Well, the die is casted and I am giving up the house and will move to Imperial Plaza, a retirement community.  But first I must attend to the house and yard and make the necessary plans to make the move.  I have decided the grass can stay the way it is and the leaves, in the front yard, will be taken up one last time.  The back can remain covered because the dogs love the leaves, running and rolling all through it.

During this time, my wife and I took the tour through the retirement community.  I was flabbergasted.  Not only is the place beautiful but self-sufficient like nothing I have ever seen before.  I originally thought that it was one building but it is four plus a nursing facility that is separate.  The four buildings are connected so that no one has to be outside for any reason unless they want to be outside.  There is an assisted living section and the rest is for those that don’t need assistance.

The main building not only has all of the administrative offices and a secretary but other amenities as well.  To name a few, I’m sure I will miss one or two; there is a bank, library, snack bar, restaurant, gym, doctor’s office, dentist office, pharmacy and small store.  Everything is well lit and it’s very spacious.

The staff was wonderful, in fact, one of the staff members wanted to take one of my dogs and that was a blessing in itself.  The activity people, there are only two, went out of their way to make us welcome and extended, to the both of us, the opportunity to participate in the same activities the residents do.  Of course I wanted to have a free tryout of these things.  My wife and I went on a trip to the casino in West Virginia and I also went to dinner with the men group called ROMEO (retired old men eating out).

There was a dinner dance that my wife and I were invited to and I really couldn’t believe the cost for dinner, dancing and socializing, for the both of us, was only twenty bucks.  When we left to go home, we were full and did more than enough dancing.  The woman that go around and get people to dance also have a session called mix and mingle.  That is free but only last an hour and is in the afternoon, twice a month..

After all of this, I was sold and I still have not seen an apartment.  We had set a date for looking at the apartments.  The reason I say (plural) apartments is that there are different price ranges and different sizes.  I am looking forward to seeing them.  In the mean time I will look at the brochures.

I believe I am finally going to enjoy retirement.  Join me on the next installment and see what my retirement is like….