Settled in new home in Florida

The movers arrived about 9:30 a.m. on Monday, September 11th.   They loaded the truck in about 3 hours.   As they finished loading furniture and boxes from each room, I swept and mopped the floors.  I left it as clean as possible in the time I had, but we were rushing to drive through Atlanta before the afternoon traffic piled up.   We drove the entire 9 hours to Clearwater and arrived at Leigh Ann's condo at 10:30 p.m.  We were truly tired from a long day's work and drive.   We slept well and arrived at the condo the next morning after breakfast at Leigh Ann's.     

The movers did not get here until late afternoon to begin unloading.  

They were moving too fast for me to keep boxes together for each room but it was getting late and getting it all unloaded and inside was the main thing.   They were very cooperative to set up beds and put furniture where I suggested.  We went to bed and started unpacking the next morning.  I gave Ron the task of unpacking all of his things and I started on the kitchen first. Slowly, box after box was unpacked and things put away and in three days, it was done!

Leigh Ann and I have rearranged things in the living room and dining room but with the small rooms, there is limited space to change things.   We had only seen a video of this condo and the previous owner had lighter furniture which fit in better and gave more floor space to get around things.    We are pleased that I found a place for everything, and we can surely use all of it.   

 

We are about 10-20 minutes' from Leigh Ann but further from Tatum who lives in Tampa.    Stores are within 4 or 5 miles and two congregations are that close also.   It will be a convenient place for us old folks to live out our last years.        

We are tired from the packing, moving and unpacking but slowly feeling normal again.   Our computer work got behind and we are busy catching up again.    The quarterly reports about the girls are pouring in and I will get them to their sponsors next week.

Moving is never easy but this one was especially hard.    There seemed to be a lot more to move, get rid of and yet I left many things in the house for Ronald and Gigi to dispose of someday when they sell the house in Woodstock.   Leaving good neighbors was really hard.   One has texted me that she's still pretending that we are just on a trip to Asia and will be back.    I am thankful for the strength and ability to make this move as I am not sure it would have been possible in another year.   We almost waited too long to make our final move.    I am thankful for the blessings of a nice place to live and our health to get through the move.

The condo is easy to clean and keep straight.   It will be a simpler lifestyle, but I miss having a yard and a place to go outside and walk around.    I took my first walk this morning to a shopping center within a half mile.   There are sidewalks the entire way and a crosswalk for pedestrians.    I walked through the Bealls' outlet store, Dollar Tree and Save-A-Lot grocery store.   They are well-stocked and good stores.  There is a pharmacy, a hair salon and three restaurants in this strip center.   It is very convenient to have these stores so near to us.

We went to church with Leigh Ann on Sunday.   She goes to Pinellas Park church of Christ in Clearwater.    She came and picked us up and it took about l/2 hour to drive there.   There are two closer churches to us and we will visit them in the next few weeks.   

Sunday was Leigh Ann's birthday. 

We treated her to Asian food at P. F. Chang's Restaurant and really had a wonderful meal.   She got a birthday dessert, large enough for all three of us to have a chocolate overdose.  

Leigh Ann had the condo clean and stocked with supplies and food.   It was a wonderful help to us but we know she worked very hard to have it so perfect.   We are so grateful for her love and willingness to help us in every way.

Our trip to the Mayo Clinic for the remainder of the health tests for Ron will be October 5-6.    We will have to go to Jacksonville on the 4th as he has an early appointment on the 5th.   

The Mayo Clinic is a four-hour drive from here.   

I will post again when we have more news to report.   Thanks to everyone for the well wishes for our new home in Florida.   If any of you are ever in this area, please come by or call.    God bless you all.