Week 15: Snowbird plan

Where's the perfect snowbird spot? I've been pondering that question for years, waiting for retirement when I could escape the Colorado cold in the winter and spend my days basking in the sun, preferably close to beautiful beaches, hiking spots, and a welcoming culture.

Even though I'm not sure if I want to retire fully quite yet, I've been getting more serious about researching and exploring snowbird locations..  goal 30 on my 60 until 60 list.

I wrote about 'Dating' San Antonio as a potential snowbird spot last Fall and since then have spent time in a lot of warm-weather states, searching for that perfect spot.

I came to the conclusion that, just like dating, maybe it would be better to get to know a place before 'committing.'  Yes, whether it comes to jobs, dating, or picking a snowbird spot, I'm finding I may be a bit commitment-phobic at this stage of life. There's so much to try, to do, to explore, to see...

Having freedom from any commitments is amazing! On the other hand, it can also feel a little lonely. When it comes to my snowbird spot, I would like to find a place that I will eventually go back to every winter. In keeping with the whole dating analogy, I might not want to be "married" to a spot, but I at least would like to be in a "serious relationship."

I loved visiting my sister in Southern California and narrowed down that I wanted to be in a location near the beach but it had to be affordable.  Unfortunately, that probably knocks California off of my list. Still, since I'm from California and have a lot of family and friends there, I plan to have the occasional "fling." (So glad that places have no baggage or hangups about commitment!)

When I went to Florida at the end of February, I "fell in love." I'm back in Orlando this week and took advantage of another day at Epcot to see their annual garden show and thought, once again: Yes! I could 'marry' this place! Flowers everywhere and beaches both to the east and the west! Florida is on my short list. I'm headed to Sarasota as I'm writing this to check out one of the most popular retirement destinations.

However, there are a lot of International choices that I'm also considering. This weekend I was able to learn a lot more about the different options at the International Living Retirement Overseas Bootcamp.

The conference was lots of fun! Very informative and exciting since there are so many options for people like me who want to escape the cold! (Ironically, I was freezing from the air conditioning in the windowless conference rooms all weekend..  Mental Note #1: Even in the warmest of spots, it's good to have a sweater at all times!  Mental Note #2: I never want to go back to working all day in windowless, air-conditioned offices.)

But other than the 'cold air', the conference was very exciting! It was almost like getting onto an online dating site and finding out there are all kinds of attractive people (places!) out there with plenty to offer! Who wants to commit when there are so many other options?  And here I was just ready to marry Florida!  (Actually, when we were going through the different country presentations, they even referred to it as 'speed dating'!)

Of course, one of the best parts of the conference was meeting other like-minded people. Here's a picture of me with the two people I got to know most, Rick and Mike. The first night of the conference was a session just for singles, which was awesome. It made me wish there were some sort of network just for 'single snowbirds' where we could meet up at some of these beautiful spots. I know the expat communities are known for their friendliness, but I've been thinking a lot about some of the considerations of being a single snowbird.  I may even write another book or start another blog, vlog or podcast: Single Snowbird! Another fun thing to think about!

After learning about all the pros and cons of several different countries, Costa Rica and Mexico top my list as affordable warm weather countries. There are very large expat communities in both, lots of direct flights from the US, and I've always wanted to become fluent in Spanish (and French and Italian... but Spanish first.)

So Florida, Costa Rica, and Mexico have all made it on my short list.  Next winter I'm looking forward to 'dating' each of these places and getting to know some of their cities more intimately!

What worked well

* Loved exploring California, Las Vegas, and Florida this winter.
* International Living Conference was very informative about International options
* Excited that there are so many affordable warm-weather beach locations
* Good to come to the conclusion that I don't need to pick one snowbird spot
* Excited to think about exploring Florida, Costa Rica and Mexico
* Fun that there are so many active expat communities and the ability to learn from them with social media
* Nice that I got to know some new friends from the conference

What could be better

* I'm still undecided about work which will make a big difference in what I'm able to do next winter. It's hard to have a very definitive 'snowbird plan' when I'm not sure what I'll be able to afford or whether or not I'll be working.
* Even though the conference had one session for singles and one for snowbirds, it was mostly relevant for those who were seriously considering relocating permanently.  It would be nice if there was a distribution list, forum, or facebook page specifically for 'single snowbirds.'  Maybe I'll create one!

The Snowbird Experiments - "Dating" San Antonio

Now that I'm nearing retirement, I'd like to find a warm-weather "snowbird spot" during the winter months.  But where? Southern California? Arizona? Florida? Mexico? Costa Rica? I've been trying to decide if I should try a different place every year or maybe try a new place every month until I find the 'right' spot. I'm using the, 'I'll know it when I see it' philosophy. 

Of course, so far, that philosophy hasn't worked out so well in finding a mate, but at least when it comes to picking out a new place to live, there are no worries of rejection. Places are so easy that way. I don't have to be concerned whether or not they love me as much as I love them. I also have no worries about my home in Colorado wanting me to be exclusive. We have a very open relationship.

So what am I looking for in a snowbird place?  My snowbird dating profile would look something like this:

Looking for a beautiful place that offers winter warmth and sunshine.  I'd like to find a suburb with a big city nearby for a dress-up night at the theater as well as nearby trails and parks offering plenty of natural beauty. But most importantly, I'd like to find a place that has warmth, not only in its climate, but in the people who live there. I'm looking for a culture which is welcoming and accepting, where I can find friends who will join me in living life fully.

I've gotten a little experience in trying to find friends in new places when I moved to Eden Prairie, MN, for 6 months for a work assignment. The Minnesota experiment was a huge success and I made some of the closest friends of my life. Unfortunately, though it was an awesome "fling," those cold winters do not qualify Minnesota to even be a consideration as a Snowbird "relationship."

When I got a short-term contract at USAA in San Antonio, it felt like a good opportunity for the first of the Snowbird Experiments. Even though San Antonio wasn't on my list for potential snowbird locations, it's warmer than Colorado, so I'm renting a room in an Airbnb for 4 weeks.  It's a good opportunity for me to figure out if 4 weeks is enough time to get "into a relationship" with a place.
Here how it's going so far:

Weather
There have been some gorgeous 70+ degree days in November.  One night it was warm enough to walk the whole length of the famed and beautiful River Walk after work!

However, now there's a cold front coming in. I'm writing this as I'm listening to wind and rain (which actually IS kind of nice to listen to...on occasion).

On Halloween night there was a torrential downpour right when rush hour traffic was at its worst. There's also a lot of fog. One of the big reasons I want a winter snowbird location is because I HATE driving in bad weather, and even though there's rarely snow here, the driving has been stressful for me. That night I thought I'd made a mistake of even thinking of 'going out with' San Antonio.


Making Friends
Hands down, the thing that makes a place feel more like home is finding friends. I've found that Meetup.Com is an excellent way to meet new friends, so I joined Hiking, Dancing, and Agile Meetups before I even got to San Antonio.

Since I'm only here for 4 weeks, I really had to "fast path" this friend-making business. I was hoping to find a friend before my first weekend so I'd have someone who could show me around the city, so I went to my first Hiking Meetup after work on Nov.1 (the day after I'd been thinking of 'dumping' San Antonio) with the hopes of meeting someone.

The weather was a perfect 70 degrees and the first person I met on the hike was this very tall early-retired military police! (I'll call him HG for Hot Guy!) HG, like me, had been a runner and had had to give it up.. his was because of his knees and mine is because of my back, but he could relate to back problems, too.  He'd gotten back recently from a long trip to Thailand and I was in awe of someone who can travel alone so easily. I have challenges traveling by myself even here in San Antonio!

I kept thinking I should ask HG if he was free on the weekend, but he was "out of my price range." (A phrase one of my friends uses to mean "out of my league.") Besides being a HG, he's only 49. But then I got a Meetup message from him asking if I'd be up for a drink some time, so I got the courage to ask him if he'd be willing to take me around San Antonio and he said, 'Sure!'

Exploring

HG was an excellent tour guide. He took me to the two biggest attractions on TripAdvisor for San Antonio, The River Walk and the Alamo. He also introduced me to the Prickly Pear Margarita at Boudro's on the River Walk without even knowing that I have a quest to find the perfect margarita!

HG also showed me where he used to work at Fort Sam, his beautiful home, and then we ended the day at a Happy Hour at Sustenio at the Elian hotel, close to where I'm staying.

Overall, the day was perfect! I walked over 22K steps without the trace of a back ache, the weather was gorgeous, and I loved how open and generous HG was, sharing his time and thoughts. I was trying not to be all insecure about my age or height. I'm 9 years older and 16.5 inches shorter than HG. But another thing I liked about HG is he didn't seem to care how old or short I was. I know he could be going out with anyone and he chose to spend the day with me.

I started to really like San Antonio!

Dating

I haven't written much about my dating life since publishing my book. Lots of reasons for that..  privacy, and who really cares, anyway? You get past a certain age and you think society sees you (especially if you're an older woman) as no longer attractive or desirable.  I know 'cougars' are very trendy, but... that never was my cup of tea.

These days I go searching for friends, communities, and beautiful spots, rather than 'dates.' But having an unexpected 'date' (yeah, I'm calling it that) with HG has made me think that maybe I should 'get out there' again.  Being single is great and I love all the freedom that comes with it, but..  life is much better when shared with someone else.

Experiment Results
I'm only half-way through with my San Antonio stay, but here's my summary of this relationship: It started out a little rocky. San Antonio did not make a great first impression, but over time, I found things to love. I don't think I've found "the place" but I feel grateful that I'm getting to experience this unique and beautiful place.

Whether it's a place or a person, I'm finding that going in with no expectations, no pressure, and no need to find perfection makes dating so much more enjoyable. Rather than looking for "the one" (or, "the place") maybe it's best just to enjoy and discover all there is to love about whoever you're with and wherever you are at this present time.

Perfect Place to Retire

 

This month I've been blogging about Healthy Aging in honor of Older Americans Month. I know for many people, one of the best things about getting older is looking forward to retirement!

For me, those days are here! Thanks to my neurotic goal-setting habits, (along with good luck and being annoyingly frugal), I have officially reached a time in my life that I no longer have to work!  I am finally free to do whatever I want, where-ever I want!  I can move to that perfect paradise and never have to endure another icy commute or snowy Spring,

The question is, where should I go? Making this decision is much more difficult than I imagined it would be!

Well, thanks to my brilliant daughter-in-law's newsletter, Stellar Recap, I used this handy-dandy tool introduced by MarketWatch to help me narrow down some choices. 

From Stella's newsletter:

• MarketWatch released a new tool that helps you find where you may want to retire. You can search for characteristics such as temperature, political affiliation, age, and affordability.

When I put in my priorities, Santa Barbara came out as my top choice.  This isn't surprising because on my first pass, I didn't factor in cost.  I'd been looking in Florida because I know how expensive Southern California is.

However, as it turns out, prices are skyrocketing in Florida (or at least in Sarasota, my top choice for a Florida city.) I've also determined, I'd rather rent than buy a place right now in this crazy housing market, and I'd much rather rent a place and get to know a community before committing to buying a house.

My strategy for some time has been to explore different snowbird locations in the winters until I found my perfect spot to retire.  One issue is that snowbird destinations are incredibly expensive to rent!  I've found a wonderful opportunity with my friend, Becky, where we do a house exchange..  She stays at my house in Colorado for summer visits and I stay at her place in Sarasota for winter visits!

I also have been enamored at the thought of 55+ communities or senior co-housing communities. I just haven't found out how one can rent in these communities.  Then there's also the idea of retiring abroad! I attended an International Living Conference in 2019 and that idea is much more affordable than I'd imagined! 

As a matter of fact, I was able to rent a room in an AirBnB home in a gorgeous Costa Rica home for all of January, 2022 for less than $800! I feel confident that I'll be able to rent a room in my house for that same amount, so basically, it's kind of like the exchange I do with Becky! (Having extra room(s) in your house really works out wonderfully!)

The point is, with some creativity and a willingness to share house-space, renting different snowbird locations is affordable.  With the low interest rates, I'd been seriously considering trying to buy a snowbird spot of my own; However, considering all the expenses, fees, and tax implications, I'm now back to thinking renting is a better option. 

At least that's what I think today! I have to stay away from Zillow, InnShopper, and Cozy Cottages listed on HookedonHouses!

Week 45: Read a Best Seller - You Are Awesome

This week the goal from my list of 60 that I accomplished was #40:

Read a book that’s on the best seller list

"You Are Awesome" by Neil Pasricha came out this week and since he's an author I follow, I had pre-ordered the audiobook from Audible and was able to listen to it as I was driving around Florida this week.

Now, I'm not sure that this book is on the best seller list yet, but I predict it will be! Neil Pasricha is a best selling author, after all, and writes about one of my favorite topics: positive psychology and happiness.

In fact, in one of the first chapters of the book, Neil talks about adding the word 'yet,' any time you start to think negatively about accomplishing a goal.  So instead of saying, "My book is not on the best seller list," you'd add the word yet, to say, "My book is not on the best seller list yet!" (implying, of course, that you have full confidence it will be!)

I also listened to the book rather than reading it, which was even better than reading it. I love audiobooks! Neil, himself, read the book, and I really enjoy the added benefits that come with hearing his voice. All the nuances in tone and delivery really added a lot! And it's great to be listening to an interesting audiobook while driving or traveling!

You Are Awesome was another entertaining Awesome book by Pasricha - this one tackled the topic of resilience. It had some great insights about how to establish a mindset of positivity, despite what challenges might come your way.

Besides listening to this book (and feeling self-assured that I Am Awesome) I reserved a couple of other 2019 best seller audiobooks on Overdrive: "Where the Crawdads Sing" and "Becoming."  Those will come in handy to listen to as I continue my Snowbird travels.

Speaking of Snowbird travels, Snowbird season has begun! My 10-day trip to Florida was somewhat spontaneous, and included 2 Disney Parties (both Halloween and Christmas), trips to both the east and west coast Florida beaches, daily walks in beautiful places, and fun with friends, both old and new!  I have so much to say about it all, that I may write my own best seller book: Single Snowbird! Stay tuned!

To Fly or To Drive - That is the Question!

I’m flying to Los Angeles as I write this, starting my obsessively-talked about “Snowbird Plan” to escape Colorado’s winter cold. Unfortunately, it appears to be the one week of the year that southern CA is experiencing a lot of rain. Better than the snow that’s expected in Boulder this week, so I’ll take it.

This trip is just the first in a series of trips I’m planning for the winter.. a week-long-vacation to visit my sister and friends and not really in contention for the sought-after “perfect warm-weather-winter-spot” that I might retire to some day. (Too expensive and crowded, but great for a visit.)

But let me get to the point. I’m coming back to Los Angeles on Feb.3 to compete in an escape room competition and from there, I’d like to spend a few weeks in Arizona. I need to be back home in Colorado for the final week of February before flying to Florida for the next in my series of snowbird excursions.

I need to decide today whether I’m going to:

Fly: Fly to CA, Fly from CA to AZ (rent a car or use public transportation & Uber), Fly Home to CO

Drive: Road trip to CA with my son, Drive to AZ (have my car while there), Drive back home to CO

Here are the advantages of both options:

Fly Option: Low-stress; Someone else does the driving (not my strong suit). No need for multi-day road trips in winter; (My phobia about winter-weather-driving is one of my primary reasons for doing the snowbird thing in the first place!) Road-tripping (sitting for several hours at a time) is bad for my back.

Drive Option: Overall, cheaper (but may be a wash, when you consider the road-trip time.) More of an adventure; Much more convenient for getting around and exploring a new place; Ability to transport more of my stuff when I hole up for a few weeks. Would have a memorable road-trip experience to CA with my son. I’d possibly be able to find someone who would road trip back to Boulder from AZ with me which would be fun. I’d be getting out of my comfort zone (which is always empowering for me!) If I fly, I’d probably end up renting a car, and stressing about driving in unfamiliar place with unfamiliar car--better to drive with my CARpe DM-mobile!

What say you, O-Wise-Readers? I especially want input from family and good friends who know both about my driving “issues” (too slow, fear of being sandwiched between big trucks, prone to provoking road rage from neighboring drivers, being directionally challenged, phobias about winter weather), but also know that I get excited about facing my fears and accomplishing something that’s a challenge for me.

Seizing the Daylight in Sarasota!

This week we did the "spring forward" Daylight Savings thing and while others grumble at a lost hour of sleep, I love getting that extra hour of light in the afternoons and evenings and the later sunsets.  Last night I was volunteering at an event that ended at 7:30pm and happily (both for my own sake and the drivers around me) it was still light for my drive home!

Yes, in my deep dive into what makes me happy, I've determined that warm days and sunlight make a much bigger affect on my mood than I'd ever imagined!  I am loving the snowbird life in Sarasota, Florida and feel so much more energetic than I did during those cold, winter days in Colorado!

Of course, as I wrote about when I was exploring San Antonio as a possible snowbird location, the biggest factor in feeling happy in a new location is having friends and one of the reasons I picked Sarasota as a place to settle (at least for 2 months) is that I do have a couple of friends here already!

Becky

I feel so lucky to be sharing a space with Becky, who has a beautiful townhouse in North Sarasota with a spare bedroom, complete with its own private bathroom! Becky, in her usual style, has made me feel so welcome with cute amenities (even a Keurig machine with a sweet violet teacup and a creamer filled with q-tips in the bathroom!)

I met Becky last summer at a Meetup in Boulder and we became fast friends!  She's a bit of a "sunbird" spending a lot of her summer months in the Boulder area, so we are a perfect complement to one another!

Not only is Becky a supportive friend in every way, she's a kindred Carpe Diem spirit! On March 8th, her sister's birthday and International Women's Day, she hosted a little party for her sister and we played Hearts and 99 with a deck of playing cards that had pictures of accomplished women! Yay, Becky, for, not only having a fun party for your sister's birthday, but also celebrating IWD with a perfectly-themed deck of cards! Becky also made us a most delicious dinner of shrimp curry which we enjoyed with sangrias and tiramisu for dessert! Yum!

Becky with International Women Playing Cards!

Bryan 

Long-time friend, Bryan, is also in nearby Longboat Key, enjoying his new boat, Honey Badger!

I met Bryan about 15 years ago on good ol' Match.com. I've always said that online dating hasn't worked out too well for me in finding a romantic partner, but it sure has resulted in finding some of my best friends.

Bryan has an awesome sense of humor and I just love his sense of play! He introduced me to this part of the country years ago because he, too, enjoys the snowbird life. He has a beautiful home in Louisville, but he's been coming out to Long Boat Key in the winters for several years and this year, he found a new "honey"!

Bryan gave me a tour of Honey Badger, which is a beauty with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, so Bryan's considering becoming a "Live aboard" (as I guess those who live on their boats are called.)

New friends 

Both Becky and Bryan have introduced me to their friends and I'm meeting new people every day through Meetups and Bumble.  All these years of being single have helped me feel comfortable going places on my own and I'm getting better at striking up a conversation with people I meet.

I have so many more pictures and things I'd like to write about, but I will save those for another day and another blog post!

Home Sweet Home

 I woke up early this morning so I could enjoy my final walk along the beach at sunrise. It was a cloudy and windy morning, so not as spectacular as other mornings, but still left me with a feeling of awe as I watched the waves crash towards the shore.

My flight home didn't leave until 3pm, so I enjoyed a leisurely morning walking and lounging on a recliner studying my Spanish vocabulary. I'll be in Costa Rica for all of January, so I'm more determined than ever to keep improving my Spanish.

The Cancun airport was a bit of a zoo with long security lines, but I had given myself plenty of time, so the flight home was incredibly stress-free. It was a direct flight, left right on time and there was literally no line going through customs back in Denver.  

I was able to catch the Skyride bus and my friend, Glenn, met me at the Park'n'Ride to give me a ride home for that final last mile. An international travel day has never been so easy! In fact, I wasn't even cold! (One of the difficulties with these winter snowbird trips is that I usually arrive back to the Colorado cold without a winter coat! But my double layer of sweaters worked fine tonight.)

I had a burst of energy and immediately unpacked and put all those damp clothes right into the washer. Ah! A washer and dryer at last! One thing about the humid climate is that, without a dryer, my clothes always were damp and some were taking on a mildew-like odor. I've never been so happy to do laundry!

I've written each of these blog posts very quickly without a bit of creativity or flair. Erma Bombeck would be disappointed. I'd been thinking that perhaps I'd write a book about my snowbird adventures, with Mexico being the first chapter.  However, I've realized this trip has been very devoid of drama! No big adventures, no big problems, no big love interest..  It would be a pretty boring story.

Still.. I'll consider it a writer's challenge to see if I can improve the quality of my blog posts and introduce some kind of conflict or dilemma.  In reality, my only dilemma is trying to stay warm and figure out where I'll eventually retire.

Even though I loved Mexico and will be back, I've ruled out Playa del Carmen as a place to buy a snowbird home.  It seemed like more of a party vacation spot than a retirement spot and, as much as I enjoy international travel, I don't think anywhere outside of the US will ever feel like "home."

The truth is, after living in Colorado for over 27 years, I doubt anywhere else will ever feel like home.  So right now I'm grateful for a wonderful 3-week Mexican vacation, and very grateful for a safe and uneventful trip home for Thanksgiving!

Week 55: Snowbirding in Mexico

One of my big goals from my list of 60 was to explore Snowbird locations. Last winter, after attending an International Living conference, I'd narrowed down my short list to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Florida and to spend time in each during the winter of 2020.

As luck would have it, I was invited to the January 18th destination wedding of the daughter of my BFF, Lisa, on the Mexican Riviera!

Lisa (mother-of-the-bride) and me at her daughter's destination wedding in Akumal

There's nothing as breathtakingly beautiful and romantic as a wedding on the beach. I felt so lucky to be able to share this special experience with my friend. (By the way, this is the second Akumal wedding I've had the pleasure of being at this season! My friend, Samar, also had a destination wedding here in September!) If you ever get a chance to experience this, I highly recommend it!

My almost-2-week stay at Conversa wrapped up with a beautiful wine and cheese party. I feel so good about the friendships I made at this special place.

Group photo at Wine & Cheese Party

My last meal at Conversa with my new sweet friend, Diane

On Thursday night, I headed from the San José, Costa Rica airport to Cancún, Mexico where I met up with Jeri, someone I'd met virtually on a Facebook Forum for single retired women. Jeri had met a woman on the plane, Lana, who was going to be biking through Mexico for the next few months! Jeri invited Lana to visit us in Akumal (on her bike ride between Cancún and Tulum). It was so interesting to learn more about both of these courageous women!  Jeri donated one of her kidneys to a stranger in 2018 and Lana has been riding her bike through many countries for years!

Two amazing women: Jeri and Lana

The condo I rented here is amazingly beautiful and only about $100/night. Splitting that with Jeri has made it even more affordable.  The weather has been sunny and warm and I keep marveling that it's January! There's no doubt that I feel healthier and more energetic in this warm climate!

That being said, I think Sarasota, Florida is the most likely choice for my "long-term snowbird spot". As much as I've loved Costa Rica and Mexico, it's hard to get around without a car, and I can barely manage driving in the states, so do not want to deal with driving in a foreign country.

Also walking and hiking is much more difficult and dangerous. Even though the places I've been staying are relatively safe from crime, there are a lot of wild dogs (at least in Costa Rica) and there are, of course, more scary things like snakes and iguanas and these animals that look like big rats..  

Off to the beach!

GalPal Trip to Hilton Head Island, SC and Savannah, GA

Like the rest of the world, my travel plans for the past year have not turned out as originally planned. However, I had a huge stroke of great travel luck this week! 

Minnesota BFF Lisa and I had planned this Spring trip to the East Coast so long ago that we'd felt sure Covid would be a non-issue  In fact, the plan had been that I'd be doing my winter snowbird tour in Florida and would swing by and pick Lisa up at the Savannah airport on March 13 for a vacation in Hilton Head, SC and Savannah, GA.

But, of course, I didn't execute the snowbird plan after all. Both Lisa and I have been staying "safe"..  we're both social-distancing, mask-wearing, rule-followers so traveling when the country is not yet pandemic-free created a fair amount of anxiety and guilt for both of us.  However, as an older, wiser woman, I've been trying to rid myself of unnecessary guilt in favor of taking educated risks.  Not to mention, we're not even breaking any rules or laws! (Clearly, I'm having trouble playing the 'bad girl.')

We both agreed we would mask up and carry on with the vacation.  I felt very lucky that I was able to get the first vaccine before the flight and had a wide range of masks from N95 to light-up party mask to keep me safe.

When a major snowstorm turned out to be in the Denver forecast for exactly when my flight was leaving, I felt sure that snow was going to ruin my travel plans. But the snow came late and I was able to make it out and meet Lisa in Savannah.

We rented a cute little Volkswagen Beetle and have been having and awesome girl's trip.  Like our trip to the Bahama's 3 years ago,  we had lots of fun visiting, eating, drinking, cooking, and exploring. I never run out of things to talk about with Lisa!

The weather has been better than expected..  the original forecast showed rain all week, but it really only rained for a few hours today (actually, we had the excitement of a tornado warning!) 

We spent 3 days at Lisa's RCI Timeshare unit on Hilton Head Island and then 3 days in Historic Downtown Savannah. Every day we found fun things to see and do!

Here are some of the Happy Highlights from the week:

• Long walks on the beach
• Renting bikes and exploring Hilton Head Island, including an historic cemetery
• Trying to ride the bikes on the beach despite the strong winds!
• Nightly "Happy Hours" with White Claws or Pinot Grigio
• Beautiful architecture and huge trees draped with Spanish moss
• The Sea Pines Resort with horses, gardens, quaint shops, and a lighthouse
• She-Crab soup! Yum!
• A beautiful AirBnB in historic downtown Savannah
• Forsythe Park
• Meeting our "neighbors" Fred and Patty from Vermont
• Being in Savannah for St. Patrick's Day - green fountains and partiers
• Watching movies: Like Father, The Dressmaker, and The Greatest
• Asking each other "Conversation Questions" 
• Delicious Dinner at The Husk: Quail with Sweet Potato and Cobio
• Making dinners.. Flounder with mandarin oranges, Eggs with zucchini and yummy spice, guacamole and Mexican food
• The Hop-On, Hop-Off Trolley and the historic tour

Lisa's heading back to Minnesota tomorrow, but I have another weekend of adventure in St. Augustine before I head back to Colorado on Monday.  I'll be sad to see Lisa go tomorrow, but this vacation was such a relief.. like the world was slowly returning to "normal" again.

Snowbird Season!

October was filled with costume opportunities, beautiful changing leaves, and yummy warm soups. And while I usually dread the cold months that come next, this year I'm fully embracing the beginning of Snowbird Season!

Tomorrow, bright and early, I leave for Mexico! I rewrote the lyrics to Milky Chance's Colorado and got Cathy and Becky to perform it with me!

Yvette: Getting out of Colorado Getting cold demasiado If I don’t go equivocado So today, I say, emocionada (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) I think that you know what I mean (what I mean, what I mean) I want a playa in the scene (in the scene, in the scene) I’ll see places never seen (never seen, never seen) Like a never-ending dream Wanna be living carefree Lounging under a palm tree Out of the cold Out of the cold Warmth is much more pleasing I’ll leave before it’s freezing Out of the cold Becky; I’m getting out of Colorado Heading home and here’s what I know Through the states I will cruzado So today, I’ll say, I drive tomorrow (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) I think that you know what I mean (what I mean, what I mean) I want a golf course in the scene (in the scene, in the scene) Back to where the ground is green (very green, very gree) Like a never-ending dream Wanna be living carefree Lounging under a palm tree Out of the cold Out of the cold Warmth is much more pleasing I’ll leave before it’s freezing Out of the cold Cathy: I’m playing here in Colorado Staying home and here’s what I know I’ll meet a handsome desperado So today, I’ll stay, hike Eldorado (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) Sleepin' in my bedroom while my back gets good and strong(ooh) Next year I’ll be ready to sing quite a different song All: Then we’ll all get out of Colorado Getting cold and here’s what we know Wanna drink amontillado So today, let’s say, we’ll go tomorrow (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) Let’s get out of Colorado

The Joy Makeover

This girl's dance on Halloween is pure Joy!

In Season 2 of my podcast, Carpe Diem Connections, I'm going to be doing a deep dive into finding joy.  I've become enamored with Ingrid Fetell Lee and her recent Joy Makeover workshop.

She offers a workbook and a very interesting set of interviews, digging deeper with topics about things such as how our joy is affected with 11 different topics starting with time, money, and relationships.

I know 2020 has been a difficult year, and there have been so many struggles. However, those struggles are what help us build resilience and learn more about ourselves, to grow, to persevere, and the overcome challenges.

I'm really enjoying Podcasting, but I want to hear your thoughts and have more of a discussion than podcasting really allows. I hope you'll come join in the discussion on Carpe Diem Connections Facebook group.

Let me know if any of you also are participating in the Joy Makeover and let's share what we're learning! Here are my responses to the first 4 "pre-work" questions.

Joy inventory What parts of your life bring you the most joy?

• Friends

• Relationships

• Playing

• Warm Weather

• Time

• Learning

• Health

• Food & Drink

• Beauty

• Kindness

• Whimsey

• Home

• Creativity

Joy Goals What parts of your life would you like to transform for more joy?

• Snowbird Home

• Deeper Relationships

• Travel

• Learning

• Adding value to society

Joy Barriers What is currently getting in the way of you feeling more joy?

• Politics

• Covid Worries and Restrictions

(Other things that can be Joy-Suckers)

• Financial Stress

• Other people’s hardships

• Grief

• Disappointments with Relationships

• Fears

• Bad Health / Pain

• Rejection

• Decline with Aging

• Loneliness

Joy Vision What would happen if those obstacles were removed? What does a more joyful life look and feel like to you?

A feeling that I was always experiencing the comfort of security, gratitude, and love. A continual feeling of awe and excitement at experiencing and learning new things and connecting with people.

Fall Colors and Friends

Usually by this time of year, we've had an early snowfall here in Superior, Colorado. Not this year. I think (knock on wood) that we'll make it through October being able to enjoy these gorgeous, colorful trees.

I haven't been doing as much blogging lately and I'd like to get back to a daily blog post like I was doing in August.  I've noticed that my mood has been more melancholy than usual, maybe because the shorter days, the drop in temperature,  and my broken heater!

However, one of the highlights of the month has been enjoying a daily walk and relishing the beautiful trees right here in my own neighborhood! A couple of years ago, I went to New England to see the iconic fall foliage, but what I saw this month was just as spectacular.

On most days, I happily get my 10K+ steps walking through my neighborhood, but at least once a week, I find a new place to walk with one of my friends. I get double benefits of beautiful Fall scenery along with the conversation with a friend!

Cathy and I enjoying a walk in her Louisville neighborhood

Glenn and I hitting up South Mesa Trail

Becky and I in Broomfield - playing frisbee putt-putt golf

Bonnie and I this morning in Superior

On that picture from this morning with Bonnie, I was amazed at how clear and bright the photo looked without any filters!  Now the days gotten cloudy and overcast, so I'm happy we got a 2-hour walk in first thing this morning.

It's weird how much weather can affect my mood.  I know that darkness and cold is no big deal..  it's not like it's anything personal..  yet, still, it absolutely makes a difference! Maybe I do have that SAD disease (which in itself seems pathetic and sad.  I mean.. just put a sweater on, right??)

Anyway, even though the colder days have been bringing me down a bit, I am very much looking forward to the start of my snowbird adventures! I'll be heading to Playa del Carmen on November 2nd!