Today is July 3. It was warm and sunny. To run errands, I wore flannel PJ pants, a t-shirt, and a fleece pullover. Walking in the sunshine for the blocks between the bus stop and the pharmacy, the pharmacy and the craft store, and the bus stop and home, I was warm enough to take the fleece off. (!)

Yesterday I walked to the mailbox in bare feet and realized how tender my soles have gotten. After seven years of bare feet and flip flops, it’s very odd to now wear socks and shoes with laces regularly.

Every time I see a swampy area, I look for alligators. I’ve done this since well before I lived anywhere with gators, but I still miss the possibility of seeing them.

I walk Bishop without putting on bug repellent and never even miss it.

This weekend there are a lot of loud explosions. But it’s ONLY this weekend, and they’re Fourth of July fireworks and fire crackers, not gunshots.

The last two items notwithstanding, I’d by lying if I said there isn’t a part of me that misses the good old S.A.V. and my friends there.