You're not in Indiana any more!

Of course, it is warmer here.  Not balmy but maybe 40 degrees warmer than South Bend.  We did wear our winter jackets again today.

The palm trees and tough grass and bright flowers and the water surrounding us are all so lovely.  It is more pleasant than slushy snow.

 The conversation in the elevators is of two themes--the weather and where are you from?  People are from Ohio, Toronto, and Cape May, New Jersey.  Everywhere there are retirees working part-time or maybe full-time--at the grocery store bagging, waiting on tables, driving for Uber or doing maintenance at the resort.

The local CVS had only a very short array of stationery supplies unlike our CVS near Notre Dame.   However, there was a long row of t-shirts and an endless supply of sunscreen.  There are dozens of restaurants and bars within a mile of us--mostly independent ones and mostly very good.  Only one disappointed us so far. 

We have done things we never or rarely do at home.  We have eaten breakfast out twice and had beer and BBQ for lunch once.  We had beach drinks while watching the sunset at a rooftop bar.  I have relished seafood risotto, stuffed grouper, and lobster.

We tried the paddleboats at Tradewinds across the street--where we have permission to use the amenities.  We were not experts.  A passer-by asked if he should call out the Coast Guard!  We watched a 5K and 10K race on Gulf Boulevard right in front of our condo.  We have enjoyed some sunsets and sunrises but also the fogged in mornings and silvery bay.

We went to a movie--The Post--with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks--and it was excellent.  We felt like rubes not being familiar with buying tickets online, getting the ticket on my iphone, and then finding the right venue among the 20 possible at AMC Sundial 20!  As it turned out, no one even checked our tickets at 11:20 am.  We could have saved $20.

We walk to Publix almost daily and carry our groceries back to the condo.  We miss sports on our large high definition TV but Jim is coping.  We get a daily Tampa Times and read the New York Times on line.

It's a good life!