Florida stuff

I've been keeping a mental list of the things I find just a little bit different here in Florida.
I figure if I write it down, I can get rid of at least one mental list.

Some things, I'm still kind of scratching my head and saying, 'huh?' over, and others, I just find novel, or interesting.

Lizards.  We have an entire army of them everywhere - outside our house.  At any given moment I can look out the back window and see one on the window, or scurrying across the patio.  These lizards LOVE to do push ups.  Up and down, up and down.  I figure it has to be a mating thing, 'hey baby, check out these guns...'
They also puff out their chins, which are red.  Pretty cool.

Along with every size of lizard, we also have miniature toads everywhere.  No larger than a cricket.  Teensy little guys.  When I walk through the grass, or past them, they hop out in front, or scurry across the sidewalk seeking cover.  I think they are beetles until I look closer.

Let's talk about plants.
I love plants.  I love gardening.
I just bought my first fake plant (EVER) today.

A couple of weeks ago, I was dying for some green in my house because I had to give all of my plants away back in Colorado.  My daughter and I headed out to Home Depot and got a bunch of plants.  She put together 2 planter boxes for her room, I got a pineapple plant (couldn't resist the novelty), a couple of pothos, a snake plant, and a pretty flowering plant, and a hanging basket for our backyard patio.
Here's what I've found:

• My houseplants don't ever seem to dry out inside due to the humidity.  
• They mold. 
• I've killed most of my plants (well, after they succumbed to the mold, or dried up from not being watered because they always still feel wet).
• Even though there is high humidity outside, and it often rains in the afternoons, unless watered with tons of water each day from my hose, my outdoor hanging basket will die. - It is in fact, dead now. 
• Plants outside WILL die if neglected without water (despite 85 - 100% humidity) for 1 day. 

The next thing. 

Soil.  The soil here - it is sand.  Like the beach.  So weird.  The grass here is what we call 'crab grass' back home.  It is a week that we diligently dig out of our lawns in the west.  

Well, not here.  Here it gets fed, and trimmed and mowed, and watered, and covers every single lawn. 

Finally - we have to talk about the water. 

I've spent more time in my swimming suit here in the past 5 weeks than I've spent in my entire life put together.  However, that's besides the point. 

The tap water - yuck...it just isn't good at all.  Not a bit.  And I'm not a water snob.  

However, when taking a shower, or after running the water for cooking for more than 1.30 seconds - the water is warm.  Cold water does not exist here.  They need cold water coolers here (like a hot water heater). Seriously, put on the tap, put your cup under there - patiently waiting for a nice cold glass of water.  You get lukewarm, tepid water...and no matter how long you let it run, it won't get colder.  So if you exercise and want a very cool shower to cool down with - you'll have to settle for a warm one, cause you aren't getting anything cold.  

Finally, all of the parents walk their kids to the bus stop.  And hang out.  It is like a social club.  Really?  The bus stop is only a block away.  I'd rather send my kid out the door 1.30 seconds before the bus shows up so that she can get there, and step onto that big yellow taxi.  Nope - we've got to get there 10 minutes early for social hour.  Then, I get to do it again picking her up after school.  I could just rebel, but I figure I'll either be ostracized for being the bad mom, or else they must know something that I don't.  

Finally (really this might be the final finally), after school here is CRAZY!  I went in to initial a paper that I'd made a mistake on, on my daughter's registration forms today.  The parking lot is a serpentine, windy ordeal.  While I parked and walked in, I couldn't help but marvel at the line of cars.  2 deep, all the way out to the road 20 minutes before the bell even rang.  

I asked the principal if this was normal.  She said the first cars got there almost an hour and a half before school got out to start the que.  It took me a full 12 minutes just to drive through my other daughter's school parking lot to pick her up last week.  

PS - We still haven't seen an alligator.  I think they may be a hoax.