Florida In The Summer ( Snowbirds are All Gone )

It is traditional wisdom to visit Florida from October thru April, and then go back up north to avoid the sizzling, relentless summer sun and high humidity in southwest Florida. That is not what we did... I uprooted my family and moved to Cape Coral in mid-June, the worst possible time to be unloading two moving trucks loaded to the gills with household goods and furniture. We worked up a healthy sweat in the 90-plus degree heat, and then rushed down to the public beach at the Cape Coral Yacht and Beach Club for some relief!

We not only found relief, but realized that this was, in fact, the BEST time of the year to be here and access the wonderful free facilities that this community has to offer! Free parking, no crowds, free fishing on the great pier and dolphin viewing at the end of the day, while watching a staggeringly beautiful sunset over the waters... all with a warm, not humid, Gulf breeze gently blowing in your face! WOW!

The air was refreshing, the people all friendly (they seem to be stress free here) and prices are lower because everything is considered "out of season"... NICE!!!

I cannot believe I was so opposed to coming down here most of my life... only since things went so bad fiscally up in the Northeast, and town politics became so hostile, and people became so stressed out and angry all the time did I finally concede that there may be a better place to retire to... and one I could actually afford to live in. I am so glad that we did what we did when we did it.

As much as I loved my old home town, and the small town feel, I did not love the constant bickering, lack of public official civility, nor treatment as a resident when airing an opinion in front of the rude council members that pretend to care so much about the town and then go out of their way to bash caring residents who simply try to voice an opposing point of view.

I am happy to be away from that setting and be in a place that, at least for now, seems totally devoid of that type of unprofessional behavior.

I can go to the end of the pier, look out at a stunning sunset, and watch as a baby dolphin slowly, playfully makes his/her way thru the bay to the open waters of the Gulf. This is what retirement is supposed to be like!!!

I want to say hi to all my old friends and family still fighting the good battle up there, and welcome them down for visit when they want a break from that rat race! This rat race is far more relaxing! I am voting for the dolphins and 'gators... they get along better than the council members in Vernon, and seem to respect each others' space more as well.