The last 20 boxes are the hardest to unpack, although we're still living in the same 2600+ sq feet of living space as in 10 Atlantic, I have somehow run out of room so I'm ignoring those ugly boxes... for now.
I've discovered that there are a lot of things that I REALLY miss but I'm trying to focus on the cool things about this place that make it all part of "the adventure".
Oh, let me back up!! "The ADVENTURE"...... Most of you (of the 3 of you that are going to subscribe to my blog) know why we are here in FLA... for the rest of you, here it is. I consider my husband to be somewhat plagued by seasonal affective disorder (he'd kill me for saying) but he LOVES the extreme heat and humidity (as I type this, he's in his office with the slider to the pool wide open and it's already 90 degrees... I am in the a/c in a tank top). He becomes almost "depressed" in the winter which actually surprises me since he LOVES winter sports, owns a ski house and a 4-wheeler with a plow! He always has cold feet, closes his drapes to the snowy street and complains that he misses the warmth. Last winter did him in. We've been together for almost 11 years and we've vacationed in Florida EVERY year. His grandfather owned a double wide trailer in Palm Beach Gardens and when we were dating, I swore that I could live there..... it was the CUTEST, most spacious, cozy "trailer" you could ever imagine! HA! My mother in law laughed at me for wanting to someday own it but whatever, I'm a kook. It has since been sold and we have been fortunate enough to come down each year to stay with my in-laws who own a beautiful condo on a golf course in Stuart. (13 days and counting 'til those snow birds make their annual trip down!)Adam has always told me that he wanted to move to Florida and I always told him "NO FRIGGEN WAY do I want to live in CHEESEVILLE, USA". The girls all have permed hair, wear jean shorts, leggings and long t-shirts and have neon painted nails. ALL.SET. (actually, it kind of sounds like me in high school). The WORST part about Florida is how frizzy my hair gets in the humidity... seriously, I'm a hair girl. My husband is a "hair guy" (meaning he loves women's hair)..... frustrating. I grew my hair out this past summer and it's half way down my back, I'm now considering a chop. Oh, so anyway..... we came down here in April and celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary at this amazing place called "The Sailor's Return"... we love it because we sit outside and watch the boat traffic, listen to live music and eat the most delicious smoked fish dip with crackers... and we drink. While I was in a weak, romantic, tipsy state, Adam asked me (for the 459th time) if I'd consider moving to Fla. Seriously, this is a true story..... I said "Fine." (here I am!) I am pretty sure Adam has been smiling ever since.
Wait, let me post a few things that I love (because I think I'm starting to sound cranky): I LOVE the insane heat lightening storms we've been having, the dudes that cut my grass every Tuesday, the fact that we have trash pick up TWICE a week and recycling is EVERY week. I LOVE my front loaders and the fact that the laundry room is RIGHT outside of the kids room!!! I love that we have a screened-in lanai that keeps the lizards, land crabs, snakes and squirrels away!!! I love that there are no less than 30 consignment furniture shops just five minutes away from our home! I LOVE that drop off and pick up are as simple as this: you drive up to the LONG street toward the school building in a line of 100 cards with a sign in your window "Luke Stanley / Olivia Stanley", the little old woman announces their names over a microphone alerting the 600 students which parent is next, the 5th graders donning neon crossing guard straps escort your child to the car, open the door and tell you "have a nice day!!". Then you drive home. WOO-HOOOO... guess who now does drop off and pick up? Brilliant, I say. Although... I can also put this in the "things that I HATE" category since I've still haven't made a single new "friend" because of there is no standing around chatting while waiting for your child to exit the building.
Here are the things I miss the MOST about Beverly: the smell of the ocean from my front door.... we are 7 miles from the ocean here, not quite close enough to smell it. I miss my hardwood floors! We have tile and carpeting here (the dogs LOVE it). I miss my fenced-in backyard (yep, the little 4-legged escape artists are at it again, did you doubt them?) I miss my friends.... I miss my kids friends.... I miss my husbands friends...... I miss talking with adults, people popping in unannounced, people driving by and honking. I miss the 93 year old dude across the street who has dimentia... he kept welcoming us to the neighborhood once the "for sale" sign changed to "sale pending". I miss walking to the stores, wait - I never walked. I drove to Mrs. A's for crap's sake! But I did LOVE how close everything was..... for crying out loud, it takes me almost 20 minutes to get to the nearest TARGET! Agh! Hmmm..... that's enough missing for now (oh wait, the FALL, the cool breeze, fall leaves, pumpkins everywhere!) Ok, I'm done.
Let's talk about one more thing: Connor. Olivia "LOVES" Connor. Thank GOD for Connor or else she'd go to school kicking and screaming every day. Connor is this little guy with blue rimmed circle glasses and this morning on the way to school, Liv said "Mom, Connor is hot". DOES SHE KNOW WHAT HOT IS??? I have to admit,, he is ADORABLE and for whatever reason, he is her new best friend. Hope Connor has a cool momma, cuz momma needs a friend too!
Off to dry my frizzy hair..... pick up time for Olivia is 10:40 - and the search continues: what the HELL do I do with her for the rest of the day?
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