Hey, who turned off the heat?

After 7 solid days of biblical rain from a Failed Tropical Wave that decided to party in Key West, last night I saw something spectacular over the Eastern skies.

One single star.

Who knows what that star was named or whether there is life orbiting around it or any other star, since there simply is no intelligent life here, but it shone nonetheless.

The promised end of the rain had come. 

It had gotten so bad that the towels that were stacked by the washer after having used them to first dry the dog, then to use them to mop up the rain drops from the dripping shoes by the door, were a full load in the washer itself.

(Extra Rinse: Foam)

We were promised a cold snap that night, dress for it! 

You see, in South Florida, any change of the weather is preceded by the media doing its "Duck and Cover" act.  It's going to change, it's going to be biblical, and you're all going to die.  

Or not.   After all, it's a "Prediction" and you get what you pay for!

As a result I stopped watching local news shortly after I moved here.  All except that pretty black lady on Channel 7 who just had a baby.  I like her, she looks friendly.

This morning, girding my loins for the worst, I stepped out into the predawn gloom.  Or rather tried to as the Roomba had decided it was time to attempt to vacuum up the dog, her leash, and my right sneaker.   Once we got past that circular road block, we stepped out... oh wait, it's nipping at my heels, get back inside you errant electronic nuisance!

Third time is the charm...

Outside we looked up at the sky, dog and man together.

I, in my leather jacket, long pants and turtleneck, I was dressed for Silicon Valley.  I should have been dressed for San Diego.  It was 61F outside.  No wind, no clouds, no RAIN!  The cool hit my face and I thought, this is the coldest it had been since March. 

Never mind, on to the walk. 

Looking East toward the Ocean and the Bahamas, beyond, I noticed that the hidden stars were out in force.  There were more than normal in this pre-dawn hour as all the pollution in the air had been scrubbed out by seven days and seven nights of downpours.   The reality is that here in South Florida, especially this close to the beach, the air is very clear.  My allergies are thankful for that.

Chuckling by my reaction to Miss Henny-Penny's warnings, I realized I was one side of the scale.  Down the block there was the other end of the scale, a man was picking up after his two golden retrievers in a t-shirt and running shorts.  He wasn't cold and neither was I.

Welcome to Fall, South Florida.  Now it's time to open the house and blow out the Summer's lingering scent.  After all, it hit 68!