Florida folks are sooo lucky!!!

Do you folks living in Florida know how fortunate you are? Hubby & I just got back from a veterinary conference in Orlando. We very rarely travel & this was my first real plane trip. We loved your state!!!!!!! We live in upstate New York (near Syracuse if that helps). When we flew out there were 6 inches of snow on the ground here and the wind chill factor was about 10 degrees. We landed in Orlando and it was in the 70's...beautiful I might add. We went to Sea World the first day & I had to keep reminding myself that it was January and not June. You guys had impatients, petunias, pansies and even rose of sharon growing there---in the middle of the winter. Awwwww, I could sure get used to that. All of the people that we met were very friendly...although we only met one native Floridian, others were transplants from northern states. Hubby & I are considering becoming snowbirds, but I feel that we need to learn to speak Spanish first. I felt very self conscience not being able to understand so many people that were nice enough to talk to me. Anyway,,,,just wanted everyone to know that Florida welcomed us with open arms and we will definetly be back for another visit. Kathy In Horseheads NY

Kathy, I'm glad you had a nice experience visiting our sunny state! You're welcome to come back any time! As nice as the warm weather is, I miss snow. I would gladly trade a few of my 70 degree January days for a few days of lovely, soft, white snow - no ice, please! Vickie Johnson

Vickie, Maybe we could do a wife swap or something. That way I could have your beautiful, sunny January days & you could have my cold, blustery, snowy, nasty---I mean beautiful snowy January days... Kathy

Kathy, \Hi! I am so happy that you had a nice visit to our warm and lovely state! I am a native Floridian and I love it here. I would love to experience snow once in a while though but I am happy with being able to drive to it. LOL! Oh yes not everyone here speaks spanish. I only know a very few very basic words. Never really needed to. Now down South Florida that may be more of an issue than up here in NE Fl. Well once again glad you came and had a nice time! Kat

Kat, Thanks for your reply. We had a girl that was from Jacksonville Florida working in our veterinary clinic. She was here for 3 years because her husband was active military & was head of the Reserve center here in our town. She was such a great person...I miss her terribly. I was sooo impressed with their 7 year old daughter. She had the best manners. Whenever you even said her name she would respond with 'mam or sir. She called me Miss Kathy...it was so darling. Kim (the mom) was shocked that kids in New York don't have those types of manners. I have to admit--they don't. It was refreshing to see them again. Poor Kim had never driven in snow before & got into two accidents while she was here. Nobody got hurt, but she really smashed up her Mustang convertible. She is so much happier back in Jacksonville. She invited me to come & visit them, but I was never really able to travel. Now that I've accomplished that--maybe I will. I'll look you up if & when I ever make that trip. Kathy

Kathy, With the horrible ice storms and snow all over the nightly news, we're definitely counting our blessings here in South Florida!! Like everything else tho' there's good and bad: we trade beautiful weather this time of year for stiffling hot summers, hurricanes, traffic jams . . .etc. etc. Sounds like there's a snowbird in the making!!!! Come back soon! Meg in Miami

You reallly need to come down to my end of the state (Collier County, Naples FL/Marco Island). Spanish is not needed in my town unless you want to learn it -- and it is much more comfortable in all seasons because of the tempering effect of the gulf of Mexico. We're transplanted from Bedford NY which is about 60 miles north of NYC, but our son is in Syracuse Law right now and I know it's cold, brrrrrrr.

I agree -come on down to Naples - you'll love it here.... today was in the mid 80's low humidity and not a cloud in the sky! Come on down!

Hi, My aunt lives in Boca Grande which is an island off the west coast of Florida (I think it's near Sanibel Island). Is that anywhere near you? Your area sounds really nice, maybe next year we'll try going there. What types of things are there to do in Naples? I'm not into amusement parks, but I love sightseeing and learning about different places. I know where Bedford is because I have several friends that are correction officers and they started out in the woman's prison in Bedford. We have 2,,yes 2!!! state prisons in our area. One is Elmira correctional and the other is Southport...the worst of the worst offenders are there. Talk about a depressed economy...that is how most people make there living here..sad I know. Syracuse is a great school. My neice is going there now for environmental science. It's expensive, but well worth the price. Kathy

Hi Kathy, I am so glad that you both enjoyd your visit! Hubby grew up in Oyster Bay, NY, me in CT and CA. We used to get 120" of snow every winter in northern Japan, so we're no strangers to your weather. Come back soon! Kristen