Snowbird, Freebird - #7 1-25-13

   The Saga of the Mail and What It's Taught Me
I, like most people, take so much for granted.  Turn on the tap, poof:  water.  Flip the switch, poof:  lights.  Go to the grocery, chicken is all cleaned and packaged.

 I bet you rarely even think about, much less appreciate, getting your mail.  Sometimes there are bills, and that's not fun.  And sometimes there's a birthday card from grandma.  Sometimes it's a magazine you subscribe to, and sometimes it's an 8 pound seed catalog.  The whole idea of mail is probably an anachronism, but I bet you still get mail.  What do you think would happen to you if your mail just stopped coming?

So here I am, 1400 miles from home, having dutifully filled out my temporary change of address card before I left, naively thinking I would actually receive my mail at some point, in my temporary home.  Ah, if only.  I have spoken to more postal workers than I ever thought I would (or should).  I even have a case number with the postal service - pretty official, right?  I've been to the local post office in person, I've stalked the local carrier, hoping for some sympathy and understanding.  I was on hold for 47 minutes with the Miami Consumer Affairs Office, whose voice message assured me that my call was important to them and I would be speaking with the next available representative "shortly".  The 47 minutes wouldn't have been so bad, except every minute and a half I'd hear how important my call was. 

Nobody knows what the problem is, they're all pointing their fingers at each other.  Bottom line is:  no mail.

Today I made a monumental decision.  I have given up the fight.  Uncle I cry.  Today I made the choice to give in to what it is, rather than insisting it be what I want it to be.  Instead of agonizing about what I'm missing about my missing mail, I have decided not to engage in this fruitless endeavor.  I've always been a windmill tilter, fighting for the principle of things.  That's gotten me into more trouble than I care to admit.  What I'm learning is that not every fight is worth fighting.  The satisfaction doesn't have to come from getting what I think I deserve, or have a right to - the satisfaction comes from letting go. 

So I will notify the post office to keep sending my mail to my home address, and stop the madness of trying to get mail sent to Florida.  I will ask my son to check the mail, notify me of the important stuff, and hang onto the rest. 

And when I get home, I will bring some cookies into the post office and personally thank them all for doing their jobs so well, that I forgot to notice.

Snowbird, Freebird - 1/7/13 #6

So here it is, Monday and the day the supervisor is going to come and give me a DVR box.  I was told they would call before noon.  At 11 I could wait no longer and called them.  I spoke w/Crystal at Harry's.  "Hi Crystal, I'm just checking on when your supervisor will be coming to set up by DVR box".  I was on hold for a while, Crystal comes back and says - "there's no notes about anybody coming to your house.  You're set for hookup on January 14th".  Oh God.  I took some deep cleansing breaths and explained to Crystal that the 14th is no longer in play, as the guys were already here, and told me that today the supervisor was coming to put me out of my misery.

Crystal had no idea what I was talking about.  More deep breaths.  Then there's a knock on my door and guess who?  The same cable guy who was here on Saturday (with a new helper).  Cut to the chase, no I cannot ever have a DVR box.  But, I now have 82, count 'em 82 channels.  I practicallly hugged them.  The new guy (this was his second day) looked like he was rethinking his job choice.  Hopefully it was explained to him that not every customer gets this enthused.  Or maybe they do.  Who knows.  Anyway, it's over, the long nightmare is over.

Now my goal is to find the beach.  My inability to find my way around is legendary.  Hi, my name is Phyllis and I am Navigationally Challenged.  The GPS is the greatest invention since Velcro and the DVR (hey, I'm workin' on it).  I know I am in southern Florida, in a town that has the word "beach" in it, yet I cannot seem to actually find the beach - you know the place with the sand and the water.  I think I was really close at one point because I saw people walking on the street with chairs and towels. 
 
I look at it this way, at least I have a goal.  I no longer have cable to obsess about, so finding the beach seems to me to be the next logical move. Wish me well, I have sunscreen and focus.  I will find the beach.

Snowbird, Freebird - 1/7/13 #5

I know you're on the edge of your seats to find out if I got cable.  Well, I got internet access.  It's not wireless, because they don't have that at Harry's Fly By Night Cable Company, something they did not tell me when I begged them to come and hook me up.   I did get a modem, so I don't have to shlep to the Clubhouse every day.  I'm trying to be more flexible and appreciative of what I do have rather than what I don't.

 They also couldn't set up my DVR.  That's because the flammerjammer didn't mesh with the blugendorfer.  I do know that after 2 1/2 hours they cried "uncle" and told me that their supervisor will need to come himself to figure this out.  They assured me it's doable, but not by them.
Their supervisor.  Really?  I like to think of this man as the Wizard of Oz.  He's merely a voice behind a curtain.  I was promised that he'll call me "first thing on Monday".  Hahahahahahahaha.

There is a TV in the bedroom here, that gets some basic channels.  It's old, but it works.  There's a remote that doesn't work.  So here's my question:  if a TV is old will a universal remote work?  Or, is there a way to get the same brand remote for an old TV?  If a tree falls in the forest.....

I'm learning a few things about myself here.  I already knew that I hate the snow and the cold.  I'm learning that I also miss the rain.  I love the rain.  It doesn't seem to rain in southern Florida, at least not in January. 

I'm finding that I am definitely a small-town gal.  The traffic here is crazy.  I'm used to being able to travel 20 miles and not even pass any traffic lights.  Here it's hard to go 20 feet without lights. 

The news here is scary.  Lots of shootings, and violent crimes.  I checked the Berkshire Eagle today and one of the headlines is "Stolen parrot found in Pittsfield".  Now that's my kinda news.  Wait until my cable gets hooked up, now that's some good news.
Stay tuned.

Snowbird, Freebird - 1/3/13

I've been here for 2 full days now and I've discovered some things of interest.  The owners of this condo have some odd quirks.  For example, there is no kitchen garbage can.  There's a tiny wicker basket, but it has no liner and a can of soup and an apple core would fill it up.  Did these people not produce any garbage?  Is that possible?  How could they live like that? 

There are no drinking glasses, you know, for like water or juice or soda.  There are mugs and fancy wine glasses, but no regular glasses.  No beverages and no garbage.  Huh.
There are, however, decorative items on every flat surface.  Figurines, vases, bowls, candles, an African warrior with a sword.  Come to think of it, if I had a water glass there's no place I could put it.

I've learned it feels weird to live in a stranger's home.  They left stuff in the fridge.  I don't want to drink the Stoli or the one Bud Light.  I also don't want to throw it out.  So it cohabitates along with my broccoli, my eggs and my butter.  Why didn't they leave butter?  There are many, many, many rolls of toilet paper.  I brought my own, is that stupid?  Am I supposed to use theirs?  What is the etiquette around this?  So much to learn.  I'll google it.
I want to be a good renter.  It took me right back to 4th grade when I was Miss Levy's favorite student and she told my mother how bright and sweet I was. That's when my good girl personna really blossomed.   It's important that people like me -even strangers who I'll never meet.  Tell me doctor, is that wrong?

Siri and I are going to explore the beach today.  Maybe pick up a garbage can and some drinking glasses.

Snowbird, Freebird #3.  1/2/13

Woke up today to a gorgeous day.  Sunny, breezy, temps in the 70s. Just what I came to Florida for. I was feeling smug and glad I made the decision to come here.  Ha-ha-ha to the people at home, with their hats, gloves, scarves and boots - and all that snow.
Thought I'd do a little food shopping and be home for the cable guy, between 1 and 3.
The food shopping went ok.
You're ahead of me now, aren't you?
I had set up this cable hookup before I left.  I made sure I could get what I wanted, since I only have a 3 month rental and sometimes companies are wary of short-timers.  I was assured by the realtor and the cable company, that it would be no problem.  The cute cable guy showed up right on time.  What is it with the genes (or is it the jeans?) of cable guys.  They're always so cute and friendly.  Come to find out that the mega-cable company that services most of this area is actually not the cable company that my complex uses.  My complex uses Harry's Fly-By-Night-Cable, whose motto is "call us and we'll put you on hold until you expire". 
Eventually I talked to a human who said sure, they'd be happy to hook me up with everything I wanted.  On January 14th.  What?  12 days without cable and internet access?  This was clearly retribution for my earlier smugness.  The people at home are freezing, but they're watching TV and e-mailing.
I'm not proud of this, but I resorted to begging.  "Please, sir, you don't understand.  I need my cable.  I need my internet.  I'll die without them."  OK, maybe a little melodramatic, but c'mon.  There was little sympathy from Harry's.  They did offer to put me on the cancellation list.  I asked if they frequently get cancellations.  "all the time".  Gee, I wonder why.  Probably it's people who chose not to stay on hold and hear "we'll be with you momentarily" for 45 minutes
So here I sit, in paradise, with perfect weather and no cable.  Luckily there's a computer room in the Clubhouse so I can vent my frustrations. And there's a pool here, and the beach, and books to read, blogs to write. 
All in all, I suppose I'd rather be in Florida.

Snowbird, Freebird - 12/31/12 -1/1/13
I left Mass at 5AM.  It was dark, freezing, flurrying and I was excited and nervous as hell.  I was hoping to cover at least half the mileage, which would land me in North Carolina.  I got happier and happier as the miles went by, sharing life with Siri. who periodically had to recalculate all of my life functions. She was excellent company, talking occasionally, never interrupting, giving pertinent information, and not asking to change the station.

 The last time I took a long road trip I drove to North Carolina with my kids who were 13 and 17 at the time.  The fight over the radio was a nightmare.  I wanted lite rock and they wanted music (and I use that term lightly) that hurt my eardrums. ACDC was the hot band at the time and I don't know if it was AC or DC, but one of them drove me right to the edge.

Anyway, the dark went away and it was a perfect day to drive, overcast with no traffic.  I was in a very festive New Year's Eve mood.  I stopped at 5PM in Florence, South Carolina.  786 miles from home and enormously proud of myself.

 I found an inexpensive motel and realized that it was New Year's Eve and I was in Florence, South Carolina, in a suspicious area.  I asked the desk clerk if I could have a quiet room and she said, "not tonight".  Uh, oh.  The first room had no lights.  The second room had no cold water in the bathroom.  I was so tired, I just fell into bed.  That seemed like a good idea, until 2:30 AM when I woke up. I thought about taking a shower, but I remembered the Bates Motel, and couldn't do it.   I hung around until 5:00 and left.  Thankfully.

Again, the drive was great. At this point I was feeling like Magellan.   I was all set to meet Audrey, who is the manager of the complex, who would be giving me my keys and explaining stuff.  I had told her I'd arrive around 5:00, but I was making much better time.  I called her at 1:00 to say I'd be in at 2:45.  She said, "Uh oh".  Those are never good words, but at mile 1200 it was like hearing I had to turn around go back to the tundra.  She was out shopping and wouldn't be back when I arrived.  No problem Audrey, I'll just hang around and wait for you.  How long do you think you'll be?  She showed up at 5:15.   I was really hungry and tired and sweaty (remember no shower in South Carolina?).  Cut to the chase, the apartment is clean!  It's bright and pretty.  And best of all?  It's 75 degrees outside.  Not a sign of snow.

Siri and I toasted the New Year and called it a day.  No, we called it a conquest.

                                                          Snowbird, freebird.
This is the first time I've been unemployed in 50 years.  I stopped working for a few minutes when I was pregnant, but that wasn't being unemployed, that was maternity leave.  I quit work one summer to drive cross country, but that was a long vacation - I came back, had a slew of job offers and went back to work.  That was in the 60s, now I'm in my 60s.
This is very different.  It isn't just not having a job, it's not EVER having another job.  I guess the word is "retirement", and I'm not sure why that's so hard to say.  Retirement is for old people and despite the rings around my tree, I don't feel old. I left my job because I can't take another New England winter.  If I never see another flake of snow, I'm good. 
So I left my office today, with a lovely card signed by everybody, the obligatory promise to stay in touch, my head hidden behind stacked boxes filled with old files as I walked out the door.  I will never look at these files again.  Files are like snow - if I never see another file again, I'm good.  

Now I'm on my way to my next adventure.   I'm off to warmer climes, to an apartment in Florida that I've never seen.  I've gotten very comfortable in my New England life, which is not a bad thing, but the time has come to expand that comfort zone and take some risks.  Understand, my comfort zone is only expanding so far:  I need cable (DVR included) and a wireless connection.  I made sure those necessities were available before I signed the lease. Remember I said an adventure, not hardship.

I don't know anybody in Florida and that's both exciting and a little daunting.  I'm friendly, I'll meet people.  I have Skype, and e-mails and a phone, so I'm not exactly going into the Amazonian wilds.  A new living space, new grocery store, new bank.  I'll make it all work.
There's also the issue of getting there.  I'm driving, 1400 miles, by myself.  I have to navigate around snowstorms, and arrive in time to greet the cable guy on 1/2/13 between 1 and 3.  I won't really be going alone, I have Siri, my GPS friend, and a list of all the NPR stations from Massachusetts to Florida.
Wish me well.  I'm already facing my first challenge; it's snowing and I can't get out of  my driveway.