Big Decision! Big Changes!

Yes, big news, for me anyway! I'm moving! I'll be selling my house and moving to the Clinton (SC) Presbyterian Community, a continuing care community. I've been thinking about and pursuing this since Chris and I went to a presentation about another continuing-care retirement community (CCRC). It didn't take me long to realize this is perfect for me since I have no siblings, spouse, or children to look after my healthcare needs as I age. It will be a major change, but I think it's the right move at the right time. I wanted to get ahead of things and have time to meet people and develop a support group while I was still healthy and mobile.

Main building & patio home.

After visiting several facilities, Clinton seemed the best value for the money, due primarily to its location just outside of the small town of Clinton (a couple of miles off I-26 west of Columbia). It also doesn't have a pool or pickleball courts as most others do, but neither of those is of interest to me. It does have a miniature golf course, which I could see using. It will definitely be an adjustment to not having everything at my fingertips right outside our front gate. Even so, it's only 8 minutes to Laurens, 20 minutes to Greenwood (a reasonable-sized town), and 40 minutes to Greenville and Spartanburg. It will be a whole new area to explore! I'm also aware that I'm leaving our "curated bubble of perfection" (as I've termed our cookie-cutter neighborhood after our last inspection!) and moving back to the real world. I expect the upstate to be even more politically conservative than here for I know it is a handful of legislators from that area that prevents SC from passing a hate crimes bill. 

The pluses are that the people there (both residents and staff) were very welcoming and friendly. The patio home will be completely renovated from the floor up, including new stainless appliances. It was a 2-bedroom home that was turned into a clubhouse and is now being turned into a spacious 1-bedroom patio home with an attached carport and a screened-in back porch. I feel like it was a stroke of luck that I visited when I did and that it was available!  It includes yard and home maintenance, weekly house cleaning, some meals, cable TV, etc. I certainly will not miss house maintenance, homeowner's insurance, property taxes, HOA fees.....and hurricanes!

I just decided yesterday so it doesn't yet seem real. Rhonda came over for dinner and she is the first person I talked with about it. I'll talk with Pamela at CPC on Monday and we'll move forward from there. I know the next few months will be chaotic (as if our political situation isn't stressful enough!), but I expect to be relocated before the end of the year. Needless to say, this has been bittersweet and anxiety-producing, with loads of emotions and sleepless nights. Even now I feel like I need a good cry to de-stress myself! I will certainly miss my dear friends and my liberal support groups here, but I hope we can stay in touch via Zoom, visits, and so on! 

Speaking of our political situation, my patriotic 4th of July task was to wear my spangly shirt when I walked Rosie. If anyone commented on it, my response was, "Well, I dragged it out and thought I'd better wear it this year. Next year it might not be appropriate!"

Since I left off here yesterday, things have changed yet again with an assassination attempt on trump. Sadly, violence is our main means of expression, and I hate to see things like this happen. My hope is that people will begin to see the broad range of death and destruction that the proliferation of guns produces. There is only one side preventing us from passing legislation to curb it, and it isn't Democrats! Thoughts and prayers.

It's getting wild out there! A couple of weeks ago, Rosie was in the sunroom barking, which I didn't think much of - must be a squirrel or bunny. When I went out to check, it was an alligator! The first time that has happened. We both just watched until it ambled on. Golfers were passing by but they missed him. 

Then, a few days later, we're having our morning walk and a big bird dive-bombs Rosie. She squealed and bolted, bringing a neighbor out of his garage. It happened so quickly that I couldn't tell what kind of bird it was. I just saw it fly off to my right. Yikes!

Since my sweet Rosie has started having anxiety with storms, our weekly forecast has looked like this - for weeks! So, I'm left trying to figure out whether and/or when it will thunder and rain. Most days it doesn't materialize, but I'm on edge and on the lookout. Thankfully, the transdermal gel does seem to work, even if the anxiety cycle has begun. It takes her about 15 minutes to settle down, and basically, it sedates her. She just lies there with her eyes open, which makes me sad for her. This is all new and I hate to see her go through it. 

That's all, folks - but I feel like that's enough! Now that the decision is made, I hope things will settle down for me a bit, but I know that isn't likely for a while. I hope you'll keep me in your thoughts and send good vibes my way. Love to all.