Florida at Christmas time

As a recent transplant from California, I am enjoying the new rhythms of Christmas time in Florida.

Friends, this is a new coast/new life edition!

Having just moved from San Diego - population 1.47 million, to Port Charlotte, FL, population 54,392, I am enjoying the fact that I can:

• Drive across town without sitting in traffic.
• Find parking anywhere at any time.
• Go out to eat without a buzzer and an hour wait for a table.
• Go see a moving on opening weekend and not worry about getting in or finding a seat. We saw Frozen 2 on Thanksgiving weekend and There. Was. No. Line.
• Say Merry Christmas without offending anyone. 
• Have a nice dinner out for under $40. We ate out last night for dinner and our tab including an appetizer of table side guacamole appetizer, "Monster margaritas, and two entrees was $40 total. If we had skipped the guac and tequila, it would have been under 20!
• See kids run around the neighborhood playing outside in their yards. Today, they were all outside in Christmas jammies sitting in their yards playing and came running to play with Bushi. Not a single one of them had a phone
• Meet people. My neighbors wave and smile when I walk by. Many of them have extended a hand, introduced themselves and asked me my name. 
• Fill up without going bankrupt. Gas is $2.36 a gallon. No really. When I left San Diego, I paid 4.69 on my way out of town.
• See the color green. God, I love San Diego, but it is BROWN in winter. We haven't had much rain here, but it's still very lush and green right now. So pretty.
• Hear myself think. My neighborhood is very quiet. No neighbor's car alarm going off in the middle of night. It's quiet to the point that when there is a noise, everyone runs outside to see what is going on.

I will keep you updated as I find more things to love about my new home.

Tamilu