Monday, June 30, 2008

The Day Before My Next Year Begins

Hello again!

Today was a mundane day.
Errands were run, shopping done, and bills paid easily online.

Already we are losing a new neighbor directly across the street from us!
Never got to know them, they consisted of a single male parent and child combo, both young around 25 and 3.

Sad how jaded we have become over the years; even when the economy was good we live in a very transient state. None of our neighbors seem to stay very long.

I should talk... this is our third home in this state, and our longest place that we have called home. Smallest too, but no kids in this one, due to our sons being grown men on their own!
Just right though; a 1100 square foot little gem for us a 2/2/1 on a saltwater canal, and we have a a pool, and a fish pond. All renovated to our specs in these last years preparing for retirement.

This home had the bare minimum when purchased way back those ten years ago. An overgrown 2/1 with a carport, and painted all blue, now I do love that color but not on everything including the walks, floors and driveway! Couldn't even find the canal back then; it was a jungle back there, no rhyme or reason to any of the landscaping! The house had been a rental for 8 years with obviously not much TLC; the price was right.

We are one of the old timers on this block, not just by age, but with not quite ten years in this home we have actually lived here longer than most! Although, our neighbor on the very end of the block actually may taken that honor, living here 30 years!
We moved in December 31 of 1998, New Years Eve.
Our intentions were seen in its potential as a retirement home.
So here we are, and here we stay longer than the others.
Till death do we part or hurricane destroys the land...we can always rebuild but it is waterfront, and who knows if the land would ever be destroyed; falling into the canal by storm surge. So we have been warned.
We bought because it had been through Hurricane Donna back in 1961, it was built in 1958. The fact it survived was a great selling point in my book. We are five minutes by boat to the harbor.
Fast forward 2004 August 13th, a Friday; Hurricane Charley was a direct hit, the eye, 140 mph winds, neighbors home destroyed,their roof hits our guestroom window causes our roof to fly off damaging inside our home, but still standing with us in it, block and stucco. Trauma. All new now!
Seems incredible to me to think that it was nearly four years ago, but our county is still rebuilding/recovering.
New buildings and homes are still a constant in spite of the economy.

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