The Heat Is On....

...well. Not really. Half of the country is still under ice, while the rest of us are dealing with mild to warm temps. But here in S. Fla, the heat is just beginning. It nearly topped 80 degrees today. I could hardly believe it. It's only February. I don't do well with heat but I should know better. I really should be used to it. No surprises really but it seems to sneak up on us every year. Just when you're getting used to those nice mild and breezy nights, the sweltering heat decides to make an appearance. Well as my FB status indicates, I LOVE the swaying palm trees of Florida, the nice easy, laid back way we live life down here. Just can't picture having it any other way. Heat or no heat, I'll take it.

Wrapping it Up...

I finally gave in and bought one of those little plug-in table top fountains. It's setting there...oh so prettily on my kitchen counter. It's in the shape of 3 delicate lotus leaves, perched one on top of the other with a steady stream of water trickling down all sides of it....From a distance, it actually looks more like a flickering flame in a firepit. Why am I blogging about my lotus leave fountain? No reason...just procrastinating.

I really should be working on something else. Something very, very (very) important. However, I'm allowing myself to get distracted by everything within a 10 ft radius. Oh did I mention the lotus leaf fountain is lighted?

Yes, oh so pretty.

Well if it's not the lotus leaves, it's the Christmas tree. Hmm. The Christmas tree....which took only 25 minutes to unpack and decorate, I might add. I think the whole white and gold look is a winner this year. Multicolored string lights? Ick. I don't know what those are. And tinsel. Tinsel should be banned.

Which brings me to why I'm procrastinating...I am STILL working on my Christmas list. I'm supposed to be finishing up my online shopping and searching for my coupon codes. I never really know what to get and no one ever really says what they want. I'm glad all the adults are doing the Secret Santa this year. I'm a true believer that the 'gifting' part of Christmas is really for the kids. I can't speak for everyone but the older I get, the less I find myself actually wanting something "for Christmas". But it's all good. I know the real reason for the holiday (and no, I'm not referring to the pagan origin). I'm celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (you know, Son of God, my Lord and Savior and all of that). I'm just choosing not to get too caught up in the unnecessary extras this time around.

**Oh the Holidays**

Boy do I LOVE this time of year!! Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years- I can hardly wait :-) The cooler temps, the coziness, delicious food, family time... what's not to love? I'm going to love it more because this year, I have a week's paid vacation from Christmas Eve through the Monday after the new year. Which, by the way, is one of the reasons I'm LOVING this new job already. More on that, later...

But back to the Holiday Season :). Last year, it was very, how should I say...."lack luster". Nothing really memorable happened from November to Jan. If I remember correctly, I didn't make it home for Thanksgiving, even. Way too busy. Can't say that I have any regrets except I wish I would have taken the time to enjoy it more. Last year, I didn't partake in the annual Black Friday craziness but this year, I just might. Not that I have anything in particular that I need to buy but if the sales are any good, I'll be there. Considering I have a move I need to prepare for, now would be the time to buy what I need. And for Christmas...I didn't plan anything special a year ago but this year, I might have to take a trip somewhere.

I really need to get this whole work/life balance thing under control. So far this year, I'm doing a wonderful job at it. Taking more time off to do family things, taking weekend trips, going out with friends, dates....all the necessary things a person must do to keep themselves sane :) I'm ending one job and starting another in November so I'm looking forward to that. And, as I mentioned before, this new job comes with the expectation of moving so I'm really excited about that, too. It happened pretty fast, I have to admit. I wasn't expecting such a swift response from them so I had NO time to prepare. I'll have to commute the first couple of months at least until I find a place. I'm thrilled that the hiring process happened so quickly so NO complaints from me.

Life is good and God is great :)

House Hunting

Although I'm only in the beginning phases of my househunting, i'm starting to stress over it. I obsessively check realtor.com to see what's new and affordable in the areas I'm interested in. I search the internet for any information about the neighborhoods (good or bad) just to have a real idea of what I'm in for. I really have to make a conscious effort to move forward with this. It should be easier than I'm making it out to be but I guess my situation is a bit different since:

A. I'm mobile- I've moved several times in the past few years mainly because of work and school. I think it's a great idea to be flexible when it comes to finishing one's education and developing a career. It makes it harder to buy a home under those conditions but I'm trying to not let that stop me. Afterall, I can work anywhere, but it would be nice to have my own home to come home to.

B. I keep second guessing my choices! I'm a great decision maker  (usually) but I keep changing my list of 'wants' and 'needs' so I'm not exactly sure if the 'perfect' place is out there for me. I'm keeping in mind that the more I trim off my list, the more choices I open myself up to. I just want to make sure I'm happy with it. I'm limiting myself to a townhome but if I can find a nice single family in a safe place, I'll take that. FYI- I'm still keeping these must haves: 2 stories, balcony or porch, 3 bedrooms, at least 1 kitchen window, roman or garden tub and at least 1 car garage. I think that's reasonable ;)

Anyway, good thing I'm not alone in this. I know at least 3 people who are on the hunt right now. Hope it works out for everyone. I'm officially giving myself 3 months to figure out, location wise, where I really want to be. Obviously, my job is one of the biggest influences on that decision so I'll see how it goes...

Man Hits Father of Autistic Child

So.....is this what they mean by "candidate for anger management"?


http://www.wpbf.com/news/24556710/detail.html

Backyard Tourism

I'm a fan of backyard tourism.... especially if you live somewhere (marginally) tropical. It's important to keep in mind that people from far and wide spend years saving their pennies just so they can enjoy the scenery that I'm fortunate enough to wake up to everyday. So rather than look elsewhere to spend my time, I've been taking lots of weekend trips lately. Sometimes all you need is a few hours to escape, unwind, soak up the sun and enjoy the breeze. When Monday rolls around, you feel completely refreshed! The first picture (the tree-lined street) is Royal Poinciana Way, which is the main street entering Palm Beach, Fla. The other pics are of Juno Beach and Ocean Blvd.

Four Score and 7 years ago....

That title doesn't really mean much- I was just thinking of something random, yet patriotic, to start this blog entry off right. Well it's the 4th of July (or Independence Day as it were) and I'm home, relaxing. Had a nice family day- that was great and I'm looking forward to hours of sheer lazines to start my week off. Monday was an optional day off at my company. Can't believe people actually chose to work tomorrow. Silly people. I for one will be sleeping until mid morning- early afternoon. No other plans for tomorrow except, perhaps, doing some much needed bonding with my TV. Yes, unapologetically lazy is what I will be tomorrow.