Old farts and young things flock to the silky sands and turquoise waters of this part of the Florida Panhandle.
It took a lot of years for this old bird to make her way to #Florida. The thought of becoming, yet another overstuffed prune on the #whitesandbeaches of Florida was not my idea of retirement living. That was, of course, until my military son, his wife, and my only grandson were transferred to #PanamaCityBeach. I had already followed them to #Virginia thinking that was the last move I'd ever make. This old body spent weeks packing, selling, and moving years of accumulated crap to a state I never wanted to live in, but that story will be told in another post.
“I always thought Florida was the place the old elephants came to die.”
Little did I know I'd end up EXACTLY where I swore I'd never live!
My #Retirement Expectations
To me, Florida was more of a #vacation spot than a #retirement place. In my #BabyBoomer mind I had a vision of what retirement would be like in the #SunshineState. My husband and I would get up around 3 a.m., read the paper and take our supplements and/or medications with a cup of decaf coffee. Then I would spend the rest of the day cutting coupons from the neighbor's newspaper I'd pilfer every morning. (I'd justify it by saying they never used it anyway.) We would wait until "senior discount day" to go out and buy anything. We'd load the cart with fiber-filled foods and eat little weenies from the #SamsClub food vendors for lunch. We'd go down to one car, with me usually doing most of the driving. At around 3 p.m. we'd head out to dinner because of the "Early Bird" #discounts. We'd find an unusually bland buffet and sit across from each other without speaking a word while we ate. Our entertainment would either be watching two old women with walkers fight over the last piece of chocolate cake or the food flecks being tossed back and forth across the table between the people with loose #dentures. We'd be back home in time for our evening constitution, drink some #Metamucil and be in bed by 7:30 p.m. Not my #dream life.
My #Retirement Reality
Shortly after moving to Florida, I found out how wrong I really was! #Florida offered way more than I expected. Sure, I had to downsize. (More on that later.) And yes, it does get really hot. But I had it all wrong! Most wise old boomers moved to the area known as "#RedneckRiviera" because of all of the life the goes on here, as well as the lack of taxation on their retirement #benefits. We found a well-priced, resort-like 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo that has just enough room for us and a visiting couple. The pool is a full acre and rarely has people in it. There is a well-equipped gym, a full basketball court (yeah, you can be assured I'll be using that,) and a lot of social goings-on. We are five minutes from one of the most #beautifulbeaches in the world. Clean white sand, turquoise waters, mostly uncrowded beaches, (except during March) and loads of free activities. In reality, our days go more like this.
We rise around 7 a.m. and have a coffee latte made from from expensive Italian brass espresso machine. After doing our #devotions we make our way outside for a good long walk or a trip to or by the gym. (We don't go in every time.) We love to eat out a few days a week as we have quickly become "locals" at some of our favorite haunts, including #CGsEatery. I get to write when I want to or take days off to ride our new #Indianmotorcycle. We visit galleries, small eclectic towns that surround us, or spend the day on the warm white sand beaches that lies minutes from our condo. The waves wash over our bare feet as we laugh together at where our lives have taken us. When 3 p.m. does come around, we "get" why retirees love this place! #Happyhour, not "Early Bird Specials" are abundant here. Half-price appetizers, and an array of cheap beverages draw in a lively and friendly group of people that socialize while listening to the ever present music. There is no going home early, as fireworks and booming cannons signal the sunsets that are just too beautiful to miss.
In other words, I was wrong. Panama City Beach is not the "#RedneckRiviera" I've heard of, the one filled with the foolish party people we used to be. Nor is it a place where only old elephants come to die. Instead, we have found our Florida haven to be filled with the off-beat, fun-loving, mature crazies we still are!
So grab a chair you can get out of, a good book, and sunscreen! This wrinkly, overweight body is donning a thong and heading to the beach. Think of it as my way of clearing the sand for you!
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