We no longer live in So Cal...we live in So Wal!

Brittany and Brooke got us bumper stickers that say, "SoWal". What is SoWal you ask? Don't worry, we had no idea either. It means South Walton, the county we currently live in. So, to this I say...we no longer live in SoCal, we live in SoWal (if only for the summer)!
Did I ever mention the town we live in? Its called, Seaside - which is about 45 minutes outside of Destin (which is the main town in this area). Seaside is small town U.S.A. - complete with the beautiful town center where there are bands that entertain the crowds on the warm, balmy nights. Little restaurants line the little streets and there is a constant flow of people milling around. There is "small town" traffic - which consist of cars perusing the street, as if time doesn't matter. I am from LA where it's "go...go...GO for heavens sake!"...it will take time to get used to. The buildings are really cute here - the homes and office buildings in the area are all pastel colored. If you can believe it, the town next to us is called "Watercolor". What a name. We're a few stop signs out of the center of town, and though our condo doesn't have the lovely outside facade, it's lovely inside. The floors are all hardwood and the kitchen is large. Although we're pool-facing, if you look closely, you can see a slit of the Gulf of Mexico which is really fantastic. We're looking forward to having some visitors so we can show it off as if it was our own!
People are truly lovely here. There is something to be said about the Southern charm. You're greeted with a smile and looked in the eye when being spoken to. If you have met someone only once or spoken to them on the phone, you are greeted with a hug as if you are old friends that haven't seen each other in awhile. Totally different from our home...where looking someone in the eye means you could possibly get shot and getting a snort is the equivalent of a kind hello. We are still getting used to the local lingo and the strong Southern accents, though, Andrew seems to be figuring it out. Somehow, his New Zealand accent is working to his advantage...and thank God, because I need someone to translate!
Our everyday routine has also changed, quite a bit. In LA, Andrew wakes up while I'm still snoozing and trying to get myself up for the day. In LA, Andrew goes to the office while I try to busy my day doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Now, here in Florida - the roles are reversed. It is me that gets up to go to work while my husband snoozes (today, he snoozed - I think I might have even heard a snore!). He gets up shortly after I leave (or at least he has been) as I do in LA and starts his own day....since he is working "remotely". I think he has been pretty diligent in his work and spends most of the day inside our condo despite being tempted to play on the beach. We'll see what happens when he's not so busy at work.
But, we can't complain. Every day, Andrew and I wake up - look outside and thank the good Lord for the wonderful sunshine and the fantastic life we have. We're praying for no hurricanes. Until then, life is good....