things I miss about florida:

 

[ ] my grandma

[ ] roadtrips with grandma all over Florida, where we would get lost and still be happy, laughing at our good fortune for the sun being out and finding our way home

[ ] the sunsets

[ ] the green light of everything after a good rain, how the green light is the sky and the grass

[ ] all the flowers

[ ] all the birds

[ ] driving my old VW to all the little beach towns and river towns, on all the backroads grandma showed me

[ ] the rainbow at lowry park zoo and how on the other side of it was a ton of amusement park rides

[ ] longboarding everywhere

[ ] biking everywhere

[ ] kayaking everywhere

[ ] dance clubs

[ ] how everyone always dresses / dresses up

[ ] la terisita at the end of the night

[ ] the psychic cafe in Ybor

[ ] the long walk to get the best slice of pizza after the clubs close

[ ] booty jam dance classes

[ ] falling asleep on the beach

[ ] falling asleep by the pool

[ ] the sound of heavy, heavy rain

[ ] vintage shopping

[ ] malls

[ ] movie houses

[ ] the Tampa Theatre

[ ] feeling grounded and connected to the history around me / my parallel history

[ ] weekee watchee (the mermaid show)

[ ] grouper sandwiches 

[ ] cuban sandwiches

[ ] cafe con leche 

[ ] The University of Tampa

[ ] Plant Hall

[ ] museums (Tampa Art, Ringling)

[ ] aquariums

[ ] boat rides

[ ] manatees and dolphins

[ ] riding a motorcycle across the bridge to Clearwater

[ ] St. Pete

[ ] Jannus Landing

[ ] live music everywhere

[ ] everyone is in a band

[ ] playing pool with Amanda at the bowling alley

[ ] late nights visiting different friends at different hours when they got out of work

[ ] bookstores

[ ] record shops

[ ] having a tan all the time

[ ] being outside all the time

[ ] screened in porches and damp patio chairs

[ ] rich friends of friends houses

[ ] Bayshore Blvd at night

[ ] Gasparilla

[ ] Aunt Myla's house (both of them)

[ ] playing cards (Skipbo and rummy)

[ ] Granny's back porch

[ ] my Donald Duck fishing pole

[ ] photo dark rooms

[ ] the old oak trees

[ ] the sounds of frogs

[ ] drinking a pot of coffee and reading an entire novel in an afternoon

[ ] long walks

[ ] boardwalks

[ ] Rainbow Springs

[ ] my dad's laugh