2017 Recap

Part One: The Good News: 

The last year has brought many changes to our life here in the Villages. Some wonderful, and some not so much.  The good news first:

My eldest, Erika, bought a beautiful Home on Lake Roseau, complete with a guest cottage equipped with a bomb shelter.  She intended to use it as an investment and vacation rental, but as her life often takes unexpected twists and turns, she accepted an opportunity to move from her job on the fight for 15 in Oakland, to an assignment organizing adjunct professors in Tampa.  Her passion for the Labor Movement makes her my hero! Go get a Union for USF! We are over the moon! Both of my daughters are now within an hour from us in Florida! We bought 8 acres and a trailer across the road from her and her boyfriend Jake packed up and joined her in Florida several months later!  Long story short, although Erika and Jake both loved California, and miss his brother and family very much, it seems that they are settling in. The property is amazing! Wildlife including birds, turtles, gators & fish are abundant, and the Nature coast is old Florida at its best!  The Vacation Rental business has exceeded our wildest dreams and they are killing it as hosts! https://www.facebook.com/Blue-Herron-Lake-House-and-Cottage-517981155218365/Blue-Herron-Lake-House-and-Cottage

My youngest daughter, Briana, had a baby boy in June, and received her BS in Nursing.  Her husband Travis and her are just smitten with this little guy, as we all are!  He’s got a pleasant disposition and is perfect in every way! Not that I am biased, but he’s the most beautiful boy I have ever met! Despite working full time and being pregnant Bri managed to graduate from her Bachelor program with honors!  She makes me very proud!

We traveled to NY several times this year, the last time with a dog, a 17-year-old cat, and an angry Parrot. Our time at the cottage came later in the summer than usual (Lucas again) but was, as usual, filled with summer fun, concerts, plays, friends and food! The storms of the past year left the Highland Glens Pines damaged and dangerous, but only a little blood was spilled getting them under control. 

We sold my last WNY investment property.  91 was a Lockport 4 Unit that I bought in 1978. It was the place everyone moved into when they were “in transition”.  We brought Erika home from the hospital to Apt #2, and the list of friends and relatives whom resided there includes just about everyone I know or am related to! I am so glad to be down to only one NYS tax obligation, but it is bittersweet saying goodbye to a place full of memories. Wayne and Rich worked their tails off, getting it up to shape to sell, and their hard work paid off, as of today after 40 years, it has new owners!

We were just packing up to return to Florida when Irma blew in. My Uncle Ron and two friends were evacuated from their homes in the Keys, and my central Florida house filled up with hurricane refugees. We decided to ride out the storm in WNY, and flew Bri and Lucas back to WNY to keep them safe.  I knew the rest of the family could tough out a storm but the idea of an infant in harm’s way made me crazy. We only lost power in the Villages for a few days, but the Keys refugees were not so lucky. Irma hit Marathon hard, and they are still in full recovery mode. At 90 my Uncle Ron rolls up his sleeves every day, helping his neighbors with clean up. His home was well built and up on stilts and only experienced minor damage but many of his neighbors lost everything.

 24 of us signed up to go to Cuba! It was a short cruise on a small ship with stops in Key West, Cozumel and Havana. The trip was complicated from the start, with a volatile political climate brought on by the idiot in office, and the direct hit from Irma. 24 signed up, and 18 eventually sailed. We had a blast and I will dedicate a complete post to our trip later!

RC and I have decided that if Erika can do it, so can we so we purchased a Townhouse in Tarpon Springs to try the Vacation Rental stuff for ourselves. It looks like a good buy and we will close in early December. Stay tuned!