Another day of nothing to do but what I want to do. I can bang on my drum all day if I so desire. I can sit here in my office or on the new patio furniture out back or go back to bed for that matter. I do have an appointment at the chiropractor on my busy schedule, but otherwise the day is clear. It might be a good afternoon to go to the beach with no rain in the forecast until later tonight. We had quite the gully-washer last night, as has been the case most evenings this past week. Poor Tally, our schnauzer, has been a mess from all the lightening and thunder. She has even hidden in the closet where it is quiet and dark. Sometimes we just move her bed in there.
Tally also has a preference for my office chair. With only one window, it’s in another interior room sheltered from outside disturbances. She feels safe, but we’re always fighting for that chair. I use it to watch TV, but anytime I abandon it, even for just for a few minutes, she’s back in it, curled up on the blanket that we use to protect the soft, suede material. It’s a better look than the plastic covering that you find in other old people’s homes.
I’m nearly finished sorting baseball cards, a project perfectly suited for retirement. There’s still some work to do on personal photos, but otherwise my stuff is in order. I sometimes worry about the mess I might leave behind for others if I don’t get everything properly organized. There’s not much value in all of this to anyone but myself, so now is the time to enjoy it – sorting is very therapeutic, just like writing. It will probably all just get thrown away in the end – one man’s treasure is another man’s junk.
Was it a Senior moment to start my 70th year? I must have checked those Santana tickets a thousand times since they hit my mail box back in March -seventeen months ago. The concert was originally scheduled for August 29, 2020, but the tour was pushed back a year due to the dreaded Covid. It seemed like a long time to hold on to my money that was initially spent on 2020 Spring Training tickets back in 2019. I was issued credits for the cancellation, but there were no events to use them for, particularly in the Northwest. With our move to Florida, I saw this concert and used the credits before they expired. Then, I got notice that it was again moved to the 27th. A perfect way to celebrate my 70th birthday, so I thought!
We booked a room in Tampa and made arrangements for Tally to stay at “Schnauzerville.” On the drive up to Tampa yesterday we stopped at the Ringling Art Museum. My wife drove so I could return birthday calls and texts. In the words of Santana, “Everything was Coming our way,” as even McDonald’s extended its breakfast hours to make us Egg McMuffins and Hash Browns. Then, a rainstorm came through, making the remainder of the drive challenging as we crossed the Bay bridges into downtown Tampa. We checked into the Westin (a Marriott property of course) where I got the Happy Birthday song from the front desk and extra treats for the room. I returned more phone calls and tried to answer Facebook outpourings. We soon enjoyed an early dinner of oysters and sushi at Jackson’s overlooking the marina as the skies began to clear. A free slice of chocolate cake with candles finished off the meal with a flourish.
It was a twenty-minute drive to the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater for the show. I had a parking pass and there was oddly no traffic. When I asked the toothless attendant where to park, he told us there was no show scheduled. I looked at our tickets in shock to find that the date was for 2022! Another year to wait, if the aging band members are still capable – or me, for that matter! I guess I now know what I’m doing for my 71st – a re-do! Had senility finally hit me? On the other hand, I’ve never held a ticket for anything more than a year in advance. These are interesting times we live in. Tickets I paid for nearly two years ago will not be fulfilled for yet another year. We went to the Hard Rock Casino, across the street, instead and lost a couple hundred bucks – so much for Birthday luck. A disappointing but certainly memorable day!
It’s not saying much, but the first run of my seventies was faster than the last run of my sixties. Today was 4,625 straight days without missing a single run. If all goes well this next decade, I will hit the 5,000, 6,000, and 7,000 consecutive day marks. If not, I’ll be doing something else to try and stay fit. I could feel some aches and pains in my knees, so I continued to switch sides of the road and surface types to lessen the impact. The sun was out this morning and the humidity level back at 100 percent, so I didn’t get any wetter jumping in the pool when I finished the 5k course. Now, it’s time to pack my bags for Tampa.
It was not a routine morning, since we dropped off Tally in “Schnauzerland” last evening. I actually missed taking her out last night and first thing this morning. She’ll spend two days with 18 other pups, including five that are just a week old. I got to hold their tiny little black bodies in my arms, as Tally ran off to join her friends. She’ll be groomed tomorrow before we pick her up. I’ll spend most of today responding to birthday well-wishers on Facebook and talking to friends on the phone while we make the drive north. We intend to stop by the Ringling Art Museum, taking advantage of our new membership, on the way there, have lunch, and check into the Westin Waterfront before we head to the concert.
I’m keeping it short this morning, with little news to report other than Day One of my seventies. Hopefully, every decade of life will continue to get better as has been my fortunate experience. The decade should be filled with world travel, friends, and family. The goal is to stay healthy, while daily running has been the best medicine so far. Word puzzles, movies, TV, collecting, sports, and writing round out my days. Here’s to Day One!
Elements of our overhead lighting will be installed this afternoon, including kitchen counter canisters and the dining room chandelier that we brought with us from Portland. It actually turned out to be our 20th wedding anniversary gift, as part of the move to Florida. Yesterday, we made good use of our new location with a trip to the beach about 20 minutes away. Tally had to stay home this time with the temperatures still in the nineties. The heat is a constant drain on my energy, but the Gulf breezes are revitalizing. As I sit in the sun, it’s as if my cells are recharging.
Tonight is the stadium concert, Majesty of Rock, taking us back to our 70s musical roots. They will perform the songs of Styx and Journey while we sing along. Hopefully, it won’t storm like it has most evenings this week. It’s part of the countdown to my 70th birthday in just six days, culminating with a night in Tampa with Santana and Earth, Wind, Fire. Thankfully, the funeral for my ex-step-mother-in-law has been cancelled. One of the family members has tested positive for Covid, so I’m glad that my son doesn’t have to make the long drive back to Indiana. He’ll be able to join me now for the Fantasy Football draft that he got me involved in doing. At least, it’s a visit to Buffalo Wild Wings, a place I used to call home. I will once again enjoy their wings and a beer.
Tomorrow morning, my son and I will make the drive to Tampa for the White Sox vs. Rays game. I’m also reuniting with a friend from my WMEE radio days back in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. We haven’t been to a Sox game together since May of 2007, fourteen years ago. We also were joint season ticket holders for IU football for many years, but that ended over 20 years ago. He moved to Tampa several years ago when the opportunity presented itself to do his radio production work from home. It will be good to see him again, reminiscing about radio, softball, and sports, while spending the day with my son. The Countdown to 70 continues…..
I’ve screwed up Matinee Monday with a mid-afternoon Leadership Zoom, although we are back home from our Singer Island retreat and somewhat back to a routine schedule. We do have our cleaning crew that will also disrupt a typical Monday, so we’ll do some Costco shopping to stay out of their way. Everything has been put back in the lanai since Fred has veered off course and Grace also appears to no longer be a Florida issue. Henri (ahn-REE) has yet to show its ugly face.
I met a fellow runner this morning, a guy that I’ve seen in the neighborhood on several occasions but never stopped to talk with until a few hours ago. His name is Chuck and he’s run 15 Boston Marathons, so obviously much more accomplished than me. He also runs faster and mixes up his exercise routine with some biking. As a longtime Naples resident and head of their running club, I’m sure he knows fellow streaker Samuel F. Johnston, who just surpassed 16,000 consecutive days (43.98 years) and is ranked #14 in the world. Another Neapolitan, John King will soon hit the 5,000 day mark, also ahead of my 4,614 achievement. At least 11 other Floridians are ahead of me in this OCD “race” with no finish line.
Tally was back at the dog park this morning after a weekend with her schnauzer brethren. We picked her up last night from the sitter to return to her seemingly boring life with us after the exhaustion of playing with at least seven other dogs for three straight days. At eleven years old, she’s no longer a puppy but acts like one is the company of fuzzy companionship.
I installed a Ring doorbell last evening. Nothing is easy for me any more with my shaky hands. I thought I lost a screw that supposedly fell in a plant pot but after fruitlessly digging through the soil discovered that it had simply adhered to a magnet. I also had trouble attaching the tiny wires and stripping them properly, so the chimes are not properly set-up. It was two hours of frustration that should have taken fifteen minutes. Ring…Ring…not yet.
Yesterday was our Eightiversary, celebrated on the 8th of each month, also know as the Eddiversary. (See Post #1592). This is month #270, twenty-two-and-a-half years since we first got together. It was at the end of my first marriage and became the start of a second chance. Admittedly, I was too young and immature to be a good husband and father the first time around, but it somehow lasted for twenty-seven years. This month I turn 70 and have a hard time imagining 80, but maybe ten years from now we’ll be celebrating Eightiverary number 390?
We went to the beach yesterday, so my skin is a bit red today. I used sunscreen but I still tend to turn red before I turn brown. We were there a few hours, without much of a crowd. It’s the end of the Red Tide and although the beach has been cleared of dead fish the water is still contaminated with e-coli. There were still a few people swimming despite the warnings, just like you found those without masks a year ago. We sat in the shade of our stylish Tommy Bahama umbrella on matching chairs and watched the waves roll in. It was a beautiful way to look back on 270 months together.
The nice thing is that we could do the same thing today and tomorrow, the true benefit of retirement. This weekend we’re headed to Riviera Beach on Singer Island on the Atlantic side of Florida. It’s just a three hour drive where we’ll meet one of my wife’s old college friends for dinner and stay at the Oceania Palms, a Marriott Vacation Club resort. Another old friend of my wife’s will join us for Saturday night before we head back to Venice on Sunday. Tally will stay with her schnauzer buddies for three nights, so she will not have to endure perhaps some unexpected fireworks like our last regional excursion. (See Post #1761). We’ll come back to Singer Island for a full week with just the two of us in April 2022 to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary – just after Eightiversary number 278.
Another run in the rain, although more of a steady sprinkle today rather than the gushing downpours of the past week. I started out in the wet shoes from yesterday and took advantage of the cooler temperatures – only 77 degrees. It never stopped during the course of my 3.1 mile route, but there was no lightening or thunder, just gray skies. None of the familiar faces were out in the neighborhood and the dog park was empty. Tally did get to visit with her dog cousin, Mango, yesterday when we took some lobster mac & cheese over to the grandkids.
I watched two movies yesterday, Raging Bull and Usual Suspects. I found them both hard to follow. I then sipped on some whiskey tastings before dinner, Copper Fox and Bender’s, part of my recent shipment from Flaviar. The Rossville Union remains to be sampled. This afternoon we’re headed to Fort Myers to see the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford winter homes, a flashback from my childhood. I remember going there with my grandparents over 55 years ago. My wife wants to visit as part of her new “Tourist Thursday” plan. It will be the first of many Florida sites that we’ll explore in further familiarizing ourselves with the area. Our only other plan for the week is a “Meet Your Borrego Neighbors” get- together on Saturday at the clubhouse.
Water aerobics was cancelled this morning, so my wife will be just as restless as the dog. Maybe we’ll get an early start on our hour-and-a-half drive? I’ll be anxious to see if there’s anything I remember about the museums and gardens. I vaguely recall a dollhouse that Edison built complete with electric lights. Maybe there was a Ford parked in the garage? My mom was into miniatures at the time, so we spent a lot of time admiring the craftsmanship and creativity involved in its construction. I’m sure the years have played with my imagination in what it actually looks like. It will either be bigger or smaller than what I recall, like all my other memories of life.
It was a torrential downpour this morning, yet I found myself dodging puddles and completing the 3.1 mile daily goal. It was actually refreshing without the sun draining all the energy out of my body. Rain soaked my shirt rather than sweat, but the lightening was too close for a post-run swim. I guess I accomplished both at the same time. I filled a rainy afternoon yesterday with the Midnight Run movie with a young Robert De Niro. Today will undoubtedly be more of the same couch entertainment.
We have a list of items to be corrected by the builder, so we’ve scheduled a meeting this morning to take full advantage of our one-year warranty. They are very slow in reacting to our requests. For example, we still don’t have the hatch to close off the attic access in the garage. Every home has one exactly the same so it’s hard to understand how this could be a three-month project. Fortunately, most of the list is comprised of small, insignificant corrections like window scratches and a chip in the granite countertop. Overall, our home is well-built and professionally finished. We’re very happy here.
Tally’s morning routine is also disrupted by the rain. Her daily trip to the dog park is delayed and lifeguard duties suspended. In the meantime, she’ll lay around in good-bed and pout. She does not understand weather, especially the thunder that frightens her. Yesterday, she ended up sharing the chair with me, a rare occasion indeed. One or the other of us is always in it but usually not together. I had to put her on my lap as she stared at me with fear in her eyes. She did not jump down right away as expected, but my wife was out running errands so she had no one else to turn to. At least, I’m her second favorite!
After two days of running on the oceanside streets of Amelia Island, I’m back on my standard neighborhood 3.1 mile path. The Streak has now reached 4,600 days, with the hot August temperatures looming. It was nice to have a break from the routine, but the strain of travel and unfamiliarity makes it good to be back home. Today is Matinee Monday, with a short drive to Port Charlotte to see Jungle Cruise. It was over 300 miles of driving on Friday, another 150 on Saturday, and 350 miles yesterday via Palatka, Florida. In the process we saw the new twin great nieces and my wife’s childhood neighbors, a reunion of at least 50 years.
Tally did not have a peaceful trip, especially after the impromptu beach fireworks display that caused her to drag my wife back to the hotel barely holding onto her straining leash. She was reluctant to go outside after that and relieved to get home to ham time. She also got a bit jealous watching my wife hold the twin girls. She’s very good in the car but always leery of where we are headed, considering the six days she spent in the back seat on the lengthy move from Portland to Venice. She will gladly stay behind with her schnauzer buddies on our next island adventure to Singer in a few weeks. It’s only 150 miles away.
I had some concerns about the aging 2007 Solara, our dog car, when we were ready to take off last Friday. The air pressure warning light came on and my first thought was a flat tire from all the neighborhood construction. Also, none of my credit cards would work when I got to the filling station. As it turned out, the WAWA was having computer issues and the tire held air the entire trip. My mind of course went immediately to potential doom even after the beautiful rainbow I saw the other morning. I had visions of us stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire and limited cash, but fortunately everything went smoothly on the remainder of our road trip. Hopefully, our travel luck will continue.
Another rainy day in Florida and the wet running shoes to go with it. I started out getting soaked but then it tapered off. It wasn’t until I went up on the sidewalk to avoid a passing truck and stepped into water up to my ankles that I got discouraged, but continued with heavy shoes to complete the 5k mission. I had taken a different route, hoping to just get in the minimum mile and staying close to home in case the skies broke. I managed to keep going. Tally is also discouraged because it’s the first morning when she hasn’t gotten to go to the dog park. She’ll miss her buddies with the rain expected to continue.
I spent the day with Agatha Christie, noting some of her mystery writing genius. I watched the ABC Murders and Ordeal by Innocence. I guess I also didn’t realize that the series Broadchurch was based on her stories. I will search for some more today out of boredom. At least we got out of the house yesterday to visit the chiropractor and do some grocery shopping. We’re definitely looking forward to the weekend’s road trip to Amelia Island.
I started looking at Marriott Vacation Club locations along the East Coast, envisioning a drive from Florida to Maine in the next few years, and punching the last of my 50 state travel ticket. Our Alaskan cruise next September will make 49. On the way to 50, we could stop at Hilton Head, Williamsburg, Washington D.C., New York, Atlantic City, and Boston, taking advantage of our ownership. The route would be at least a month long adventure, probably in September of 2024, two years from now, to witness first hand the fall colors of the Great Northeast. It would also give me the opportunity to visit the “other” city of Portland, making that coast-to-coast connection, and finally getting to Booth Bay that I’ve heard so much about. First, however, we continue our exploration of Florida this weekend, as I remain stuck on 48 states.
