three sunny days

My favorite spot along my daily walk to the convention center.

I'm back! It's hard to believe that this morning I was in Ft. Lauderdale, sitting by the pool beneath a palm tree in 75 degree sunny weather, with flowers blooming everywhere. And now I'm back in 20 degree Michigan, where my driveway is covered in 4" of icy snow with more on the way.

This is the view from the 12th floor inside the hotel. The rooms went in a rectangle along the outer walls (the yellow stripes are the rooms and the green stripes are the railings). Down below are the various cafes and bars, surrounded by little gardens and fountains. I think it kind of looks like a salad, with lettuce, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes.

Here are a few photos from this morning. I went to the convention one last time for an hour or so, then walked back to the hotel to enjoy the weather before my flight.

I really needed this getaway, short as it was. It was nice to walk around without a coat and feel the sun on my face. Well, brief sun for me. I burn like mad! I have some really attractive freckles now. I got to meet a lot of people whose names I'd only seen in e-mails. And there was lots of drinking - a cocktail hour at the convention, then further drinks at a Brazilian steak house afterwards, followed by nightcaps in the hotel lounge. Last night, we went to an Irish pub across the street, which was more my style. I had pints of Guinness and a big plate of bangers 'n mash - mmmmmm. Really feeds the Irish part of my blood.

Oh! And the Floridians were lamenting that they were having a "cold snap" - which for them means an overnight low of 50. For me, it was positively balmy. During the day, it got up around 74 degrees or so, but on my morning walk to the center I'd see people bundled up in coats or wearing turtlenecks. It even made the headlines of the local news. The weatherman warned people to throw an extra quilt on their beds and bring in their pets. Bring in their pets!

If I'm sent to the convention next year, I'll go a few days early for some touristy fun and beach time. I love the beach.

Now it's back to the Weight Watchers program. I've been slacking a bit in the past month, what with the show and all the fun cast parties, work events, and my three days of drinking and eating in Florida. Luckily, I broke even. I've neither lost or gained, which means I'm still 22 pounds down. Much more to go, so it's back to counting and planning and getting myself on the treadmill. By summer, I'll be in good shape and ready for new clothes!