TMSM’s Adventures in Florida Living ~ Sunshine, Magic and … Bugs?
We’re in week 5 of Florida living! This past week was a busy one, and it’s been really hot out there. We had our first ever TMSM Meet Up last Wednesday at Epcot, and it was awesome. More people showed up than I thought would, so it was really an overwhelming surprise for me. I can’t wait to do it again. It was also nice to have my friend and co-admin Autumn and her husband Drew in town. Having people around keeps us busy and helps me fight the homesick feeling. Michigan in the Summertime is my favorite part of the year there, so I miss it right now. Granted, I don’t think I’ll be missing it so much come January when my poor family and friends are freezing their butts off there, but still. Every summer in Michigan, we visit Frankenmuth, which is like a little German town, where it’s Christmas all year long at their big Christmas store, Bronners. So, to make up for it, we spent some time at the Christmas store at the Magic Kingdom. Not the same, but good enough for now! One thing people warned me about before I left Michigan was the bugs in Florida. We have bugs in Michigan, but just little spiders here and there. Maybe an occasional cricket, not bad. I heard horror stories of big hairy spiders and the dreaded Palmetto Bugs, or as I call them, big-nasty-scary Cockroaches! Oh heck no! Since we’ve been here, we did see wolf spiders, but they’ve all been dead, either on the porch or in the pool. Probably due to massive amounts of bug spray we’ve put all around the house and doorways. That’s a good thing. Palmetto bugs? No. Well, not till last week at the Magic Kingdom. My friend Andy (WDW Shutterbug) is a local, and he has a Palmetto phobia. This works to my advantage because he gives me tips on how to avoid them. One tip he gave me was an area to avoid at the Magic Kingdom. Andy said the sitting areas in Adventureland have lots of Palmettos, due to all the ice cream/Dole Whips that are sold there. Ice cream drips on the ground, and out they come. So we were at the MK with Andy in the evening, I believe Thursday, and were in Adventureland. We went and got Citrus Swirls and started walking. My younger son went to sit down, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. Oh no, Andy was right….. it’s a Palmetto bug. Poor Aidan screamed, then I screamed, then Andy said “I told you so!” I can laugh about it now, but you better believe I’ll be watching for those horrible bugs from now on. They are just as big and nasty as I feared they would be, but I suppose I’d better get used to it. We don’t have bugs big enough to put a saddle on back in Michigan, so it’s an adjustment.
All in all, the sunshine and magic of Florida is appealing. We’re missing home but having fun as well. My days all run together though, being that it’s summer and we’re not on as much of a schedule. School will start next month so that all will change. I’m optimistic that things will continue to get better though, and the rough patches will pass. Thanks so much for reading our updates…. Until next week, See Ya Real Soon!! ~M
~ I enjoy writing personal perspective blogs, doing TMSM Meet Ups for our readers, and keeping the constant interaction going with others, sharing the Disney Magic to people when they can’t be at their Happy Place.
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