Florida, Oddly Enough

I will have to find an oddity to write about someday, to fulfill the title of this blog. Originally, it referred to the fact that  I ended up in a place I never thought I’d be living. Now that I’m here and it’s grown on me, Maybe I will begin to focus on what’s unique or simply beautiful, here. It seems I’ve been too busy to travel around this state very much. I even have relatives here I haven’t managed to visit. I’m on email lists for ‘Florida off the beaten path’ sites and am often intrigued by the descriptions of haunted places, pirate history, old bookstores, great food, beautiful quaint beach towns. My small list of two places I can recall at this moment: I must see the Manatee springs, and take the boat to Keywest where I hope to see Hemingway’s cats and try some local cuisine. If I work 4 more years, which I hope to do, I should be able to work my way around the state. I’d love to see the panhandle, and St. Augustine once again. I’d been there under sad circumstances in 2005, trying to help my son get into a heroin treatment farm community. An interesting place run by Italian, former addict, Catholics, who sometimes took the clients who’d gotten well, to Italy where they could work in their religious art studios. It sounded great, it was a nice place, but it didn't happen due to one thing and another. I did like St Augustine, it’s beautiful and old, and what I imagine New Orleans to be like but low-key. 

There is the upcoming, in August, trip to Miami to see the immersive Van Gogh exhibit. Hoping to see what’s left of old Miami on that trip, if there’s time. Peering out the window of an air-conditioned vehicle, of course. Hopefully, I’ll take the time to travel the state to see what I can before life brings new changes. 

But it’s the day before my last day of school. Tomorrow will be one last day on the road listening to my audiobook, passing the Kokopelli tree, one last drive through the rooster and chihuahua-lined streets to my building. Then, after I go in tomorrow and paper up to my shelves, turn in the last remaining paperwork and my keys, I’ll be free for 50 days. It seems like a lot but it’s not, it will go by too quickly. There is so much reading I’d like to do, people to visit, and shows to watch, and half won’t happen, I know. But as Stuart Little said to his class that day he substituted for Miss Gunderson,  “Never forget your summertimes, my dears.”

~Dorothy Dolores