Cooler Weather

In south Florida, October means I can stop planning my life around the weather, for a while. We do not use our air conditioner, so all through the summer months--that's April through October--I'm strategically placing fans and scheduling my cooking and laundry activities, opening and closing doors at key times to control the air flow and so on. In the morning, getting ready for work, it's important not to shower too soon. I need to shower just before dressing, in order to get the pantyhose on without sweating. On days I'm riding my bike to work, I can wear shorts and sandals, but then there's the whole separate strategy of getting my clothes to work in the bike basket, folded and protected so they won't be too wrinkled to wear when I arrive.

All this effort saves us hundreds of dollars each year in electric bills. It also contributes to the ecological health of the planet. But mostly, it means that we can enjoy fresh air and breezes, and the sounds of nature, all year round. Sitting at the computer right now, I can hear the sound of water flowing in the backyard fishpond, and the distant call of a hawk, and the songs of mockingbirds, as well as the rumble of automobile traffic and an occasional train. I'm not shut up in a closed box with piped-in air. It's my preference. It's a big part of the reason that I live in Florida.