Yesterday, I asked my students how their Thanksgivings had been. One student told me she’d gone to Destin, Florida, which is one of my favorite beaches in Florida. Considering the fact that it’s 15 degrees F here in Vermont, and it’s 46 degrees in Destin, I wish I was at the beach today. I always loved the beach in cooler weather. It wasn’t so hot that the sugar white sands would burn your feet, it usually wasn’t crowded, and the waters were still their beautiful emerald green (Destin is part of an area known as Emerald Beach for a reason). Alas, all I get in Vermont is white snow, not white sands. Granted, with the current state of politics in Florida, I wouldn’t go there anyway, but maybe the beautiful beaches of the Mexican Riviera. There, it would even be warm. One can dream.
Love Destin. Also, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama. The redneck riviera.
ReplyDeleteAfter so many years in Vermont what is your assessment now? Are you happy there? Or would you rather be somewhere else?
ReplyDeleteStan, I also always loved Navarre Beach. The last time I was there, it was less crowded than other areas of the Redneck Riviera, though I doubt that is still the case.
ReplyDeleteRB, I love Vermont, and if I had to choose between the South and Vermont, I'd choose Vermont every time. I am happy living in New England and can't really see myself living anywhere else (well, maybe NYC if I could afford it). Though I would prefer to live in a more cosmopolitan area such as Boston, I am satisfied and happy living in Vermont. Nowhere will ever be perfect, but I am happy here.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Usually living in the South thins your blood so much that you can't easily handle the cold weather. You seem a bit isolated. I don't get a sense of inclusion in a community from your posts. But it's very good that you are content in Vermont.
ReplyDeleteRB, I've adapted well to the cold up here. I hated the heat in the South. Vermonters can be very standoffish. One of our politicians said at the part of the pandemic that you didn't have to tell Vermonters to social distance, they wouldn't get close to anyone anyway, LOL. There are inclusive places in Vermont. It's a very liberal state, but if you are not in Burlington, basically, there is not a lot of inclusiveness in the LGBTQ+ community. It's becoming somewhat more spread out, and Montpelier and Barre are a bit more queer friendly, there's even a gay bar near me, or at least they call themselves "Vermont's only gay bar" though like most bars in Vermont, it's gay-friendly. Besides, I'm not the most outgoing of people. I can be incredibly shy around people I don't know. I am trying to be better about that, but it's a work in progress.
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