What a trip this has been! I'm sitting here in my friends' home in Ft. Lauderdale, just replaying the last 3 weeks over in my head. I was lucky enough to see all of my Florida family and a lot of old friends. The first week was the first "break" I've taken in quite awhile, as it was Chinese New Year (ie: all the factories & printers I deal with were shut down for that period) and my biggest client was away at a trade show... so I was actually able to breath a bit for a few days. It was wonderful.

I went to Miami Seaquarium for the first time, in the company of 17 little special needs kids that my amazing sister-in-law was wrangling and herding like the true pro she is. Seaquarium was wonderful in a weird, old-Florida way. Fortunately our visit was a few days before the awful incident at Sea World in Orlando, so there was no awkward strangeness or morbid anticipation as we watched Lolita, the local Orca do her flips and tricks and leaps as she frolicked with her trainers. Of course I took my camera, as part of my mission was to document this field trip for Diane and her students... I took 839 photos in the 4 hours we were there. Yeah, I know... but if I do say so, myself, some of them came out quite well and I felt most pleased and lucky for the amazing photo opps.

There were parties and bonfires and clambakes and fresh fish off the boats and lunch on Espanola Way and even a citizenship ceremony... yes, my long time dear friend, English Cathy finally became a citizen last Friday. So we can no longer call her English Cathy, I guess. Today she told me of an incident in a crowded parking lot in which she scolded a woman for stealing her parking space. Yep, I told Cath she is a real American now, by golly! Ha!

After that first lovely week, workie madness took over again and I was basically tethered to my computer for the duration. Fortunately, this being South Florida and all, I was able to take my mini office outside some days and work among the tropical flora and fauna with actual warm sun all around me... ahhhhhh! (note: it was "cold" by SoFla standards most of the time, but there were a few mid-70's days in there... and the mid-60's days felt simply heavenly to me!)

Tomorrow I begin my journey back to my mountain home, where it may be cold and all, but it's home and I love it. 

I know I've said it before, but I am very lucky. Lucky to live in such a wonderful place as Asheville, and lucky to be able to visit my Florida peeps periodically... best of both worlds, actually. 

Thanks for all the good times, Fla peeps! I'll be back...