The year 1971 saw the sentencing of Charles Manson and his followers for the Tate-LaBianca murders, plus another anti-Vietnam War protest march in Washington D.C. I had made the move from Albion College to Indiana University where a new basketball coach, Robert Montgomery Knight was introduced to replace Lou Watson. I drove a brand new, bright red,  Triumph GT-6 to Bloomington to live with a high school friend in my first apartment. It turned out to be a big mistake, although I did avoid going to Viet Nam. 

It’s now 51-years later, as I write this from my Florida home. I’m waiting for a home inspector in preparation of my final warranty walk-through by the builder. We want to make sure that everything is in order before this house is no longer covered. We conducted the first inspection a year ago before we moved in. Over the course of this first year, we’ve had a chipped countertop repaired, painting touch-ups, lanai repairs, wiring issues resolved, plumbing re-worked, and roofing tiles replaced. We still have some caulking and molding that needs some attention, along with a ceiling crack. So far, we’ve been pleased with the service we’ve gotten and the issues have been minimal. 

Yesterday, we made another trip to the hardware store for more plants, a rake, downspout covers, a hose, and some caulk. It’s not like condo life where you simply call someone to make the day-to-day repairs. I’ve had to re-purchase many of the tools I’ve given away through the years. We upgraded the lights on each side of the garage door and continue to make improvements both inside and out. I’m pleased with my new office shelves, and we have a lot more storage space in our closets and pantry as a result of that customization. We also just purchased all the elements for the outdoor kitchen that will incorporate our DCS grill/burners, including venting, sink, and refrigerator. Stone and tile will be used to finish off this exciting new addition to our lanai. Slowly but surely our new home is coming together.