This morning I pulled out a wool jacket to wear to church - something I should have gotten rid of long ago but just couldn't seem to part with. Today I was glad I had it. Thursday, winds and rain hit followed by more on Friday with a huge drop in temperatures. Off and on all week long I've had to bring plants in or cover them because we've had freezes or near freezes and this time it really hit with frost on everything. But it was the strong winds that really made it feel super cold. But our weather is nothing compared to what the states along the Atlantic Ocean experienced this weekend. The rains turned to sleet and snow leaving Washington D.C., New York City and Philadelphia buried in snow, The depths ranged between 30 and 40 inches with enough snow and ice down in North Carolina to shut schools, leave miles of stalled traffic stuck on I 75 in Kentucky for long long hours including overnight and create bad flooding along the New Jersey shore because of very high waves and winds up to 70 miles an hour due to the nor'easter off the Ocean. It was wicked. My brother Steve who is in northern Maryland sent these pictures from his backyard. One as the snow started and one as it was winding down.
Last Wednesday, Dick and Marcia Liddiard, visited with us. They have been working their way around Florida stopping to see friends along the way. We took them to American Condo for the hamburger/hot dog lunch they do each week there so they could also visit with Frank and Bette Foulke (Bette was grilling the hot dogs) and Jan Reed. All of us traveled together on the New York Caravan that the Liddiards designed for Winnebago and then led. It was a fantastic trip and a fun time with them as the tailenders working with Dave and Donna Rumrill. We originally met Dick and Marcia when they were training to be tailenders on the New England Caravan back in 2004. We redid it with them in 2010 and also traveled with them on the River Road Caravan back in 2008. They are a delightful couple.
Anyway, we met the Alesins and Beers at the lunch along with Harold -- all Keystone Winnies and had a great time visiting. Afterwards we drove them around the American Condos so they could see it before stopping for a short time at the Foulkes so they could show off their place. From there we went back to our place to chat, watch one of our Power Point slide shows - the Upstate New York Caravan - and enjoy a fresh strawberry sundae.
Marcia was expressing concern about the predicted weather this weekend because she was flying to New York on Thursday for a dinner at which she was going to be honored for her years of being a nurse at that hospital. She was due to fly back here on Saturday with a stop in Washington D.C. It was hard to even think there would be a problem since we were all dressed in shorts at that point. BUT she indeed had reason to be concerned. At this point they are saying the airport probably won't even reopen until Wednesday. Who knows how long it will take before she can arrange a flight with so many missing their flights. Thousands of planes have been grounded all up and down the coast.
This is just a reminder again of why we have come to really enjoy living in Florida in the winter. Yes, it does get cold but we don't fight ice and snow and it doesn't usually take long for it to begin to warm up again. In fact, by afternoon today, people were out and about in light jackets and enjoying the gorgeous blue skies and sunshine with just a light breeze. Yes it only got into the high 50s but it felt good out in the sun.
Still tonight I've been out rescuing plants cause it is suppose to drop down to 30 degrees. But by Wednesday it is suppose to be back in the 70's. Years ago I swore I would never live in Florida but here I am and LOVING IT!!!!!!!!!! Bring on the blue skies and sunshine :-)
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