Message on the network message board at work:
Oct. 20, 2011 — An alligator was spotted on the grass near the water across from the [work building] this afternoon. It was a little over three feet long.
Although there should be no danger, please be aware when walking on or near grassy areas. In cooler weather, alligators often find a sunny soft spot to rest.
Security is addressing the problem.
It may be possible that I have lived in the south for too long. This morning I practically sprinted across the parking lot to get inside the building where I work. The temperature was in the 40s and in my button-up long-sleeved shirt and knee-length skirt, I was freezing! Tomorrow I will wear a jacket. And maybe a hat and gloves and pants. Except I don’t really have any work pants left – my last remaining pair has a key ring attached to the zipper since the pull broke off and even with that feature, the zipper has developed a fear of heights and I have to safety pin the key ring at the top-most position of the zipper in order to maintain my businesslike, professional appearance. Yup. That’s how it’s rolling around here. But I’ve got a bunch of skirts that I wear so it’s not like being pants-less is an issue.
Anyway! The point was that it was cold! And maybe I would have handled the temperature better if two days ago it hadn’t been in the 80s. I mean, we went from highs in the 80s to highs in the 60s in the course of an afternoon. It was warmer yesterday at 6:00 in the morning than it was at 4:00 in the afternoon. That’s just not right!
So, obviously, the only solution is to make a trip up to the cold northern climes to reacclimatize myself to the temperatures, so yesterday Justin and I got tickets to make that trip. I put our information about that on the forum on Erica’s website so interested parties can see that. I’m looking forward to the trip!
Part of that excitement might be because it has been absolutely insane around here lately. I don’t even have the time to go over how crazy it’s been, but trust me – crazy. And my back is killing me. And my addiction to the Layton franchise is going strong. And I’m starting a new diet in order to lose a little weight before our trip up north. And all of these things I should write about, but I don’t have the time right now because things are just so darn crazy.
But I’ll try to do something soon. Like maybe I’ll actually take a Friday and not work! Maybe . . . .
October hit on Saturday and it was like the weather looked around, blinked, and then went ‘Oh! Riiiiiiight. OCTOBER. Sorta, kinda fall-like, right? Riiiiiiiiight.” And overnight lows started dipping into the 50s and 60s and the daytime highs dropped from 90 somethings to the low 80s. The skies cleared up, the afternoon showers disappeared, and the sky turned such a brilliant color of blue that I can’t help but look at it every time I go outside. Especially since the sun hasn’t been burning my retinas now every time I step outside.
Of course, this means that when I was outside on Saturday, the temperature was so wonderful I didn’t even think to put on sunscreen and got a toasting across my face. And it also means that I’m driving to work in the dark, wearing a sweater or jacket in from the car, and then carrying that sweater out to the car over my arm when I leave work in the warmth of the afternoon.
It’s wonderful! Granted, I miss the north. I miss the colors of the leaves and the fact that you’ve all been wearing sweaters and enjoying this kind of cool weather for about a month by now. I finally went and got soup at the store yesterday because it’s finally getting cool enough that I can really enjoy hot soup. And people made fun of my arm warmers because they’re jealous. Obviously. I mean, my arm warmers are pink! And fluffy! And, most importantly, keep my arms warm!
I’ve been opening the window on my side of the bedroom when I go to bed to let in the cool air at night. It gets warm again during the day, but at night, that cool breeze is delightful. Unfortunately, my allergies have been acting up since the weather changed, but hopefully it’ll pass soon. Or, you know, I’ll refill my very expensive allergy pills. But I’d rather not.
The change of the weather also means that we’re heading into a very busy couple months. October started out with Family Day at my workplace. It’s great for families with children who can go play on the moon walk rides and be entertained by the midway games and have the patience to stand in line for a burlap bag and slide down a big slide. Justin and I stood in line for the Ferris wheel for more than an hour (toasting my face), got some cotton candy, and then went to eat at a local Mexican restaurant.
This coming Saturday we’re helping at the Habitat for Humanity building project doing yardwork. The Saturday after that is book club, and since it’s the 1-year anniversary of the club, we’ll probably be hosting a movie party at our house. The week of the 16th is the local Seafood and Arts festival. And the Friday after that, the last Friday of the month, we’re having a game night party at our house with a bunch of our local geeky friends.
And that’s just October! November and December are going to be even more busy, I’m sure. But I don’t mind that much, so far. I’m looking forward to spending time with my friends and enjoying this fantastically cool weather. I hope you’re all doing the same!
Still no heavy weather in our area. Looks like it’ll rain, and we’re getting funky clouds, but it shouldn’t be bad.
I’m at work, so I haven’t seen the weather since early this morning. It’s been a LONG week.
I’ll keep you updated if anything changes.
Potential landfall for Irene is shifting further and further north and east of us here. If she keeps on turning, we might not even get much rain. That actually would be a shame because we could use the water.
On the other hand, Justin is helping the church move the equipment from the high school to a storage shed near the movie theatre on Friday and that would be miserable to do in the rain. The school, where we have been meeting in the auditorium, was struck by lightning the week before last, I think it was, and it knocked out their fire alarm system. The school worked out an evacuation plan so the kids are safe during classroom hours, but extracurricular activies and other people who rent the building are out of luck. So we’ve moved to the movie theatre down the street. All our kids ministry and music equipment is stored at the school, though, so the church has to move it out and down the street, but during hours when the school will let us in do to that. So, Friday afternoon, hopefully, is when that’ll happen.
And the on Sunday, after church because Justin is on rotation to run the computer and projector and I’m on schedule for singing, we’re helping a couple of our friends move from Beaufort to Bluffton. It kind of works out well that we can’t help in the morning because they have a cat that sheds like a maniac. With any luck, they’ll be at the place in Bluffton by the time we get out to help and the cat will be safely tucked away somewhere and we’ll be able to help without dying from allergies. But, again, it would be miserable to do that in the rain.
In other news, I hurt my knee a little bit running. I landed on it wrong and hyperextended it just a little bit, probably. It’s been hurting on the calf-side behind my knee. But ice and Advil and rest and a really annoying knee brace and it’s doing much better already. We took a rest day yesterday instead of our regular running schedule and it was GOOD.
Honestly, the rest day was only partially because of my knee and also because we’ve both been having a heck of a week and we both just needed time to do absolutely nothing. It’s been really crazy and we’re both feeling the strain. So we ate leftovers for dinner, I folded the laundry that Justin washed during the day, and then I sat downstairs watching TV while he played computer games with friends online. I finished off the bottle of wine, which really only meant I had a glass and a half, but it made me giggle. And then we had ice cream cake that we found at the grocery store on Tuesday. It was perfectly relaxing and wonderful and NEEDED.
Today we’re back at it, plugging away. It’s going to get better eventually. We just have to slog through a couple more week of this, hopefully, and then we’ll be out.