peach tree is overflowing with awesome pink blossoms. What will happen this weekend when the evening temperatures drop into the 30's? My pretty in pink petals will surely be damaged or destroyed. The weather is a constant contradiction - here and around the globe.

One pretty petal in particular caught my eyes. It was almost a beauty except for missing parts. A deformed blossom. I wonder if fruit will be produced from this defective bloom?

When I looked at the almost beautiful - pretty-in-pink blossom I felt that a part of its soul was damaged. If the soul is damaged life can be brutal. Will life be unkind to my special blossom?

My mind wanders off the track before morning coffee. Sometimes it meanders slowly and at other times it takes off like a rocket to the moon. This morning I'm in that between stage where my thoughts are restless and unsatisfied but little motivation to act. Butter Toffee coffee sounds good.

Plants will have to be carted back into the house for the weekend cold weather. There is no way the poor peach tree can hide from the cold weather front moving in. I will have to hope for the best and let mother nature take her path. I have visions of a tree loaded with sweet Florida peaches in the early spring but now my hopes are dimming. More coffee.

And having coffee now is so much more delightful with the new and improved single cup coffee machine with so many flavors to choose from. Life is good when coffee is readily available and so many flavors. I have choices but my peach tree has none. I always thought Georgia had the best peaches till my Florida peach tree produced the sweetest peaches I have ever tasted.