This issue is the first from our new home in St. Petersburg. As I begin so we too begin to see beyond the boxes, now nearly all gone, to the new furniture, all nearly in place. The one piece to be installed is my work unit.
We have been sleeping in the new house since September 24th the furniture having been delivered that day. It seems longer. Every day there is some one working on the property or we are going out buying items in preparation for the “someone” working on the place. We did take a break on Sunday the 27th and drove to Fort Myers Beach, Sanible Island, and Captiva to inspect the possibilities of having a week of R&R at one of them. We voted for Fort Myers with ana efficiency unit on the third floor facing the beach and the Gulf. We will leave this Saturday, the 11th to spend time there until the 18th.
This is the first sentence typed at my new desk! (Referred to as a PC Work Unit!) Can’t you tell?? I find myself a lot closer to the monitor but with all this beautiful oak surrounding me, it is of little matter. The rest of the room is a mess. I have built myself into a big U with the monitor at the top of the upside down “D” and tables down either side. It is a bit crowded and some confusion at this point as to where things are but we have begun…so the rest will come!
My day typically begins with a bit of studying – usually Latin or writing. When June awakens we walk. We head towards the Bay and have on most occasions chugged along Bayview Drive. It is a busy morning spot with walkers, joggers and people with their dogs. We are just about getting sun as we arrive at this drive and have recently been blessed with less humidity, and even, once in a while a breeze. The sight as we start down Connecticut Avenue towards the Bay is one of scattered palm trees high in the sky with dawns gray light behind them like a big canvass.. They look like silhouetted sticks with rag mops on top against the morning sky. They rise some 60 to 70 feet in the air and if there is a breeze they wave at us. The light changes quickly and soon the red ball starts to peek over and around the houses along the Bay. The walk ends with the purchase of a St. Petersburg Times. Our first few times out we found a box as we turned to go home. It had only one paper left. The next few days we notice it had now two papers. Then a few days later no box! We both had to confirm that, “Yes, yesterday we got a paper from a box on this comer!” We notice one block away a box so it now becomes are morning stop.
On Sundays we attend the Lutheran Church of the Cross, which is only a few blocks away. In fact it is across the street from where we get our morning paper. On Wednesday evenings I sit in on a course given by the Pastor entitled “What Lutheran’s Believe”. This week June joined me in my attendance. However, after the class she has decided that she will not return. It is too much like her confirmation classes.
On Wednesday of this week instead of the walk, I decided to try a little golf. I haven’t played since July other than a session at the driving range last week. So off I went at 7:45AM to try nine. I thought you could choose to play only that many holes at a reduced rate any time in the AM. The course is called “Mangrove Bay” and is on 62nd Avenue, about 5 minutes away. We are located approximately where 40th Avenue might be if it came into Shore Acres. In fact, 40th Avenue becomes after a short “S like” turn, “Connecticut Avenue”. So we have about twenty blocks (40th to 62nd) to tee off. I am a “discount member”. As a resident of St. Pete’s I pay a blanket annual fee and obtain a discount on all activities or purchases at the club. It is only available to St. Petersburg Residents since the course is owned and managed by the city. I arrived and inquired about playing nine and then was informed I was late. You must tee off before 7:30AM to select the option of nine at a reduced rate. However, being a new member (and dumb one at that) they graciously allowed me to go anyway. The starter advised me that I should start on the 10th hole. It meant I would be playing by myself. I couldn’t have planned that better. I now had no one to rush me, could hit one or two balls, etc. It was a good way to get in a practice. I did let a couple go through around the 13th and then on the 16th the clouds that had been keeping the sun covered produced a shower. I took cover under a large bush and watched the rain come down like it was pouring out of a shower-head from some where up there in the clouds. It was light and then one heavy blast and then, it slowly started to become a mist. The sun came out and I went out to continue. Then behold a beautiful sight! A perfect rainbow from horizon to horizon! All I needed was Judy
Garland to sing the background music. It stayed with me as I played for another 20 minutes. On the 18th as I was winding up another sprinkle came. I was back at Connecticut Avenue by 10 AM. I won’t inform you as to my progress on the course but just say it needs several more similar sessions before it could be called “playing golf’. The rainbow was to me a good omen auguring a beautiful and pleasing time for our new life and in our new home.
It is now the 18th day of October and we have returned from a visit to Fort Myers Beach. It was a delight. Sun every day but today, and even a rainbow this morning to say goodbye to us. The Gulf is not an ocean but we did have some waves after Thursday when the wind was blowing from the north and west. The sunsets are mindboggling. We sat on the fourth floor balcony and Ooh’d and Ah’d as the gold ball settled into the water on the horizon. The sand below us that ran to the water’s edge was as white as snow, yet never burned the feet after being in the boiling sun for hours. Immediately to the left and right of our balcony were palm trees rising from that white sand and went up another floor, so it confirms my feeling that the average ones rise 40 to 50 feet up in the air. June got her tan and then some. I did some swimming in the lake, I mean the gulf, and played two rounds of golf. We read and ate out almost every night. In fact just across the street from our resort (“The Outrigger”) was a Charley Brown Restaurant. It was excellent and reasonable. We made it a visit twice.
I was able to get a NY Times every morning; got a start on 16″ by 20″ oil painting (by the numbers “for ages 10 and up”); read “Call of the Wild” by Jack London, a P.D. James’ novel, ‘The Black Tower”, a pamphlet about “What Lutheran’s Believe”, worked on a story from my checkered past (will be released at a later date); and, even reviewed a bit of my Latin I vocabulary…so you can tell I had a grand time! Incidentally June did also and if I’m correct I think she finished three books during the week, plus we walked at least once each day, either on the beach or on the pavement along the only road running north and south on the island. It certainly felt different to leave the beach and drive north and not be heading to Philly.
This Wednesday, Oct. 22nd we will have been at 1644 for one month. The repairs go on and I have a tough time getting back to this machine so I’ll leave you till November with a hope that I can add to each a little note.
A thought: Fabled excuse of the distinguished atheistic philosopher, ushered after death, into the presence of God: “But Lord, you didn’t provide sufficient evidence!” (From P.D. James’ “Black Tower).
Ron and Mary,
Hope you are having some success with your real estate problem. I know I wasn’t much help in suggestion local counsel’s advice but it’s the best I could do. Mary enclosed is a column by Russ Baker re your alma mater thought you might enjoy…need a little humor I’m sure by now. Give Aidan and Alex big hugs for Grandmom June and us.
Love, Dad