It’s Labor Day weekend – not that it means much to a retiree like me. After all that driving, we thought it might be nice to spend some time at the beach. After all, it’s one of the prime reasons we’re moving to the Gulf Coast. It will give the kids, like me, a chance to blow off some steam. Time will tell how quickly we can adjust to the steamy conditions of southern Florida after all those years of overcast Portland skies. It is supposed to rain this afternoon, so a trip to the beach is a perfect way to spend the morning, before it gets too hot. We have a small stretch not to far from where we’re building called Manasota Key Beach. 

At some point today, my wife and I will go through the decorating options for our new home. It’s sure to be a difficult process that my wife goes through tomorrow with the builder, picking out colors, patterns, flooring, paint, cabinets, and hardware. She’s sending me to play golf with my son and grandson, so that I won’t interfere in the final decisions. I will give my input today from the brochures that we’ve collected. My wife has spent months studying for this challenge, laying out floor plans and going through magazines & model homes for ideas. She is anxious to get into the design studio and make the final decisions. 

We’ve already picked out the lot, model, exterior design, elevation details, pool, and lanai. Now it’s time for the finishing touches. They’re nickel and diming us to death with upgrades, before we can start the construction process. It will then be out of our hands as we turn things over to the construction crews. We’ll watch from 2,500 miles away with plans to return in January to monitor the progress. Hopefully, it will be done in March as planned and we can execute our move. Once we settle down here permanently, there will be plenty of time for beach play, not just a quick visit with the kids like today.