On December 3, my old friend Pam, my dog Dudley, and I left my house in Centennial, Colorado in order to drive to Pompano Beach, Florida, where my partner Jim and I bought a condominium last April as our eventual retirement home. Jim will not be able to retire for at least another two years, but I wanted to go earlier to establish residence and take care of the condo. Pam came with me for moral support, as driving has always been a threatening experience for me that I seem able to take only in small doses. Driving, however, was necessary due to my fear of shipping pets, which can be very dangerous and traumatizing for dogs and cats. The result was that Pam, Duds, and I took our time, eating our meals along the way and staying at motels each night. We drove about ten hours per day and arrived at the Pompano Beach condo on Thursday afternoon of December 6. The trip was almost 2400 miles.
In contrast to Denver, Pompano Beach was, during the first three or four days, very warm and humid because of a pocket of air from the Caribbean that lingered, forcing us to use the air conditioning, even at this time of year. Pam and I had a good time despite the muggy air, but it blew away by the following Wednesday, allowing me to open all the windows to enjoy the pleasant sea breezes. Pam flew back to Illinois on December 10.
Today is December 26, and though I have enjoyed very much being with friends here, Christmas was unusual because of the weather being 80 degrees. That was a first for me. The sound of sleigh bells doesn’t really work here, and People putting big plastic snowmen on their front lawns seems an affront to reason, but then there are many other things that at this time of year seem an affront to reason, not just in Florida.
I’m getting more used to being here each day, and Duds has acclimated splendidly. We have things down to a routine, and I still glory in the fact that I can swim each afternoon in the outdoor swimming pool. I’m learning where places like my bank, the barber, grocery stores, post office, etc. are, but it will be a while before I feel completely at home. Thank goodness for friends!
Jim will be visiting next month, probably becoming as spoiled as I have become in not having to shovel snow or chip ice off the car’s windshield. His coming here to settle after retiring will give him something wonderful to look forward to, and because he was born and raised in this part of the country, it will be for him like coming home. JB
JEB I do sometimes read your blog.BOY! I am sure you are glad you are not in CO now!