January 9/10
Our indoor/outdoor thermometer was showing this one morning at 8:45. Little did I know that it was going to get much worse. This is not what I signed up for in Florida! Only a week ago we were walking home from the New Year’s Dance in balmy 75F weather. Since then a brutal cold snap has moved in and we have been huddling and cuddling ever since. We have used the electric heaters day and night and even the rarely used furnace was pressed into service. A couple of nights it got down to 27F and there has been frost. It is not unusual to have a one or two night cold snap in January and February but what is unusual is that it has been going on so long. Records from 25 to 30 years ago have been broken. Orange, blueberry and strawberry crops are in jeopardy and manatees, fish and other Florida critters are in serious distress. I have to keep this in perspective however, since cold temperatures like this in Florida mean that the rest of the country (continent?) is in an even deeper freeze!
January 13/10
It is still cold with a wicked north wind but at least there is sunshine most days. We have resorted to wearing gloves, parkas and toques and long underwear for John. The frosty mornings are coming to an end they say...should start a warming trend tomorrow. This cold snap has now broken records going back 80 years or more. We have managed to keep busy. Some “wine truckin'” but not too bad considering the cabin fever potential. And keeping this trailer warm in below freezing weather is a challenge. We have seen a few movies. I loved the effects in AVATAR and Sherlock Homes with Robert Downy Jr. was excellent as well. We have been playing cards with friends and some golf though bundled golf. We have walked on the trail and one day tried to save geckos.
The poor little buggers are falling frozen off the trees and we picked some up to warm them and put them in sunny spots. Most revived but I would imagine many died in the frost in the last 2 nights. I am sure you have heard about ruined crops, plants and dying animals. I even felt sorry for the large frozen spiders on the trail! It is really devastating. John and I picked a good year to join a gym (Curves for me) so at least we can get some exercise that way.
January 15/10
We played “The Claw” near Tampa with Bud and Randi (friends from Pennsylvania) and actually wore summery clothing! It got to the high 60’s which felt downright tropical after the deep freeze. It looks like it’s over!
The critters were out sunning today trying to warm up again. You can see the brown and grey colours in the landscape, mostly a result of several days of frost. Many plants and trees have gone browner than we have seen before in Florida giving an autumn look to everything. Browning is normal to some extent in Florida winters but this is extreme! Looking forward to cruising the Caribbean the last week of January.
Our indoor/outdoor thermometer was showing this one morning at 8:45. Little did I know that it was going to get much worse. This is not what I signed up for in Florida! Only a week ago we were walking home from the New Year’s Dance in balmy 75F weather. Since then a brutal cold snap has moved in and we have been huddling and cuddling ever since. We have used the electric heaters day and night and even the rarely used furnace was pressed into service. A couple of nights it got down to 27F and there has been frost. It is not unusual to have a one or two night cold snap in January and February but what is unusual is that it has been going on so long. Records from 25 to 30 years ago have been broken. Orange, blueberry and strawberry crops are in jeopardy and manatees, fish and other Florida critters are in serious distress. I have to keep this in perspective however, since cold temperatures like this in Florida mean that the rest of the country (continent?) is in an even deeper freeze!
January 13/10
It is still cold with a wicked north wind but at least there is sunshine most days. We have resorted to wearing gloves, parkas and toques and long underwear for John. The frosty mornings are coming to an end they say...should start a warming trend tomorrow. This cold snap has now broken records going back 80 years or more. We have managed to keep busy. Some “wine truckin'” but not too bad considering the cabin fever potential. And keeping this trailer warm in below freezing weather is a challenge. We have seen a few movies. I loved the effects in AVATAR and Sherlock Homes with Robert Downy Jr. was excellent as well. We have been playing cards with friends and some golf though bundled golf. We have walked on the trail and one day tried to save geckos.
The poor little buggers are falling frozen off the trees and we picked some up to warm them and put them in sunny spots. Most revived but I would imagine many died in the frost in the last 2 nights. I am sure you have heard about ruined crops, plants and dying animals. I even felt sorry for the large frozen spiders on the trail! It is really devastating. John and I picked a good year to join a gym (Curves for me) so at least we can get some exercise that way.January 15/10
We played “The Claw” near Tampa with Bud and Randi (friends from Pennsylvania) and actually wore summery clothing! It got to the high 60’s which felt downright tropical after the deep freeze. It looks like it’s over!
The critters were out sunning today trying to warm up again. You can see the brown and grey colours in the landscape, mostly a result of several days of frost. Many plants and trees have gone browner than we have seen before in Florida giving an autumn look to everything. Browning is normal to some extent in Florida winters but this is extreme! Looking forward to cruising the Caribbean the last week of January. 
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