Making a Move

     I haven't written anything for a year now, basically because I didn't want to continue to always show my disdain for our current president and the activities surrounding his presidency, including a lengthy impeachment hearing and so called trial.

During this time a lot have changed in my life. We spent  several months including Christmas 2018, opening our home to our middle daughter and her three children, after they were evicted form their home. The first half of 2019 was spent coordinating getting the children to school and looking out for

everyone. We were finally able to secure housing for them in May as the school year was ending. After that, my wife and I decided that we needed a change in "our" lives. 

We put our house up for sale and began looking to downsize to a retirement home in Tampa. We finally agreed on Tampa because of its location, for the next stage of our lives. I worked to get our finances in order, sold the house much faster than we anticipated, found a condo in Tampa, and completed the move by July 1st.

The move did not go smoothly. We were taken advantage of by some unscrupulous movers, who did not deliver our items as promised. Instead of moving directly to Tampa, they were taken to a warehouse on the southside of Chicago. After consistent phone calls and request, we eventually had to travel there and get our things, and had them shipped from there to Tampa. We reported this to the Department of Transportation and the local police, however nothing was ever really done and we were out several thousand dollars. Eventually we got our things and got settled in by the end of July.

It was a blazing hot summer but we have enjoyed our change of scenery and lifestyle. Particularly the fact that we could still go to festivals and beaches during the winter months. we did have a hurricane scare, but we were spared in the end, as it turned north up the coast and missed us completel

My youngest son remarried in October, and we traveled to the wedding in California. It was a wonderful trip and wedding. After that our oldest son and his wife visited in November on their way to a wedding in Miami. It was great getting out with them to restaurants and the beach. At Christmas our youngest daughter, her boyfriend and her three children came down to visit and stayed till New Years. We took the kids everywhere and they loved their trip to Legoland.

Now 2020 has come and along with it a pandemic which threatens us all. Right now we are living under a Stay Home order, with business coming to a halt, beaches, parks, and all gatherings shut down. We get out when we can, to walk around and get some exercise and sunshine, but the world has been turned upside down and the future is unknown. Fortunately my faith sustains me and still see that everyday is a blessing and we should rejoice in it. My wife is the best of companions and the love of my life, which makes going through these trying times tolerable. Stay safe and with plenty of time on my hands I guess I'll be writing more in the days to come.