The Crazy Life of a New Floridian & Ongoing TRs

[jmskinner]

10 more storms!

Wow, just checked and noticed how much the projected path had changed on Hannah.

DisneyJen, where are you in NC? Looks like it could hit that Northeast section of NC. But, we all know how things change.

 

[karajeboo]

Hey Melissa! How do I know your name you ask? Because I've been reading your TR!!! Got about halfway through so far.

Love the pics of your house! We did the same thing, splurged on the new house.... So I feel your pain!

Also, how cool is it to be able to just hop on over to WDW for a day? We haven't done the day trip yet, cause it's almost 3 hrs with traffic, so we are trying to do about 4 weekends or long weekends a year. I'll try to catch up later!!!!

 

[jmskinner]

Thanks, I love your house also. Wish we had the outdoor kitchen.

I don't think I posted it, but a year ago, DH actually had orders to Georgia. I was so excited then to be that close to WDW. I was really upset when they were cancelled, but this is even better. If I could go every day I would. But wouldn't we all!!!!

 

[karajeboo]

We're trying to be careful not to overdo it - if that's even possible!!!! But each time we get there, we're so happy!!!

How is Jacob doing in his new school? I'm still not happy with FL schools, or at least Ally's, when I compare to her old school. But I do really like her teacher this year!

 

[DisneyJen]

10 more storms!

Wow, just checked and noticed how much the projected path had changed on Hannah.

DisneyJen, where are you in NC? Looks like it could hit that Northeast section of NC. But, we all know how things change.

We are 75 miles north of Charlotte and 75 west of Raleigh which puts us in the Piedmont Triad area. We hopefully will be on the west side of the storm.

We're trying to be careful not to overdo it - if that's even possible!!!! But each time we get there, we're so happy!!!
...

OVERDO WDW?????

You're kidding ... right

 

[jmskinner]

Jacob is doing ok. He has had some instances of getting mad at his teacher, which he does that a lot. It is a sign that he is frustrated and overwhelmed. His teacher seems to be handling though.

I agree with you about the schools. I'm surprised Jacob doesn't have spelling tests every week. In Texas, they had spelling every week since 1st grade in the public schools. Plus, back in TX school started at 7:45 and lasted until 3:00, here 8:00 until 2:15. I just wonder how they teach in such a short day. The math he has been working is the same stuff he was doing last year, so I don't know if it is just a review.

What's the difference between FL and it was NC wasn't it?

 

[karajeboo]

Jacob is doing ok. He has had some instances of getting mad at his teacher, which he does that a lot. It is a sign that he is frustrated and overwhelmed. His teacher seems to be handling though.

I agree with you about the schools. I'm surprised Jacob doesn't have spelling tests every week. In Texas, they had spelling every week since 1st grade in the public schools. Plus, back in TX school started at 7:45 and lasted until 3:00, here 8:00 until 2:15. I just wonder how they teach in such a short day. The math he has been working is the same stuff he was doing last year, so I don't know if it is just a review.

What's the difference between FL and it was NC wasn't it?

Yeah, Ally's school was 7:30 - 2:30 in SC and here it's 8:30 - 2:42 (yes, they honestly get out of school at 2:42!!!).

I loved that school started earlier in SC, it made it easier for working parents to get their kids to school. I don't know how people do it with an 8:30 start time here!

I do like her teacher this year, MUCH better than last year. And it seems that even I have homework each night - sign here for her daily behavior, initial there to show she read for 15 minutes at night...... Plus going through her notebook for things that need to be signed and returned to school, etc.

 

[karajeboo]

I actually chased a skink out of my back patio!!! My big brave husband was running around and screaming like a little girl, while I chased the skanky skink out with an umbrella. The good news? I got him out with no problems. The bad news? He slithered out UNDER the screen enclosure frame. Which means...... yeah, he can come back in the same way.

In fact, we've seen a LOT of lizards and skinks in the screen. I guess the pavers just don't meet up flush with the screen frame, obviously for drainage, but it's not good for critters!

OK, Floridians, what's gonna happen with Ike? I know right now though... I don't like Ike. C'mon, ya know I had to say it!!!

 

[jmskinner]

Yeah, Ally's school was 7:30 - 2:30 in SC and here it's 8:30 - 2:42 (yes, they honestly get out of school at 2:42!!!).

I loved that school started earlier in SC, it made it easier for working parents to get their kids to school. I don't know how people do it with an 8:30 start time here!

I do like her teacher this year, MUCH better than last year. And it seems that even I have homework each night - sign here for her daily behavior, initial there to show she read for 15 minutes at night...... Plus going through her notebook for things that need to be signed and returned to school, etc.

Oops, I said NC, I knew it was SC. I have the same homework myself. Actually, the school just called me, Jacob hasn't been bringing all of his homework home, so they are going to start meeting with him in the morning and afternoon to make sure he has everything. So far, I have been very happy with the school's handling of his ADHD and organization skills, lack of organization skills I mean.

Well, sounds like we should all be very worried again. Ike has got me . So, since I got here after you, I am guessing I brought the hurricanes with me.

 

[karajeboo]

Well, sounds like we should all be very worried again. Ike has got me . So, since I got here after you, I am guessing I brought the hurricanes with me.

So it's YOUR fault!!!

We're getting some light winds and rain today from Hannah, but Ike looks like BIG trouble!!! And the tracks are so different! Some show it similar to Hannah but closer to the FL coast, others show it hitting south FL and others show it going into the gulf and whipping around on the FL west coast! Guess we'll just wait until it gets a little closer.....

 

[JaxJags08]

I actually chased a skink out of my back patio!!! My big brave husband was running around and screaming like a little girl, while I chased the skanky skink out with an umbrella. The good news? I got him out with no problems. The bad news? He slithered out UNDER the screen enclosure frame. Which means...... yeah, he can come back in the same way.

In fact, we've seen a LOT of lizards and skinks in the screen. I guess the pavers just don't meet up flush with the screen frame, obviously for drainage, but it's not good for critters!

OK, Floridians, what's gonna happen with Ike? I know right now though... I don't like Ike. C'mon, ya know I had to say it!!!

Yay! I'm pretty freaked out by lizards still. I don't think I'll ever be used to them.

Ike is scary! He looks like a really angry storm with that eye wall! I hope he makes a turn out to sea, but the models don't make it look like that will happen. I don't like Ike either!

 

[DisneyJen]

Woke to blue skies here this morning but clouds are rolling in ...

Forecasters say Hanna will be out of here quickly.

Saw the tracks this morning for Ike Sending to all you Floridians.

I thought of you Kara when I had to sweep one of those lizard-y/geecko-y thingies out of the dining room yesterday afternoon My two wild dogs just watched it crawl around the dining room. The youngest golden was interested only when I was sputtering because I couldn't fling the creature over the door sill. And DD of course was worried that I was going to hurt said wildlife

 

[karajeboo]

You're braver than I am sweeping the lizard out of your house! We had one in our dining room back in SC, and Jeff freaked out! We made his sister and her DH stop in and get it out - get this, they were driving in from out of town to stay with Jeff's parents. They just happened to be about 2 exits away when we called them!

Now we have to check the back patio for lizards before we let Bucky out. He chases them and would probably hurt, kill, and/or eat them if he had the chance. I'm not sure though because I grab him before he has a chance to chomp down. But after I pull him off, the lizards have turned dark brown, I guess trying to blend in with the screen frame.

Oh, and did I mention the lizard that was laying eggs in our patio???

What gets me is just how fast the little suckers are! They startle me more than anything. But I sure showed the skanky skink! Yeah, I'm bad!

 

[JaxJags08]

My dog ate a lizard. It was so disgusting! By the time I realized he had it, it was too late. I think it's really freaky when they drop their tails and the tail keeps moving on it's own!

A lizard tried to lay eggs on your patio??? That is so gross!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DisneyJen]

You're braver than I am sweeping the lizard out of your house! We had one in our dining room back in SC, and Jeff freaked out! We made his sister and her DH stop in and get it out - get this, they were driving in from out of town to stay with Jeff's parents. They just happened to be about 2 exits away when we called them!

Now we have to check the back patio for lizards before we let Bucky out. He chases them and would probably hurt, kill, and/or eat them if he had the chance. I'm not sure though because I grab him before he has a chance to chomp down. But after I pull him off, the lizards have turned dark brown, I guess trying to blend in with the screen frame.

Oh, and did I mention the lizard that was laying eggs in our patio???

What gets me is just how fast the little suckers are! They startle me more than anything. But I sure showed the skanky skink! Yeah, I'm bad!

Not brave .... just determined.

Our chocolate lab, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge three years ago, was a lot like your Bucky.DH calls our golden retrievers ... "golden retrieve-HERs" as we have to point things out to them like squirrels who bathes along our pond and fountain and try to eat from our bird feeders

Are you now cooking lizard eggs in your new outdoor kitchen

You da woman for showing skanky skink!

 

[DisneyJen]

My dog ate a lizard. It was so disgusting! By the time I realized he had it, it was too late. I think it's really freaky when they drop their tails and the tail keeps moving on it's own!

...

Yuck! I guess it was a while before you kissed your dog on its snout!

I didn't know lizards tails keep moving after they drop their tails

 

[karajeboo]

Oh, yes! When Bucky got that skink a couple of months ago, he must have stepped on it's tail, cause when I got Bucky back, all I saw was this flopping gray thing. It was so nasty!!!! My neighbor and I thought it was a snake tail at first.

Skinks are seriously snakes with legs. They are shiny black, some have an irridescent blue tail, some have black tails. But they are real low to the ground and have little feet. They even move like snakes, with their tails swishing back and forth as they move. Really gross!

Jeff is convinced that the Discovery channel never leaves the US when they film. They may say, "here we are deep in the Amazon," but Jeff thinks they're just somewhere in Florida!!!

 

[JaxJags08]

Yuck! I guess it was a while before you kissed your dog on its snout!

Don't you know it! I have a hard time now because before I never thought he could catch them. But now I know he can, so whenever he comes in from outside I wonder what he just ate! Oh, and this is even better - I saw him eat his own poop when we first got him! Can you say nasty?!

 

[JaxJags08]

Oh, yes! When Bucky got that skink a couple of months ago, he must have stepped on it's tail, cause when I got Bucky back, all I saw was this flopping gray thing. It was so nasty!!!! My neighbor and I thought it was a snake tail at first.

Skinks are seriously snakes with legs. They are shiny black, some have an irridescent blue tail, some have black tails. But they are real low to the ground and have little feet. They even move like snakes, with their tails swishing back and forth as they move. Really gross!

Jeff is convinced that the Discovery channel never leaves the US when they film. They may say, "here we are deep in the Amazon," but Jeff thinks they're just somewhere in Florida!!!

I used to work off of Baymeadows in Jax and there were some woods behind our building that had SO much wildlife! For those of you not familiar with Jacksonville, the Baymeadows area is pretty built up except for several pockets with about 1 block of woods. My first day there, I was sitting outside reading a newspaper and a skink ran up about a foot away from me. I've lived in FL almost all my life, but had never seen one until then. There were also raccoons, an alligator, and some crazy geese.

What, pray tell, do lizard eggs look like?

 

[karajeboo]

OK, the lizard egg? It's the size of the lizard's head! Seriously! And it stays attached for quite a while. One of the workmen picked her up and tossed her outside for me. But it was just the one large egg. Whew! I give those lizard chicks a lot more credit, after seeing the size of that egg!