traci in the swamp

Thoughts of my (short) time here...

I haven't lived in Gainesville long.  But I have learned a great deal during my five months here - today being the anniversary of our big move.  So please allow me to enlighten you a bit, with some observations:

• Just a short trip outside of the Gainesville city limits, will bring you out to farmland, cattle roaming free and the greenest land I've ever seen.  You can see hay/feed stores, tractor suppliers, and horse farms every few miles.
  
• They actually have places where you can go "mud trucking".
• It's cheaper (and probably tastier) to buy produce from the guy selling it on the side of the road, than at Publix.
• There are actual (albeit small) rolling hills here. 
• Driving with my window down when it's in the low 70's, with the radio off, feeling the weather changing and watching the farmland as I pass, is one of the most relaxing things I've done in a long time.
  
• On two lane highways, when an ambulance drives by, people actually slow down and pull over quickly....shocking.
• On two lane highways, sometimes you do have to pass someone and although it's scary, you do survive it.
• When the Gators win, it's a good day.  When they loss...
• Gainesville is serious about their trees.  Gainesville is actually one of the southernmost cities, where deciduous trees populate and often times there are rules that won't let people cut trees down.
• And finally...I've met some of the nicest, most approachable people since I've been here and am looking forward to meeting a lot more.

Once again, 3 for 3!

I'm keeping my toes crossed as I write this, so I don't jinx myself or the team, but USF keeps moving up in the college football rankings - this time moving up from #23 - to #18.  This is such a great deal for USF and one of those important moments in their history.

The only thing that did annoy and offend me, is the fact that the St. Pete Times replaced the news about USF's win against UNC with the Gators' win over Ole Miss on the Times' website.  Now I know the Gators are the 2006 National Champions (I'm a fan too), but they are not the home team (last time I checked University of Florida is in Gainesville, I drive by it every single day - I should know!  And the University of South Florida is in Tampa- the same general place the Times' is located - geez!).  Anyway, I'm stepping off my high horse/soap box now - just had to vent about that.

UCF also beat Memphis Saturday - 56-20 (ouch!).  I must have missed this story, but apparently there were no water fountains built in the stadium, until just this week.  President Hitt was kind enough to help pass out water bottles to fans and new water fountains were installed before the Saturday's game.  This didn't keep fans away though, and 42,153 people came to see UCF win again! 

I continue to remain very proud of three Florida teams.

There is a first for everything: USF Ranked #23!

Well, the time has come and I couldn't be prouder to be a graduate of two excellent Florida schools.  USF is officially a ranked football team for the first time.  The AP Poll has USF ranked as #23 and the USA Today Poll has USF ranked as #24. Matt and I have been USF fans for a while and the picture to the left is evidence (taken when we saw USF play NC State in Charlotte, NC in the Meineke Car Care Bowl 2005).

 

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

In the other part of the state, UCF played their first game in their new stadium.  The Knights played the Texas Longhorns and although UCF lost, Texas did not have an easy game by any means.  This article sums it up perfectly.

And in local news here, UF beat Tennessee and moved up to #3 in the rankings.  (Sorry Tonia!!)

Opening weekend of football - 3 for 3!

Well, everyone knows the scores by now, but I'm happy to report that all three teams I was hoping to win this weekend - actually did! 

Matt and I went to the Florida game today.  We had fantastic seats on the 20 yard line.  We were two of the 90,086 people there today as the Gators beat the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 49-3.   I will always be surprised and impressed by how much noise can be generated by all the screaming fans.  I will also always respect the loud sound of the "gator chomp" - even though when you are the other team - it is a bit frightening.

I'm also happy to see that my two alma maters, also won their games this weekend.

University of South Florida played Elon and won (thankfully!).  Although, according to Coach Leavitt - it wasn't very pretty.

And University of Central Florida beat North Carolina State 25 - 23. 

And now, with all that good news - I am finally heading to bed.

The big move to Gainesville - brings a new blog

I’m not a photographer and I’m not a writer, but I really want to jump on the blog bandwagon and try my hand at this. I think it will be fun, and I can use it to highlight our new lives here in Gainesville.  My husband, Matt, and I moved here from Tampa in the beginning of June. We moved on a Saturday and I started a new job here in Gainesville on that Monday. The move came a little earlier than we thought, since I did get this great job offer. So here we are.

Matt will be going to school at the University of Florida for his Ph.D. Matt also has a blog: www.flfoodhound.com. We have a beautiful new house and a great dog that likes all the new rooms and the surrounding nature that comes with it. In Tampa, we saw lots of beaches and water. Here in Gainesville, there is lots of trees and bright clean green (also the recycling, I’m still trying to get used to). Two different worlds, but both beautiful and refreshing.   

 

So here's my attempt at a blog. If anyone reads this and actually comments, I’ll be shocked. Here goes nothing!