Saturday Afternoon Ramblings

Here I am on a Saturday afternoon, sitting in my favorite Gainesville Starbucks at Magnolia Parke on NW 39th Avenue. I had just finished running at my local YMCA and then cleaned up and came out here for a little bit. It’s not as crowded here at Starbucks as I had thought, it being a big “game-day” here in Gainesville with a lot of visitors.

The University of Florida Gators just won their first football game of the 2008 season by a 56-10 score over Hawaii at home. I thought they played together more as a team this game than at any time last year. And their defense seems to be vastly improved. If UF had played a smaller college, then there would be no way of knowing this. But Hawaii is itself a good team. I’m looking forward to seeing how the Gators do in the coming weeks against Miami and Tennessee.

My son Will just came home from college for the Labor Day break and my daughter Rebecca is celebrating her birthday this weekend as well. Right now, they’re checking out our Oaks Mall with Melissa (my wife/their mother) and a friend of Rebecca’s.

I’ve gotten to where I like the café Americano as my favorite drink here. It’s not much more expensive than the drip coffees, but it tastes better. I also had an almond-toffee bar, my favorite of their desserts (now that they no longer serve their scrumptious coconut-cheese danishes for some unfathomable reason).

It’s interesting, noting the tropical weather we’re experiencing today in Gainesville, how a tropical storm as far away as Gustav is (south of Cuba) can extend its influence for hundreds of miles. It reminded me of the time in 1985 when hurricane Juan hit Louisiana and then just sat there for days, flooding that state and spinning off wave after wave of severe storms over Gainesville. I feel for the people living there now as the present hurricane threatens to cause suffering and damage when it most probably strikes them in a few days. Hopefully, the authorities there will get it “right” this time after the Katrina debacle.

Well, I’ve finished my dessert and coffee. I’ll be heading on back to the house now. Until later!