Tornado force winds this morning stopped me in my tracks during the daily run, but that was the least of my concerns. The screens in our lanai ripped and came unattached from the frames, not to mention some broken pots and knick-knacks. This all happened while I was in the pool, causing me to cut my swim short. We’ll now have the hassle of dealing with the warranty people, supplier, and insurance company. It’s a shame that it happened when we’re expecting holiday company. I would also hate to experience hurricane gusts on this apparently fragile structure. 

We’ll have a big mess to contend with once we get back from Disney World this weekend. The pool will fill with leaves and other debris. In reality, it’s so insignificant compared to the lives lost and damages throughout the Midwest a few weeks ago. It’s a relatively minor set-back for us in trying to get our new Florida home in order. Our neighbors home is in the middle of lanai construction, so perhaps they escaped similar damage, although our main screen is “Clearview” that extends across the entire back of the pool with no obstructions. The lack of support around this large surface undoubtedly contributed to the issue. This was not a worry back in 1895.

In May of 1895, “the first motor race in Italy is held. It runs on a course from Turin to Asti and back, a total of 93 km (58 mi). Five entrants start the event; only three complete it. It is won by Simone Federman in a four-seat Daimler Omnibus, at an average speed of 15.5 km/h (9.6 mph).” The first Indianapolis 500 was 16 years later in 1911 won by Ray Harroun. My neighbor was able to score some tickets to the February Indy Car Grand Prix through the streets of St. Petersburg, so racing continues to follow me where ever we go. In Austin, it was their inaugural Formula One event, while in Portland the Grand Prix returned to the International Raceway after missing more than ten years. 

So what’s next in the way of retirement hassles for us here in the Sunshine State? “The Answer My Friend is Blowing in the Wind.”

“How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they’re forever banned?”

Songwriter: Bob Dylan