Cold Weather

Brrrr, it has been 45° the last 2 nights. During the day, in the sun, it is comfortable, however in the evenings and early mornings, it has been chilly. Our Connecticut friends were not impressed.

Fortunately, we finally finished repairing William’s hut the day the temperature dipped. It had been sitting in the garage all summer. Nothing like just in time inventory. Gracie helped while we decided what to do.

To keep it warm, we had built it with a reptile heater big enough for an African spurred tortoise. It had to be hung on the ceiling of the hut because it is too warm for a small turtle. However, it was the only heater that could be outside. All the smaller ones weren’t waterproof. Overkill, but what was available.

We took the sides of the hut off, and I cut them the same height. Originally the top had a slant to let any rain run off, but it doesn’t need that since our house eave protects it from drips. We added 1x4s on each side and along the back to make the structure more stable. I put Command hooks to support the thermostat probe’s wire, and Grant put in a screw to hang the thermometer sensor. Both little details that will make it so much better, rather than clothespins and tape.

Lastly, we cut 2 pieces from the remaining 1x4, one 11” long to put the thermostat on, and the other 15” to be above it, just in case rain does drip down. I painted them white and plan to install them this afternoon. I may figure a way to hang a shield to protect it even more. For the past 5 years, the thermostat has laid on top of the hut in a plastic bag. This will be an improvement.

I had obsessed about the cold because our Marriage Enrichment Group, MEG, was going to the outdoor concert at Christmas in the Park over in Winter Park on Thursday evening. Time for my long down coat if we were going to be sitting in chairs outside. That morning, it was 60°. Tomorrow we are back to the 40s. So lucky. 

Originally we planned a 3:00 tour of the Morse Museum led by Christine who is a docent there, then  having dinner at a restaurant facing the park, followed by the concert at 6:30, where they display, for this evening only, 6 stained glass windows by Tiffany. (This event has happened for 46 years. Seemed a little odd to me to bring these treasures to the park for 1 night…)

It also was the excuse I needed to get over to the original Barnie’s for my annual Santa White Christmas©️ latte, coconut, caramel and vanilla.

I was overwhelmed by the schedule and suggested we make two events of it. Thank goodness the group agree, especially after we couldn’t get dinner reservations. Parking evidently is an issue too. Grant and I ended up taking Sun Rail from the Sand Lake station, meeting Kathy and Lee who rode from Kissimmee, and Moshe and Tamara who got on at Church Street. $3.50 fare, and the station is next to the park. Christine and Daryl brought extra chairs, so all we schlepped was our dinner and cookies to share. Grant did tote one of our collapsing stools, just in case.

Sun Rail was so easy I’m going to schedule a trip up to Sanford and take the trolly to town for lunch or one of their music festivals.

Cookies: this year, I decided to try some new recipes. Ginger snaps, sugar cookies with sprinkles mixed in. (I used Christmas ones), lemon turmeric balls rolled in powdered sugar which spread and baked with a nice crackle finish, and shortbread with bourbon soaked Cranraisins and almonds. All delicious and relatively easy. Only somewhat fail was the ginger snaps which spread and ran into each other. Still good, if not pretty. I trimmed the ones I put in plates to give away. Another time, I’ll just make smaller balls to start.