I am finally safely esconced in my hotel just a couple of miles from Weeki Wachee Springs, after 15 hours on the road.
People who talk about northern Florida in derogatory fashion have clearly never travelled through Alabama to get to it. After hours of nothing but shacks, abandoned gas stations, rural churches, and Chick-fil-A restaurants, when I crossed the border I was greeted by:
• a well-kept modern welcome center that gives out free orange juice
• a radio station playing Kelly Clarkson amongst all the ones with conservative talk shows and gospel music, and
• the clouds literally parting to welcome me with this sight.
I felt like one of the Israelites entering the Promised Land.
North Florida is awesome! It's the best part of the state!
Don't be fooled though Matt, rural North Florida also has abandoned gas stations, rural churches, and Chick fil a restaurants.
But we have the good stuff too.
I swear when I first moved up to Vermont and was talking to people and getting my licence and stuff changed over I kept running into people who'd been to Florida but only Central or South Florida and hated it. So I talked up North Florida and they liked the sound of it better.
Of course I know some snow birds now and they like South Florida. At least during the winter, they are all currently returning home and fleeing the heat and humidity.
I just spoke to a Nigerian woman who couldn't remember the name of the Masai tribe. It felt very....very see! Distinct countries! She wants to visit Kenya very badly, and mentioned the men who jumped as one of the attractions.
She's lived in England and the US, but never visited an African country other than her own. Suck it, generalists! Anyone can be parochial in their experiences.
(I gotta thank my sister for empowering me to just ask after any accent. It's not ended badly yet. Many people like talking about where they're from. It's not like she's a refugee or anything.)
(She thought I was Ethiopian and then suggested I could pass for North African. No, but I can see why, and yes, and I have.)
A major dent has been made into the pain. I'd love to convince them to bolster it so I get to Sunday for sure, but I won't fight it. Although it was tedious and will be expensive, these guys in particular have been solicitous and understanding of my breakdowns and rash predictions. Unlike some people who were "of course everyone's on the same page" and "they told me you were keeping that.
Fingers crossed no work is missed today.
And, wow, Kat--Grace is so fucking amazing I talk about her to people you'll never know all the time. My mother checks in on her progress. Yes! Progress, fuckards
Poor Charlie. But, also, lucky Charlie. He has a Lee now.
People who talk about northern Florida in derogatory fashion have clearly never travelled through Alabama to get to it.
I laughed because yes.
I echo ita ! regarding amazing Grace, and poor but now-lucky Charlie.
I have no capacity for independent thought this morning. Five hours sleep and cats stomping on me on the bed, wake up wake up we're bored. No, they're not hungry, they want the window open so they imagine chasing the early birds. Which I am not. I like being up for the sunrise, I just wish I were awake for it.
Kat, echoing everyone - Grace's progress is amazing and you guys have all worked so hard. I think days-of-school-missed is an idiotic measure in this case.
ita ! I am glad you got treatment. Hope you have a good day.
I'm also sad because there's a lot change going -- Grace's OT is leaving and our last appointment with her is tomorrow. I'm adrift not knowing where she is headed next. AND PT. Still having to arrange for that.
And, while I'm at it, Noah is still not fully day time potty trained. It makes me sad that he always smells like pee. NO matter what we try to do to help him.
