I’m soaked to the bone, again. Another morning of heavy Portland rain that interrupted my daily run. Lots of deep puddles and runoff waterfalls to avoid. Heavy clothing, wet shoes, windy conditions, and fogged-up glasses added to the challenge. It was a good day for the treadmill that is no longer an option for me. I’ll have access to one in our new Florida resort complex, but there’s still at least five more months of the outdoor elements to endure. It’s good to at last be sitting at my writing desk in dry clothes watching the rain fall on the neighboring rooftops. 

My car is back from the tire shop, but I’m $1,400 light in the wallet. Two new tires, struts, balancing, shocks, brakes, and who knows what else they ending up doing. After a needed tune-up, I think I can safely get this car to Florida, but may need to hold on to it longer to get my money’s worth out of this investment. It’s like me – looks good on the outside but rusted out on the inside, and it’s not even a teenager yet. Trading it in on a senior buggy  does not seem like a practical choice for a few years, especially since I’ll end up spending more fixing it up than what it’s worth.  

When we finally get to Florida, I’ll put the top down and pretend that it’s a golf cart. We don’t have car payments any more, but we’ve sunk a lot of money into both cars this year – body work, tires, batteries, and engine repairs. I was excited about the prospect of one fewer car and halving the related hassles. I can get anywhere I want in our Florida community via electric cart – grocery or hardware store, beach, stadium, pool, treadmill, and bank. The streets and sidewalks in that area are specially designed to accommodate bikers, walkers, runners, and cart drivers. Seniors rule in Florida.