Freezing Weather in Florida

We had arranged to go to our timeshare at Treasure Island beach yesterday, for just one night. This had been planned prior to the news that we were going to get freezing cold weather.

We arrived around lunchtime, got our keys, and got settled into our apartment. I looked out of the sliding doors, and figured it was too cold to go on the balcony.

In the 20 years we have been going to Treasure Island beach, there has never been a time that I haven't walked the beach for several miles. The temperature was set to stay in the 40's. The wind was gusting 35 miles an hour, but that didn't put me off.

I wore a jumper, a tee shirt, a hoodie, a pair of jeans, a pair of joggers with the fleece inside, and the material on the outside, socks, trainers, a scarf, ear muffs, leather gloves, and a ski jacket with a hood.

I got to the rear of the building and I could feel the wind roaring around me. On the television the wind chill factor was probably 20 degrees below the actual temperature.

I walked sideways to the edge of the water, which is approximately 500 steps. I tried to walk into the wind, but it just wouldn't let me. I walked backwards, and prevented the sand from coming into my eyes. When I walked back the other way, I was running with the wind. I am 5 feet 6 inches tall, but only way 127 pounds.

What I was able to do was walk sideways, from the water's edge to the pathway that runs behind the hotels/condos/timeshares, and then head back again. I had my face turned away from the wind.

I managed to crank up 8,500 steps doing this. Once I got back to the apartment we went out to eat, but that wasn't the end of my beach time. I was back on the beach at 4.50 p.m. so that I could check out the 5.30 p.m. sunset. Well it didn't happen due to the clouds. Yes, it did happen, but I couldn't see it.

This morning I was up early, and always walk the beach around 7.00 a.m. Not today it was too darn cold. I did do some jogging on the balcony, looking at the sandy beach, and the water.

We had a meeting, and brunch, but as soon as I got back to the apartment, my husband Len started packing while I had a final walk on the beach. Again I wore the same amount of clothing as yesterday. The wind had died down so I was able to walk to John's Pass and back.

Now that I am home the weather is going to warm up. I might have known that.