Living in Xanadu-Wandering Wednesday

These last couple of weeks have been crazy. Crazy good.

Let’s see, it started with a trip to the dermatologist. I had a spot on my leg that had gotten weird. I wasn’t too concerned – no, that’s not true – I was a little worried, but I guess that’s normal. Karen, urged me to make the appointment and actually picked me up when the time came so I wouldn’t have to go alone. How’s that for a friend? I didn’t even ask – she told me what time she would be at my house and kept me laughing all the way to Georgia.

Everyone in the office was great – the dermatologist was a hoot. He picked up my records, saw that I was a self employed author, and said, “I’ve always wanted to write a book.” As he looked at my leg he told me what he wanted to write about. He kept talking as he gave me the shot to numb my calf and continued talking as he cut off the chunk for a biopsy. When he finished, he rolled closer and looked at a mole on my face. “What about that beauty mark?” he asked. “I can take it off – free of charge.” Which he did.

Karen and I left the office twenty minutes earlier than we expected. And the biopsy came back negative.

Let’s see. Oh – I bought a house here on the island. A fixer upper less than a mile and a half from the beach and two miles to downtown.

Hmmm, what else? Oh, I met a couple of amazing people – Neil and Peggy Childs. I visited them one day to help with a computer problem, was invited to sit on the porch where I heard some great stories, shared some of mine, then stayed for lunch. This couple! They’ve been married over sixty years. Neil proposed to Peggy four weeks after they met. So many stories I’ll have to save a blog just for them.

Then I met with a financial/CPA guy who gave me forty five minutes of his time to go over my money situation (with the sale of my East Nashville house in January and buying the place here), get me prepared for 2018 taxes, set up my new self employed status, and look over my retirement investments. I was expecting to pay about $250 – but when we finished he said, “Tell you what. There’s no charge for today – but I do want a signed copy of your book when it comes out.” Can you believe that?

The pups and I ran into Officer Hernandez on the beach again, and he stopped to let the pups crawl all over him and his vehicle just like last time. He has high hopes that they’ll finally stop barking when they see him, but I think they are just trying to figure out how to drive off without him. I wish I had a picture of Pearl sitting in the driver’s seat, but I couldn’t put my guard down. I swear Moe and Curly were using her as a decoy while they tried to figure out the gas pedal and the steering wheel.

Oh yeah – I met two hilarious women at the DMV office. Karen had met them a couple of weeks ago, and had a blast, so she wanted to go back with me. Tina at station number four, saw Karen coming and they picked up where they left off. It was like a SNL skit. Who has fun at the DMV? I tell you this place is magic.

Tina has two pot-bellied pigs named Wilbur and Norman. She wanted to name them Bacon and Porkchop, but her family wouldn’t let her. Karen had told me about them, and said that Tina walks them on the beach. I asked what time was she there, because I wanted to meet them. “Late in the afternoon. They can’t take the sun.” She said. “Why? Because they’ll start to sizzle?” I asked. “Get a little crispy?” I was in like Flynn.

What else…. Oh! Karen, Kaaren and I went to see XANADU at the Amelia Musical Playhouse and were blown away. It was HILARIOUS and so well done. We laughed so hard my face still hurts. At intermission the lady behind us told us that we were having too much fun. She was right. She called us Goobers – and she was right. We had her laughing along with us until the lights went down for the second half.

The best part about the play – well, the most magical part – was that I looked down at the plaque on the seat Karen was in and sure enough – it was her Aunt Char’s seat. Karen almost fell out of it. She definitely had the best seat in the house.

Believe it or not, I think I’m leaving something out. I guess that’s what it’s like when you’re living in Xanadu…[ˈzanəˌdo͞o] NOUN an idealized place of great or idyllic magnificence and beauty.