Danger Days

It's Friday the 13th, there's a full moon out there, and a thunder storm just passed through. It was actually a pretty cool storm. But you know, when I put all three of those together, I just get a little nervous...

The Palm Tree House

My living room looks out over a dorm-like balcony entrance, the walkway that stretches across the four apartments on my floor. Directly beside this balcony/walkway, there are three tall palm trees whose branches (fronds?) dangle just low enough to be seen under the walkway’s covering.

Today is January 8 and the temperature is a frigid 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Well, for Florida, this is frigid. There were frost warnings all over Brevard County last night because the overnight temperatures would approach freezing for the first time this season. On January 8, it’s the first time temperatures have dropped this low. I try not to laugh when people say “It’s so cold outside!” I’m not even from the North, just the Mid-Atlantic region, and I still find this very amusing.

My very nice neighbors downstairs are more susceptible to the chill in the air. I can tell they’ve had their heat on quite a bit already, mainly because I keep finding myself having to run the air to combat it--not today though.

Today I came home from McD’s and opened up all the windows while I did some much needed housework. Four words can fully explain the most difficult and most tedious task I had today: “black cats” and “vanilla couches.” Always aware of the possible solutions to this problem, I steadfastly refuse to give in and continue to vacuum the dark fur from the fabric of my $400 loveseat/sofa set, with its 11 pillows, also covered in fur.

Having completed the main part of my chores for today, I found myself sitting on the freshly vacuumed and fluffed sofa, looking out my front window and feeling very much like I was sitting in one of the many tree houses (and deer stands) that graced the woods that once stretched behind my family’s home in Virginia. Well, I would feel MORE like that if these were Oak, or Maple, or even Pine. But there is a very large Oak (of some kind…possibly a variation of Pin Oak?) that has grown tall and thick at the base of the stairs leading to my apartment. I can see it its branches just beyond the palm trees.

Actually, this complex has many trees and it bears a certain peaceful atmosphere. If you let that atmosphere into your being, you get a sort of sylvan wistfulness. If I’m not careful, I may drift off into one of my Elvin fantasies. I’ll try to stay focused a little longer, though.

This afternoon, I am looking out my front window, through the palm trees at the sun shining on the building across the parking lot. Behind the building, more trees stretch tall and green and beautiful, showing a lovely contrast between shadow and light—one of my favorite things to see. The space to the left of my view is currently still wooded—my apartment is on the Northwest corner of the property and the land to the north is all wooded (for now). There is a large ditch that runs along this side of the property. If it were just a touch wider and deeper, I would consider it more of a canal, but it’s not, so it’s still a ditch. Not quite a river, but at least I still have trees and water near me.

I’m apparently in a very mystical mood today. Everything around me is taking me towards one of those fairy tale journeys, and I’m not succeeding at resisting the pull. I think I’ll light some candles and switch my Media Player play-list over from Rock to Mood Music. That sounds like a great way to end my long day—that and a Lavender scented soak in my freshly scrubbed bathtub. Mmmmm…