My New Life

Our writing lesson for today is to comp;ose something about stuff....that 's all I've thought about since I decided to buy the condo...do I get more stuff here or do I haul down stuff from Kankakee? Do I make do with t he stuff that is there (it is furnished) or do I get fussy and buy my own stuff?

I have a f eeling I'll bu y more stuff here and be done with the hauling back and forth. Ther e are several discount places that you can pick up pretty good stuff for a condo you are only using part of the year,

There are so nany legal thibgs to take care of ; I had no idea. /the biggest decision is whether or not to become a Florida resident. Everybody;s got advice on this, Last night we were at P:atty;s cousin for dinner and Mary's r eason for urging me was you never have to take the dirver;s license test as you age,,,,you just renew thru enail! And they put George Ryan in jail!


I've committed to lead the adult 'ss class for the next month, using Carl's book...should be i nteresting with the author in the room.


Lots of socializing....not getting much done on the writing, not losing weight even though I'm much more active, not home sick yet but miss seeing my granddaughters, although the phone calls withthem are priceless,k especially when I answer the phone and it is Greta calling.

I am, however , beginning to feel at home in this part of the world; it is strange to have two homes but I'll get used to it, I do want all my family and friends to know that they can use the condo when I am not using it.
And I wish I could convince Howard and Sue to hop a plane and spend a week in the area sun.

One of my friends is just getting a boat and Ilm sure we'll be adding that to our repetoire. To those of you who feel any envy, remember I'm 66 with a degenerative disease...I am required to live this way!

Wish you could all join me down here.

I goofed

I let February 20 th slide by without my now customary birthday greetings to family members so just forget that this is Feb,22.

Happy Birthday Susan!

Susan Dybedock and I might have gotten off to a rocky start given the circumstances but we have been through a lot together over the years and I count her as a friend. I hope she feels that way about me too.

I know that I am only one of many when I say that Susan was there for me when I needed help and felt alone. Howard and Susan took me to Northwestern for my surgery and brooght me home. That was almost 9 years ago . She has done so many similar things for others. She has cared for her next door neighbor because there would be no one else to do so if she didn't, She really practices Christian love.

Howard is still my friend and business partner and as his friend I have to say that Susan has been a good influence. I think Howard is a better person with Suaan than without her.

And then there are the granddaughters we share, I have had people ask me if I am jealous of the fact that Amelia loves her Grandna Sue. there is no shortage of love, folks. I am happy to know others love Amelia and Greta; and I am happy that they enable Sue to be a grandmother because she is so good at it.

Susan is a good person; a caring person; a women that has had and does have her share of pain but is always looking after others. I'm glad we are family and church family for each other.

Wishing for lazy days

this leisure life is wearing me down, I know I need to socialize in order tomake friends but it seems like there hasen/t been any slow, lazy time. Maybe March will be.
This will also be the first time we've stayed thru March, Who will be the first to get homesick? I don't think it will be me, Here, we are always laughing or biking or exercicsing, none of which I would be doing back home.
What I really miss is Amelia and Greta..gotta schedule that filight!

The condo

It looks like I am going to do it.

I have found a condo that I could really feel at home in and it meets all my basic requirements and it is in my price range, so I will make an offer today if it is still available,

1300 sq.feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, all ceramic tile floors, ground level, south exposure and very, very quiet, /there is even a carport, It is about 2 miles north of the island (about 4 minutes from Park and Shar).

There are so many things to think about that my mind is reeling ; I never thought I would own a second home but the market is so soft right now that it seems crazy to continue renting. Even if I don't spend more time here it will be a good investment property.

But it will mean I can come whenever I decide to leave the cold and come back when the bad weather is gone. I am making friends here and it feels like I am creating a second life which is also very exciting.

And my family sill be able to use it (there is a swimming pool too),
Now that I've made the decision I want it to be over with and final,,,,the in between stage drives me crazy.

If my bid is accepted and it really will be mine I'll get pictures out as soon as possible.

the life cycle of mothers

Every woman is a mother to someone even if she doesn't have children, but the usual way to motherhood involves taking care of and raising one's children. Many women do this while working outside the home too; in effect, working two jobs. Women who work outside the home often work into their sixties before they retire and then they still have a home to take care of so they are rarely work free.
And don't misunderstand me when I talk about all that work; most women have children because they want to have them and if they are lucky they get to be home with them when they are very young and so dependent on them. Mother's go thru stages as their children grow and are usually ready for them to leave home when they do, In fact, many women feel that they have a new lease on life once the kids are gone.
And then comes grandmothering which is a special thrill but in small doses because at a certain age one can't keep up with the energy required, the energy one had when one's own kids were little.
Hopefully our grown children understand this natural cycle and understand our limitations, In fact, many of us can barely tolerate winter weather because of various health issues and if we are very lucky we have the opportunity to spend the worst months in the warmth and sunshine of southern Florida. It gives me great joy (and great company)to have my brother and sister-in-law in Florida with me.
I'm sure their grown daughters understand and celebrate their parents opportunity to be here, resting and relaxing and feeling healthier for it.

FREE DAY!

Today I have nothing scheduled...no class, no appointment, nada,

This has become rare. In this settiing I expect to be vacationing, but the reality is I just have made a temporary move, I have to do all the things I do at home and then some, because we are doing our own housework here.

So I don't want you all to think Im just goofing off...the work goes on. A few things to note: Keto went to groomer yesterda y and came back with best haircut he;s ever had (of course it cost $50); it is definitely a Florida cut becasue it is shorter,, but he looks like the showdog he is and it;s the first time Ive seen his eyes in ages, He will get another cut before we leave so you all can see it.

Secondly, I rented one of those three wheel bikes for oldsters so I could get more exerxise. It is amazing how tricky they can be if you go too fast or drive off into the grass. Patty is going with me using one of the bikes that was here.

And I finally went to a dermatologist here; got the whole mess checked out for "bad" moles, etc, and everything I've got is ok-nothing to worry about,
A major relief.

Am writing up a storm,, revising memoir and I am really enjoying it; in fact, have not done much reading because I'd rather write.

Hang in there snowmen!

decisions, decisiions

Just thinking out loud here. I don't want to miss Spring at home. I don't want to be here during summer. I surely don't wnnt to miss autumn and Thanksgiving with my family. That leaves only December to add to possible Florida time and then I would be alone 'cause anybody else would want to be with their kids. I'd be better off spending some December time in Albany or paying the way for them to visit Illinois than renting another month down here.
And do I want to buy if I am only going to spend 3 months? The only reason to do that is if prices have dropped enough to do it as an investnent. so it would have to be a really good buy and condo for sure with the following requirements: ground floor, allows dog, southern exposure, pool for kids ,central (desirable) location, two bedroom, two bath, easy resale.
I would also want to make it available to renters other 9 months I'm not here, which means it would not really b e second home. Do I want to concern myself with that?
I think I am closing in on my best choice here. Stay tuned. Better yet, what do you think?

Happy Birthday, Keto

How could I forget? Today is Keto's birthday; 8 years old.

He is in his glory here in Florida. He has 3 people making over him all day. He gets to go for walks at least 3 times a day (no fenced yard).
Unlike home my bed is not too high for him to jump up anythime (he takes all his naps on my bed!)
He wants nothing to do with the swimming pool but he loves the enclosed lanai.
He is the star of the show whenever there is company.
He follows us around pretty equally,

Keto, my trusty companion, I love your quiet sweet nature; you definitely add something to the Florida experience,,,,Happy Birthday,

My Walgreens Encounter

I'm not sure why but it has been hard to blog lately. All kinds of interesting happenings but I have been spending my writing time on the editing and rewriting of memoirs, my goal being to have them ready for publication and signing parties by June 1.

Between keeping up with my schedule of appts and classes and political debates and housekeeping and entertaining it feels like I don;t have any downtime. So what have I not told you?

How about the fender bender I had in the Walgreens parking lot? Much like kankakee the Walgreens on Collier here is the busiest place in town. When I came out of the store the other day a huge Hummer was parked next to me, So backing out I was slow and careful when "bang" ..... a car behind me had started to back out and rammed my right side behind the wheel, The other driver was a young Indian guy who kept saying "this is my new car" over and over. He was driving a corolla, new to him, and his first car. I was just relieved that nobody was hurt and I kept saying " It's just a car". When the cop showed up to write a report he agreed that neither of us was to blane and nobody got a ticket, But this poor kid was rready to cry. I found out that he worked at one of the resort hotels, had been here 3 years and been saving for a car all that time,

To shorten a long story I gave him my business card and told him if I could fix my own car ( a matter of rubbing compound and touch up paint I thought but I wanted Rich's opinion first) I would split his deductible with him. He called the next day and said his estimate was $740 and if I could do as I said I would he was not going to put in an insurance claim...was I serious about the $250? I was, he came over, got check and was sincerely grateful.

I suppose some may think me a fool because I did not have to do that, but I felt a lot better as he did, so I made two people happy.