Getting used to our new home

This thing about Global Warming cannot be all that bad, at least in the short term. We’re on the beginning of January and this week the weather has been in the 70s instead of the normal 30s. It’s been so nice that I’ve come up with all kinds of outdoor projects to do that I have even neglected to write anything since the beginning of the year. And then there are the obligatory bicycle expeditions to the Post Office, one to check for mail and a second one for sending mail out. You just have to maximize the opportunities for being outside as much as possible.

Last weekend we had a visit from Mike (brother-in-law) and his wife from Durham, NC. Compared to the New Year’s day visit last weekend, this was a rather quiet and peaceful visit. Since they are both card-holding AARP members, the conversations usually turn to things AARP. The topic this weekend was about WHERE to spend the next phase of life. That seems to be a favorite topic of conversation of many of our AARP visitors. It usually evolves by remarking on our beautiful setting overlooking the ocean, and then the topic moves into defining other features that would be important during the retirement years and then we spend hours comparing the different cities, towns and villages, in the US and other countries, where we could potentially spend the sunset years of our lives.

It’s hard to beat being at the beach everyday of our lives. Just lifting my eyes away from my laptop offers the breathtaking view of the sandy beach close by and beyond that, the potential reward of seeing schools of dolphins surfacing for air or flocks of birds diving in for their next meal. ….sorry, I got distracted.

But, is this enough? We humans have an intriguing ability to get used to everything around us. Be it bad or good, the body and the mind have a way of becoming familiar with our surroundings to the point that one is not as impressed, or as upset, with anything that one sees on a daily basis. The key might be to have as much variation in your life as possible. We have been here for just about three months, but with so many trips in between, regular weekend visitors, and the fact that our beach environment changes almost hourly, we still feel the novelty of our new home place. Maybe is also the fact that this is not our final destination. Life here has a finite duration and its end maybe even sooner than previously intended. So, if we don’t allow our bodies to settle down and are always aware that even this will not last forever, we have a good chance of continuing to appreciate our setting until it’s time to pack up again. Meanwhile, I'll be outside enjoying this unusual weather because I know it's not going to last forever either.