January
2013 on the Beach
The Dickerson Pondit is now a full time Florida
resident. Last week I sat for a
few minutes on the bench overlooking Dickerson Pond in Westchester County. New
York. I was taking a break from
emptying our belongings from our condo prior to turning over the keys to a new
owner. It was a sunny afternoon
with the temperature a sweltering fourteen degrees. I did not even want to know the wind chill temperature. Back in Naples the thermometer was
nudging eighty degrees. I have
officially exchanged Dickerson Pond for the Gulf of Mexico. I now sit on the lanai and gaze up the
coast to Sanibel Island just outside of Fort Myers Beach.
Early Thursday morning, I left for La Guardia airport
around five in the morning. The
rental car thermometer read nine degrees.
When I stopped to fill the gas tank in Yonkers, I wrapped my bare hand
around the gas pump handle and was worried about leaving my skin on the
handle. Getting back to Naples was
the only thing on my mind -- well getting back with all my skin and no
frostbite.
I am back.
Today the anticipated high temperature is eighty-four degrees. There is a slight breeze of the Gulf of
Mexico. Barbara and I have already
been out for some morning errands.
We had to drop a car off for some cosmetic surgery. I had a little close encounter with a
chain link fence back near Dickerson Pond. This type of repair is everyday business in Naples. The chances of getting out of any
supermarket parking lot without a new scratch or dent is around 23.9%. Since Barbara and I do most of our
marketing daily, I will set up a monthly appointment with the body shop. This was an unexpected monthly expense
for us, but over the past three months we are averaging only $93 per month for
gasoline. Yesterday I played none
holes of golf without losing a ball.
If I can keep that up, between the gas savings and lost ball expenses,
we will cover the bodywork on the car.
Once I am done with our legal battles, I have an interesting
story to relate about hazards of being a spectator at a golf tournament.
