When 7000 miles apart...

well, birthdays have to look a bit like this.

Go Enjoy Florida

We are entering our 9th month of separation due to this tour for Chris's work. He and I Skype 98% of days, rarely missing for guests or the odd work/school function. Most days, we average 1-3 hours. Somehow, we never tire of talking or seeing each other, though many people comment that our practice is unusual.  It makes me feel our transition back to one household will be smoother and makes our time feel shared.

Often, he comments that he can let me go, so I can do things or that I should "go enjoy Florida". It is difficult to really enjoy it here, because he isn't here. I know... sappy, but true. I think of it kind of like when we are on a road trip. I don't want to go to sleep, because I don't want him to do all the work. If I sent him daily pics of the ocean or neglected Skype time to head to the beach, it'd feel like fluffing a fat pillow and going to sleep while he is driving.

Today he wasn't feeling well and after an hour of Skype, he said his frequent phrase, "go enjoy Florida".  For some reason, it struck a chord today. We are under 90 days until the next move (it is Dallas, BTW), and that feeling of a to-do or to-see list is boiling to the surface. 

(the hand pic hold the teeniest needfish- the black squiggle, far rt/ a Valentini puffer baby center under shadow)

With two hours to spare before bus stop pickup, I headed to Sunset Beach and recharged. While most sat on the beach or swam, I walked in knee deep backwaters, along tide lines and mangrove roots, between sea grass and waves... and felt like a girl in her element.

So on the agenda- new dip nets with some old buckets, maybe tote along the snorkels and masks and bring the girls out this weekend. The cove was a plethora of fish fry of all species, many so young they were unclassifiable to me. I scooped baby Valentini and box puffers in my hands, needle fish smaller than I'd ever seen who swam among the tiny grasses for camouflage. I enjoyed a hand held closer look and then released them back to the waves. Whelks wiggled in sand. Sailfin mollies danced for their girls, dorsal fins flared high. A barracuda came in for an easy meal, as mullet flopped on the surface.

The sea is my sanity, nature is air to my lungs.  It always amazes me how 30 minutes can do so much. To say I will miss this beautiful place...

Sunken Gardens

Last weekend, the girls and I visited Sunken Gardens in St. Pete. It was an impromptu trip on a Groupon deal. 

They were having a small orchid show... of course we need another couple plants to try to relocate at the end of summer ;)

My Canon came out of hiding... for about half an hour, until the temps got hot enough to melt young minds and cause uncivilized tendencies. 

But hey, at least it it came out for a bit. 

(one kid enjoys photos more than the other these days)