In Plain Sight

Have you watched the show “In Plain Sight” starring Mary McCormack and  Fredreck Weller as two US Marshals working for the Federal Witness Protection Program?  It is one of the shows I have set up on my DVR (and don’t get me started on my love for my DVR).   One mandate when entering the witness protection program is that you can’t participate in activities from your past that would help track you in your new life.  I have often thought I could easily move into a new life without a problem.  Then I realized it would not take long to track me.

How to Find

A Real Retired Housewife of Florida

First place to look is on a golf course.  Just look for a group of ladies hacking the ball down the fairway, laughing while speeding along the fairways and swearing after every missed putt.  This wouldn’t be the easiest way to find me, because there are lots of women who fit that profile.

Next, stake out the local thrift stores.  In Ohio, I knew the staff at the local thrift stores by name.  I am learning the prime spots here in Florida.  A couple of friends have been showing me the routes through nearby cities.  Here are a couple of pictures from my excursions.

Some of the stuff is for my personal collection.  One day I will give a tour of my house and brag about my “trash to treasure” finds.   Other finds are for my alter ego on Ebay, offbeatleaf.  I started in Ebay to build up a balance in PayPal to cover my husband’s motorcycle accessory purchases (okay, I spend some of the money also). 

Then comes crafting.  I am addicted to crafts.  Look for me at Michael’s or JoAnn’s.  I never enter the store without a coupon.  If Martha Stewart does a craft segment (another show I have on my DVR), I am rummaging through my supplies to see if I can make it.  Over Christmas, my Mom and I made these Christmas trees from the Martha Stewart website.  It took a couple of days of planning and gathering the supplies.  Another couple of days of cutting paper, making the base.  My Mom needed 6 trees for a church luncheon.  After 3 trees, we admitted we didn’t like them!  We tried spray painting them, adding glitter…but we still didn't like them.  At least we didn't have any money in them.

Lastly, when someone thinks they found me, there would be no doubt once they entered my home.  Just look for the silver leafed accessories.  It is my way of "marking" my territory.    

I have threatened the cats that if they lay around too long, I just might silver leaf them, too.

Of course, at the end of the show the US Marshalls would catch the bad guys and I could go back to being

A Real Retired Housewife of Florida

A Day In The Life of A Real Retired Housewife of Florida

The first question I got when I retired was…"What do you do all day?"  I don’t know what I do all day, or all week for that matter, but I sure am busy doing it.  Let’s take today for example.

8 a.m.  Contractor showed up to install a screen in the front entry.  While this was being done, I did some laundry, cleaned up and talked with a girlfriend from Ohio.   Here is what the front entry looked like before..

9 a.m.  Left the house for yoga, dentist appointment and committee meeting for the golf course hole captains.  I also fit in a yard sale and a stop at a local thrift store.

1:30 p.m. I finally arrived home and saw the new entry screen.

YIPEE!  Now I can leave the front door open for a cross flow of air.  The previous owner didn’t believe that air circulation in the house was healthy.  Her words, I swear.  We have installed a garage door screen, ceiling fans in all the rooms (6 total) and windows with screens and solar shades in the lanai.  On nice days like today (81 and sunny), I can completely open up the house.   

Here is the garage screen.  We definitely didn’t use these in Ohio.

The lanai windows add another room to the house.  We only close it off the lanai when it gets real hot or real cold. 

Now it is 4 p.m. and I don't have a clue what to fix for dinner.  Oh the life of a retired housewife!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog

I recently moved to Florida from Ohio.  You would think it would have been an easy decision to move from cloudy, cold Ohio to sunny, warm Florida.  But I resisted for quite a while.  I had lived my whole life in Ohio, in fact over 25 years in the same house. However, my husband, Brian, grew up in California and was looking for a better climate.  He wanted to ride his motorcycle (on and off-road) more than the few months he could in Ohio.  We agreed on Florida because my Mom lives here.   I took a deep breath and made the commitment to move. 

We live in a “adult-community” with 2 golf course and lots of activities.  Forget your preconceived idea that Florida retirement and retirement communities are about old age, white hair and bad driving. It is more about golf, travel, yoga and SUNSHINE.  

Here are pictures of a few of my favorite things…

We live on a golf course (the 12th fairway). One day I heard tapping on the lanai window and found sand cranes saying “Hi”.

Another favorite is the wonderful sunsets we can see out the back of our house.  

The wildlife is interesting. I have seen coyote, lizards, alligators, turtles, lots of birds and snakes. Yes, I have lived through a few close encounters with snakes. I once had to stop golfing until a small alligator walked across the fairway…very slowly.

Brian and I saw this guy in Everglade City. He was the maître at the local diner.

Here is a collection of golf balls Brian and I have found in our yard over the last year. I think it is time for a new container!