Bloom Where You Are Planted

One of my annoying habits, is quoting trite sayings, like "it will all be okay", "good things come to those who wait" and "bloom where you are planted." I was counting the other day, I have lived in 14 places in my life. If the moves were evenly spread I would have moved every 4.42 years. The moves are not evenly spread, most of them were in the first 25 years of my life.  

Looking back at it, I didn't adjust easily to a few of the moves.  I was one of the annoying yankees who spent the first few years in Florida saying things like, "that is not how we did back north," or "I wish I could find "X" we always had it when I was back north."  The mother of a friend of mine, regularly pointed out that there are northbound lanes in I-75 and I-95 and I was free to leave anytime I wanted to. Eventually I learned to love the place, I still get a twinge of "home" when I see images of downtown Orlando or Winter Park.  

There are things I need to do to feel at home. 

• Find a good grocery store.  I want a store that takes quality, cleanliness and service seriously.   
• Find a place to walk.  This took me a few years here in Virginia, if I ever move again, I will remember that it needs to be something I start looking for immediately.  It gives me a connection to place. 
• Find a garden to visit.  It can be fussy and formal, or informal, or a nice mix.  But it needs to be cultivated, planned.  For me here, this is Mt. Vernon. 
• Find a museum.  One of the challenges in Lexington, was that the city lacks a real museum.  There is a small gallery at the University, that has no parking, but no real museum. One of several things that I LOVED about the University of Louisville was a great art museum on campus.  The DC area is loaded with museums. 
• Find a gym.  I know this year gyms are largely closed, but gyms have been a part of my life for over half of my life.  It would be better if the Condo gym was better equipped and had an average age less than dead.  There is a private gym nearby, when it becomes safe to go back to the gym, I may join. 
• Find a nice relaxing drive.  For me here, this is out to Mt Vernon and back. In Lexington, it was down to the Kentucky River or out to Midway and back. In Orlando, it was a magic stretch of road between Winter Springs and Oviedo, or the back road from Leu Gardens to Rollins.  
• Find a place to go boutique strolling.  In Orlando, this was Park Avenue in Winter Park, here it is King Street in old town Alexandria.  In Lexington- it was go to Park Avenue in Winter Park.  

One of my dreams in retirement is to go places and rent an apartment for a month or two and live like a local.  France, Italy, Spain, Wales, England there are lots of options.  In living like a local, I will try to check off the list above of things that connect me to the community.

What connects you to a place?