I knew I was leaving Kansas two months or more ago. I told Michelle that "when I cut for the Sunshine State I hope the weather in Kansas will be horrible, really bad," thereby adding even more incentive for me to make a quick trip. Needless to say, my hope came true, with spades, aces, bells, and whistles.
First day departing the old sod was spent defying death in one of the worst blizzards I have ever seen, much less driven in. The road was pure ice; the wind was blasting; the visibility was horrible. On one 20 or 30 mile stretch of I-70 near Salina, I saw dozens of cars and trucks crunched, cracked, binged, and bonged. Judging by the number of ambulances sliding about, some folks certainly got their hair mussed up a bit. As good fortune would have it I stayed that night (blizzard now really ramping) in Kansas City, Kansas, with my bud, Andy Waskie of Philly. Andy was in Kansas for a week while he attended Fort Leavenworth. Next morn, with the blizzard now fizzled, I turned due south Dixie-bound. Left the last of the snow behind in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the last of the ice in Jackson, Mississippi. From that point on, all went well. No mishaps, no surprises.
Sarasota, Florida, is my new home. Michelle (above) and I abide in what is called an "equestrian community." People ride, train, breed, jump, and simply enjoy their steeds here at a leisurely pace. Someone told me that there are more horses in Florida than any other state, Texas included, and verily, I do believe it. Michelle herself has several. But this beautiful, peaceful community of waving palms is much more than just about neighs and horse apples. Sandhill cranes call this place home; countless osprey, hawks, ibis, buzzards, peacocks, and other fowl inhabit the place. Lots of other critters too, like bobcats, armadillos, deer, and even coyotes can be seen or heard. And yes, of course, last night Michelle motioned silently to me from the patio to follow her a short distance to the rim of our small pond. Sure enough, in the beam of the flashlight there were the two tiny orange eyes floating on the surface. She estimated that he was no more than a foot and a half long, but. . . . Life just got MUCH more interesting. More later.
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Future Car of the Day
