A Snowbird in Paradise

Record-breaking snow (8 inches, then 12 inches, and then another 12 inches) and cold (-24, Wind Chill at a -43) and all we wanted to do was to get going toward warm Florida.  At those temperatures, salt will not work on the roads and all reports told people to stay home and off the roads so we did.  Our target leave-date had been Tuesday but we soon put that on hold and waited.  The following Saturday was above freezing and, rainy but the roads were clear of ice so off we went.

Our first stop was Georgia and my brother and sister-in-law's retirement house.  Being there for the weekend let us enjoy one of SIL's great meals with the family on Sunday.  Most of the chat was about the June birth of the first grandchild.  Monday was SIL's birthday so we went out to her favorite restaurant for dinner.  We had toured the area last year.  SIL and I explored her great scrapbooking/sewing room over the garage.  I shared some ancient family photos with my brother.

Then on Monday we drove further South to his daughter's house for 2 more days.  We explored her new house with its great gardens and then drove around the St. Augustine area.

Tuesday we headed out for the last, 3-hour drive toward our winter home, stopping for an hour or so to visit his dad in Cocoa Beach.  Finally, we reached the house in Sebastian early afternoon.

Ahhhhh.

Oh GOSH we have a lot of snow...AGAIN!  Although our proximity to Lake Erie seems to be warding the worst of the storm away from us, we are still getting plenty of snow.  My eye is always on Radar and I can see how the heaviest stuff is going right around us.  We are also watching the conditions all along I-75 going South and the conditions don't look promising.  We have already almost decided to go on Thursday, rather than Tuesday.

I am hoping to see the granddaughters later today.  My son is snowed in in Detroit and trying to figure out why his car won't start.  So many people are having similar car troubles with more temps well below zero on the way.  It will be hard to go to Florida without bidding goodbye to my family.

Schools all over the area will not reconvene Monday as scheduled.  It is anyone's guess when the way will be clear to open those schools.

Oh GOSH! It is cold.  The weather men expect several records to be broken this week.  The last three days have brought another 12 inches or so of snow on top if the 11 last week.
I go across the street every morning to have coffee, breakfast, and visit with R. watching a little TV and checking email.  Well, the last 3 days have been a struggle through the snow.  Fortunately, I borrowed some unused good old galoshes or I would never have made it.
Thank goodness R, Jr. doesn't seem to mind getting out the Polaris and snow blade and digging us both out.  It was much easier crossing the street for the evening with R.

It is with greater expectations than usual that we have started packing for Florida!