Life in Rainy Florida

It's been a hectic few months.

Now that I'm back in Florida, I remember certain things I'd forgotten about my home state.

Like the oppressive heat, that will melt, quite literally, anything and everything you keep in your vehicle or in your garage (unless you've got an A/C unit in it, which I of course, do not).

And the lizards. There must be hundreds of them everywhere. They're anoles, and the dogs are having a field day with them.

And the rain, a deluge of it given that this is hurricane season, and we literally have two right off either coast as I write this. Florida is below sea level, so the water doesn't really drain well. One street had water you could drive a boat on.

But,when the conditions are right, the moon and stars peeking out from behind palm trees and the sound of the waves hitting the beach is some compensation. And, once you find the right hair spray, you can actually keep your style from wilting within a few minutes. When the dogs get tired of throwing up lizards, they'll stop eating them, too.

Don't get me wrong, I miss Kentucky. I miss the incredible vistas, with the mountains and the crisp morning air. There is no traffic and I love the rural areas, filled with wildflowers. I am honored to have been a part of that state. But, I'm rooted here in Florida - not necessarily in Palm Coast, which is where I am currently. So, I will acclimate myself and my thick blood will thin down and I'll be more comfortable. I'll make some new friends and make a new life. Perhaps in a couple of years, I'll find a sleepy fishing village somewhere up in the panhandle and move there, becoming once again a local in a small town. Someday, I'll be happy again with myself and my life and stop treading water. Maybe I'll even fall in love.

I do have a new set of rules for myself. I've been neglecting my soul far too long, and if I can keep my health long enough, I'm going to concentrate on making Brenda happy again. I was an awesome girl five or six years ago, and that child of wonder is going to make a reappearance. Perhaps I'll start doing what my ex-brother-in-law kept telling me to do: I'll put on my cowboy boots and kick butt.

My art has definitely taken a hit. I haven't really created anything in over two months. But, that is part of what's wrong and needs to be fixed. I may not be able to fix some things, but that is one thing I can. I can fix me.