I’ve established a new routine every morning since arriving in Venice. The dog goes out first, followed by my push-ups and sit-ups regimen. Then I run my 5k with the half-way point being one of the many bridges that cross the canals in our neighborhood. I follow that with some laps in our pool before sitting down to write. I’ve upgraded the TV in my home office from very small to very large (55″), but of course none of the furnishings have yet to arrive, so an office chair and stools that my son graciously provided serve as my desk while a yoga mat sits on the tile floor. A few of my baseball relics have a temporary place on the window sill, but essentially it’s a very hollow sounding, empty space with two glass doors to provide privacy. When the TV sound is on it echoes throughout the remainder of our bare house.

It’s an all-electric home and the first bill arrived today for $42.14, accounting for our first six days. I’m hoping to keep it under $275 for the month, but the hot days are yet to come while lamps, more TVs, and other power draining devices are yet to arrive. The massive glass sliders to the pool area, although providing an outdoor feel to the living areas, will be a major concern as we try to conserve overall usage. Adding a pool heater would probably really suck the current. When our window treatments arrive in another month, this will undoubtedly help prevent a/c loss through the tinted hurricane resistant glass. I’ll be anxious to see what our electric bill will eventually be – the one remaining budgetary mystery. 

The HOA provides our basic cable service, but I upgraded to HD and an enhanced sports package yesterday. This will add another $20 a month to our expenses, but well worth the entertainment value. Our cheapest entertainment is to simply drive to the beach, as we have already twice this week. The nearby dog beach is particularly active and also includes a fenced-in park, although supposedly surrounded by alligators. After all, it is the Gator State.