Florida is great place to live!
Posted 09-08-2022 at 08:42 AM by onebuck
Hi,
I am starting to get settled in Florida, even though we have had this house for 7 years now. I'm doing some updates that Anne had planned to do while I was away for the Illinois house face time plan. When we purchased this home, I had agreed she could do as she pleased here. She would do it any way. It's been that way since we've been together. She was a planner and decorator with great taste. I was always happy with her planning and taste. She married me!
My daughter kids me all the time that mom was and had planned on doing everything while I was in Illinois. She always said "your afraid of mom", I would respond that I loved her and trusted her to do what's best for us. I had suspicions about things whenever we would go to Lowe's or other big box stores, Anne would take me to the kitchen section and asked me about counter tops, new appliances. She even took me to the shower upgrades.
Well, I just purchased a new dishwasher that I knew Anne wanted to install. We had already replaced all the appliances in kitchen and laundry room. Everything was dated and end of life. So that's a no brainier. My upgrade for the shower is to replace the drain. Maybe shower doors but no way am I going to spend $3K to replace a perfectly working shower.
I'm trying to remember what counter top she wanted in the kitchen. My daughter came into the house while I was in Illinois and removed stuff that she thought would be upsetting to me (I knew she was in there but asked her to leave some things). Some of the stuff should have remained. Like Anne's notebooks that had all the planning. I cannot hold anything against Melissa for clearing things out because her heart is in the right place.
Anne was a Christmas fanatic and had more decorations than I thought necessary. Before her death she had asked me to look at other houses. I looked at a few and told her we would only gain about 500 sq ft. But she said at least they had more bedrooms so family could come. I told her they were cracker box rooms. She responded back at least a pool so everyone could come to stay with us. We have a big pool at the clubhouse. I responded that Florida does have hotels and we don't have to always accommodate friends and family. But that was my Anne's way to be best hostess for everyone.
I'm planning to have a new metal roof on the house. Asphalt roofing here in Florida has a short life. So a metal roof is a good plan to have 40-60 year roof. I'll choose aluminum and a good grade coating so life is extended. Leave the old roof on as long as it passes inspection to allow it to remain. Good weather seal and insulation to enhance the insulation factor. Anne would never let me do it on the farm or in town because she thought it made the home look cheap and noisy when rain or environmental situations. We do not have snow here nor ice storms but sometimes hail depending on storm situation.
My neighbor here had a metal roof installed last year and it looks great to me.
I am playing golf here a lot. I'm using the pool daily. I take my cooler for beer and my tunes to help pass the time. Pandora is a great music stream and everyone likes my play list because we are a 55+ community and most have grown up with that genre of music. Yes, I can be said to be lost in the sixties.
My playlist covers 50,60,70 and early 80. Beyond that I have some country that can be played for enjoyment.
My health is better now that I've settled here. Lost over 32 pounds, down 3 pants sizes. Wardrobe changes are being done because everything else was falling off me. I'm not dieting but eating when I'm hungry. Anne would always cook major meals and I do like good food so that's why I packed on the weight.
Life is good!
-Gary
I am starting to get settled in Florida, even though we have had this house for 7 years now. I'm doing some updates that Anne had planned to do while I was away for the Illinois house face time plan. When we purchased this home, I had agreed she could do as she pleased here. She would do it any way. It's been that way since we've been together. She was a planner and decorator with great taste. I was always happy with her planning and taste. She married me!
My daughter kids me all the time that mom was and had planned on doing everything while I was in Illinois. She always said "your afraid of mom", I would respond that I loved her and trusted her to do what's best for us. I had suspicions about things whenever we would go to Lowe's or other big box stores, Anne would take me to the kitchen section and asked me about counter tops, new appliances. She even took me to the shower upgrades.
Well, I just purchased a new dishwasher that I knew Anne wanted to install. We had already replaced all the appliances in kitchen and laundry room. Everything was dated and end of life. So that's a no brainier. My upgrade for the shower is to replace the drain. Maybe shower doors but no way am I going to spend $3K to replace a perfectly working shower.
I'm trying to remember what counter top she wanted in the kitchen. My daughter came into the house while I was in Illinois and removed stuff that she thought would be upsetting to me (I knew she was in there but asked her to leave some things). Some of the stuff should have remained. Like Anne's notebooks that had all the planning. I cannot hold anything against Melissa for clearing things out because her heart is in the right place.
Anne was a Christmas fanatic and had more decorations than I thought necessary. Before her death she had asked me to look at other houses. I looked at a few and told her we would only gain about 500 sq ft. But she said at least they had more bedrooms so family could come. I told her they were cracker box rooms. She responded back at least a pool so everyone could come to stay with us. We have a big pool at the clubhouse. I responded that Florida does have hotels and we don't have to always accommodate friends and family. But that was my Anne's way to be best hostess for everyone.
I'm planning to have a new metal roof on the house. Asphalt roofing here in Florida has a short life. So a metal roof is a good plan to have 40-60 year roof. I'll choose aluminum and a good grade coating so life is extended. Leave the old roof on as long as it passes inspection to allow it to remain. Good weather seal and insulation to enhance the insulation factor. Anne would never let me do it on the farm or in town because she thought it made the home look cheap and noisy when rain or environmental situations. We do not have snow here nor ice storms but sometimes hail depending on storm situation.
My neighbor here had a metal roof installed last year and it looks great to me.
I am playing golf here a lot. I'm using the pool daily. I take my cooler for beer and my tunes to help pass the time. Pandora is a great music stream and everyone likes my play list because we are a 55+ community and most have grown up with that genre of music. Yes, I can be said to be lost in the sixties.
My playlist covers 50,60,70 and early 80. Beyond that I have some country that can be played for enjoyment.
My health is better now that I've settled here. Lost over 32 pounds, down 3 pants sizes. Wardrobe changes are being done because everything else was falling off me. I'm not dieting but eating when I'm hungry. Anne would always cook major meals and I do like good food so that's why I packed on the weight.
Life is good!
-Gary
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