Spring is in the air...

There are these vines that grow up and over the entryways to the swimming pool at my complex. I never really noticed them before. I always walk under or run past them without a second thought. Yesterday, while making laps around the complex there was this amazing fragrance that I had never noticed before, a fragrance that had not existed before. On the next lap around I noticed tiny white flowers growing on the vines. I was so surprised that such small flowers could have such a strong scent. I noticed the same vines and flowers when I was walking around at the mall later that same day, but I noticed the scent before even seeing the vines. I found myself aiming to walk past them whenever I could.

People say that Florida does not have seasons. I have to scuff at that because those tiny white flowers definitely prove that Florida has a “spring”. These little fragrant flowers really got me thinking about it. The defense people seem to always use is that they “will miss the seasons”. I guess what they really mean is SNOW, because there are seasons here too. You know it is summer when it rains every afternoon, but only for 15 minutes. You know it is winter when the ocean water is cold and you find yourself gravitating towards long sleeves and pants. Who took it upon themselves to claim the word season and put the definition of “all the leaves have to die and fall to the ground to count as a season, and we have to be freezing cold and buried in snow for 5 months to count another”? There are plenty of places in the world that do not experience that, does that mean that none of those places can proudly say “this is my favorite season”?

I guess this is sort of a silly thing to rant about; I just really liked the flowers. So I am going to wrap this up with Happy Spring all!

Things I wanna do...

I really want to learn to play the ukulele! I think it would be neat. I’d like to learn Spanish too. I’d like to actually be fluent, not just master sophomore level vocab. I also want to live on a houseboat, or would that be IN a houseboat. Would you live on it or in it? Anyways, not something long term or anything, but for maybe a year. Something different, something new, something not everyone does.

So, one of the things that have been on my “things I wanna do” list for a long time is learn to surf. Ever since middle school I have wanted to be a ‘surfer’ but I had never even touched a surfboard. A couple years ago I went to Hawaii to visit a friend who moved there. Besides the fact that it was the most FANTASTIC vacation I had ever been on, I got my very first chance to try out surfing. More on Hawaii later… fast-forward a couple years, now I live in Florida. I’ve driven to the coast a couple of times and had the opportunity to rent a board to try out my skills.

Like anything, the more you do it the better you get. Using my logic meant that I needed to own a surfboard so I could go more often. I happened upon a surfboard without even looking for it. I found it in Costco of all places. An 8-foot foam board. Foam boards are a better beginner board for a couple of reasons: reason one and most important to me, they are cheaper! They are also softer when you land on them, you know if you happen to fall trying to learn to surf, that probably happens... Less upkeep as well, no waxing, no worrying about cracked fiberglass.

I looked at it a couple times before I actually bought it. I actually ran into a surfer in the store and told him about my background and how I wanted to learn. He told me “you need this board” and proceeded to put in into my shopping cart. Convinced by the “pro” surfer I clearly met at Costco, I took it to the beach the next day. I’ve got a long way to go, but I am on the right track now. At least I have actually touched and even SURFED on a board (I caught a couple of decent waves when I was in Hawaii). This will be ongoing and wish I were closer to the coast so I could go more often. Luckily summer is coming and the board fits into the back of my car with ease. Now, I just need Costco to sell a houseboat and I will be all set!

I'm an AUNT

Ella Grace Wynveen was born on March 14^th around 4am. Seven pounds seven ounces and 21 inches long; I am officially an aunt. If I see cute baby stuff, I will no longer be a crazy lady when I stop and linger or even buy things. Her picture is my background on my cell phone and if anyone seems even slightly interested I scroll through the dozen or so pictures I have of this seven-day-old baby. Everyone keeps saying what a beautiful baby she is. And I don’t think it is one of those times when people say she is a cute baby when really they are just afraid to say it like it really is… PEOPLE, there are ugly babies our there and we should just own up! BUT, this is not one of those times. She is really cute, just can’t wait to meet her in person. That’s only negative. She lives in Chicago. I can’t even argue that she should move here due to cold weather because it was 80 degrees the day she came home from the hospital.

In just 16 days I hop on a plane back to Chicago to meet my niece. I’m thinking I will spend the weekend sleeping on my sister’s couch just to savor every minute I can. I know those five days will fly by, then I will be back in Sunny Florida. I’m not worried about it though. Over the past year or so I have gotten used to cramming in my social visits and really cherishing the time we have. Of course I would always love to have more time, but I will definitely take what I can get. Because at the end of the day, I am still an aunt!