Becoming Real People Again

For the past few weeks we have gone about the business of establishing ourselves in Tampa.  We rented a mailbox at the U.S. Post Office on MacDill AFB and went to the AAA to get our Florida Driver’s Licenses and Florida License Plates.  Because of the events of 9/11 and the Patriot Act, it is darn near impossible to get a driver’s license, especially if you have no real physical address—P.O. Boxes no longer work for an address for driver’s licenses, banks, or credit cards. It doesn’t really matter what you use for a physical address, as long as you have one.

After much creative thinking and scavenging, we managed to find enough proof of identity to please the state of Florida.  We now have our identity in one state: our permanent home address is the Family Camp office at MacDill.

Next order of business was admitting that a person cannot graze with wild abandon on fried okra without paying a price.  My price: 10 additional pounds to shed.  My solution: Weight Watchers.  Hi, my name is Cindy and I have recently eaten my body weight in fried okra and Reese’s Pieces.  No judgment, just a new plan.  “It’s choice not chance that determines your destiny,” said the WW leader.  I decided that’s an updated quote for “you are what you eat.” I am now eating less. My destiny is to get back into people clothes and out of moo-moos.

What better way to slim down than to get a bike? However, in addition to being the lightning capital of the world, the Tampa Bay region is known for cars flattening bike riders.  Defensive bike riding is definitely a must.  Larry has mirrors and reflectors hanging off multiple parts of his body and bike.  I wanted to mount a cannon on the side of my bike, but Larry thought that was impractical.  I do try to stay off roads and ride on trails or sidewalks.  Although militant walkers have been known to push over sidewalk bike riders.  Riding in Florida is great, though. After the hills of Carmel Valley, CA,  the flat expanses of the bay area are welcome to couch potatoes like me.