Are you hanging on by your last frayed nerve as you slog through the dregs of winter? I know it well: the March vagaries of a couple of days in the sixties that bring daffodil shoots above ground reaching for the sun, teenagers in shorts and T shirts flocking like birds, kids wobbling around on Christmas bikes, happy dogs taking their humans on long walks. Fooled again, suckers that we all are, the next day or the next week, of course, comes another “winter storm,” with sleet, sub-freezing temperatures, another round of mud tracked through the house, another round of “What did I do with my gloves?” We’re all irritated by weather whiplash.
The pool
Since we both can work remotely, my husband and I decided seven years ago that we could outsmart winter. We’d go to Florida for six to eight weeks and work there. He has close family that moved south when they retired to escape the spirit-killing brutal and/or gray winters in New England and the Pacific northwest, and they’d picked a lovely smallish city south of Sarasota right on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. (Yes, that’s what I meant to say.) So we tough it out until the end of January at home, and then move down here where we rent the same house every year until mid-March, annually lying to each other that winter will be over when we get home. While we’re here we relish the chance to work in a beautiful lanai with a heated pool for swimming every afternoon and seeing family regularly. As I write this, it’s 80 degrees. We try to tempt a daughter or granddaughter to come down with or without her family for as long as she might like and love it when we’re successful.
Gopher tortoise friend
Cassie thinks being here is as good as stealing a whole box of treats off the counter every damn day. She can go in and out of the house into a fenced yard whenever she wants. No mud, no one stopping her and wiping her feet twenty times a day. Mourning doves call her outside where there are little lizards to hunt in the yard, not that she’d have a clue what to do if she caught one, but their trails are so enticing. She gets looong walks in the sunshine, sees lots of gopher tortoises and egrets, runs to retrieve her tennis ball near the water.
Lizard hunting in the yard
What the catch? It’s one hundred percent a first world thing to even mention, but it’s made me think of those of you who’ve not had the privilege of missing much of winter’s worst. (Weather, I mean. I know of no way to miss the painful, scary dumfuckery happening in America.) Regarding weather, though: this week it’s going to be in the sixties all week at home. By the time we leave, the following week? It will be back in the thirties and low forties. I suspect that, as during January’s heavy snows, there will be frustration to share with our friends for another month or so when we get back home. And Cassie will be truly pissed off that we don’t just stay where we are now. She’ll say: “Hey, you can be upset about the dumfuckery from anywhere, you know, make calls and write letters from anywhere. So do it.” (Casssie talks a lot.)
Myakka State Park
I’ve been working steadily on a new manuscript, I’m glad to be able to say, and as you might remember, am also now gearing up for the April 22, launch of MOTHERS OF FATE. I’m really happy that early reviews have been so good, and I’ve just been notified that the novel will featured in the April 19th edition of FRESH FICTION, which is especially terrific. I wouldn’t be doing the obnoxious part of my job if I didn’t mention how important preorders are to the success of a book, so please consider it–anywhere good books are sold! Here’s an offer: if you order a copy for yourself and/or anyone else and you’d like a personalized signed bookplate, just contact me by email ([email protected]). All I’ll need is the details of what you’d like on it (them) and where you’d like it mailed and I’m happy to do this absolutely free.
While we’re still here, I thought I’d share some pictures of our winter home away from home. So please tell me, what’s winter like been like where you are? And here’s the most important question: what engrossing book have you read this winter. Will you recommend it to us? (I read and respond to every comment!)
Oh, I love hearing about Florida and your new books! (And Cassie, of course.) I just finished reading Feathers: A Bird-Hat Wearer’s Journal, by Sarah Rose Nordgren. It’s a blend of memoir, poetry, researched creative nonfiction, and even a little fiction–all about conservation, gender, and transformation. Plus, etchings of birds. Hard to go wrong!
Oh, thank you for sharing Feather: A Bird-Hat Wearer’s Journal, which sounds like an amazing book. I’m glad to know about it. It reminds me a little of Amy Tan’s book, Backyard Bird Chronicles, with her original, amazing bird drawings–any other similarities? And you’re right–definitely hard to go wrong.
Looks like a great spot, no wonder it’s worth the grueling transition.
It really is–and we have the best landlord ever. You’re right that the transition is grueling and every year I swear that next year I absolutely will not bring so much crap. Will you please, please remind me next January not to bring so much crap? I absolutely do not need so much crap!
In Italian, we have a nice alliterative expression to characterize the month of March: Marzo e` pazzo! (the z’s pronounced TS, as in pizza): March is crazy!
That is indeed perfect! Italian is such an expressive language, isn’t it? I’m always so greatful for your observations, and I thank you, Sante.
As always, Lynne, a visit with you is warm, funny, and thoughtful — and I’m glad for the continuing canine perspective from Cassie. My Perkins would like to meet her sometime and exchange notes on the weirdness of humans in their 70’s, and maybe on squirrels, too. He’s glad to have nothing to contribute about gators. Looking forward to the new book and I’ve just ordered a copy, and hope the even newer one is well underway. In the general disheveling of the world it’s nice to be held to some standards of civility and loyal confidence by our pups. Cheers & loves — Michael, Candy, & Perkins
Your Perkins would doubtless have wise insights on the weirdness of humans who pack up their lives and dog and drive for three days…etc. Cassie is just resigned and is probably a better traveler than I am. But I bet Perkins would be very interested in Florida’s little lizards…or is he well acquainted with them and quite bored? Thank you so much for ordering MOtHERS OF FATE. I do hope you enjoy it and that you’ll leave a review. Your support has meant so much and I’m truly grateful, Mike.
So beautifully written Lynne! Our sunshine gets a bit too much at the moment. We are longing for autumn that seems as if it is placed on hold… stay healthy.
oh, Amanda! How strange it sometimes seems to think of you in South Africa, on the other side of the world having exactly opposite weather and longing for fall and winter! Since I’ve not been there, I have to ask an ig norant question: is the fall there as it was in Connecticut-competing with spring to put out the most beautiful, vibrant color? Sending you love and hopes for a beautiful fall.I hope you’ve got lots of supportive friends and family around you.
Every time I read something you’ve written, Lynne, the day just feels brighter. You’re hysterically funny, and I love the way you capture both the beauty and absurdity of it all. I pre-ordered my copy of Mothers of Fate today!
Thank you so much, Dana…Actually, though, you’re the one who makes me laugh! And I so hope you enjoy MOTHERS OF FATE. Thank you so much for ordering it! As always, I’m grateful to you.
Just ordered the Kindle version, Lynne. As always I enjoyed your post. Toby and I had just a 10 day holiday in Treasure Island FL and though the temp got to 72 for a few days, the wind chill was awful when near the water. Definitely not swim suit weather for me. I’ll look forward to Mothers of Fate and hopefully to seeing you and Alan in the near future!
Hi, Judi–I’ll have to look up where Treasure Island is! It was easily warm enough for the beach where we were, although the Gulf of Mexico was…um…cold! The heated pool at our house was perfect almost every day. We had temps hovering close to 80, but never higher. I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy the same. Mainly, though, I want to thank you for ordering Mothers of Fate, and I so hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much, as always, for reading and commenting. I’m always so glad to see what you have to say.
Thank you for the update on your winter life. And I loved seeing the pictures! The crocuses are suddenly up in Provincetown, which is a sign…
Ah! crocuses in Provincetown…spring is so beautiful there. I hope you’ll put pictures in your the next newsletter for Gabriel’s, A Provincetown Hotel (highly recommended for anyone headed to the outer Cape–you could not do better for a place to stay!) In southwestern Ohio, most of the daffodils are in full bloom (though ours are just budding now) and the forsythia is out. April and May are our magical months–absolutely spectacular.