Year Three

The beginning of our third year in central Florida. I’m sure it’s mostly due to still hurting from lifting too much, however, I’m beginning to feel old, I’m sleeping more, and tiring sooner. There certainly isn’t a spring in my step. But I’m not ill, I just hurt.

Goals for this year? Definitely, feeling good, even if it means going to the doctor again. I’ve gotten back to exercising with our personal trainer Denny and hadn’t lost as much core strength as I feared. Kristen at PT assigned me some exercises and stretches to get my butt muscles stronger without damaging them. This too shall pass. Just not as fast as I’d like.


I can’t work as long in the garden, but that gives me the opportunity to learn to pace myself. Two vegetable beds have their summer crop of okra, cow peas, and sunflowers. The other beds will have cover crop of hemp, or may be just some mulch. The two wild bunnies seem to have eaten all the new corn shoots. I enjoy watching them so I don’t begrudge them this round. Next time, I’ll put up a fence. I’m trying Seminole pumpkins, using seeds from a friend. If they grow, two mounds are on the ground, I’ll trellis the others. Allegedly, the Native Americans grew them at the base of trees to use the branches to support the vines. I’ll use the boathouse fence. In a week, I’ll plant peanuts. That’s it for veggies. Any other time will be weeding and caring for the existing flower beds. 


This year, I’m going to emphasize making friends and joining liberal organizations. Our first stop should be the local UU congregation. Mostly just a lack of teleportation that keeps us from going, now that it is having non-Zoom services again. Like anything else, if I put it on the calendar, we will go. For friends, I plan to invite acquaintances in groups of 4 to 6 for like lunch or dinner. Maybe they will move into the friend rank. Ideally, we’d find some from the Town of Windermere, but so far, they seem pretty conservative. Plus they’ve known each other since grade school. With all the new construction in the greater Windermere area and in Winter Garden, there are a lot of other recent residents to choose from. It just take so much energy. And our time is already fairly full with keeping up with our family and our longtime friends. Being retired certainly seems very busy.


Last on my list is another big trip. Grant wants to train across the Canadian Rockies; I want to spend time in Europe, especially France. Self-guided or tour? Spring or fall? Birding? TBD


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