It is Friday and it has been a lovely week. Here in South Texas we got a whole bunch of rain. This means that the water restrictions, as a result of the drought, will be lifted soon. A cold (relatively) front moved in on Tuesday so the night-time lows are in the sixties for the next few days. This means we can open some windows and allow the air conditioner to have a few nights off. We’ll be back to the higher degrees, but for now it is great. The cold front also signals the end of the hurricane season so we can put the survival gear back in the closet and enjoy the rain and wind without worrying about the surge and damage that hurricanes bring.

You know you live in a tropical climate when you become pretty nonchalant about storms with names. The only time it gets dicey is when the barometric pressure starts dropping toward the nine-hundreds. Oh yes we have a barometer that we read and understand. I never thought I would ever be able to understand the barometric pressure situation.  There are other things about living in a tropical climate that I never thought about.  Here are some:

• Never thought I would understand the difference between a cockroach and Palmetto bug. (hint: there is none, nicer name is all)
• Never thought I would need a dermatologist on call. (Knows me by name)
• Never thought I would stop wearing socks. (and underwear)
• Never thought I would be concerned about gophers and spiders the size of gophers. (Both carry weapons)
• Never thought I would be concerned about door hinges rusting off from the salty spray. (No slamming of doors around here)
• Never thought I would have to have the house repainted every three years. (salty spray again)
• Never thought I would be concerned when a gang of ants decide they want the patio furniture. (I just give it to ‘em now)
• Never thought I would be glad for a cloudy day. (Few and far between)
• Never thought I would be super happy to have spent the money for a parts and labor extended warrantee on the air conditioning system. (Full ten-year and the system has been replaced twice)

There are more, but it is time to wish you all a happy weekend