A Quiet Friday

After several days of running around, yesterday was blessedly quiet. My mom and I got up and took an early-morning walk, which is just about the only kind of walk you can comfortably take in Florida at this time of year. Then I made my way to my dad's house, where I'm staying with him and my stepmother for the remainder of my visit.

They've been working on remodeling an old Florida cracker house next door that they purchased and plan to use for guests. It's turned out really well, with restored hardwood floors and a pristine new bathroom and kitchen. We took a look at that, and I drove with them to South Tampa to pick up some reworked light fixtures that they had repaired at a specialty shop. This place is a family operation run by an older couple and their son (I believe), a talkative guy who clearly loves lighting. Isn't it funny what people become passionate about? One of the fixtures my dad and stepmother had repaired is a porch light with a sort of iridescent milk glass shade -- the repairman kept calling it "aurora borealis," and his mom called it "vaseline glass." Who knows what's correct, but we all agreed it's a great fixture and really adds to the restored house.

Otherwise I pretty much just read and wandered around the yard taking photos of skinks, fascinating-yet-disgusting lubber grasshoppers and other critters.

(Photo: A zebra longwing butterfly at my mom's house.)