South Floridians (not "southerners") and how you know you are one

It happened TWICE today. Right after I wrote that blog yesterday about all the Minnesotans claiming it is so humid here ... two more people made the claim yesterday!

Don't they read my blog?!?!

I, being the calm and patient person I am, put them immediately in their place explaining to them that Minnesota is humid only in comparison, to the west, and that truly, 79 degrees is really not that hot.

I know my sister-in-law Gabbi, who loathes the Florida heat is laughing her head off right now thinking about someone claiming that 79 is hot. Gabbi, it's true. These people are crazy!

I started thinking more about south Florida -- a place that I still call "home". I mentioned yesterday that people from south Florida do not consider themselves southerners. That is VERY true. Now northern Floridians do consider themselves southerners but southern Floridians, are, well southern Floridians.

How can you tell the difference? Well if you drink sweet tea, you aren't from south Florida. If you don't speak a good bit of Spanish, you aren't from south Florida. If you have seen a leaf change or a snowflake fall, you aren't from south Florida.

Others way to know you are a true southern Floridian? The list is endless. Here's just a few. Come on family and friends back home. Have more?! Make sure to share a comment.

My favorites are in bold!

• "Down South" means Key West
• You think no-one over 70 should be allowed to drive.
• Flip-flops are everyday wear.
• Shoes are for business meetings and church.
• You exhibit a slight twitch when introduced to anyone with the first names of Charley, Frances, Ivan, or Jeanne.
• An alligator once walked through your neighborhood.
• You fight the urge to put on your winter coat and wool cap and parade around in front of your picture window, when you finally get power and your neighbor across the street with the noisy generator doesn't
• You smirk when a game show's "Grand Prize" is a trip or cruise to Florida.
• You measure distance in minutes.
• You have a drawer full of bathing suits, and one sweatshirt.
• Your parrot can now say "hammered, pounded and hunker down".
• You get annoyed at the tourists who feed seagulls.
• You now think the $6000 whole house generator seems like a reasonable investment.
• All the local festivals are named after a fruit.
• A mountain is any hill 100 feet above sea level.
• You know the four seasons really are: almost summer, summer, not summer but really hot, and Christmas.
• Anything under 95° is just warm.
• Going to a theme park is not considered a vacation.
• You pass on the right and honk at the elderly.
• You understand the futility of exterminating cockroaches.
• You can pronounce Okeechobee, Kissimmee and Withlacoochee.
• You understand why it's better to have a friend with a boat, than have a boat yourself.
• You were 8 before you realized they made houses without pools.
• What the heck is a basement?
• You know what it's like to sweat in the shower.
• You were 12 when you first met someone who couldn't swim, and you thought something was wrong with them.
• Never understanding why it's not normal to play in run-off water.
• You know what impitigo is, and have had ringworm at least once.
• You've worn shorts and used the A/C on Christmas.
• You know what the "stingray shuffle" is, and why it's important!

Okay, so if you post a comment with another item and it's a good one, I'll add it to the list. Even though I haven't lived there for eleven years, it will always be home.

Or should I say: Florida del sur es mi casa.