Its raining, its pouring....

Only I'm not snoring.  Not yet anyway, not that it isn't the perfect weather for it.  We're having a tropical depression.  Its raining cats and dogs.  TD 16, as someone on the radio called it this morning, will be moving over us tonight.  Then it heads up the coast.  Its supposed to keep raining off and on for the next week, but not these kind of downpours.  Its a good thing too, because its seems that this kind of rain is to South Florida what the threat of snow is to DC.  I'm not sure they rush out for toilet paper and white bread, like up north, but they certainly get the panic on.

A meeting was cancelled last night because of weather that hadn't even arrived yet.  There was a rumor that one of the colleges was closed but luckily that turned out to be false (how lame would that have been!).  Yesterday a patient canceled for Friday.

Now I will give you that it was raining very hard tonight.  Very hard.  Coming home around 7 pm, I'd even say it looked similar to a snow sky.  You know the kind, brighter than it should be, almost iridescent in its glow.  The clouds were so thick with water, but not the dark and ominous kinds.  We are so prone to dramatic lightning storms here, but this was not that kind of storm.  Not even super high winds, just clouds full of water waiting to pour down on top of already soaked streets and yards and everything in between.  I am tucked safely inside watching the storm through french door panes and listening to the insistent beat of rain on palm leaves and my little balcony. 

Seeing as how we were having a weather event, I decided to treat myself to dinner at Whole Foods.  Its funny, since living in tropical South Florida I have found that I rarely eat soup.  Its not like I don't eat other hot foods so I'm not sure why soup has the feeling of being a food that is eaten when its cold outside.  Its a comfort food directly connected to weather.  To me at least.  But today, in some odd nod to the weather, I decided it was time for soup.  So I treated myself to a Lobster Chowder from Whole Foods.  Maybe that's a compromise soup -- lobster for summer and soup for winter.  No matter, it was simply delicious.  It was expensive but organically, wholesomely worth the price.

Back to the weather for a second, maybe all this rain will help my plants revive themselves.  Falling victim to the move to this new house, my plants took a hit r maybe I should say, a bite.  It turns out that those cute little snails all around that reminded me of the periwinkles we used to find at the seashore were really plant devourers hiding in cute little shells.  I used to apologize if I accidentally stepped on one, to no one but the snail, but no more.  Not that I go out of my way to step on them,  they crunch most disconcertingly when that happens, but they certainly have not been kind to my plants.  Most of the plants look like they have been chewed down to the fiber parts and spit back out.  The only ones to be spared are my pineapple plants -- I hope those sharp edges on the leaves gave them a run for their money -- and the poinsettias holding on from last Christmas.  Maybe they're Jewish snails, wait, that can't be right. I digress.   I've taken most of the poor orchids up to the balcony to try and save them from the critters that live in the outside world, on my patio.  First I had to de-snail them which was a job neither pleasant nor easy.  Hopefully they'll accept my forgiveness (the plants, that is) and come back stronger than ever.

The house is slowly coming along.  I unpack and decorate in fits and starts.  My niece comes next weekend and I trust she'll be helpful in putting the furniture just where it should be... or not.  Its a work in progress.  I've got more things up on the walls and that goes a long way to feeling like home.

We're coming up on two years here in Miami and that might just merit a party.  But I need the house at least moderately in order for that to happen.  The hugeness of this landmark, however, is not lost on me.  More on that later.

Sometimes I miss the sound of rain on the skylight i.e.E Street, but its a different sound here.  So for tonight, I'll enjoy it. Everything here is so green and lush both during and after the rain.  As fall comes there will be different flowers and palm trees sprouting odd appendages.  Its still hard to tell the seasons but if you look really closely.....

Well, come see for yourself.  Visitors are always welcome.  The guest bedroom is just waiting for you!  Until then...

Fall, at least I think it is

Its fall in Philadelphia.  I had the pleasure of spending Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia and the weather was divine.  Absolutely divine.  Now I heard from enough people that I wasn't experiencing the norm, but no matter.  My visit was awesome.  I let it go far too long since my last visit to my mom.  It was a treat to see her and get to spend some time.  My mom is still a pistol and force of nature, there are just more naps in between.

Philadelphia itself was a treat as well.  Okay, call me thick, but it has taken my moving out of the Mid-Atlantic states for me to realize not only that I really like that area, but that I really love that area.  The close quarters of a old east coast city is just so vibrant, so alive.  I can understand how folks began to feel penned in and needed open spaces, but not so much for. me.  Walking around downtown Philly reminded me of how much I like urban living.  I think its why I loved Capitol Hill.  Its the equivalent of an urban suburb, if that makes sense.  A neighborhood inside the city.  My mom's area is like that too.

What is it about living so closely with others?  I love the way the buildings are right on top of the streets.. Stores, shops, restaurants, apartments, all intermingled with a park or two thrown right in the middle.  Its such a walkable, livable  kind of neighborhood.  In Miami there is much more green, much more space.  All of which is appreciated but it also puts people much farther apart. 

On Saturday afternoon we spent the afternoon sitting in Rittenhouse Square.  I can assure  you there is no better people watching anywhere!  There were tons of people to watch, dogs of every size, a huge parrot, and more.  We had the pleasure of watching a very large wedding party (8 attendants on each side) take their pictures.  It was such a huge and complicated affair that it ended up capturing the attention of quite a few onlookers.  Instantly, we all became experts and critics and that city bonding that happens in situations like that, began.  I think the drunk guy who seemed to sleep through being in the center of the entire photo shoot also helped.  You couldn't make this stuff up.  No one would believe it.

My two oldest sisters, my mom and I gathered for brunch. It was a lovely get-together and like all family gatherings devolved into hilarious laughing and even a snort or two.  Okay, fine.  I confess.  When my sisters make me laugh that hard, a snort has been known to escape.  My mom takes it all in stride but I do wonder sometimes, what folks around us think of our antics.  Mostly, I like to think they are just jealous.  Yes, that's it.  I'm going with that.

Did I mention how nice the weather was?  Temps in the 70s, sleeping with the window open.  We'll get there sooner or later, I hope.  First we have to get through the rest of hurricane season.  I think I'm ready.  I've done my prep and my shopping.  Lantern, check.  Food that doesn't need to be cooked, check.  Bottled water, check.  Most importantly, I've reserved a space at my friends' house under the bed should it get really frightening.  Have no fear, I have no intention of being some weird brave soul toughing it out by myself.  But so far so good.  Stay tuned, I'll keep you posted.

Its been a while since I've written, as one of my sisters pointed out so let me catch you up on a big event.  Baby lizard season.  Around here, when you're walking near any bit of grass... if you think you see something move out of the corner of your eye, you did.  Its a lizard.  They're everywhere skittering and scooting around.  A couple of weeks again, without any fanfare or announcement, it was baby lizard season.  They were everywhere.  Little tiny things, no bigger than an inch or so.  How cute.  My favorite was when I was commenting on the little critters, my friend asked me, "what?  you didn't have lizards where you came from?" Uh no.  The answer to that would be no.  No lizards skittering along the streets or sidewalks of Washington, DC.  No lizards in Philadelphia as far as I can remember.   There were some little frogs around when we would go to the Jersey shore, oh so many years ago, but that doesn't really count!

DC, Philly... not really known for their wildlife.  Rats maybe, but that's about it.

Its still hot here, but I'm hoping there's light a the end of the tunnel.  When I first came to look at what is now my house, it was April and that previous owner had the french doors in both the living room and kitchen open.  There was a cross breeze right through the apartment and I was sold.  By the time I moved in mid-June, it was way to hot for any of that.  So now I wait.  I am eager to experience open windows and breezes again.  It will come.  Good things come to those who wait.

Speaking of good things.... the time has come to take the brisket out of the oven.  I am making Rosh Hashanah dinner with my friends this week and I'm bringing the brisket.  Since that pesky job gets in the way of slow cooking the food of my people, I've cooked it tonight.  The house smells so delicious.  As always, thanks to my sister Rachel for reminding me yet again how to make it.

I'm off to extract this pot of cultural deliciousness from the oven.  Happy new year to all.  May it be healthy and happy for everyone!  Peace out!

Oh, I almost forgot... come visit, visitors are always welcome!