Once again, I am getting an early start on my daily blog post. My day has been eventful already, even at 2:30pm. The largest part of my day was my dentist appointment; really just for my quarterly cleaning. The technician (Chris) is always friendly, but sometimes is a bit rough on this old dude.
It turns out that she is only two years younger than me. She mentioned that she is considering retirement. Oddly, I retired when I was 67 too. She was very concerned about the size of her Social Security Pension, although she owns a house and said she had significant savings. Nothing more tangible than that. Good! The less I know about other people’s finances, the better. Money is not something I like to talk about, although I can offer insights into Social Security, investing, and other financial topics. She was not interested. Good once again.
The worst part of the cleaning is the feeling that my mouth is full of blood. I know it takes a day for so to heal from the scraping, so this feeling will go away.
Something else is more top of mind with me recently. If you don’t live in Southern California, you may not know how crazy things are. For example, in San Diego County where I live, the average price of a house is now one million dollars. Of course, very few houses are really worth that price. The issue is that housing developments vote on whether they want more houses built there or not. Many residents voted no. Instead, the region is getting taken over by new apartment complexes. That is not sustainable. I know that the bubble will break at some point, most likely as companies decide to relocate to other states. If that snowballs, housing values will plummet. I do not have the stomach for this insanity anymore.
I have been considering a move to Florida for the last couple years. I have been reviewing 55+ communities in various states for some time. At one development in North Central Florida, I can buy a new home for $140k. It would not be huge, but who really needs a big house when your children have long ago flown the coop?
I have not made any firm decision yet, although it is clear that California will continue to be poorly run. Even though it is one of the most diverse and beautiful states, the government remains a hot mess. I am certain that I will opine on this matter some more as March trundles forward.
Other bloggers have added pictures to their posts, so here is a picture of my beloved dog Akiva.
Oh, Karl! Akiva is adorable! She has such a sweet face. Happy blogging!
Hi, Karl! Akiva is beautiful! Thanks for sharing – the photos always make for a nicer touch.
Your dental visit sounds as a dental visit would be, pretty uneventful, if you pretend there was no pain 🙂
You are braver than I am, considering a move to another state. I am so stuck in my ways and not one to step out of my comfort zone without being forced, I suppose under ALMOST any condition, I’d probably never move. My husband has mentioned that he would like to retire to Florida, as well, but if he does, he’ll quickly become a single man because I love my home and I love where I am.
Karl, there is something about your blog posts that I’m picking up on that I didn’t the last go round… satire. Intentional? I think it’s so unlike you, but I find it totally amusing coming from you. 🙂
Looking forward to tomorrow’s post! Good job! So entertaining!
Nonnie, thanks for your kind words. Akiva really is a joy. As far as satire is concerned, I have always had a silly side. Humor breaks down barriers and allows us to just be ourselves.
Wishing you all the best.
Karl
Oh, Karl, I understand humor wholeheartedly! We laugh ourselves silly in our home… and I love to make folks laugh and smile. Keep up the great work! I love it!
Hi, Karl!
I love Akiva’s adorable face, and I can see why you write about her! I’ll bet she’s fun to walk with.
As a Floridian transplanted from ‘up North,’ I can vouch for Florida as a retirement option. In my opinion, our government is being run very well in comparison to the west U.S. coast. Not everyone agrees, of course, but do your homework and judge for yourself. The weather is lovely during the winter, and actually cooler during the summer than farther north. (Don’t let that little secret get around!) Although we’re a retirement Mecca, we do allow people of all ages into the state, and plenty of young folks have made this their home. We’re quite modern, with our share of chain restaurants and Walmarts. And from North Central Florida, you’ll have unobstructed views of the space launches from our space coast. Speaking for my state, you would be very much welcomed here.
Blessings,
Patty
Patty, that’s great news! I’m not certain when or if I will move, but California is just too crazy anymore.
Akiva is a real sweetheart. She and I are a real team.
Karl
Love the photo of Akiva and the eyes. A good caption would be “WHAT?” as he awaits your answer.
I’m like Nonnie and planted here in MI for good. We’ve travelled to Florida and enjoyed those vacations; always admitting that it’s a nice place to visit but we wouldn’t want to live there. The summers are awfully humid. I do have several friends who have all purchased winter homes in central FL and they rave about their time there. We love laying in the sun and as a permanent resident, I’d eventually turn into a barbecued, crispy chip.
Loving your sense of humor. You can forever eliminate those dental visits by getting your teeth pulled…cleaning would take place automatically when you drop your dentures in a glass overnight.
A dog’s face is one of the best visual additions to any blog entry!
Hi Karl, going to the dentist is not much fun. I made my first visit last month since Covid. That’s a long time. Hygenist said I kept up cleaning very well. That was good to hear. I must say, your dog is not my type. Yours look like it could use some extra pounds but maybe its not that kind of dog. There’s a dog for everybody! Just like there is somebody for everybody mostly.
Have a great day Karl!