I Am A Newcomer - Moving In To Palos Verdes Shores

THEY say that “Nobody likes change.  It is human nature to resist change.”  I suppose it makes a difference if change is a choice or if it is forced upon you.  In our case it was a choice and two weeks ago we officially changed our permanent residence.  We left a home in Playa del Rey that we loved, but knew would present difficulties as we aged, for a new home in a 55 Plus community where we could easily and pleasantly “age-in-place.”  Palos Verdes Shores is a community of manufactured homes.  To quote Jay, “Now we are officially trailer-trash!”  But this home is far from trash.  

 

#154

It is 500 square feet larger than our previous home, is spacious with one level and is located on a hillside with a 180 degree view of the Pacific Ocean…and on clear days of Catalina Island!

Taken from our deck when Catalina Island "was out!"

We decided to purchase the home the minute we walked through it.  Even though we could certainly envision ourselves living there, we had some trepidation.   

“Would we regret our decision?   

Would we make friends?   

Would we feel too removed from life as we knew it and miss the hustle and bustle?   

Would we age faster in a Senior community? 

Would it ever feel like home? 

Would our family come visit us?   

Would we get bored?”

Two weeks is not enough time to answer all those questions, but so far we are smiling!  We are discovering that our experience can be whatever we choose to make it.  Right now it feels very new.  We are exploring new neighborhoods, new farmers markets,

San Pedro Farmers Market every Friday morning.  We bought a fig tree!

 new routes to and from places, new routines (where to drink our coffee in the morning, where to store the can opener), new restaurants, 

Delicious food at Sirinat Thai just 1/2 a mile from our house.

new neighbors with new names that we can never remember but who gladly introduce themselves over and over again, new transportation to transport us 

 

Jay with "Pegasus," our white-winged divine stallion golf cart.

to the clubhouse, the fitness center or my new garden plot in the community gardens.  

Learning Square foot gardening in my little 4 x 8 plot!

 We can be as involved or as uninvolved in the activities of the community as we choose.

The greatest surprise is that our new home and new surroundings seem to invite us to slow down, to focus, to be mindful and pay attention to the beauty, the breeze, the simple tasks we choose to do.  

 

Checking the ships leaving port, and we even saw whale spouts!

 It feels good!  

We look forward to new experiences.  We purchased a membership at the near-by South Coast Botanical Gardens where there are many walking trails through various natural landscapes.

We obtained library cards at the local Palos Verdes library and joined Peninsula Seniors so we can take advantage of the opportunity to audit for free classes at Marymount College, just up the hill from our home.  

Yes, family and friends come to visit!  All my children and grandchildren have been here and Gabriel especially seems to delight in learning to play shuffleboard and have Uncle Marc teach him the fine points of pool.  Gabe is delighted that his new school is just 15 minutes away so we can still have our quality time together!

Marc and Gabe playing pool

Joe stopped in on his way home from San Diego!

Friends, Cindy and Dennis enjoying our deck.

Change has been invigorating for us.  It has changed us a bit as well.  It seems to open us up to be even more willing to try new things.  After taking “Pegasus” out for an trial run around the park we found ourselves tooling around the golf course at twilight.  A few golfers were out, it was so quiet, the grass smelled so fresh.  Jay turned to me and said…”I think we might try golf!”  Stay tuned....

We are newcomers to the next chapter in our life and we are delighted!