Whatever you do, do NOT go outside right in Westcoast FL after 9 pm. It's a jungle out there. HOT, steamy, in general not nice. We have been doing to yard work on our back lot, moving mulch, making room for a grassy area, and there is nothing but beetles, skeeters, flies and wasps to be unearthed. We have seen a black snake slither across our porch, a rat snake out front, and several little field mice running around. We live in a normal suburb. If we lived out in the "country" like we both have talked about doing..these natural wonders would be expected and something to wonder at. Here, in a neighborhood, it's not so nice and cute. The 4 days of rain from last week awoke the beasts of the ground, and they are still hunting, getting as much as possible in case the next drought comes back.

I miss the cool weather. The mild air of fall, the breeze and hint of winter coming. The whisper of football weekends, nights in wondering at how cold it's going to get, and the chance to wear jeans and boots. Nashville gave us more than enough months of that. Looking for something a little more..in the middle.

Hope all of you are doing well tonight and have a great Sunday. Right now, after a full day of cruising through Clearwater to Clearwater Beach (haven't been there much lately) and the library to stock up on our weekly kids' movies, CD's and books, it was a very good day. We ended up at the mall, getting some items from sales and then after the whole family went home, I went to the gym the last hour it was open.

We wait with anticipation for fall. We go to our local Dunedin Causeway and Honeymoon Island often as normal, and have many good memories there. But now the time is here, the next few months are so hot that the water just doesn't cool one down enough. I have never lived near the Gulf where it is so placid. In PC the waves are usually kicking and the water is deep. Here, it is just as beautiful and lures you in with not many days of tidal swimming accidents. But this is the time...to find the movies, stay out of the heat, and bide our days until Fall arrives. Gator time, Ohio time (both in our house) and shorter evenings of fresh cool air flowing through the windows.