While I can certainly use an adjustment on my aching back, the biggest factor is getting used to a new way of life. We’ve come from a tiny Portland apartment crammed with furniture to a spacious home with none. The neighbors are actually further away but seem very close. It was rare when I ran into them each day in the halls and lobby, but now I actually see them out and about in their yards or garages. Some are open and friendly but most prefer to keep their distance. We each have our own routines and we’re now simply a disruption to their lives. Construction goes on around us but the neighborhood is relatively quiet, unlike the noisy hectic streets of Portland where our sleep was often interrupted with early morning garbage collection, busy restaurants, and busses. 

We took on the three grandkids yesterday – a major adjustment in our lives. It was an exhausting endeavor with each of us getting used to the other. We swam in our pool for awhile and then went to the warmer clubhouse setting. Noodles were flailed and warnings issued. We were the only family with kids, but fortunately the kiddos were mostly well behaved. My wife then took the soon to be 3-year old to the playground where she proceeded to show-off her daring self. Finally, it was pizza shared in our empty living room where even a chair is hard to find. We were more than ready for their dad to pick them up, so we could once again return to our peaceful existence. Our dog was kept locked in the bedroom, not quite ready to deal with the trio of new faces. 

It was another restless night, each of us with our aches and pains, trying to get used to a new bed and TV that somehow turned itself back on in the middle of the night. Everything is strange, but mostly the hollow echo of an empty house. Voices ricochet off the walls, plus it’s difficult to get comfortable. Hopefully, we’ll get a status update next week on our belongings – still stuck in the Portland warehouse. Today is be nice to Tally day, so maybe another trip to the dog beach is in order – anything to distract from the unsettling feelings of being separated from your stuff. Tally surely misses her chair to curl up in, the familiarity of the apartment, and the cozy feeling of rugs to stretch out on rather than cold, hard tile floors. All in all, our Florida lives are now just one big adjustment. 

Trash Day is back after 18-months in an apartment with a chute and no set pick-up. Early in retirement I stopped using the traditional days of the week and began to name them by activity. Trash Day  originally became the start of the week, replacing Monday. (See Post #987). Bins went out on Sunday nights, as will be the case going forward here in Florida. Our three containers were delivered this morning, after I stealthily added my trash to the neighbors under the cover of darkness last night. The service is part of my HOA fees instead of a separate bill, saving about $35 a month. I also get basic cable service, lawn care, activities, and recreational facilities for my monthly dues. This includes two heated pools, fitness center, dog park, gated security, pickleball/tennis courts, and common areas. It’s like living at a luxury resort. 

This morning I ran the neighborhood streets and did a few laps in my private pool. Our schnauzer Tally has taken a liking to the screened-in outdoor space out back. Our new bed is being delivered this morning that will hopefully help with my aching back from sleeping on an inflatable. This will eventually go in the guest room if our possessions ever arrive from Portland. Right now they are three days past due and still in the mover’s warehouse awaiting a driver. In the meantime, we are improvising or buying fill-in items to serve as places to sit or eat. The folding chairs are getting more and more uncomfortable. 

Tomorrow is our 20th wedding anniversary so I will post a poem about our trials and tribulations in getting to this Florida forever home. We also have reservations at a popular local restaurant called Fins for a sunset view and celebration of love. Hopefully, I won’t have to listen to another rendition of Margaritaville, although certainly appropriate of the setting. It sure beats Cooking Night where I stumble around in the kitchen trying to make dinner. With this in mind, three days of the retirement week have already been established in this new lifestyle  – Beach Day, Cooking Day and Trash Day. 

This is the second time that I selected “Life’s A Beach” as a title for one of my silly blogs (See #1573). In fact, it was the last time I wrote one from Florida, as we were checking on the construction of our new home. Here we are again – months later- with the same sunny thought in mind. Back then, we did go to the beach but our backyard lanai and pool were just starting to take shape. This is the first week of enjoying all the hard work that’s taken place since we decided on Florida as our forever home. 

We spent this morning at the dog beach – a furry of activity! This afternoon it’s relaxing by the pool. I think I just might like this new Florida lifestyle. Last night, we made a repeat visit to Dockside for seafood chowder, crab cakes, shrimp, and key-lime pie. The musician was not too loud and the marina view was awesome. However, please don’t play “Wasted Away Again In Margaritaville” again. We can also now get in and out of our gated community without having to check-in with the guard. It’s already a memorable first weekend in Venice.

My son has been over several times to help hang the few items we had sent here. All of our mail has been forwarded but inconveniently none of our stuff. Our possessions sit in the Portland warehouse awaiting a driver. We bought a bed yesterday after nearly a week of sleeping on the inflatable. My wife also purchased some pool furniture so we would have a few more places to sit besides two folding chairs. A fry daddy, and a cushioned bench that serves as a drop zone for pet and running supplies. These new additions to the house will be delivered in the next few days. We’re missing our clothes, valuables, oriental rugs, electronics, furniture, artwork, cooking supplies, utensils, and collectables. Improvisation is the current state of affairs.

Rain is in the forecast but so far we’ve been greeted with nothing but sunshine. Tally is enjoying the lanai and had a good time at the beach. We’ve left her alone on a few occasions, adapting slowly to the new surroundings. The peaceful sounds of a fountain and the birds have replaced the noisiness of downtown Portland. Today will be my first day in well over a year to go entirely mask-less. We did don them for dinner last night, but it’s easier to maintain safe social distancing unlike our former apartment building. The suntan lines on my face from the mask will soon disappear. I guess I can’t state it enough -Life’s A Beach!

After meeting my two great nephews yesterday, I found myself with a new nickname – GUM – Great Uncle Mike. The youngest of the two took right to me, sticking to me like gum and comfortably crawling into my arms. This is not usually the case for me with young children. I’m usually more scared of them than they are of me. However, Carter is my new buddy. Maybe, when I get settled in Florida in a few weeks, I can become a good grandfather? It was a step in the right direction – double bubble delight. 

Yesterday was a welcome day of rest for all of us weary travelers. My wife had to cancel her lunch plans with friends because of a doctor appointment, but other than that the day was all about dogs and children for her. I got all our new home utilities in order and enjoyed the outside weather. Today, we’re getting some Indiana rain, reminiscent of Portland. Tally and I will spend the afternoon in our favorite bar, waiting for my wife’s surgery to be completed. Hopefully, a couple friends will join me at our outside table. Poor Tally is afraid of little kids and has to deal with a cantankerous cousin pup at my wife’s sister’s house. She has spent most of her time on a leash, but surely better than being stuck in the car all day. She’ll hopefully be right at home in the bar with me.

My list of things to do for the move is growing shorter. The next big step is to change my credit card billing addresses now that we officially have a home. The remainder of the cross-country drive is on hold depending on any complications from the surgery. We still plan to meet with more of my wife’s relatives in Atlanta and hear all about my twin great nieces in Jacksonville, Florida who will someday also call me GUM. I have great nephews and nieces in both Indiana and Florida, as well those on the Ban(n)ister sides of my double life as an adoptee. Come to GUM!

I’m feeling a sense of relief while moving from one crisis to another. Moving is the key word here as one of the biggest, most stressful hassles in life. We just spent three long days in the car getting from Portland to Indianapolis. Fortunately, we are not racing the North American Van Lines driver to Florida since our stuff is still sitting in the warehouse awaiting transit. I received our fully signed closing documents on our new house this morning and am in the process of setting up all our utilities. In the meantime, my wife has now been to two ER facilities and a urologist with Kidney Stone concerns. It looks like tomorrow will be the out-patient surgery, but if they need to add a stint we could be staying in Indy longer than expected. Fortunately, she gets to spend time with her sister and family while recovering. 

As I was waiting for her to get checked-out at the hospital yesterday, I met a good friend at a nearby restaurant, TD Alibis. It’s been the sight of many gatherings through the years, once close to my house and an advertising agency that I worked closely with. It was like stepping back in time, although I’ve never shared my bar stool with a dog before. Our schnauzer Tally has been cramped in the car along with us in route to Florida. She’s been upset, seeing her “mom” go in and out of these strange buildings and not sure where she’s headed. My friend and I got an outside table and Tally joined us for a beer. She got some ice water, several bites of my ham and cheese sandwich, and many treats from our server. I had her bed set up in the shade and fed her dinner while we waited for word from my wife. We were both glad to not be sitting in the car on another beautiful day.

We’re also no longer homeless as of today. The apartment is now 2200 miles in the rear view mirror, as are our possessions. We may need to stay a week in Indy before we can start the leg to Atlanta. This means that all plans are on hold, including some other family get togethers. We have our fingers crossed that our load of furniture we be delayed just as long, so we don’t have to rush to meet the unloading crew. Tally and I may return to Alibis again tomorrow to wait out the surgery. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. Man and beast deserve a break from all the stress of moving. At least, we survived all the inconveniences of notarized paperwork, wire transfers, spousal discomfort, dog duty, and packing. Hooray, we’ve Closed!

We made it to Burlington, Colorado just in time to take my wife to the ER with severe kidney stone pain. She was at Kit Carson Memorial Hospital for nearly four hours, treated by Dr. Quinn, Frontier Medicine Woman. While she waited, I checked us in at the Best Western Plus Carousel after prying poor faithful Tally from the door my wife last entered. A dog is woman’s best friend and she proved it true, worried that she might never see her again. However, food soon became a priority and she hopped in the car. This was not the only trauma of the day, because I soon discovered that a computer wire transfer of our home closing funds was not possible and the nearest  Chase Bank was 6 hours away in Kansas City with another time change between. We would need to get an early start.

The drugs knocked my wife out for the night, but I slept restlessly. After getting up at 3:30 a.m. and running the minimum mile, I packed the car and walked Tally. Fortunately, my wife felt well enough to drive the first shift, while I relaxed by writing this post. The sun was just coming up as we traveled the flat, uneventful highways of Kansas. I checked in with the bank, moving people, and title company as they all reported to work for Monday morning duty. Tomorrow is Closing Day on our new Florida home so everything has to be in order – money and paperwork! It’s exciting but exhausting as I fight off a headache.

We missed dinner last night, so a sugary pastry, Nature’s Valley peanut bar, banana, and bottle of Sunny D orange juice served as nourishment on the go. The rising sun is in our eyes and Tally sleeps in the back seat, finding the once exciting “ride in the car” to be undesirably boring. Hopefully, closing details will go smoothly and my wife  will have a pain free day, avoiding another trip to the ER.