Gains and Losses

It's been quite the week, as you'll read below.  Finally, I can write our update.

We are still digging out from under boxes of "stuff" daily that we thought we could not live without.  Frankly, we could have managed with a third of what we brought from Washington to Florida.  Goodwill here is benefiting greatly as we sort through our stash.  But we are making progress, as one area of the condo after another reveals itself.  The kitchen and dining room floors are now visible.  Hurray!

On  Tuesday, we replaced our air conditioning system.  Both the air handler (26 years old) and the condenser (29 years old) met their demise.  While they still worked mostly, there were "noises" coming from both of them that did not bode well.  We decided that now, before a 10% increase in price due to increased Florida standards for the gases used in the system occurred, was the better part of prudence.  Mechanical issues also were looming.  The new system took only a day to install, and it is working well after a few tweaks of adjusting the vents, and the smart thermostat.  Everything is computerized these days, and the new thermostat is wifi smart and "talks" to our cell phones and Alexa, so it is a breeze to operate anytime, and anywhere.

Wednesday, Jim had his routine eye injection.  The doctor that first started management of his macular degeneration has an office in Port Charlotte where we physically live (despite the zip code of Punta Gorda in our mailing address), so it is an easy drive for Jim's treatments.  

Thursday, we visited J.C. Penneys, where another optometrist will care for Jim's glaucoma.  While Jim saw her, I got my hair cut across the aisle at the J.C. Penneys hair salon.  Perhaps a bit shorter than I'd like, but it takes time to find a hairdresser who "gets it right" immediately.  The Port Charlotte Mall is like most older malls these days.  Nice anchor stores, like Dillards and J.C. Penneys, but vacant spaces periodically where smaller vendors have left.  There was a lovely fountain to enjoy along the corridor.

With a glasses prescription in hand, we then went to Costco to order Jim's new sunglasses and computer glasses.  A trip to Costco here requires a mandatory hotdog and soda, so we had a $3 lunch.  Last, but not least, we had to replace my printer.  The old one was on a Hewlett Packard "instant ink" program.  For about $10 a month, the old printer got 100 printed sheets per month.  Hewlett Packard would also send ink whenever it sensed the printer's ink supply was getting low.  I decided that I wanted to get out of the "instant ink" program.  The downside was that on the day the ink subscription ran out, my printer stopped working.  Using wifi, HP can actually shut down your printer until you replace their program's ink cartridges.  The price of ink cartridges was more than buying a new printer, so while we were at Costco, we bought an Epson EcoTank printer that comes with full bottles of ink, enough to print 8,500 pages!  That may be more than I'll use in my remaining life time!  I'll never use Hewlett Packard again after experiencing their "instant ink" program.

Friday we had the scare of Snoopy's recent lifetime.  He awoke with a limp, sort of dragging a hind leg.  We panicked thinking he'd had a stroke or blood clot occur.  Rushing to a vet recommended by our air conditioning technician, we were relieved to learn he was suffering from arthritis in his hind legs, and not a fatal side effect of his heart murmur.  The vet sent us home with an anti-inflammatory medication.  A day later and Snoopy is eating this morning, and then enjoyed "coffee time" with us on the couch thereafter.  He's still spending a great deal of time in a spot in Jim's closet where he hides out to sleep.  What a relief though that our boy is almost back to being himself.  I have almost recovered from the emotional roller coaster yesterday provided, thinking that something terrible had happened to one of my boys.

Life is precious.  Every moment we have together is a gift.  Hold the ones you love.

Keurig to Ninja

At first I was skeptical of using a Keurig.  Then we got one and it was so easy to use, I often skipped making a full pot of coffee.  Previously, I preferred my Martha Stewart recommended, made in the Netherlands, "perfect-cup-of-coffee" Moccamaster coffee maker I'd used since owning my B&B in early 2000.  In twenty-six years I'd replaced it only once with a new one.  That's a better track record than most coffee makers provide.

 

However, the prior owners of our condominium left us a Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System.  It is absolutely amazing.  It can brew either a full pot of coffee, or with an easy drop-in attachment-a travel mug size or a Keurig style one cup brew.  Plus a frother whisk is part of the machine if you wish to froth up some warmed milk for a latte.  It has a warming plate that shuts off automatically after 2-hours.  Last but not least, attached to the coffee maker is a handy Ninja Smart Scoop to measure your coffee grounds.  All of this, and only taking up the space of one machine, instead of the two I'd previously used.  

If that wasn't enough, the prior owners also left a "motion sensor trash can" I have never before experienced.  Maybe you're thinking:  "Do I really have to be that lazy?!"  Well, perhaps yes!  It is the most handy thing you can imagine when you have full hands, or hands sticky with something you'd rather not have on the lid or handle of the trash can.  I may never be able to go back to the normal trash can.  With the motion of your hand, this trash can opens.  Deposit your trash, and it closes automatically.

There have been several reasons to appreciate our new condominium.   These two items are the unexpected frosting on top.

Serenity to Chaos

A turnkey purchase means you have everything necessary to move in and live in a property.  Think dishes, pots and pans, bathroom towels, furnishings, and even a very nice TV.  We could have gone on with our lives without adding another thing, other than the clothes we brought with us and our laptops.  A quick stop at Walmart around the corner for groceries, and we were quite comfortable.  The prospect of adding the contents of three moving pods to our attractive and comfortable new home felt like the looming clouds of a south Florida, afternoon thunderstorm.

 

Then, the U-Pack pods arrived.  With the help of three men and their supervisor, over the course of several hours, our entire condominium was filled with boxes everywhere from front to back, and side to side.  We clearly realized we could have, and should have, brought even as little as half of what we had packed.  The task before us would become what things to absolutely keep, and what more we could part with.  Suddenly, all that seemed so essential to retain had perhaps been overkill.

The idea was to first clear enough area that we could sleep and eat.  That would not be an easy task, but the earlier days of removing a significant part of the decor the sellers had endowed us with proved to be great preparation for this task.  After accomplishing enough to make paths through the condo, we waved our white flag, and went out for pizza and a beer.  New York style pizza, a dark beer, and a very accommodating waitress made our earlier nightmare recede.  Returning home, we ended the day with TV-time, sitting on the only furniture still available in the living room-our sofa!

Thursday came too early for aching bodies, but we continued.  Slowly over the remainder of the week, the floor in the kitchen became visible again.  The dining room has reappeared partially, and we can see through to the lanai.  Our bedrooms are another matter, but we've managed to keep the beds clear at night.  Snoopy has worn himself out trying to make sense of all of the boxes, and items moving around from place to place.  Mostly though, he's sleeping through the chaos.

Jim is settling into the larger bedroom with its walk-in closet.  He has more to put away, hide, or ultimately dispose of, with things from his former hobby room, a hall closet, his bedroom, and the garage to mull over.  My battle is figuring out which kitchen items are going to be sacrificed, and how to fit my hobby items into a bedroom-only space with half the closet I previously enjoyed.  Luckily, I already parted with half of my clothes before moving, but I still have a large suitcase that came in the pods to sort through.

Moving is not for the weak or elderly.  It is a sport for young people.  Jim joked that "maybe this would be an interim spot, and we'd look for something bigger with our Realtor.  Something with another bedroom, and perhaps a garage?"  I think not.  When we are finally done with this task, I'm going to put my feet up and rest.  Or maybe go to the beach and stare at the water.  Or maybe go have another New York pizza and two beers!!!  I think Jim already agrees.  Divesting ourselves of "stuff" has been a curse, and a blessing.  I realize succinctly, it's not the things you possess, but the living of life that matters at our age.  

Now, back to unpacking and getting rid of more...

Flora and Fauna

The sight of a bird can literally stop me in my tracks to observe, and usually photograph (if I'm lucky) the creature.  All birds, all sizes, all locations are like a magnet to me.  Today, I photographed this immature Red-shouldered Hawk as I was heading out to Walmart.  He was using a light pole as his landing point, high above my car at the entrance to our condominium complex.  To my advantage, no one was leaving our parking lot behind me, so I stopped for a quick photograph. 

We have a Culver's Restaurant near the Walmart located close to our condo.  Today, we stopped by after Jim's eye doctor appointment and had ice cream.  Flavor of the day: cookie dough and caramel (on the left), and a chocolate Oreo mixer were a delicious pre-lunch treat.

The birds pictured above come to visit the yard below our lanai every morning.  They are called Cattle Egrets.  When I first moved to Florida in the 70's, I thought they were called "Egg-erts" until someone corrected my pronunciation.  The correct term sounds like "E-grits."  

"Improvise and overcome" is my motto while we wait for our moving pods to arrive with all of my kitchenware.  I have learned that you can make perfect scrambled eggs in a Teflon-coated saucepan!  They come out fluffy and delicious with a few turns of a spatula.  Jimmy Dean sausage patties cook well in a saucepan, too!  Yummy breakfast and easy cleanup.  I may keep doing the scrambled eggs this way!

Tropical plants are so different from the plants of the Northwest we've been accustomed to.  This tree is growing in front of one of our condo buildings.  Called a "Frangipani" tree, it will bloom from spring until fall with fragrant, colorful flowers that are white with yellow centers.  Its sweet-smelling flowers grow in clusters and are often used in leis (think Hawaiian flower necklaces). The tree's sap can be an irritant, but it is not considered poisonous.  It loses its leaves in the winter.  

On Sunday, we drove north for twenty minutes to find the closest Costco near Venice.  It was similar in most ways to what we were used to, and the gas there is the cheapest in the area at $3.79 per gallon.  We will be using them for gas the next time we need a fill-up.  A hot dog for the usual $1.50 with a soft drink completed our tour of the venue.  

Tomorrow our moving pods will be delivered.  There are positive and negative aspects to that.  I dread the confusion of boxes all over the house, but we're looking forward to unpacking and getting fully settled in here.  I suspect we've brought too much, but hopefully the most important things will fit into the available space.  More on that later...

Sunday Serenity

There’s something about a water view early in the morning, combined with an array of different bird sounds, that creates the perfect start to a day.  Early in Florida, as the sun rises, you can enjoy the porch with a first cup of coffee and listen to a symphony of bird sounds before the heat of the day is upon you.  The water is like a mirror reflecting the foliage beyond, broken only by tiny circles created by fish rising to feed on tempting insects at the water's surface.  

We have black Ibis birds who walk the condominium grounds searching for food with their curved beaks.  Seemingly oblivious to cars or people passing by the manicured lawns, they wander, reminding me of traveling in Egypt and its hieroglyphics.  

To Egyptian farmers, the Ibis was a familiar sight, but to the priests of Egypt, the bird was a sign from their gods. Watching the birds rise into the sky over the fields, circle, and then descend back to earth, the priests imagined the Ibis were carrying hidden messages between heaven and earth.  

To the Egyptians, the simple rhythm of flight and return to the earth was the descent of wisdom from the divine world into the human one.  Thoth, their god of writing, law, and the secret order of creation, was revealed by the Ibis, which was not only a bird in the landscape, but a living example that knowledge itself was sacred.

Beach Day

Taking a break from prepping our home for the arrival of the moving pods, we went exploring a couple of days ago.  The barrier island of Manasota Key is located almost directly west of our condominium, about a 40-minute drive through Port Charlotte and across the Myakka River, via El Jobean Road and then South McCall Road.

Separated from the mainland by Lemon Bay, a drawbridge carries traffic across the Intracoastal Waterway, busy with boaters, to the beach and the Gulf of America beyond.  The sand is sugar-white, the water aqua-blue, and people were enjoying the venue with beach chairs and umbrellas as far as the eye could see.  Over the water, a boat pulled people high above it on a parachute-like device.

Just across from the beach parking lot, we elected to splurge on lunch out at the "Sandbar Tiki & Grille" under a Tiki roof with a floor of beach sand.  The open-air restaurant had a view of the beach-goers, and combined with music, shade, and a breeze, created a very comfortable, tropical lunch experience.

Just south of the beach on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway, we also discovered "Don Pedro Island State Park," where kayaks can be rented to paddle along the Intracoastal Waterway.  It may be that guides are also available, but we have to inquire about that.  A relatively short walk from the parking lot through mangroves leads to a boat ramp and a small beach-like area to launch kayaks into the water.  A large group returned while we were there, and everyone seemed well pleased with their experience.

Settling In

Getting to know an area has its challenges and its rewards.  I ventured out early (at least by our recent standards) yesterday at 8:30 am to a nearby Walmart for breakfast items and something to make meals for the day so we could eat at home.  Days of meals on the road at mostly fast-food places hold no more appeal.  But I wanted to clean our new home's refrigerator before really starting meal preparation, so I opted for microwave meals for breakfast and dinner.  A couple of cans of tuna fish, a jar of mayonnaise, and some sweet pickles would do for lunch.  Bottled water and shelf liner completed the list.

As it works out, early morning shopping at Walmart is so easy here.  Merely a mile away, it is less than a five-minute drive.  At this early hour, it is not crowded.  For the most part, only elders like me were shopping.  Others, many older, were either tending to the cash registers or filling pickup orders with those wretched blue carts that take up half an aisle.  I'm not complaining, though, as the otherwise open aisles made my errand quick and pleasant.  A small order was all I intended until I could wipe down the refrigerator and cabinets in my new kitchen.

Conveniently, as I was finishing up at Walmart, I received a text saying my prescription at CVS was ready.  Another half mile's drive down Kings Highway to the west, passing under I-75, and I was there.  No lines, no wait, just a quick pickup, and I was on my way home, already able to maneuver through the entire route by memory back to our condominium.  It is a bit scary at our age to learn a whole new maze of existence, but the memory neurons seem to be holding on still, and for that I am grateful.

Jim was waiting for me to return, and opened the front door as I pulled a little shopping cart (left at the condo by the previous owners) from the elevator down the walkway toward our place.  We're on the third floor.  It's great for the view, but requires some planning for what you'll carry up four flights of stairs, totaling twenty-eight steps.  The steps are good for the leg muscles, but at least for me, the stairs will require free hands.  Luckily, the elevator works beautifully.

Another convenience is the trash dumpster.  It's a short walk from our building, and each building has one.  There are seven three-story buildings here, and two more buildings to the east of us, beyond a clubhouse and pool area, for a total of 192 units.  We haven't explored the pool area yet, nor the clubhouse with its adjacent bocce court and tennis court.  We're told that during the winter season, they have occasional dinners and breakfasts at the clubhouse, as well as bingo, dominoes, and a library.  We'll have to check on those activities after we get settled in.

Later in the morning, after breakfast, Jim drove to Port Charlotte and finalized our internet account before stopping at Home Depot for a couple of small items.  I have to admit at this point that each of us is anxious when the other ventures out alone.  It's a subtle kind of anxiety over whether they'll find their way home in this unfamiliar place to us.  I am sure that anxiety will pass, but for now, I prefer going together with help from WAZE.

We wish nothing was coming via the U-Pack pods.  The house is furnished so nicely and so uncluttered, we would like not to add anything else to it.  But in just a week, on the 28th of April, the pods will arrive.  I suspect we will have lots more to donate to Goodwill before this is over.

It was hard to sleep this morning with the to-do list for completion before next Tuesday rolling around in my mind.  It's 6:30 a.m. and still dark here in Florida as I write.  I can hear a seagull or some other bird calling outside our lanai.  I know it's the same for Jim.  But the coffee is ready, so I'll say adieu for now...