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from FaceBook |
This morning as I begin to compose this blog post, we have a very strong rain storm outside. Our usual habit is to ride our bicycles for about 45 minutes (4-5 miles) within our gated retirement community, but when we stepped out on the front porch to look at the weather, it was clear we should stay home -- at least for the time being.
We took our seats on the front porch to watch the varying shades of slate blue gray clouds in the distance from which the rumbling of frequent thunder rolled in our direction. Lots of quick, sharp lightening lit up that area, too. It was a wonderful show that we enjoyed in silence until the wind picked up enough to signal that rain would get us wet.
I must include the fact that the temperature was cool! Oh my, what a relief! We've been under heat advisories for days now, from noon to 6pm, as the "feels like" temp was around 105 degrees with plenty of humidity. It's been the kind of weather that makes some people say, "I could NEVER live in Florida!" 🙄
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horses at Dudley Farm in Newberry, Florida |
That's okay. Our lack of a state income tax and other positive aspects have been bringing in a lot of people, creating too much traffic and messing with the charm of our 1,200 horse ranches, just within our county.
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one of our lakes |
Here is a snapshot I took the other day on our bike ride, at one of the places where we always stop for a drink of water. All of the water to the right of the palm trees is overflow caused by the afternoon rains we've been having. This is our rainy season. Pretty dramatic.
Now that the patriotic holidays are past us and we are in the harsh reality of a Florida summer, our daily routines are dictated by access to air conditioning. As stated earlier, we ride our bikes early and get any yard work done pretty much by late morning. On the days when errands need to be run, we may skip the bikes and get out to the grocery store and such before heat and the worst of the traffic sets in.
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a sand castle decorates our bathtub |
As you can imagine, once the outside activities are done, a good shower is mandatory. About once a month I take a bath. 🤠(Don't worry, or get your hopes up, this won't be a racy post.)
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Naughty or Nice (True Confessions) https://myjournalmemories.blogspot.com/2024/12/naughty-or-nice-true-confessions.html Dec 17 2024 |
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bath tray |
The fear of accidentally dropping my phone into the water defines the decision to keep my phone far out of reach. I decided this was a good opportunity to read a book. I also decided to treat myself to a tray so I could rest my arms and to hold the book. In the above snapshot is the one I got from Amazon for about $50. As you can see, it has a flip-up thingie to support an open book (magazine in this picture) and a beverage cup (NOT glass).
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from Face Book |
With tongue-in-cheek, I thought the above graphic was applicable as I move beyond the flooding disaster to a more pleasant interaction with our walk-in tub.
But to address the idea of "Be the architect of your future," since I gave up needlework a few years ago, another pastime needed to take its place. I decided reading would be good. Aside from stacks of books on the lamp tables and such, this habit is easier to accommodate than the sewing machines, scissors, patterns, fabric, ironing boards, etcetera that filled up my sewing rooms.
Gary reads a lot, so we enjoy each other's company as we read together in the same room, usually the lanai with the ceiling fan quietly whirling above us. We take breaks over coffee or tea (and sometimes with cookies), talking about our books. We both read biographies and history-based accounts. Gary has read a lot of war stories that have enriched our conversations, while I have more of a bent toward psychology, as well as memoirs. Several times one of us has read a book that the other has just finished.
Here is a sampling of books that have kept me busy this summer: (some I've shared before -- they are worth mentioning again)
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Battlefield of the Mind Joyce Meyer, author |
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The Let Them Theory Mel Robbins, author |
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Loving People Who Are Hard to Love Joyce Meyer, author |
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In the Presence of My Enemies Gracia Burnham, author |
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Healed By Horses Carole Fletcher, author |
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Cold Before Morning John Paul Jones, Jr, author |