Longing For You

The northeast has displayed its change of seasons in all its glory...and baybee…it's cold outside! I have personally witnessed as much as I can stand in this inevitable process…now that everything’s dead, I don’t need to see another thing.

The colors in autumn were beautiful…as were the Christmas lights...but that’s all over now.

Next thing you know, we’re counting backward from ten to one…and in a blink, everyone’s making typos on the dates of their checks and groaning as the Lucille Roberts commercial runs for like, the hundredth time…reminding us about that half-hearted ten-pound weight-loss resolution we'd made, which shouldn’t even really count…since we were half in the bag at the time we made it.

In light of the fact that I am unable to flee this miserable season, I now present for your visual enjoyment every single summer/tropical-related article in sight in my abode:

This requires no identification. If I must turn my lights on at the pathetic hour of 4pm, at least I can glance at a palm tree whilst doing it.

On top of my (original, one-of-a-kind, thankyouverymuch) armoire stands some handmade, cheap wooden version of a pathetic looking banana tree. The scale is all wrong for it to even be there…but you won’t even notice that after a while.

I believe this Jamaican guy is supposed to be sucking down the juice of a coconut…but I may be entirely off-base here. All I know for sure is that he’s wearing a goofy hat, his pants are too short and there’s a sharp tree stump up his butt. And yet…he looks so damn happy.

Seashell from Florida, appletini sand bottle and “sisters” photo are both from the Cape…albeit 30 years apart.

Connor (11) made this for me. How this made it off the bus with all those little spikes still intact is beyond me. However, notice the subtly-placed scotch tape on top of the coconut tree…I’m sure he felt it was hardly noticeable. Love has its own selective vision...yes, it does.

Self-explanatory.

Ditto. (One arrow states “sea candle” and the other “brain coral”, in case it’s illegible….HEY. At least I marked them.)

Decorative wall hooks. (Duh.) Presently holding zilch….(double-duh.)

Bless you.

You’re welcome.

Are we starting to pick up on a theme?

Yes, folks…that’s an actual, real live banana tree sitting on top of that palm tree doormat. These days, it spends the bulk of its time gasping from the lack of water and humidity, whilst gazing longingly at the 2.67 hours of light that actually reaches the back of the house before the sun goes and sets. (Stupid winter.)

Another mat in the kitchen. I believe it’s supposed to keep me from slipping on spilled water from the sink…but I’m too busy tripping over the edge of the mat to worry much about slipping.

Starfish handles…..KOKEE! KOKEE!

Print yet to be hung in foyer. (Bring really big ladder….)

Can you see the print in the mirror? It’s totally obscured by the Christmas tree when you’re looking at it head-on…but I’ve gone artistic on you and all….again, you're welcome.

And finally:



Stubbornly hanging onto what’s left of my post-Naples tan. (My legs haven’t seen this much action since Naples!)

Okay…enough already. Fuzzy ripples of warmth and happiness: Puleeze...roll to me.