We Are Moving To A New Rock
We are moving!
Our dream was to retire to the beautiful Florida Keys. And five years ago we did just that. We have spent 11 years enjoying and renovating our home and making it “ours”. The renovations are finally done and it is beautiful. And it is located in paradise.
Then we sold it.
This Wasn’t Something We Did On A Whim
The decision was not a quick or easy one. I mean, the Keys are a part of my story. OUR story. My husband is more adventurous than I am when it comes to change. He was pumped about the changes and the possibilities!
Me? I lost sleep, had horrible anxiety over making the biggest mistake in my life and couldn’t really even talk about it. I didn’t want to hear people say, “I can’t believe that you sold your home in Islamorada. . . ” and roll their eyes like we must have lost our minds.
We haven’t lost our minds. Well, not about this anyway. It’s a great house, with great people, in a great place. It’s just not the right place for us right now. So we are moving.
Things Started To Fall Into Place
We had some things happen to get to this decision. We had agreed to re-evaluate our retirement after five years. My children all settled in the same area. I watched them get together – thrilled that they were doing so but a little jealous that we were watching from five hours away. Then my husband and I looked at a house that was for sale (on another island on the west coast of Florida) that was beautiful. That house didn’t work out, but it made me realize there just might be more than one perfect place to live.
I told a few close neighbors and friends about our decision and they said they “got it”. They could understand why we wanted to be closer to our children and see them on a more regular basis without spending days on the road every time we wanted to have dinner together. They were excited for me and told me we’d keep in touch.
That was another important part of our decision. It’s hard to leave people. We’ve had a place in the Keys since 1993 and there’s a good chance we will again one day. Yup, we may be back.
Time For Our New Dreams
In the meantime, our new adventure is beginning and we are looking forward to consolidating (downsizing!) our belongings and getting a somewhat organized home together where our family and friends can gather for holidays, meals and fun. We are moving to a new rock! We will be living on another island – this time on the west coast of Florida, in the Pass-A-Grille area. It’s a little Keys-y (no high-rise condos or restaurant chains), it’s beautiful, and we are close to our family and our West Coast friends.
And that’s a dream that I can’t wait to start living.
This Says It All
“I counted my years and found that I have less time to live from here on than I have lived up to now.
I feel like that child who won a packet of sweets: he ate the first with pleasure, but when he realized that there were few left, he began to enjoy them intensely.
My time is too short: I want the essence, my soul is in a hurry. I don’t have many sweets in the package anymore.
Yes, I’m in a hurry, I’m in a hurry to live with the intensity that only maturity can give.
I don’t intend to waste any of the leftover sweets. I am sure they will be delicious, much more than what I have eaten so far.
My goal is to reach the end satisfied and at peace with my loved ones and my conscience.
We have two lives and the second begins when you realize you only have one. “
Mario de Andrade
How exciting! Love you guys…. wish you and the boys would move back to Hxpoluxo! We miss you so much!
Wishing you The Best of everything in your new home! Please send me your address.
When you finish downsizing…please come help me!
Kerry
XOX
Thanks Kerry. We miss you all too!! Will message you my address – Hypoluxo was one of our favorite neighborhoods ever – because of neighbors like you! And downsizing. . . . ugh. I’ve decided it’s never ending.
So well told! This expresses my concerns and feelings exactly – and this without even knowing each other. Congratulations to your new home and your move, even if it is hard to leave the Keys. However, the area has changed dramatically over the years. I visited Islamorada for 40 years, first sporadically, for some years even twice a year and for the last 20 years each November, so I have seen some changes! We now decided to spend more time on the west coast – we found a nice rental there – and just some few days in the Keys from now on, just for some fishing and an outing on the party boat. However we will stay in Key Largo this time, we seem not to be able to afford Islamorada anymore. So, some kind of a change also for us, even if it concerns just our holidays and not our whole life. No change in this part of our lives, as we are living in one of the most perfect places on earth, in the Swiss mountain valley Engadin. However it’s a harsh climate up here with “five months of winter and seven months of cold” as they say, so we still will need our month in Florida to warm up before winter comes and we will try to do so as long as we are able to travel. I wish you a lot of luck in your new home and a lot of satisfaction and fun with your family close by!
Thank you so much! You are living and traveling in fabulous places – how wonderful! Yes. the Keys have changed. My husband is a sixth generation Floridian so you can imagine the Florida talk at family gatherings! We are looking forward to this – final – (I hope!) move.
Thanks again – I appreciate the comment.
Congratulations on your new home! We bought our dream house in Naples in January 2021 and retired here this pass January. Settling in to life outside of NYC and truly love the West coast of Florida. Love your FB page and it’s my morning search for your posts. Also we are a golden retriever family and have adopted and fostered many dogs as well as Golden’s. Much love 💕 Ann
Congrats on your move and dream house! Naples is a beautiful area. I’m pretty sure we would be friends IRL, Ann. . . . thanks for your kind comments about the posts. I do love Goldens – and now my heart has expanded to included the Goldendoodle (Dexter) who belongs to our youngest son. As we speak, we are dog sitting Cali, our middle son’s golden. Just grand dogs at this point, lol. Lots of fun! And for right now, the perfect amount of dog!
So happy for the entire family! You are going to love PAG!
You two and the best. I admire your thinking and attitude toward life. You are absolutely right to want to be near your kids. I don’t known what I would do without mine living so close by. I wish you all the luck and God speed to begin your new life. Please keep in touch and let me know when you have a new address. All my love to you both, Marcy
Thanks Marcy – will message you our address. We are looking forward to all of it!!
What a wonderful journal of this exciting change and newest chapter of your lives. You can count on us to stay connected. Near and far, we are always just a phone call or a days drive away! Enjoy every minute! Oxox, Julie
Thanks Julie – I AM counting on us to stay connected – looking forward to new adventures together too!
Love this and you are doing the right thing. Nothing like being closer to your kids and hopefully grandkids in the future. I regret not being closer to Dan and his family every day! Love you guys!
Thanks Marie – we are really looking forward to being there. Love you guys too –
Welcome back to the west coast. Cheers to new memories.
Thanks!! We are looking forward to it all.