Floridian..?

Still without a camera cord so I feel like I have blindfolded my readers, unable to give you a peak at my current surroundings. Still without consistant internet access, stealing wireless when it becomes available.

After two days of unpacking boxes and running local errands to attempt to get settled in our new surroundings, we packed the car and headed down to Florida to visit Stephen's family. We spent the night in Tallahassee with the parentals and then headed down to Palm Harbor to enjoy a long weekend with Elsie and Laura and John and the boys. The weather could not be better. It's the sort of Florida spring weather that temps you into thinking you would enjoy being here all year round. Humid but not too much so, warm not hot. Sunny and breezy and generally a nice change from the weather we had been enduring in NY. We are enjoying our mini vacation.

Right now I am sitting by the pool, watching Oliver run round and round the edge as he tries to get up the nerve to jump in and save Stephen who is spashing around in the deep end. Stephen comes to the side of the pool and Ollie, relieved that he is actually safe, smothers him in puppy kisses. Oliver is not used to seeing the leader of our pack jump into that much water and it seems to be unsettling to him. He is also locked in a battle of wills with the beachball that is drifting in the water. He wants it to stay put and the breeze keeps sending it his way, ignoring his insistant barks that it back off.

We are leaving tomorrow to head back to Tally for more visiting and family time. Being here seems to make the transition seem less shocking for some reason. We are actually starting to enjoy the slower pace, finding the minimal traffic and clean public restrooms a novelty.

Met the Ringling gang in Tampa for dinner last night (Shawn, Ryan, Nathan and his new chica Suki). That was fun and mentally refreshing as always. Not sure why sitting around a Tiki Bar with 4 grown men spouting adolescent comments and inside jokes, simultaniously remarking on the burdens of current student loan ballances, mortgages, and new policies at Ringling is so refreshing to me but I laughed until my sides hurt, as I always do. These things feel like home to me and at a time when my home is not yet fully established those are precious moments.