FL Snowbirds Diary Entry 7: Let Me Summarize this Week with ‘You Know you are in the Land of Senior Snowbirds When:’

Today was a GOOD day!! Pawpaw was more himself today than ANY other day so far! Mom wanted and needed some time away so we went to chase fleas while driving, and exploring our town of Sebring plus towns north of us, Avon Park and Lake Wales.

Yes we had a good day! After our early morning flood we did not experience any more spraying water, mistaken identities, handyman challenges or sullen anguish. It was a good day!

Mom and I enjoyed our outing. Pawpaw enjoyed having a TV again and watched several movies of his choice. Our freshly showered friends, whose hot water continues to work, visited, brought chips with a special Mexican dip that mom and I especially enjoyed as we ignored our dieting guidelines.

Later, we watched ‘State Fair’ from 1945 on Turner Classic Movies and Pawpaw truly enjoyed it. He remembered seeing it in the theatre when it originally came out! Yes, he clearly remembers 65 years ago but he does not remember a few minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months ago. We did not go to bed nor turn the lights out until after the movie was over and that was actually after midnight! Yes, we had a good day!!

As I reflect upon what a good day we had, I would like to close by sharing some thoughts I have been gathering all week long. I have been thinking lots about this Floridian World of Snowbirds I am living with now. I think that it is fitting to end the first week of diary entries with my List entitled “You know you are in the Land of Senior Snowbirds WHEN….”

You know you are in the Land of Senior Snowbirds OR that you may be turning into a Senior Snowbird when:

• The TV stays on the Western Channel ALL Day!

• You find yourself leaving a restaurant and your evening meal is already behind you at 4:00 pm!

• Lights are out at 8:00 pm!

• You find the handicapped parking spots at Wal-Mart are always filled.

• All of the people you see playing Putt-putt Golf have snow white hair.

• You search for Flea Markets to satisfy your need for a day out-of-the-house……. AND you find Yeehaw Junction is only 25 miles away! Yeehaw!!

• Your mom tells you often that, ” everyone is just ‘laying around frying like popcorn and too pooped to pop!’ ”

• Your mom shares analogies that come quoted from places like the Popcorn Song that says, “too pooped to pop, just laying here frying.” Where did that come from? And from when? Although, I am surrounded by snowbirds and I fear I may be becoming one, that song is “before my time!!”