I couldn't make this up if I tried!

Okay, this is the real deal.  I am not making this up.  I heard this story on NPR this morning. Sure it was the local broadcast, but nonetheless.  Here's the video by the "esteemed," and I use that word loosely, Miami Herald.

http://www.miamiherald.com/video/index.html?media_id=9025808&storylink=fbuser

So here's the scoop.  We've been having a cold snap down here in South Florida.  I'm not complaining.  Not at all.  While the majority of the nation is experiencing a deep freeze, we're having our version down here as well.  All things are relative.  No one's asking for sympathy but I have come to realize that the real locals are actually suffering.  They're just not prepared.  Many don't even own coats.  Many only turn their heat on once very couple of years.  They don't own space heaters or the likes.  So when the temperature dips to the low 40's and even 30's for a day or two they deal.  They whine and move one.

But when the temperatures fall that low and stay there, well, now we've actually got something to complain about.  Me?  I'm having the reverse.  I feel like we're having seasons! Whoohoo!  But I'm also warm enough.... finally. My apartment is new, well built and surrounded by others on all sides -- top, bottom, left right, hallway and only one side has windows.  Oh so this is what insulation is supposed to feel like.  What a shame I never had a speck of insulation to keep me warm when I was in DC and actually needed it!


My apartment, with nothing on -- no heat, no air -- has stayed around 72-74 degrees.  My friend's house, a single family, old construction, was down in the 50's with the heat non-functional.  Now that's what I remember. My other friends kept their oven open to try and heat up the place.  But I digress.  So why the weather report?

Its all about iguanas.

Iguanas are freaky things.  They look downright prehistoric.  We went to the park one day and saw these HUGE iguanas sunning on the rocks.  They were large and were deceptively sluggish.  Until the big one decided to go after a small one.  Wow.  That guy, who had to be a grandaddy of the canal, took off like a shot.  Note to self.  Do not get into a situation where an iguana is chasing me.

So what happens when it gets cold?  Its seems that iguanas go into a sort of coma-like state.  If it warms up fairly quickly, no problem.  They warm up and life goes back to normal.  But an extended cold snap like this one could spell serious trouble for the iguanas.  Not that most people would be all that bothered, mind you.  Iguanas are sort of nuisance animals.  They are not native to this area.  Let loose by someone who got tired of a pet, they've sort of gone forth and multiplied.

So here were are with an extended batch of cold weather and the iguanas are freezing.  Literally.  They are falling out of trees.  Let me tell you how traumatized I would be if I was hit in the head by a falling comotose iguana.  Whatever.  What kind of therapy do you need for that??

So the link above is a story telling people how they can help the iguanas.  Put a towel in the dryer for a few minutes, wrap up the iguana and bring it in to the garage, a closed area, or maybe the bathroom with the door closed.  After a few minutes, the iguana will warm up and become mobile again.

Really?  That's good news.  Now I have a live and mobile iguana in my bathroom.  Oh, and don't let the iguana back outside until the weather warms up.  Do they have an editor?  Anyone paying attention to what's said?  Now I have an iguana living in my bathroom that has to stay there for a few days or even a week!!!!  I swear to you I couldn't make this stuff up.  I assume I'd have to feed the critter if you're going to keep it for a week, its only polite.  Sheesh.

The clinic?  Oh yeah.  We're up and running.  But don't worry about that, this stuff is far more interesting.  Don't you want to come visit?