The first thing Dad asks every year when I arrive is, “What was the weather when you left?”
“I don’t know, Dad. It was cold,” I say.
“How cold?”
“I don’t know. Very cold.”
“Was there snow on the ground?” Dad asks.
“No, no snow.”
“How about ice?”
“No, no ice either,” I reply.
“You know it’s in the seventies here.”
“Yes, Dad, I can feel that.”
Friday, August 6, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Chapter 12; Part 1 - Visitors
At some point or another during most retirees’ winters in Florida, they get visitors – children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews from ‘up North.’ I’m always one of them; I visit Mom and Dad every year.
The funny thing about visiting Florida in the winter is you leave your city or town in the Northeast, where the average age and the average temperature are both around 38. A little more than two hours later you arrive in Florida to find that the temperature and the age of the people have both climbed about 40 points.
The funny thing about visiting Florida in the winter is you leave your city or town in the Northeast, where the average age and the average temperature are both around 38. A little more than two hours later you arrive in Florida to find that the temperature and the age of the people have both climbed about 40 points.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 8 - Trips
After they came back from the cruise, Mom called to tell me all about it. “We had a wonderful time and the food was delicious – I ate veal parmesan, fabulous fish, and oh, the portions; it was never-ending. The shopping was wonderful too. I got such bargains – a handbag for $10 and a pair of silver earrings for $15. Oh, and the weather was beautiful too. It was always about 77 degrees.”
“What did you do every day?” I asked.
“We did so much. When we were at sea, we sat by the pool, and played shuffleboard, and walked around the track. When we were docked, we went shopping. And at night we saw some wonderful shows.”
“Mom, if I didn’t know where you went, from your description of the food, weather, pool, and the activities, I would have thought you were describing a week at Harbor View,” I said.
“Oh yeah, speaking of Harbor View, that reminds me of one more thing about the cruise,” she added, “there were lots of old people on board, too.”
“What did you do every day?” I asked.
“We did so much. When we were at sea, we sat by the pool, and played shuffleboard, and walked around the track. When we were docked, we went shopping. And at night we saw some wonderful shows.”
“Mom, if I didn’t know where you went, from your description of the food, weather, pool, and the activities, I would have thought you were describing a week at Harbor View,” I said.
“Oh yeah, speaking of Harbor View, that reminds me of one more thing about the cruise,” she added, “there were lots of old people on board, too.”
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 7 - Trips
Mom, of course, also talked about the cruise with her friends. One evening at dinner, Mom brought up the subject of the food on the cruise.
“Uumm, this dinner is delicious,” Mom said to her dining companions at Antonio’s, “I hope the food on the cruise is just as good.”
“Oh, speaking of food on the cruise, Phyllis called up the travel agent and they told her that the Captain’s Dinner is probably going to be the second night of the cruise,” Flo replied.
“Well that’s a relief,” Mom said. “I’m glad it’s not on the last night. My new evening gown should still fit by day two. Last year, Sylvia and Susan went on a cruise and they said by the end of the week, they couldn’t zip up any of their clothes.”
“Uumm, this dinner is delicious,” Mom said to her dining companions at Antonio’s, “I hope the food on the cruise is just as good.”
“Oh, speaking of food on the cruise, Phyllis called up the travel agent and they told her that the Captain’s Dinner is probably going to be the second night of the cruise,” Flo replied.
“Well that’s a relief,” Mom said. “I’m glad it’s not on the last night. My new evening gown should still fit by day two. Last year, Sylvia and Susan went on a cruise and they said by the end of the week, they couldn’t zip up any of their clothes.”
Friday, March 19, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 6 - Trips
Sometimes getaways from Harbor View last even longer than a weekend. This past year the ‘Young in Spirit’ club organized a weeklong cruise. Twenty-eight couples signed up for a seven-day journey to the Caribbean.
“Mom, I can’t believe you’re going on a cruise. Most people would be more than happy to change places with you where you are now. Being in Florida for four months is already a vacation,” I said to her one day on the phone.
“I know, but since we’re already down here, we didn’t have to pay for airfare to fly to the cruise port in Florida. It was too good a deal to pass up,” she replied.
Mom talked about her cruise for about a month prior to their departure, and of course began laying out her clothes for it weeks in advance, too.
“Oh, I don’t know what to do, I need a new dress for the formal Captain’s Dinner on the cruise,” she said to me on one occasion.
“Why don’t you wear the dress you wore to Cousin Linda’s wedding last year?” I asked.
“I can’t. I left it at home in Pennsylvania. Who knew I’d need a formal dress down here?”
“But you knew back home that you were going on a cruise this winter. You should have just brought it with you,” I informed her.
“Okay, I’ll be honest with you. It doesn’t fit anymore. I gained four pounds last year in Florida and probably at least two more this year.”
“Mom, what about all of the walking you’ve been doing?” I asked her.
“I guess it doesn’t make up for all of the dinners I’ve been eating out,” she admitted.
“Mom, I can’t believe you’re going on a cruise. Most people would be more than happy to change places with you where you are now. Being in Florida for four months is already a vacation,” I said to her one day on the phone.
“I know, but since we’re already down here, we didn’t have to pay for airfare to fly to the cruise port in Florida. It was too good a deal to pass up,” she replied.
Mom talked about her cruise for about a month prior to their departure, and of course began laying out her clothes for it weeks in advance, too.
“Oh, I don’t know what to do, I need a new dress for the formal Captain’s Dinner on the cruise,” she said to me on one occasion.
“Why don’t you wear the dress you wore to Cousin Linda’s wedding last year?” I asked.
“I can’t. I left it at home in Pennsylvania. Who knew I’d need a formal dress down here?”
“But you knew back home that you were going on a cruise this winter. You should have just brought it with you,” I informed her.
“Okay, I’ll be honest with you. It doesn’t fit anymore. I gained four pounds last year in Florida and probably at least two more this year.”
“Mom, what about all of the walking you’ve been doing?” I asked her.
“I guess it doesn’t make up for all of the dinners I’ve been eating out,” she admitted.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 5 - Trips
Sometimes, residents of Harbor View go on weekend trips. Last year, Mom’s friend Phyllis organized a weekend getaway to visit cousins of hers at a retirement development in another part of Florida. Three couples went – Mom and Dad, Phyllis and Herb, and Flo and Irv. Mom said it was nice there, but that she was glad to be home.
“Phyllis’s cousins were very nice, and their development was lovely, but it just didn’t feel right,” she said. “I can’t quite put my finger on it. Oh, maybe it’s just that everything was slightly different. On Friday night, instead of eating at Antonio’s we ate at Francesca’s. Instead of Wu’s Chinese buffet on Saturday we ate at Wong’s. And we ate Sunday brunch at Shlomo’s instead of Bubbe’s. Even the shopping was different. The flea markets were called Fantastic Flea instead of Celebration Stores and the mall was Crystal Lake instead of Coral Sands.”
“How about the people in the development? What were they like?” I asked.
“That’s it!” Mom screamed excitedly, “The people! That’s why it felt so weird. Everything around me was different, but the people were exactly the same – they were Characters!”
“Phyllis’s cousins were very nice, and their development was lovely, but it just didn’t feel right,” she said. “I can’t quite put my finger on it. Oh, maybe it’s just that everything was slightly different. On Friday night, instead of eating at Antonio’s we ate at Francesca’s. Instead of Wu’s Chinese buffet on Saturday we ate at Wong’s. And we ate Sunday brunch at Shlomo’s instead of Bubbe’s. Even the shopping was different. The flea markets were called Fantastic Flea instead of Celebration Stores and the mall was Crystal Lake instead of Coral Sands.”
“How about the people in the development? What were they like?” I asked.
“That’s it!” Mom screamed excitedly, “The people! That’s why it felt so weird. Everything around me was different, but the people were exactly the same – they were Characters!”
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 4 - Trips
Mom and Dad don’t always go on the trips sponsored by some of the clubs. With Mom not able to easily get out of the house before 10:00 in the morning, she says the trips are often a little too hectic for her. Last year there was a day trip to Pelican Lake State Park, which is three hours away from Harbor View. The bus was leaving the Harbor View clubhouse at 7:30 in the morning (much too early for Mom) and not returning until 10:00 at night. It should have been an overnight trip, rather than a day trip, but Dad says the club didn’t think they would get enough people to spend the extra money to overnight there.
Anyway, despite the early departure, the club still managed to fill one and one-half busloads with people, including Mom’s friends’ Flo and Irv. The next day Mom called Flo to find out how the trip was.
“Ugh, it was a disaster,” Flo said. “About two hours into the bus ride to the park, the engine on the second bus started smoking. We pulled over to the side of the road, while the drivers checked out the problem. They determined that they needed some part, so all of the people on the broken bus came over onto our bus.” Flo explained.
“You’re kidding! How did you all fit?” Mom asked.
“Well, it was very crowded, and some people had to stand. Then everyone started arguing whether we should continue on to the park or just turn around and go home.”
“What’d you do?” Mom asked in anticipation.
“We continued on. In the end, most of the people agreed, and I mean most; that difficult woman, Lila in Building 17 didn’t agree. Anyway, most of the people agreed that since we had already paid for the trip, we might as well go. We didn’t know if we’d be able to get a refund.”
“So how was the park once you got there?”
“Well, I don’t think it was worth the three-hour ride. There were palm trees, a lake, and some birds, which were pretty enough, but frankly, I can see all of the things outside my bedroom window at Harbor View – for free. Besides, there were so many mosquitoes around that I got bites all over my body. And the sun was very strong by the time we got there midday that a lot of people got sunburned, including Irv.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Did you at least make it home okay?”
“Yeah, they sent a second bus down.”
“Oy, I’m glad I didn’t go,” Mom said. “But, at least you’ll have something to talk about at the pool this afternoon,” Mom said.
And according to Mom, talk about it, they did. She told me that the bus ride fiasco to Pelican Lake State Park actually warranted conversations around the pool for nearly two weeks – a Harbor View record. “Old people love to complain,” Mom informed me. “I believe they actually enjoy incidents like this or else, besides food, what else would they have to talk about?”
Anyway, despite the early departure, the club still managed to fill one and one-half busloads with people, including Mom’s friends’ Flo and Irv. The next day Mom called Flo to find out how the trip was.
“Ugh, it was a disaster,” Flo said. “About two hours into the bus ride to the park, the engine on the second bus started smoking. We pulled over to the side of the road, while the drivers checked out the problem. They determined that they needed some part, so all of the people on the broken bus came over onto our bus.” Flo explained.
“You’re kidding! How did you all fit?” Mom asked.
“Well, it was very crowded, and some people had to stand. Then everyone started arguing whether we should continue on to the park or just turn around and go home.”
“What’d you do?” Mom asked in anticipation.
“We continued on. In the end, most of the people agreed, and I mean most; that difficult woman, Lila in Building 17 didn’t agree. Anyway, most of the people agreed that since we had already paid for the trip, we might as well go. We didn’t know if we’d be able to get a refund.”
“So how was the park once you got there?”
“Well, I don’t think it was worth the three-hour ride. There were palm trees, a lake, and some birds, which were pretty enough, but frankly, I can see all of the things outside my bedroom window at Harbor View – for free. Besides, there were so many mosquitoes around that I got bites all over my body. And the sun was very strong by the time we got there midday that a lot of people got sunburned, including Irv.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Did you at least make it home okay?”
“Yeah, they sent a second bus down.”
“Oy, I’m glad I didn’t go,” Mom said. “But, at least you’ll have something to talk about at the pool this afternoon,” Mom said.
And according to Mom, talk about it, they did. She told me that the bus ride fiasco to Pelican Lake State Park actually warranted conversations around the pool for nearly two weeks – a Harbor View record. “Old people love to complain,” Mom informed me. “I believe they actually enjoy incidents like this or else, besides food, what else would they have to talk about?”
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