To my not-so-shy readers, who have been bugging me for a follow-up to the Old Dog - New Tricks column, I just returned from that trip. That's why you didn't hear from me last Sunday. I was on a mission trying to convince my parents that they should be spending the winters in Florida. I was pretty sure I was wasting my breath with my dad, but I really thought I had a chance with my mom.

I tried to drop subtle hints - you know, not be too obvious. I thought I was doing well for a while, but in all honesty, subtlety is not one of my strong suits. By the second day of our stay, I knew my mom was "on to me," as she got this funny little smirk on her face every time I pointed out another benefit of being in Florida during the winter. Every time we received a weather report from Central New York, it was worse than the previous report, so I was able to take full advantage of that. We sat on the lanai feeling the warmth of the morning sun, feet propped up, sipping coffee; so, I asked my mom, "This beats shoveling snow off your car, doesn't it? Bet you wouldn't mind never having to deal with that again." I had no problem getting her to admit to the hardships of winter, but she wasn't about to commit to anything beyond that.

I thought it would help when they realized how close we were to shopping and services of all kinds, because neither of them has had any experience driving in congested areas. Things were going well until we hit a stretch of road at the wrong time of the day.

Add that to three accidents between where we were and where we were going, and it took 90 minutes to go 8 miles. That definitely set things back, if you know what I mean.

My theory that people live longer in milder climates comes from absolutely nowhere and may be totally off the mark. However, I truly believe they live "better." How many people do you know who have sustained serious injuries after slipping on the ice? I'll bet there are some very elderly people who don't leave their homes in the winter because of this danger. I worry constantly that one of my parents will fall and break a hip, and both of them have friends who never recovered from this type of injury. Also, the warmer climate is much more conducive to outdoor exercise, and the streets are filled with people my parents, ages and older getting their daily exercise. It's something they can do year-round and not be forced into inactivity for four or five months, due to weather conditions.

One evening, we had our neighbors over to dinner, and during the course of the visit, we learned their ages. Our jaws dropped in unison, as we discovered that they were at least 10 years older than our highest estimate. "See that," I proclaimed. "They've been spending their winters in Florida for 10 years and haven't aged a day since!" (Yeah, yeah - I admit that was a little over the top.)

Well, I gave it my best shot. I know they enjoyed themselves and loved being away from the frigid temperatures and accumulating snow. But, I don't think either one of them will be spending any time there alone.

My dad hinted that it would be nice to spend a month there, but he meant for all of us to be there, and life will not allow that luxury yet. "Find a friend or spend time here alone," I advised him, but he merely grumbled and walked away.

We returned to mountains of snow and temperatures in the single digits. Maybe none of us were happy to be back, but all of us were happy to be home.

Questions or comments? Write to me c/o The Citizen or e-mail curves@localnet.com