My Sixth Child

   Before I began to ramble, I encourage you to write down everything. Last week two titles, one of a book and one of a newspaper article, thrilled my soul! and are semi responsible for this next blog. ( The newspaper article was a book review, so both titles of books, sent me to Nirvana) I scribbled one on a scrap of paper that I use for my prayer jar, and the other I ripped out of the Sunday paper. ( we still get the real Sunday paper!) ( not for long, I am sure soon it will be read online!)
   The first book title, is Five Miles South of Peculiar! I have not a clue to what it is about, but you know I will read it!! Surely it is about Florida, guessing?? The next book title/newspaper review is Fringe Florida, another yummy adjective describing my sixth child, Florida.
  You see its like your children, you can call them crazy, off the charts, pains, but no one else can.
  Same with my beloved Florida. It is peculiar, to say the least. Different, is a understatement. Cast off of normalcy, yes BUT..it is my normal, all the crazies, I love it. My baby, my wonderland of fringe!
We are a different group, us Floridians. We are raised in humidity and insects, with Jesus being crucified a daily conversation. Homes on wheels and trucks with giant tires, scatter the landscape. Florida now has an overgrown population of boa constrictors, that is not anywhere near normal! Alligators can be in your backyard or on the golf course, and no one flinches. Palmetto bugs the size of small cats, live with us, bug control does not work. The weather is close to heaven, with a storm around the bend. Lighting is entertainment, along with freak shows at the fair. When asked as a young girl, " How was your date?" often the response was, " Fine, we just rode down main street!"  Your mother never had to question where you were, outside was the answer. Our weekends were at the beach, end of story.
  Weird resides in Florida, with wife beater shirts at football games considered dress up clothes, to cuts off being a staple! Moonshine and Moonpies, peanuts in your coke!, watermelon and fried chicken go down easy. We wake up with sunshine and orange trees, surrounded by oceans, so we look at Tiny Pete, the midget man at the fair, with baby fetuses in jars. We are the Fringe, thank you baby Jesus! Write it down, but don't say anything about my baby!