Fall Finally Fell

Less than a week to go until November and it finally dropped below eighty five degrees here in Orlando. We've been living here for over a year now and still have never turned the heat on in our house. Actually we've never turned the A/C off either. We keep it set on seventy four and around the end of January it doesn't kick on very often but kicks right back on around the first couple of weeks of February.

It was a beautiful breezy day here and sixty eight degrees when I went into work tonight at six fifteen. I got home from work shortly before midnight and was fifty eight degrees.

Fall finally fell.

If only palm tree leaves changed color, I'd be happy as a clam. The beautiful fall colors are the only thing I miss about the changing seasons. Georgia is truly beautiful when all the leaves change there.

 The maple tree in our old front yard is probably hitting that beautiful peak point right about now.


I think the weather is my favorite thing about living in central Florida. I always dreaded winter in  Georgia; it was my least favorite season of  the year.

Seems ironic considering I've suffered from hot flashes for the past decade.

Fall and winter are a bit different here. Instead of having to pull out sweaters and coats, I switch from tank tops to short sleeved tee shirts, then eventually to long sleeved ones, then have to wear long pants for two or three weeks. I keep one heavy sweater handy for winter (which lasts about fourteen days) and have to wear tennis shoes instead of flip flops.

All true facts.

It's a done deal, we're living here in Florida now and don't plan on leaving any time soon. When I go back up to Georgia for Christmas this year at my sister's house, am taking most of my heavy winter clothing with me to donate to the Salvation Army and Goodwill. I don't need four winter coats anymore, or twenty heavy sweaters. but someone in Georgia does. I have too many spare comforters and blankets, hats and scarves and gloves.

I'm keeping a nice long coat my brother gave me with a zip out lining and my jacket. I've had my Harley jacket since the early eighties (bought it for twenty bucks) and fits me like a snug glove. It's a keeper.

May as well put all the others to good use and help someone else out who needs them.

It will also help with our next moving purge.

I'm excited to say we are also now close enough and actively searching for a house to buy here. Our tiny rental experience has been great and had an excellent landlord but can't wait to have our own house and bring my Johnny Dear down here to cut my own grass again. We've narrowed our search to two locations and look forward to moving the Spring of 2018.

For all we've been and gone through over the past decade; for all the highs and especially the lows...are still some of the luckiest peeps on this planet.

It's made me realize how important the values of family, friends, commitment and determination are.



I still struggle with the feelings of  moving away from my entire life, but was something we simply needed to do to not only survive but succeed in our life.

I think Dr. Seuss said it best:

We were broken, and struggled for more years than I care to remember. We were also lifted by love, compassion and totally helped through the storm.

 Uncle Pont (my dad's brother) had a favorite song.

 He almost looked liked Diddy's twin.

Pont died from a massive heart attack on the tennis courts while playing with friends of his own son, Shad, who also died decades later while taking a nap on his own couch.

Us Leach peeps seem to be lucky enough to take the express checkout and is the most fabulous way to go in life. Live hard, fight right and go quickly.

Here's to Uncle Pont.

His favorite song.

Take the bad that life throws at you and roll with it. Be a good person and good people will love and help you survive.

It may sound simplistic, perhaps crass but totally true... whether male or female, and the best lesson in life:

Don't be a dick.

Till next time...COTTON