Arizona Adventure

 

It was our 40th anniversary in November and after much discussion on taking a trip to celebrate, we decided on an active one.  Last week, we traveled to Scottsdale and Sedona and as you can see from the photos, it was everything we had hoped for and more.

We hiked in both the Sonoran Desert in Scottsdale and the famous red rocks of Sedona. We drove a two person ATV through the Tonto National Forest and came away covered in mud. We stayed at a lovely resort just north of Scottsdale called The Boulders and loved our private casita with a fireplace.  Since the weather was chiller than expected, the warm fires were welcome and very cozy.  The resort was beautifully landscaped, had bars and restaurants on site and was a great base for our adventures.  The resort bar, complete with comfortable chairs in front of a fire, became our favorite spot at the end of the day.

I googled restaurants with the best views and found a lovely spot for dinner one night in Rio Verde.  We also had a great Mexican lunch in Sedona with perhaps the best margarita of the trip - and I do enjoy a margarita tour.

We have been to Scottsdale before, but on golf trips, so this was very different.  Also, after our tropical Florida life,  the landscape with cactus and mountains in our views was a big change and so fun.  

When you have been married for 40 years and together since college, you have a lot of good memories.  This trip is now added to that list.

#floridalife

 

Whenever I post a pretty beach or pool or blue sky photo on Instagram, I always use the hashtag #floridalife. I just think it perfectly describes this life of mine in the past five years since our empty nest move here.  It’s a lot of being outdoors, being on the water and mostly, being present in the moment and realizing how fortunate I am to have this lifestyle.

I often think about how fortunate I am to live this life everyday when I see the tourists enjoying their precious week in the sunshine.  There are many choices every day of what outdoor activity I can do, which walk along the coast I can take, or which course I want to golf on.  There is year round gardening and I can visit the plant nursery and plant something every week if I choose.  For someone who loves to get their hands in the dirt, it suits me.  It’s a relaxed vibe that means I wear flip flops everyday and bright Lilly colors are my norm.

It look a leap of faith to move here; far away from family and friends, but as we approach our five year anniversary of leaving Michigan, there are no regrets, only sunshine.

How I Stay Grounded

 

I posted this on my IG stories, because it really spoke to me.  My personality is quite calm, but there are certain things that keep me that way and maybe this list which is pretty spot on, will help you too.  Obviously, not working full time, or having young children or teens at home makes my days less stressful than many, but we all need touchstones in our daily life that keep us grounded.  Out of this list, I have highlighted a few that I can’t do without.

Sunlight

I live in Florida, so soaking up the sunshine is a way of life.  Having lived in Michigan for a good portion of my life, with it’s gray winter days, I can see the difference living in the Sunshine State makes in mood and lifestyle.

Whole Foods

As I have gotten older, there is a noticeable difference in how I feel based on how healthy I eat.  I rarely eat fast food, do not consume any caffeine and do my best to eat a balanced diet.  As a dietetic, portion control is my mantra.

Sleep

I used to be a night owl and exist on very little sleep.  My diabetes is hereditary, but not getting enough sleep can be a trigger.  Now, I rarely stay up past midnight.  Again, a stress free lifestyle makes a lot of difference, but a healthy lifestyle is the key.

Nature

I love to walk and soak in nature whether it is on the beach or on a trail.  When I lived in Michigan, walking in the snow was my favorite thing.  Gardening is also a big part of my life and getting my hands in the dirt or wandering around a plant nursery are what I consider therapy.

Movement

I discovered yoga about ten years ago and haven’t looked back. When I had a knee injury and couldn’t practice yoga, it showed me how important if is to move.  And, having graduated from physical therapy last week, with my strength and range of motion back, I am doing what I love.  And, out of all the exercises my PT gave me, yoga was by far the best for building strength and flexibility.  I  also play golf regularly and like I mentioned walk every day.

Decluttering

This started with my move and inevitable downsizing four years ago, and it is now a way of life.  I am determined to never accumulate so many things again and donation is happening regularly.  A cluttered home equals a cluttered mind for me.

Future Planning

I love to be home, but also love to make plans.  Whether it is a day trip or plane travel, new experiences are good for your mental health and to keep you from getting in a rut.  There is always a new adventure on the horizon and we live in the perfect place and have the perfect lifestyle to take advantage of it.  

Happy Wednesday!

Girl Time

 

If you have adult daughters, I think you will understand what I am about to say next - I adore when one of my daughters comes to visit on her own.  

I love both my son in law and Melissa’s boyfriend and enjoy their company very much.  But, there is something special about mother and daughter time when we talk about everything going on in their lives and easily fall back into the rhythms of conversation that began so long ago when they were teenage girls and they needed Mom’s advise.

Melissa came for a spur of the moment visit, taking advantage of her possibly last stretch of working from home.  Here in Florida, she can set up her laptop and phone next to the pool and enjoy glorious sunshine while typing away. I still did my usual routine during the day, but we were able to spend quality time together at night.  It is always so fun to have either one of my daughters here and whether we go out to a fun spot or stay in and drink wine on the lanai, it doesn’t really matter.  Being together is the point.

And, the best part is that there is more girl time to come.  We are all booked for a mother daughter trip to Key West on Mother’s Day Weekend.  Both girls, sunshine, sunsets and the fun ambience of Key West is definitely something special to look forward to.

Boca Grande Bike Adventure

Because of some balance issues that I have dealt with for years, riding a bike didn’t seem like the best idea. But, when you live in Florida, there are just so many lovely spots and trails to ride on, I decided to get a bike and give it a try.  I’m not ready to bike on any main roads, but as long as I concentrate on what I’m doing, I do just fine on neighborhood streets or bike paths.

On Monday, we joined some friends for a perfect weather day of biking on Gasparilla Island and the charming Old Florida town of Boca Grande.  There are cars, but the primary mode of transportation is golf carts, so it’s relatively safe for bikers.  We headed towards the southern end of the island on a paved bike trail stopping at a light house, a quirky marina, a historic inn and ended at a beach front restaurant for lunch (blackened grouper tacos for me) and a libation.

Riding back to town was great exercise after lunch and we then put the bikes back on the cars and walked to a bar for one more drink before heading home.  There is so much more to explore on the island, that we are already planning our next trip back.  It’s only 45 minutes south of us, but the vibe makes it seem much farther away and it’s the perfect spot to get away from the spring break crowds.

Another Florida adventure in the books.

Happy Friday!

Tis the Season

My title of this post may be confusing, except for those of us who live in southwest Florida.  Season means our population doubles this time of year with both snowbirds ( seasonal residents) and visitors to our beautiful area.  For many of us full time residents, that means a steady stream of company and I for one, couldn’t be happier.  I love seeing my Michigan friends and family and taking them to all the tropical places.

We started March with round two of visitors and we has so much fun.  We are lucky to be close to and enjoy the company of Megan’s in laws and have been telling them to come and visit for ages.  It finally worked out and we really enjoyed showing them our new life in Florida.  We took them to some of Megan and Adam’s favorite spots, got in a round of golf, a beach walk and even some pool time.

We are lucky to have this relationship with them and realize it is not the norm, but it sure makes life easier and more fun when we all get along.  From the minute we started spending time together when Megan and Adam got engaged, we knew we were going to be not just friends, but family.  Hopefully the next time they visit, Adam and Megan can join us to make it even more special.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Volunteering

In Michigan, I lived in a tight knit community with many opportunities to volunteer.  It was the norm and I even have a good friend who started a non profit when she saw a need.  I was involved in my daughter’s parochial school activities from room parent to brownie leader.  I designed and sewed costumes for school musicals and served on boards and committees from elementary to high school level.  Even my last job had a element of volunteerism in recruiting and scheduling workers for a city wide festival.

Now in Florida, I feel like I haven’t missed a beat.  I live in a new development with an active HOA and I have gotten very involved.  But it is landscaping related, which I am passionate about, so I do enjoy it.  The city I live in is somewhat small and by also volunteering for a hard working landscape group, I have met great people and feel really connected to the area, even after living here only a short time.

After retirement (early for us) there is a period of finding your way in a new normal.  You do need time for yourself, but there are a lot of hours in the week to fill and as long as I get my golf and yoga in, there is time available.  Volunteering is rewarding and really there is something out there for everyone.  Communities need volunteers and I find those who get involved to be the best kind of people.

My husband told me the other day that I was working way too hard on a volunteer job.  But, isn’t there a saying - do what you love and it’s not work.  That’s me right now.

Happy Thursday!

Italian Food and Italian Cars

One of the things we enjoy the most about living in Florida is the spur of the moment opportunity to do something fun.  You can hop in the car and head to the beach, a great restaurant and on any given weekend; your choice of a festival or two.

Saturday, we decided that we would head to St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota for lunch at our favorite Italian restaurant.  When we approached the circle over the Ringling Bridge, we noticed that there seemed to be a lot more traffic than normal for this time of year.  I usually check to see if a festival is going on wherever we are headed, but didn’t think to this time.  When my husband saw that there was a car show happening, he was thrilled and when we discovered it was Ferraris on The Circle, he was even happier.

So, as planned, we had wonderful Italian food (Eggplant Parmesan and sangria for me) at an outside table and then happily strolled around the beautiful Italian cars, picking our favorite color (red of course) and getting serious sticker shock at the prices.  But, it’s fun to dream, right?

Happy Monday!

On Turning 60

So, I have some thoughts on turning 60.

 First, it’s not so bad!  60 is the new 40, right.  But, in all seriousness a few years ago, I was dreading leaving my fifties and 60 sounded like a really big number.  After moving to Florida and totally reinventing my lifestyle, I am in better shape than I have been in many years, my heath is good and life here is really like living in paradise everyday.  There is a lot to celebrate.

I wrote about my health journey after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes here, and how that was really the catalyst for me to make changes.  There are so many health issues associated with Diabetes and I was determined to overcome all those challenges.  Along the way, I reclaimed the active younger me who I had lost.  Who was that person that drank a can of Coke for breakfast ?! Walking and yoga, along with healthier eating will be what keeps me young and enjoying retirement with my husband.  We retired young and are determined enjoy every minute of it.

Age really is just a number and that is so evident here in Florida.  I tend to be one of the younger ones
around and I am so inspired by those who are twenty years older than me, but still active every day.  It’s all about keeping moving, keeping flexible and staying strong.  I recommend yoga to everyone
for that very reason.  At 60, I am stronger and more flexible than ever and am proud of those 2
(working on 3) minute planks.  And when I golf, my drives are longer than ever.

So, I’m looking at 60 as the beginning of a new chapter.  A chapter of life that I am excited about, without looking back and worrying about getter older.  It’s a cliche, but if you are as young as you feel, I am ready to live my life with energy and new experiences for as long as possible.  There is so much to look forward to.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Summer in Florida

Summer in Florida is very different than the rest of the year.  It’s hotter than the surface of the sun (heat index 110 today lol) most days, but you get used to that pretty quickly.  The biggest difference is how quiet it is.  The snowbirds are gone and while I miss my friends, it is so nice to drive without traffic and go to the beaches and restaurants without the crowds.  We are enjoying spending time with the friends who are still here and also exploring the places we have been wanting to see.  I have a list that I hope to get through in the next few months.

Last Friday, we headed to Anna Maria Island, just north of Sarasota, for breakfast on the beach.  It was a beautiful morning, hot and sunny, but we found a table in the shade and mostly remarked on how lucky we are that on a whim, we can sit on the beach drinking coffee and eating eggs and toast.  Next on the list, there is a restaurant just south of us, that you reach by a water taxi, with possible dolphin sightings. Sounds fun, right?

Finally, after two summers, we have realized that the best Florida lifestyle requires a pool of our own and a bigger outdoor living space.  We have a beautiful resort style pool within walking distance, but think it would be perfection if we could simply walk out on the lanai and jump in our pool whenever the mood strikes.  There are permits to obtain, demolition to endure and probably months of construction ahead, but we are excited for it to happen.  The photo I’m sharing is taken at a model home and not exactly what we will have in terms of pool tile, but otherwise very close.

Happy Wednesday!