Why Florida is my home

Back from another amazing trip to Florida.....  it isn't named the Sunshine state for nothin, y'all!  
Every time I go back I'm reminded of how much I miss my state.  Yes, MY state.  I feel like it's home.  Always have, probably always will.
I have people ask me ' wouldn't you miss the snow?" "wouldn't you miss the season change?"   My response is normally, NOPE!  Seasons still change in Florida, it's just more subtle.
I'm also pretty darn sure I annoy the snot out of everyone who reads my FB posts while I'm away about how much I love FL, don't want to come home, etc, etc. etc.......    So. I decided to write about WHY I love Florida.

Yes, I was born in NY.  YUCK!  If I had had my way, I would have been born in Florida, but I wasn't so I will just have to deal.  SO, why on earth do I feel such a connection to this swampy, heat soaked state?  So here it is friends.....

The last place I had my dad was in Florida.

It has taken me 44 years... ok, more like 20 something years to figure out why in the world NY has never felt like home to me.  This last trip solidified it, and I was able to say unequivocally, that was the reason.

My dads body is buried here in NY, but his essence ( yeah that is weird) is still in FL. I can feel it.  It's like a part of me thinks I'll find him, or be closer to him if I'm in Florida......  ok, sign me up for the looney bin.

This past trip, I inadvertently drove past the airport where he took off from and crashed.  Then later in
 my trip, I happened to drive by the airport he would fly into when he flew to work (every day).   I thought it was creepy odd.  Yet at the same time comforting.  It was like I was getting some sort of validation for feeling that my heart belongs here.

So there it is folks.....  that is the biggest reason I feel Florida is my home.   Like it or don't.  Doesn't matter.  I'd move there in a heart-beat if we could financially swing it.   I would miss my friends, family, etc, but I would go.   I love the heat, the friendly people, the whole shebang.
Hate me if you must, think I'm strange if you do........   I'll be on the beach, not worrying about any of it.

For more good reasons, see here:   Extended family..... I have cousins who I adore and actually like me too, I have nephews and nieces and a super cool sister and brother in law who live there.  Other nieces,  cousins and such live in the south, within a 6 hr drive.   My parents live there 6 months out of the year.

The weather is AMAZING.  Seriously, amazing.  Yes, it gets hotter than heckaroony in Summer, but I was made for heat.   We can do all sorts of outdoor activities year round.  Yeah, we could in NY too, IF we enjoyed skiing and could afford that habit on a regular basis.  Kayaking is free, biking is free,
running is free.   FREE.

Florida is a much easier homeschool friendly state.  Kids can do sports, etc....... Less regulations.......

Florida is a nicer gun owner state.

So, with all that said........ I. Sure y'all are losing sleep over us going or staying...  For now, we are staying.   For now. 😜😄