Just Sayin’

I know I badmouth Florida. A lot.

The endless heat, the exhausting humidity, the whitebread “culture,” etc. I’ve said that one of the few pleasures down here is the wildlife, especially the birds.

But the thunder that moments ago shook our house and rattled our windows reminded me what a sincere pleasure it is to live so close (relatively speaking) to Cape Canaveral.

I get to watch every NASA launch from my front yard. The shuttle rises above the trees in my neighbor’s yard, and curves to the northeast. Occasional night launches are particularly spectacular.

Just now, the returning shuttle created a lovely sonic boom. We turned on the TV and watched it land. Landings aren’t nearly as spectacular, but they are . . . satisfying, somehow.