If there’s one great thing about Florida, it’s the weather this time of year. Do I wish that the drop in temperature continued and it got colder through the winter? Yes. But this time of the year it’s 40’s in the morning and night and mid-60’s in the daytime. It’s nice.
Biggest perk of all? Our air conditioning/heat has been off four three days and the temperature in our house has ranged from 70 to 74. Nice.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain made a campaign stop in Sarasota today. Sarasota county is a huge republican stronghold in Florida and has not elected a democratic president since F.D.R in 1944. This year, however, it is considered as being “up for grabs”. There were about 3,000 people in Robarts Arena (which was awkwardly sectioned off due to a concert scheduled for tomorrow night). Kristin and I made it in and were able to stand about midway back on the main floor. Thousands who didn’t make it in had to listen to the speech outside through a loudspeaker.
McCain delivered the typical “stump speech”, but it was definitely cool to catch a Presidential Candidate live.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Article
I vividly remember one year on pastor appreciation my dad’s staff set up our fellowship hall with various booths about him. Not like a Mike Museum or anything like that. These booths were really more about enhancing or exaggerating certain quirks he had. One of them was a giant board with an all too familiar multi-colored, vertically striped, short sleeved button down shirt. Above it in large, cut-out letters it said, “DAY OFF SHIRT”. I remember looking up at the board and realizing that it was true. My father wore that very shirt pretty much every Thursday. Thursday was his day off.
This past week was pastor appreciation. It was my first as a pastor. This morning I woke up, got dressed, and realized that this is the third Monday in a row that I have worn this shirt. Monday is my day off.
That’s right. Today I was pulling into our condo complex I saw a small slithering object. Most would not have even seen it, but since I am constantly on the look out for Jake I immediately noticed the movement.
I slammed on my brakes, hung up the phone (I was talking to my sister), and ran toward the snake. There was no doubt that this was not Jake. Because snakes hear the vibrations in the ground, he sped up immediately as I began toward him. This snake was crazy fast. I tried to maneuver in front of him to block him from jumping up on the curb and into the heavy bush. I was unsuccessful. However, I was able to snap this picture with my camera phone. I know you can’t see him great. He is pretty small, but fast mind you. That is why I have named him Speedy. Speedy the Snake.
Amphibians, Reptiles, Snake
For those of you who have been avid jordanrippy.com followers, you know that Kristin and I can’t seem to get away from reptiles and amphibians. To get the proper back story I strongly recommend that you read the Frog Blog, Leapin’ Lizards, and Our Frog Has a Friend. After a thorough review of those posts you will find that since Kristin and I have been married we have lived in a duplex, a house, and condo. No mater what kind of dwelling we inhabit or where it is geographically located we seem to encounter frogs, lizards, and snakes.
Our last snake encounter was on May 29, 2007 (more on that here). Kristin and I currently live in a gated condo communtiy. I generally take advantage of our community pool daily. On a recent trip to the pool I encountered a large black snake. By encountered I mean that I saw about the last four inches of his tail slip into the bushes next to the walkway as I passed. I was so excited. I told Kristin about it for weeks. Each time we would pas those bushes I would search for the snake, hoping that it had made it’s home there.
Several days later I was walking in a completely different part of our complex when I spotted the very same black snake coiled next to the walkway. I slowly backed away (as I did not want to scare him off). Once I felt I was a safe distance from the beast, I ran home as fast as I could. I grabbed my camer and snapped several shots of the snake. I was so excited that I had captured the snake in it’s natural habitat that I skipped the pool trip, hopped in my car and took the camera to Starbucks to show Kristin the pictures.
What should I name the snake?
***UPDATE - On the very day that I posted this I saw the snake again. I was at the pool and so was he! He was slithering down the handicapped ramp. I hope it wasn’t a reflection of his health, but I digress. In other news, the snake’s name is Jake.
Amphibian, Snake
I hate car trouble. There’s nothing more frustrating. It has to get fixed and there’s basically nothing you can do about it. This morning I get in my ‘95 Nissan Maxima and drive to work as usual. I needed to run a quick errand so I jump in my car and turn the key. Nothing. At all. I know what you’re thinking. “It’s probably just the battery, Jordan!” It’s not. The radio, lights, and a/c all come on no problem.
So I call Mikes Elite Towing and explain the situation. After asking a couple of questions and having me run through a few things Mike diagnosis that I have an alternator problem. Yikes. So here we are. Now I’m carless for a day or so. I’ll keep you updated. Hope your doing alright.
Jordan
UPDATE - It turns out that two belts cracked and ruined the battery. Total cost came to just under $300. Not terrible. Not fantastic.
Alternator, Car Trouble, Mechanic
Jordan | 
10 30th, 2008| 
