High today in the Upper 70's F. POP 40%.
The POP in Florida is different than in Canada. Back home if the chance of rain is 40% it means that there is a 40% chance that you will be rained on. In Florida it usually means you will be rained on 40% of the time. Today there will be lots of little cloud showers coming off the Atlantic otherwise it will be mostly sunny. That means today there is a good chance of another sun shower.
Leaving the Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday the sky was bright and clear with a few clouds yet it was raining. A heavy shower was coming from one lone darker cloud at a distance and the strong wind was bringing it to us. Wind gusts yesterday were over 40 mph at times. It lasted about a minute.
This morning, despite the 40% chance of rain, the skies are clear blue even though the humidity level is above 80%. This means there is always a heavy dew on the car in the morning. This is typical Florida weather.
Today is Black Friday. I referred to the origin of the name in yesterday's blog. That was the explanation for the current meaning.
The true story behind Black Friday, however, is not as sunny as retailers might have you believe. Back in the 1950's, police in the city of Philadelphia used the term to describe the chaos that ensued on the day after Thanksgiving, when hordes of suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city in advance of the big Army-Navy football game held on that Saturday every year. By 1961, “Black Friday” had caught on in Philadelphia, to the extent that the city’s merchants and boosters tried unsuccessfully to change it to “Big Friday” in order to remove the negative connotations.
The term "Black Friday" didn’t spread to the rest of the country until sometime in the late 1980s, however, retailers found a way to reinvent Black Friday and turn it into something that reflected positively, rather than negatively, on them and their customers. The result was the “red to black” concept of the holiday mentioned earlier, and the notion that the day after Thanksgiving marked the occasion when America’s stores finally turned a profit. (In fact, stores traditionally see bigger sales on the Saturday before Christmas.)
Since then, the one-day sales bonanza has morphed into a four-day event, and spawned other “retail holidays” such as Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday. Stores started opening earlier and earlier on that Friday, and now the most dedicated shoppers can head out right after their Thanksgiving meal.
The mission for today is to look for a car cover. The Live Oak trees (yes, they are called Live Oak which seems redundant) shed leaves continuously and drop acorns. Falling from 50-60 feet the acorns sound like a gunshot when they hit the RV roof. The leaves are similar in shape and size to Maple tree seeds (you know, the helicopters). Last year the car fan was totally packed with leaves that got sucked in. A car cover should help.
I found a cover at the Advantage Auto Parts Store just a few miles down the road. I was on empty so I filled up next door at the 7-11 for less than $20 U.S.
Then we were off to Hobby Lobby in Mt. Dora for some craft items.I parked in our usual spot which has been beautified since last year. Charlotte had an hour of shopping fun while I enjoyed music in the car (with the top off). As predicted I had a light shower visit for about 30 seconds while waiting.
Our next stop was just down the road at Target. We found the Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Cleaner that we have been looking for on our last few outings. Ours stopped working.
Talking about showers - we had another 30 second sprinkle on the way to get event tickets at the Chamber of Commerce; however they were closed for Thanksgiving and will not re-open until Monday.
On the way back to OMS we stopped to pick up some boiled peanuts. This batch was one of the best we have had to date. Below is a reprint giving some insight into this southern treat that I copied from one of my past blogs:
Before there was edamame (preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in the cuisine of China, Japan and Hawaii.) in this country, there were hot boiled peanuts, which are a staple in much of the South. Boiled peanuts (originally called Goober Peas) are just raw peanuts that have been boiled in salted water for hours. Fully mature peanuts do not make good quality boiled peanuts; rather raw or "green" ones are used. "Raw" denotes peanuts in a semi-mature state, having achieved full size, but not being fully dried, as would be needed for roasting or peanut butter. The most flavourful peanuts for boiling are the Valencia type (not Virginia type). They resemble soft mushy peas or beans in texture once cooked. Great with beer or a cold soda, these salty soft peanuts are totally addictive. They have an almost sweet aftertaste.A little messy too, given that the shells absorb some of the water which can squirt out at you when you bite into them to get the nut out. People usually eat them outside where you can toss the shells and not worry about the salt water dribbles. Uneaten peanuts should be stored in a refrigerator, as they can become slimy or moldy quite quickly without refrigeration. Boiled peanuts can be frozen, and later reheated in a microwave or boiling water for out of season consumption. Properly frozen, the flavor is well maintained for even several years.
After our snack I installed a pair of new windshield wipers on the Del Sol. Charlotte helped me place the new cover over the car. It has an elastic band all around the bottom. Hopefully it will remain in place and keep the oak leaves from infiltrating the car's blower and the trunk water drain channels.
Cream of Mushroom soup with saltine crackers was on the agenda for supper. We will skip this evening's Bingo - perhaps we will make Monday's session.. Charlotte is relaxing tonight while colouring (adult colouring book) with an ear tuned to Jeopardy. Pecan pie will be the evening snack after the show. Not sure what we will watch on TV for the rest of the evening.
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