Heated Patience

Hi ya'll before we get started let me first warn ya. I write just like I talk and tell it like it is, that's just me. If you are offended by strong language/cuss words stop right here.

This is one of my longer writings and it will take some time to read but I think you will find it's well worth it. So pull up a chair, have a sitdown and enjoy....

Okay here ya go ya'll a write up bout my Friday. A true test of patience on a virtue I lack. I woke up Friday morning feeling full of energy. Perhaps the meds are workin since I didn't wake up wracked with pain in my legs and back and not the internal, wicked fatigue. I've taken this med before for that sole purpose of having more energy and keeping me off my addiction to carbs and snacking. I lost 50 lbs last summer taking this stuff. Never felt better, looked better. At 43 I felt 15 years younger. Only problem it can make me switch phase into a full blown manic mode.

The stuff is like speed to me turning me into the engerizer bunny. Feeling good this Friday morning I had already had my Friday night planned out. My usual beers, get a buzz going, talk on phone with good friend and maybe peek in on at an ongoing private online conference that takes place on Friday nights.

I did my usual morning thing of waking up to a caffeinated beverage and readin/replyin to emails, peekin in at my discussion forum, etc. It's how I pysche myself up for the day. My hair needed to be buzzed again. I usually do it once a week on Sunday's. I missed last Sunday and that shaved/buzzed look and delineation of my USMC high and tight was starting to grow in and fade.
I decided to cut my hair Friday morning before work. Something just told me to do it so I did. Buzzed my head, trimmed beard which had grown thick and scraggly by now.
I didn't like the belly I was seeing in the mirror... WOW!!! all that good eatin, cookin and snackin I do not to mention my favorite Friday night thing is to unwind and let down from the week and have some beers

My usual fartin around I do in the mornings I didn't get out the door until 10:30 a.m. I'm just not a mornin person ya'll. Mornins totally suck!!! I was sickened to see a lawn sevice truck pulling out onto the highway at 7:10 this morning with his work crew in back of pick. God damned sick bastard!!!.. LOL...the only part functioning on me was keepin my eyeballs open at that hour. Takes everything I can to feed the dogs and give the right dog the right feed bowl in the mornin.

Granted if I started work early and this is what I been told for Years!!!! I could be done early. I have tried that but I just can't move and get motivated that time in the morning.
Besides, fire up a lawn mower, weed eater or back pack blower in my yard at 7:30 a.m and I'd be makin that blower fit up someones rectal opening!!
Oh yeah..did I say I wasn't a morning person?? I can be quite crotchity. I just hang and chill by myself wakin up. No t.v. on, no radio as I really don't like noise first thing in the morning just kinda agitates me.

So I set out 10:30 a.m. amidst a darkening tropical sky. Weather forecast called for 40% chance of showers/thunderstorms, typical forecast for the summer rainy season. It was just one big dark cloud from overhead and to the west over the Gulf waters. It looked like a few miles south traveling on the Overseas Highway and as usual a hot, blasting sun would be broiling the landscape. A light drizzle started as I got into my truck. Won't be rainin where I have to work today which was 6-7 miles down the road.
I pulled out onto the Oveseas Highway from my subdivision. Skies were black to the west over the water and a beautiful dark curtain of rain could be seen over the water. This is worth a photo I thought. Tried pulling off the highway at a place called the Carribean Club a famous Key Largo landmark and well known in a Humphrey Bogart movie. Dag nab it.. a myriad of boat trailers, weirdly parked vehicles left me no place to park my truck and trailer. I cursed the trailer and cussed bout there being "way too many humans" round here. Not wanting to fill my day with negative thoughts I banished that from my head. I pulled back on the Overseas Highway, southbound traffic was very heavy. Afterall it is Friday and the weekenders I reckon were already coming down from Miami-Ft Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches.

Driving down the road the skies looked very benign with a thin line of dark clouds following the Island chain. The sun was peeking out here and there. A typical Island Cumulus line was forming. Happenes frequently but rarely does anything form outta it lasting for very long.

I had a vision in my head of a lightning bolt coming out of the not so threatening looking clouds then hearing the explosive peel of thunder. It was about 20 seconds later right where I saw that lightning bolt if one didn't strike!!!.. I'll be dipped in shit!!! and it was followed by a very loud explosive rumble.
Then another vision of a bolt hitting right next to me making a god awful noise. 20-30 seconds later as I was pulling up to one of our two traffic lights here on the Island a massive bolt blasted down into the tropical hardwood trees in the shopping center parking lot!!!!. WAAAPANNG!!!!!... WOW!!! that was close.

I suddenly had visions of numerous lightning bolts one after another. I had two more miles to drive before I stopped at the bank to make a deposit.
Suddenly I had a vision of Firefighters dressed in full Turnout gear, it was fleeting but I wondered why it popped into my head like that. Perhaps having a gear fetish myself and I was maybe rehashing a t.v. show I watched two nights prior of a man inventing a product, he's a firefighter and was dressed in full turnout gear. Dunno but my my mind races like that and jumps from thought to thought.

Lightning bolts were coming down all around me. I rolled the truck window down so I could hear the thunder... COOL!!!! I yelled out. Big drops of rain started splattering the windshield. The small line of dark clouds had suddenly grown. A line of thunderstorms was in explosive development overhead and I mean explosive.

Okay JD I said to myself.. are you controlling the weather again?? If so let's aim and hit the real tall radio tower that stands in the middle of the Overseas Highway. I was now sitting in the turnabout waiting to cross over the northbound lane of the highway to pull into the shopping plaza where the bank was at. I had no choice but to look south at the oncoming traffic. Traffic was friggin horrendous!!! for northbound on a Friday. God Damned lobster mini season just ended so I reckon those folk were headin back and others resltess. The Island chain has been crammed to the gills with folk coming down for the two day mini lobster season. Waiting for a break in traffic to make my dash across the highway, huge drops of rain had really picked up tempo now. Radio tower in plain view... and but 1/4 mile down the road.

Suddenly a very large lightning bolt followed by a very explosive sharp crack literally split the sky. The radio tower got hit!!! and it was like a firehose got unleashed as a wall of large raindrops descended down. Wipers going on fast it was hard to see now crossing the highway. Pulling into the parking lot another very loud crack, a bolt hit behind the Ramada Inn. Seconds later another explosive sky shattering crash. WOW!!! this is getting interesting.

I lived in the subdivsion behind this shopping center many years ago. They always get very intense lightning here,dunno why but they do.
I parked the truck. It was raining very hard. I had to park a good ways from the bank because of the truck and trailer, I had to park in the middle of the parking lot behind the laundromat. I was actully afraid to get out and walk across the parking lot there was so much lighting everywhere. Hearing reports of two lightning fatalities in my area just this past week didn't help either. Florida...lightning capital of the world..sure was!!.

I got impatient and decided to make a mad dash after about 10 minutes. The rain wasn't going to let up. The storm cloud had parked itself right ontop of Key Largo uleashing an electrical maelstrom.
I was a steppin and fetchin across that parking lot lemme tell ya. Just as I got in the protective covering to the entryway to the bank.. WAAAPANG!!!! another really close strike and sharp crack.

I really LOVE when it thunders like that.

I stood at the ATM making my deposit and when the receipt came out I wasn't thrilled when I saw what the bank balance was. There should be more money than that in there I thought. I'll print out a statement. Naturally a person was behind me wanting to use the ATM, I get real impatient when people fart around and dilly dally at those things so deposit made I ended the transaction. I'll let this person go and do what they need to do and then go back to the machine and get printout as they take a few minutes.

Several people had gathered in the shelter of the buildings overhang. The rain was coming straight down in a torrential torrent, the parking lot turning into a lake.. Lake Waldorf us locals call it hence the name of the shopping plaze is Waldorf Plaza. It always floods in a downpour and they can never get it fixed.
Waiting for the ATM to come available again I looked around. Above the bank are some offices, legal offices or something. Through the windows I see three firefighters dressed in full Turnout Gear. Say What!! as I shook my head.
My vision a short while ago confirmed now, I'm aming lightning bolts it seems. Okay this is way too awesome. I see my abilities are coming back.
I wondered why firefighters were on the 2nd floor. The bank was full of people, people were standing in the doorway and inside the bank like nothing was going on.
Maybe the guys were training or something I thought. I could see through the bank to the rear door where the fire truck was parked with lights flashing. That wasn't there when I was in my truck several minutes ago.
Firefighters had come down the stairs.. oh good I'll get to get a gander at some guys in full Turnout gear I thought.

I proceeded to the ATM aqquiring the statement I needed. Scanning it over quickly I could see the transactions which my partner told me about the night prior. Okay that's cool just wanted to know where some money went and that was solved now.
I had nothing to do but wait under the overhang for the downpour to let up some so I could make a dash back to the truck.
A large, rotund woman dressed in gray tshirt, black shorts and sandals..typical Fl Keys garb ever so casually walked through the downpour, purse in one hand, her head held downward hair and tshirt getting soaked and paying a no never mind to the loud peels of thunder.

Oh Boy!!! she's a "Keyster" I thought. That's a local yocal word for a very laid back, nonchalant Florida Keys person. By now the firefighters three of them were standing inside the bank. They looked as though they were talkin to one of the bank folk behind the seated desk area, smiling and talking. Coudn't have been anything major as they seemed pretty laid back, the long line of folk inside pay a no never mind to the firegighters. This is the Florida Keys and we stare hurricanes in the face so anything less than that usually doesn't get noticed or raise an eyebrow.

That's how laid back things can be here.

I had nothing better to do than people watch and watch the rain. I must have stood a good 15-20 minutes.
My 3 clients grouped together on one street were but a 1/2 mile from the bank and I knew it was raining there. The other client slated for that day was another mile and a half down the road apiece and pretty sure the storm was that far down also. Keys weather is so weird. It can literally dump rain on one side of the road and not the other. A storm like this and you drive a mile and the sun can be out!!!. I could see the delineation between the storm and clear skies just a few miles away.

The rain slackened off some and I briskly walked to my truck. All these clients will have to be postponed until the rain stops and it dries up some. I snaked my way around and through the subdivision to the clients. The rain was light to moderate and the skies were getting lighter, frequency of the lightnig dropping off and thunder becoming more distant. I sat outside of clients house looking at the 3 properties I had to do through the windshield. No way was I gonna be able to do these properties until it dried up some.
Truck radio playing the local radio station of 80's music and that gargantuan radio tower now a 1/4 mile the other direction got hit again!!!! knocking the station off the air. Moment later a computerized voice did some countdown and a station identifier "This is Star 102.1 FM" in a very spaced, digitized voice and the music once again was playin. Who says lightning doesn't strike twice??.

The downpour had got to commencin once again.

Okay let's drive down to next client and see what conditions are there. Getting onto and off the highway this day was a feat in itself. Traffic was just absoluetely vicious!!. Being it's a divided highway just crossing a north or south bound lane to get goin in the direction you wanna go can be challenging. It's like this during peak winter season.. NEVER summer excpet Memorial, 4th of July and Labor Day weekend.

Patience is short to non existent for me when it comes to driving, other drivers and anything that has to deal with waiting in line. It was taking forever to get onto the highway yesterday, folk were driving totally stupid. My aggravation level was rising.
BEEEEEEP... My fuel light went on. Well it's raining so I got nothin better to do but go to a gas station and get diesel fuel. The gas station sits in the middle of the divided highway. I approached the gas station from the Southbound lane. Sure as shit!!! not only was somebody at the pump but the car was facing the wrong way or so it appeared to me and another car behind it. If I sat there and waited my turn I would block that person from getting out, Assclown!! I thought.
The pump on the otherside was the wrong way for me and I didn't want to try to squeeze trailer between building and pumps and then have to wrassle a long rubber hose up and over the truck bed to the tank.
I'll try the pumps on the northbound side. Jesus H!!!! a car there facin the wrong way and a big pickup with a big ole boat facing the other. Okay I'll sit off to the side and wait. Some old folk were trying to back the car up to the pump. The guy was lurching the car forward, reverse. Nearly hit the dumpster in front of him and nearly backed into the guys fueling a boat behind them. Good Lord!!! this is a disaster waiting to happen!. The old man lurched forward and backed up bout near takin the fuel pump out!!. These folk shouldn't be allowed to drive! I thought. They are a danger to others. His wife was just sitting in the car totally oblivious to the whole thing. I felt kinda bad fer them and realized he was probably tryin to do his best with his car and someday that might be me.
He worked the credit card and gas pump alright so he knew what he was doing.
La da da dee, La da da.... I sat and sat and sat about another 10 minutes. The old man fueled up and finally the boat was done fueling. I was good to go.

Fueled my tank and off I went. I had a client several miles further south that called the day prior. She wanted her weeds sprayed with Roundup and some leaves cleaned up and she wanted it done like yesterday!!. I told her I'd see if I could squeeze her in on Friday. I looked south and it was blue sky and knew the weather would be good down that way. I was rained out on 4 properties so I commenced to calling her on my cell.
As eager as she was to have it done she didn't want me to come. She was afraid it would rain and wash the weed killer off the weeds. I knew it wasn't going to rain down there but you can't tell an 80 year old, headstrong woman that. Well if it rains I'll just come back. She told me to come on Monday, okay fine.

I was heading south on Overseas Highway when I called her. Good thing she told me not to come. I had gone about 1 mile from the gas station after dealing with more traffic in the turnabouts. Suddenly I saw a line of cars, trucks and boats just creepin. Shit!!! backed up humanity!!! I really can't deal with waiting in lines in traffic.
I saw a local convenience store/gas station situated in between north and south boud lanes. I cut through the parking lot and again had to wait to get in the northbound lane. Oh now this totally blows!! an endless parade of cars heading north. It was 12:10 p.m. and the day was pretty much shot. It was still raining lightly. I debated whether or not to call it a day and just go home. Everything would be wet, sodden and hard to do the job not to mention it would be a hell hole steambath once the noon day tropical sun came out. Alot of rain dumped in that period of time.

Okay I thought I can start the 3 clients by 1 p.m. and still get em done and be outta there by 5 p.m. I opted to give the weather until 1 p.m. to make or break. I wound up in the same shopping plaza, parking behind the laundromat exactly where I was but but an hour or so prior. I thought I'll go into the Dollar Store and poke around, head over the Walgreens and poke around there. Don't have squat for money to buy anything but it's something to do nonetheless to pass time.

Gathered a few $1 items at dollar store. I could see the sun starting to get brighter outside. I got in line and guess what???... a lady ahead of me had a shopping cart crammed full of little itty, bitty hair thingies. I reckon she done cleaned out the store. Barretts, pony tail bands, hair combs, clips...you name it. Either she's got OCD or gonna sell em. OH!!! this is going to take fucking forever I thought!!!. I had nothing better to do, It was still raining.

Finally, Oh so finally my turn came. I purchased two cans of mixed nuts, a couple packets of 20 cent seeds and a $1 squirt gun to keep our noisy, biting, slurping, scratching dogs in check. I was hungry so I opened the can of nuts and started to scarf em down as I left the store. I commenced to steppin and fetchin over to Walgreens Pharmacy crossing and avoiding the flooded parking lot best I could in front of the bank as I chomped on cashew nuts. The sun was coming out now. I'll give it a bit more time and let things dry I thought, rain had stopped now.
Purchased a few little things in Walgreens. Rain stopped, sun out and no more on the way and it being 12:59 p.m.I decided to drive over and get busy on the 3 clients.

When I arrived everything was still dripping but the sun shining brightly now and the steam rising off the asphalt roads. I got outta the truck and there wasn't even the slightest hint of any kind of air movement. I knew with this sun it would't be long before it reached past 90 degrees and with nearly 100% humidity???...Oh God!!! this is gonna really bite ass!!!.
I unloaded the tools and equipment I needed from the trailer. I noticed it was hard to breathe the air so sodden with moisture, steamy and getting hot. I already was sweating profusely, I wasn't none too happy.
I trimmed the clients water sodden hedges followed by raking up the clippings and some dead fallen leaves and trimmed som dead palm frond off her trees around her pool. I had been there about 1/2 hour now and noticed the road surfaces were barely drying and clouds of steam rising. My tshirt totally drenched I thought of just going home. It's so dam wet it's gonna be hard to cut grass, blow leaves off two large pea gravel yards.

I went to truck to get a drink, change shirt and towel dry off. I thought Wednesday was bad???... This sucked the big one!!
The sun was blasting down relentlessly and I couldn't even dry myself the air was so moisture sodden. I noticed some more clouds building and the blow off from the thunderstorm clouds would come over and cover the sun. If I could hold out until then. Once that burning orb was behind some clouds it would be more tolerable.

The sun went in indeed and I was thankful for that however it being so awfully oppressive it did nothing to make it feel cooler or me sweat less. I mowed the yard and not only was my shirt totally soaked again but my shorts were literally dripping also. The sun I so cursed also dries out my thsirts that I have to frequently change. I brought 3 changes with me and usually just recycle them through the day. Change #2 and I tried to blot my shorts dry with big bath towels I carry with me. I was just plain miserable!!. If only a breeze would blow it would make all the difference. HUH!!! no such luck!!.

Okay the mowing yard is done and now onto the blowing yards. I just strap a blower to my back and slowly walk back and forth blowing the leaves to back of the properties and into the woods. That shouldn't be too bad I thought. Wrong!!!.

I was sweating like a whore in church!!, it was hard to breath the dank, oppressive tropical air even though it was heavily overcast by this time. I started to grow impatient with the blowing. The wet leaves were hard to blow and I was getting aggravated but right good. My legs and ass were getting severely chaffed as my shorts were dripping to the point my workboots were soaked inside and I could feel water sloshing in my shoes...this just from sweat!!!. This totally fucking sucks!!
Now I'm walking funny because my ass cheeks and thighs are stinging and smarting like a sonofabitch. Not a pretty picture I'm sure that I'm painting for ya'll but I tell it like it is.

I was finally done with the blowing and had to spray the weeds yet and then groom the front yards with a pea rock rake. Every step I took was painful now but I got the spraying done. Then I started to groom the pea gravel with a pea rock rake. My hands so wet I could hardly hold onto the aluminum handle to pull and push the gravel.

I was done!!! Glory be to God!!! I was done!!! Only took me 5½ hours that should have been 3½ hours.
I locked up trailer, put on a dry shirt for the drive home. I decided to stop and get a 6 pack of some fancy/micro brewed beer and have that along with my Bud Lights. I love the taste of beer so I like to buy and try different kinds. I bought a Black and Tan, I wanted an Irish Stout and thought I'll do that one next week.

I again had to wait forever to get on the highway but I was homeward bound excpet for the little side trip I had to make at a liquor store near our house. I could have purchased the beer in the grocery store but I didn't want to deal with people, lines nor walk around an air conditioned store with totally sweat sodden shorts. However I so welcomed any kind of coolness at this point. I knew we needed some groceries but I could go shopping on Saturday when my mood was better and I was dry with clean clothes.
So I go to the local liquor store about a mile and half north of our house. They have the cheapest liquor/beer prices in town. Well that cheapest modality cost them. The roll down hurricane shutters were drawn, parking lot empty. The place only open for about 1 year had gone tits up!!

Geat! now I HAVE to go to the grocery store where I didn't want to go in the firt fucking place!!. Either that or just grab a case of Bud Light from the convenience store next door to our house after dinner.

No.. I wanted my special beer. My small little treat to myself and I was looking forward to all day and Friday night. I was really agitated at this point. All this testing of my patience every which way I turned all day was accumulating and I started becoming very negative, fonchin, fumin and a cussin at everything.
Pulled into the grocery store parking lot and did a little attitude adjustment on myself.
I hobbled into the store. Chaffed thighs and ass cheeks aren't fun. My leather chain wallet even chaffed my butt cheeks so I'm walking like I got a load of shit in my britches, my hand in my back right pocket holding the wallet and material away from my butt cheeks. What a sight that must have been!! but I didn't care.

I decided to get a container of salad greens for salads over the weekend. I started to browse what beer I wanted this week and suddenly I had to piss like a race horse!!! and like Now!! I shuffled off quickly to the men's room did my thing and came back to the beer aisle. Picked out my beer which was a Black and Tan and proceeded ot the checkout. I decided the Irish stout could be next weeks choice.

I sure as hell didn't want to stand in line so having 2 items I opted for the self checkout. I've become quite adept to using that self checkout contraption for just a few items. Wouldn't ya know!!! I go and mash the "Finish and Pay" button on the touch screen. This loud electronic beeping alarm goes off and this electronic woman's voice says "You have purchased an age restricted item, please take receipt to pay station to have age verified and to complete this purchase"

Well I blew a gasket!!! and when I mean I blew, I blew!!!. A string of expletives belched forth from my mouth that would make a sailor blush. The clerk comes over to help me. He says... you have to wait for me, wait fer me in a thick spanish accent.

That word "wait" mashed my last button.

"I DON'T WANNA FUCKING WAIT!!!,IF I WANTED TO FUCKING WAIT I WOULD HAVE GONE TO A HUMAN CASHIER AND STOOD IN FUCKING LINE, THESE GOD DAMNED SELF CHECKOUTS ARE WORTHLESS PIECES OF SHIT!!"

Okay now I'm being the person and thing I despise most in life and that's an Asshole.
I thought to myself "Reality Check" and my mind quietly responded back.. Fuck You. I was just too heated at this point but quickly realized I had to diss the asshole part of me.
Perhaps this medication I started to help with my energy is making me switch phase to manic. This is what I get like when full blown manic episode. I haven't seen this in me for quite some time and I could feel an internal agitation.

The clerk hands me the receipt and escorts me to the service desk in order to complete the transaction. GREAT!!! 4 people deep and I have to wait. He could see I was extremely pissed. He looked at me and said "Here's your receipt and I need to see your ID"

What the Fuck!!! I thought and gave him a look from hell. I then realized... I'm 44 years old, my beard is turning gray, I've got lines and wrinkles around my eyes now and I just been asked for my ID!! I haven't been asked that in 23 years!!!. I could see he was smiling and I coudln't resist and caved in and laughed... "I'll gladly show you my ID!!! I haven't been asked for that in years"
Suffice it to say the guy diffused me and got me to laugh. By now only one person was ahead me. I made my purchase and left. I woulda been out long before if I stood in a human cashier line.

I got into my truck and drove the 1/2 mile home. My parking spot in front of house was taken!!! neighbor lady was sitting there looking at her mail. She saw that I was home and drove away. I had to go around the block so I could get the truck and trailer pulled up along our fence.

My partner already got to hear this story last night when I came home and detail by detail told him what happened. Showered, fixed and ate dinner and started to dive into those Black and Tans. They sure were right good. A few Bud Lights throw'd in,
my usual Friday night chat on phone with a friend was short this week but still fun nonetheless. I opted to head over to Yahoo and go into private conference with some online friends.
I hadn't hung out here on Friday Night Chat Party in a coons age. I know my one friend had been really wanting me to come on FNCP.

Finished out the night with some good conversation about a new music group he's starting, talked about tatoo's and my writing along with other things other folk we discussing.

3 a.m. I heard one of the dogs barfing in the bedroom. Shoo'd him out he back door right quick like. Cleaned up the mess and decided I'm going to bed while I still can keep this peace inside me and keep my sanity.

Tommorrow will be another day.

JD

It's HOT!!!

I have to ask myself who am I kidding when I say I like the heat with this god awful attrocious humidities??. I always say.."Oh I love the heat" Yeah!!! Right!!!. I tell myself this during the other months of the year that ain't like it is now.
I went to work on Tuesday to trim a sea grape tree. Not a complicated operation. I've maintained this tree for the client for years. A couple of hours on a tall step ladder with some pruning shears, DONE!!!. Fairly easy work if you ask me. However as I set out Tuesday to do it the air temp was in the upper 90's and dewpoint was close to 80 degrees. The noon sun burning down relentless under the tropical July sky. It wasn't just HOT!!!... it was totally gross!!. Felt like being inside a steam sauna with a massive hot light shining on you. I had confirmed with the client what she wanted done. In those few minutes my tshirt was soaked.

Gathered the needed tools for the tree trimming, got the step ladder set up. By this time my sleevless tshirt was dripping!!!. Oh this just sucks!!!. Well at least I'll be under and in the tree sheltered from the sun. I worked about 30 minutes and my shorts were getting drenched. Time to get a drink, change shirt and rest a spell in the shade. I'm a profuse sweater beyond the point of normal in my opinion. I see many dudes workin outside and they don't sweat anywhere close to what I do or so it seems.

I peeled off my totally saturated shirt and wrung it out in the street with about 2 cups of water equivalent worth of sweat. Placed the tshirt ontop of the corrugated steel toolbox in pickup truck bed to dry in the sun. Toweled off my soaked body and put on a dry, clean sleeveless tshirt.

The heat shimmered off the pavement amongst the palacial multi million dollar homes on the Gulf of Mexico. The tropical hardwood hammocks buzzed with circadas, even the vegetation looked as though it was screamin "It's HOT!!" I noticed not a branch, a palm frond was even moving. The air was dead still. Even the clouds over the water were boiling from the intense tropical heat.

Last I looked my truck thermometer said 97 degrees when I as driving on the Overseas Highway to the clients house. I mozzy'd on back to the back of the house on the Gulf to continue working on the tree. My t shsirt already starting to get wet. Another 45 minutes in and around the tree and I was done. now I had to clean up the mess!!. I had zero energy left and my body was a hurtin real bad.

I was again totally drenched. It's a fact of life I have to accept doing the job I do in the climate I live.

I was going very slow. The heat year after year is starting to take a toll on me. Too many years of heat exhaustion, excessive dehyrdation; my body just isn't holding up well in the heat like it used to. Folk tell me to drink water... I drink gallons of it a day!!. I'd have to stop and drink every 10-15 minutes to keep my body half way hydated in this climate. Many times on the job this isn't always feasible nor productive. I went to the truck to get a drink and my previous soaked thsirt was now dry. I took the soppin wet shirt off and replaced it with a dry one, this is a common feat fer me on a given workday about every 30 minutes of shirt changin. Drank a good bit of water and went and had me a sit down.

I wasn't feeling well, not good at all. I rarely have a day I feel good anymore. I think years of working in this heat has taken it's toll and my body no longer favorably responds.

Outside there just ain't no place to cool off. The shade offers some relief if one sits quietly. Most of my work is in the sun and even movement in the shade???... it's just hot!!! and do I ever fuckin SWEAT!!! The heat wouldn't be all that bad if it weren't for the god damned sweating I do!!!.

Today another day of not a stitich of wind. A morning tropical downpour just added to the thick, suffocating, stifling steam already in the air. It was impossible to keep anything on me dry today. Even my shorts were so soaked they were dripping, the insides of my legs chaffed... yep..this sucks!!! There ain't no relief in the heat until sometime in October when the October trade winds start to blow again and in November when the cold fronts start blowin in. That's a LONG time to wait.

Ya know it's funny. Each winter it's normal to get cold snaps in south Florida and the Florida Keys. When I say cold snaps??... morning low tempertaures in the 40's for the Florida Keys... that's about as cold as it gets here. I've seen it drop to 39 degrees once and that was a record low and folk literally freaked out.

Usually 44-45 is about as cold as it gets. The news makes a huge deal bout it like it's never happened before. Yours truly is pissin, bitchin and a fonchin and a fumin about the god damned cold fronts!!. Thing is it's not that it's cold!!. It's actually PERFECT weather. Morning low temps in the low 50's maybe even high 40's and afternoons in the mid to high 60's, the deepest, bluest skies?? and DRY air... OMG...it just can't get any better than that...can it???

I reckon I get all bent outta shape cuz on the mainland some areas get down to the low to middle 30's with damaging frosts and freezing temperatures. I hate to see or think all the beauitufl vegetation getting damaged. I saw a devastating freeze back in the mid 90's up in the Naples, Fl. Two mornings in the high 20's fried all the tropical vegeation, turned the palm trees brown..it was really sad. In the Miami area the agriculutural areas on the mainland are naturally colder so winter vegetable and tropical fruit tree crops get threatened during such outbreaks with even some slight damage on occasion. That is what I bitch and complain about!!!!. Dunno why I worry and fret over it, I really don't . It's not like I live up there.. Just one of my idiosyncrisies I reckon.

We are now in the midst of summer. The night time temps no longer even drop below 80 degrees and won"t until sometime in October. I'm the type of dude that really doesn't like wearin shorts... what the fuck am I doin livin in the Florida Keys where 99% of the population wheres shorts?. I like my Wrangler jeans and boots however I have no choice with the way I sweat but to wear shorts when I work during summer. I still wear my jeans though when I'm not working. Perhaps sometime in October when the winds start blowin I'll be able to don the Wrangler jeans and boots again fer work.

I'm a total outdoors type person. I love the outdoors. My idea of a good time is sittin in front of the fire and playin with it. Yeah I got a bit of pyro in me..LOL. Good people, good conversation, a few beers, some nice music playin in background, some good eats off the barbeque...now that's livin!!! Sure ain't no fun to sit in front of a fire when it's still 87 degrees at midnight.

What's a real scream is during the winter when it actually does get cool for a the few days here and there that it does. I can't get anyone to sit out with me. The north winds and temperatures in the middle 50's...yes...I said middle 50's and it's now 'TOO COLD"!! Whatcha ya'll talkin bout??.. this is perfect to build a big ole fire, put on a hooded sweat shirt and the fun really begins. Yet for most Keys folk that's too cold and I can't get anyone to sit out with me... so I sit alone.

The comfort of my youngin days comes from the smell of burning wood from wood stoves and fireplaces in cool, crisp air. Love to go campin and really rough it. I don't mean those luxury home on wheels type shit , those are for old folk and sissies. A good ole tent, a camp fire where you have to cook yer food. A crick to gather drinkin water and then you zip up in a sleepin bag to keep warm as you listen to all the critters out and about.. now that's campin!!

The Florida Keys truly are paradise. It really is beautiful here but unless you are really into fishing, boatin, divin there really ain't squat to do here. I don't dive, don't own a boat nor do I want to. Fishin??... the fishin I know and remember was in a mountain stream or lake as a youngin. I personally don't really care fer the taste of fish. Had a bad experience with it once when in my youngin years. Sure wish I liked it though. It be somethin to do here and some good eatin too.

The vegetation is beautiful and many songs and poems written bout it. Even our yard is almost like a tropical botanical gardens.

I feel I done what I came here in the Florida Keys to do. All my life my dream was to live in Fl and I fullfilled that. Will I spend the rest of my life here? Well my heart and soul is beckoning me back to the mountains. My desire to see seasons change, to be able to put on a coat more than 3-4 times a winter. Like I said I love the outdoors. I could spend more time outdoors doing alot more things than I do down here. I woudln't mind seein a few snowfalls, seein the leaves unfold in spring and the trees turn color in the fall. The smell of wood burnin in crisp air. I can sure think of alot of fun things to do up in the mountains. Someday..... Someday.......

For now I'll sweat it out. At least my job is outdoors so I'm not cooped up inside of some place. Fact of life is the heat and deal with it I will like I have all these years. Folk need to remind me this winter. When the local news says "Big Chill Coming to South Florida" and the forecast low temps in the 40's and I start pitchin a fit??... "Hey remember how you bitched last summer about the heat and humidity?... You yearned desperately for a crisp day in the 60's and a night in the high 40's to mid 50's. You so badly wanted to build a fire to sit in front of while you slugged down the brews and wear yer favorite Carhartt jacket?

Remind me of that folk and slap me upside the head come January...

Night Ya'll

JD

Magic Moment

One of the better mornings I've had in the longest of times and it's bout damn time too!!!!.
Friday night wasn't anything this week other than a kicked back, chilled out float around type night. I was looking forward to havin my usual brews, getting a decent buzz on and chattin on the phone. Friday was excruciatingly hot with max temp hitting 100. It just plain sucks when it's that hot and the humidity here is that a god damned steam sauna that is relentless along with the burning orb sun.
Reckon I'm tiring of the Florida Keys or at least this relentless heat that you can't go anything in.
I had looked forward Friday to makin a nice home cooked dinner followed by some beers and my usual Friday Night chat on the phone. There are just some things in life I have to have as routine, structure and do the same each week. A little bit of security in this troubled and volatile world.
After I commenced drinking beers I realized just how tired I was. I put in a long day and in 100 degree heat. An email from my friend said that the phone call would come until late if at all as they had other plans with family.
I spent the night writin emails and playin around on You Tube. I reckon I spend 1/2 my Internet time there. My latest kick is I can find old songs/videos and listen to ones just I want to hear. 2 weeks ago it was songs from circa 1990 just after I got outta boot camp. I done played the hell outta em and really enjoying em too. I had an 80's song Sussidio by Phil Collins stuck in my head that I heard in the grocery store last week. I came to You Tube and typed it in. SHIT!!! took me forever tryin to get the spelling right. I knew it was from the year 1985 so I went over to Google and typed in Top Songs of 1985. Sure enough I found it.
Okay so now I have the Billboard top 100 songs of 1985. I read through the list recognizing a good majority of the songs. Some I still could hear the tune in my head and others I had to hear but I quickly recognized. Well you got it..good ole You Tube. Then we got into top songs of 1984 and 1986.
What great bands and artists back in the day. Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Chaka Khan, Pet Shop Boys to name just a few. I enjoyed the reminisce of my younger early 20 days when life was simple and carefree. My only worries was working for a Sybil at the switch type boss and making a car payment and not missing a party night at the club in hopes of finding that Mr Right. Ahhh life was good and simple.
4 beers was the extent of my Friday night last night. Extremely mild and laid back for this beer drinking Redneck. I had been knocked down with some sort of bug the past few weeks that has literally knocked the dog shit outta me. Friday was my first day I felt decent... I say decent and not good but decent since the end of June. Even in June my feel good days energy wise were far and few. Tired but a tired from a days work and realizing my friend wasn't going to be calling I wound the night down and headed for bed. There was always Coast 2 Coast with George Noory to listen to on the radio which I do everynight.
Between the beer and the sweet tea I done drank last night I was up pissin like every 2 hours. Oh the joy of getting older!!!. I used to be able sleep a whole night through no matter how much I drank without the need to get up to piss. Now 3 or 4 times a night is not uncommon. I slept good, dreamt hard. 7:00 a.m. the first rays of sun started peekin in the top of the bedroom drapes. I knew I wouldn't sleep much longer, damn I gotta put those hurricane storm panels up over the sliding glass door to make the room dark and keep that nasty sun out!!.
I stirred and farted which got all the dogs awake, usual morning routine. The baby Rottweiler is the first awake. Hey eyeballs steadfast to you waiting fer your eyes to pop open.
Her wildly waggin nubby and squeeky yawns is everyone cue to get up. In seconds you have to cup your hands over your crotch to protect the twins from excited paws on the bed.
I awoke to wagging tails and nubbies, snortin noses and happy eyes. Our 4 legged kids looking at me sayin.. "Good Mornin Dad!!!... hurry up and open this here gate as we gotta go potty and we are hungry!!!" I was happy to see them too.
Something was different this morning!!. I felt good!!! Felt good not only mentally but physically. I woke up hearing this 80's song in my head "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Tears For Fears. Fed the dogs and headed for computer at 7:15 a.m. You guessed it..You Tube!!!. Already have the song saved to my favorites.
Put the song on that I was hearing in my head. I stood looking at the dining room clock 7:17 a.m., the song played as I looked out the living room window through the blinds across the street. I could see neighbors fixin to go somewheres. The sun was mounting higher and higher in an almost cloudless sky. Digital thermometer already registered 84 degrees, gonna be another nasty hot day. I took in the song as I watched across the street and looked around the living room I was standing in.
Excited about my plans for the day, the way the sun was shining and for once in a VERY long time I felt good. Suddenly you have one of those moments in time. It's not worldly by any means. It's a special place between the created Matrix and true essence of reality. You just feel good inside. It's better than any drug or alchohol buzz could ever give you. You realize your heart, mind, body and soul are in synch and all feel the same greatness. It's an extreme peace, overflowing serenity and profound internal happiness. The smallest things seem special and are appreciated.
These moments I've dubbed "Magic Moments" as they are fleeting. Sometimes they last just a moment, sometimes you can stretch em to last several minutes and on a lucky and extreme rare event you can get em to last hours. I think this is what life will be like when I cross over. This is what the true reality is like outside the created matrix.
Magic Moments can be spurred by usually the simplest of things. A nice breeze, the way the sun is shining, a blue sky, a smell, a song, a memory. You know when one hits as they are profound to the extreme. You are filled so much inside. You almost loose contact with this present reality. Even in a troubled world with yer own life full of troubles and worries they all seem to melt away for a few moments. There is nothing but joy, peace and happiness inside you. Sometimes it can be so profound you feel as though you are going to burst.
It's 8:49 a.m. now. That magic Moment is now going into "Magic Hours" yes a very rare thing indeed. I'm still listening to my music from 1984-86 Reminiscing of my younger days and also just appreciating what was good music in my day. I just don't want this to end but like all Magic Moments they are just that... Moments. Moments in time were we are freed of the spacial time relation, a ripple in the space/time continuim of what it's REALLY like. Right now would be a very good meditation time for me as I would be capable of astral travel and remote viewing at this point.
Something definitely happening that hasn't happened since last November of this magnitude.
Maybe I brought this one by in my head rededicating myself as a Solitary Practitioner and planning out some much needed Energy cleansing works for the New Moon tonight. Somehow doing this I suddenly opened the fllood gates or so it seems to the spiritual realm. A realm I felt so cut off from for so very long. Suddenly I'm getting the spiritual answers I've been looking for.
I need to follow through with tonight's New Moon Ceremony and Energy workings.
It's going to be a good day.

JD