Hahahahaha...for those of you who know what Chris calls my "evil laugh," I'm doing that right now. I just found out that Jacksonville is experiencing record lows in the single digits, winds up to 35 mph and may see some snow flurries.
While it may be frigid here in Minneapolis today, the sun is bright and the wind is still. Plus, we might hit 40 degrees this weekend and with several inches of white powder on the ground, it will be perfect for my first time cross-country skiing.
Not sure about the rest of you, but I have no doubt where I'd rather be.
Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts
What I will miss (and not miss) about Jacksonville.
The movers are at the house and Chris will vacate later today. Although I'm excited for us to start our new life in Minneapolis, I can't help but think about the things I will miss and also those I won't miss one bit.
17 Things I WON'T Miss About Jacksonville
1. The tap water
2. Creatures lurking in your yard that can kill you
3. The burning hot sun that created age spots on my face despite my consistent use of sunscreen
4. Hillbillies with confederate flags in their trucks and horns that play dixie
5. Racist remarks the likes of which my ears had never heard before
6. The obsession with sweet tea and Chik-Fil-A
7. Neighborhoods gated only for prestige
8. Skin and hair trauma brought on by the water/air/sun/who knows
9. The bionic weeds
10. The inability to do yard work when it needs it most (see #9) due to threat of death from heat exhaustion
11. The political climate / no taxes=no services
12. The sorry excuse for a downtown
13. Nary a day when the air conditioning isn't on and fear of opening the windows on the mild days (see #2)
14. Year-round lawn watering at 35,000+ gallons per month (ugh, what a waste!)
15. Not being able to find a good place to get a haircut
16. The single-source local media
17. The lack of a nice movie theater (that's more Chris than me)
10 Things I WILL Miss About Jacksonville
1. Wearing sandals year round
2. Never scraping my windshield
3. Learning fun new phrases like "jiffy feet" and "put it up"
4. The friendly and efficient grocery baggers at Publix
5. Lower prices on many grocery items and gas
6. Certainly the nice people I met
7. Fresh seafood
8. St. Augustine
9. Never needing to bring a sweater on summer nights
10. Knowing I'll never go back to our house there makes me kind of sad, so I know the place will hold a special place in my heart!
17 Things I WON'T Miss About Jacksonville
1. The tap water
2. Creatures lurking in your yard that can kill you
3. The burning hot sun that created age spots on my face despite my consistent use of sunscreen
4. Hillbillies with confederate flags in their trucks and horns that play dixie
5. Racist remarks the likes of which my ears had never heard before
6. The obsession with sweet tea and Chik-Fil-A
7. Neighborhoods gated only for prestige
8. Skin and hair trauma brought on by the water/air/sun/who knows
9. The bionic weeds
10. The inability to do yard work when it needs it most (see #9) due to threat of death from heat exhaustion
11. The political climate / no taxes=no services
12. The sorry excuse for a downtown
13. Nary a day when the air conditioning isn't on and fear of opening the windows on the mild days (see #2)
14. Year-round lawn watering at 35,000+ gallons per month (ugh, what a waste!)
15. Not being able to find a good place to get a haircut
16. The single-source local media
17. The lack of a nice movie theater (that's more Chris than me)
10 Things I WILL Miss About Jacksonville
1. Wearing sandals year round
2. Never scraping my windshield
3. Learning fun new phrases like "jiffy feet" and "put it up"
4. The friendly and efficient grocery baggers at Publix
5. Lower prices on many grocery items and gas
6. Certainly the nice people I met
7. Fresh seafood
8. St. Augustine
9. Never needing to bring a sweater on summer nights
10. Knowing I'll never go back to our house there makes me kind of sad, so I know the place will hold a special place in my heart!
We have an offer!
After several counter offers, we have finally settled on a price with a potential buyer for our house! She is a medical malpractice attorney so loves to negotiate, as you can imagine. She's also getting a screaming deal, which has Chris especially mildly irritated. But as long as it all works out for us...we don't really care!
The paperwork won't be finalized until Monday, so there's still a chance of better offers this weekend. If none materialize, we're taking it.
I think your prayers must have worked, because this is such a blessing for us. (Of course a bargain price probably trumps prayers).
We've still got a few details to work out, but it looks like we may finally be free!
The paperwork won't be finalized until Monday, so there's still a chance of better offers this weekend. If none materialize, we're taking it.
I think your prayers must have worked, because this is such a blessing for us. (Of course a bargain price probably trumps prayers).
We've still got a few details to work out, but it looks like we may finally be free!
Cross your fingers for us!
After cutting the price on our home last week, we finally got our first showing! They are interested and possibly making an offer within the next day or so. You all know what a relief it would be for us to sell this house so we can get on with our lives.
Please, please cross your fingers and toes, say your prayers, do whatever it is you do to wish us well with this. Not only do we need an offer, we need a good offer (i.e., one that doesn't require cash out of our pockets).
Thank you for your support!
Please, please cross your fingers and toes, say your prayers, do whatever it is you do to wish us well with this. Not only do we need an offer, we need a good offer (i.e., one that doesn't require cash out of our pockets).
Thank you for your support!
Home for Sale
Our home is finally on the market - photos, virtual tours and all!
Check it out: http://homes.realtor.com/prop/1087241117
Please wish us luck!!
Check it out: http://homes.realtor.com/prop/1087241117
Please wish us luck!!
Rummage Sale Day!
I've been talking about having a rummage sale for six months (Chris says a year) and finally got around to doing it yesterday. Since we are in such an out-of-the-way area I was concerned about getting traffic. My estimate was that I'd get three people from the neighborhood all day. Well, I met that quota by 7:45 am (and I wasn't even supposed to open until 8). I went out to post signs on the main road and people started following me home! I think I sold a quarter of my stuff by 8:30.There were quite a few interesting characters
and some definite hard-core rummage salers. Like the guy who asked if he could take every- thing off the "free" table (why not) and the guy who bought the table of about 50 half-used shampoos/lotions, used makeup, etc. that I would've thrown away but hoped someone like him would want?!I couldn't help but think of Amber and her adventures earlier this summer! I was worried that I would do all this work for nothing, but this was definitely a worthwhile exercise. Not only was it much more profitable that my scrapbooking endeavor, it also enabled me to get rid of lots of junk. Now we're ready to move!
Jack will be your waiter today...
Since Jack is leaving this week, Chris and I decided it was finally time to see him in action at Chicago Pizza. We would've visited sooner, but this was Chris' first trip outside in three weeks and first time he's gone anywhere other than to doctors' appointments since June 13. (Don't ask me how he does it...)Jack was a superb waiter, although I hope he doesn't steal food from the plates of all his customers! He also refused to let us photograph him in action. We tried to sneak some shots, but they didn't turn out well. He did allow Chris to snap the two of us. (Note my new haircut!)
It now appears that yesterday was his last day, so we made it just in time!
Friday at the Alligator Farm
Since Jack's days in Florida (and mine) are numbered, we finally took a much-anticipated trip to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and it was a real thrill! We endured oppressive heat and humidity to observe dozens of gators and crocodiles (and sit on some fake ones).
The pinnacle event was watching one of the thrice daily feedings. I'm so glad I got some video of this!!
The Scorpion King
If you thought the frog (actually, Chris has discovered it was a toad because toads "ribbit" and frogs don't) was interesting, meet the scorpion we found inside the house tonight.
The scorpion was both small and dead, but creepy nonetheless. According to the University of Florida Extension Entomologists, none of Florida's scorpion species produce a deadly sting. A sting would be painful, however, and it's just plain scary to come across something like this in your home.
So much about what we've seen in Florida astounds us! It's been a great learning experience but we are ready to move (and I'm ready to work).
UPDATE: I left the scorpion untouched so Jack could see it when he got home. He was merely mildly impressed, as usual. I took a paper towel to pick it up and discovered that it was ALIVE!!!!!
It must have been mildly sedated by the pest control poison periodically applied around the perimeter of the house, but it still had plenty of speed and fight left in it! As you would expect, I was really freaked out and Jack was nice enough to kill and dispose of the nasty scorpion.
The scorpion was both small and dead, but creepy nonetheless. According to the University of Florida Extension Entomologists, none of Florida's scorpion species produce a deadly sting. A sting would be painful, however, and it's just plain scary to come across something like this in your home.
So much about what we've seen in Florida astounds us! It's been a great learning experience but we are ready to move (and I'm ready to work).
UPDATE: I left the scorpion untouched so Jack could see it when he got home. He was merely mildly impressed, as usual. I took a paper towel to pick it up and discovered that it was ALIVE!!!!!
It must have been mildly sedated by the pest control poison periodically applied around the perimeter of the house, but it still had plenty of speed and fight left in it! As you would expect, I was really freaked out and Jack was nice enough to kill and dispose of the nasty scorpion.
The Frog Prince
Florida has many interesting creatures we've become familiar with over the past year or so, especially the geckos. This year, however, we have new amphibian friends!
Frogs, frogs everywhere! This giant guy wanted to come in so badly that he attached himself to our front door. Check out his freaky little toes...
Chris thinks that these frogs may be the source of a loud chirping at night. Every night. I thought the noise came from ducks, but it's probably frogs!
ribbit. ribbit. ribbit.
More fun to watch (and less icky) are the teeny tiny baby frogs hopping everywhere. I don't think I've ever seen baby frogs and certainly not in this quantity. They're camera-shy, fast moving and blend in with the mulch, but I think you can see the little froggy in this picture.
For those wondering about the geckos...they're still here in full force. The babies are cute, but we could do without the big ones that like to flare their throats as if about to attack!
Frogs, frogs everywhere! This giant guy wanted to come in so badly that he attached himself to our front door. Check out his freaky little toes...
Chris thinks that these frogs may be the source of a loud chirping at night. Every night. I thought the noise came from ducks, but it's probably frogs!
ribbit. ribbit. ribbit.
More fun to watch (and less icky) are the teeny tiny baby frogs hopping everywhere. I don't think I've ever seen baby frogs and certainly not in this quantity. They're camera-shy, fast moving and blend in with the mulch, but I think you can see the little froggy in this picture.
For those wondering about the geckos...they're still here in full force. The babies are cute, but we could do without the big ones that like to flare their throats as if about to attack!
Posts
