My Favorite Things

I do not have a Bucket List.  I think it would be way too long and I could never complete it.  My long distance traveling days are behind me.  I missed that opportunity when I was younger, being committed to visiting family.  Plus, I never had the money.  I was busy raising my children and saving for retirement.  I think I assumed I’d travel later….like now…but, unfortunately, I just don’t have the stamina.  Can’t walk long distances.  Can’t stand for long periods of time.  I have structural issues.  There are worse things.

So, there are lots of things I won’t do before I kick the bucket.  I’m fine with that.  I have My Favorite Things.  Meditating, reading, writing, playing bridge, day tripping (you can take that any way you want!).

One of my favorite things is staying in Hilton Head Island….call me elitist or a one percenter.  Fine.  I love it here.  I bought a couple of summer timeshares here sight unseen about 20 years ago and I’m still coming.  Probably, one of the stupidest financial decisions I’ve ever made.  I’m not an advocate and I have tried to get rid of them.  Not gonna happen probably ’til I die.  But, the hell with it.

This island is tailor made for golfers and tennis players, neither of which I am.  I used to “play” golf, but never more than 9 holes and always with friends who cared as much as I did about keeping score.  Most of the time, we played best ball….rarely was my ball the best ball.  My short game was a lot better than my long game even though I took lessons about nine times.  What I liked was the setting.  Golf courses are beautiful albeit hellishly hot in the summer.

My timeshares are on a golf course bordered by a lagoon, where lots of herons, turtles and an alligator reside.  I love my morning coffee and newspaper on the back deck overlooking this beauty.  Fluffy, the gator, awaits my arrival then stares me down determined to get some morsel from me.  NEVER FEED THE GATORS!!  Duh….I know that, but people come down here from the midwest or wherever and think it’s okay even though there are a gazillion warnings.  That’s why Fluffy waits.  And waits.  Sorry, Dude.

Then, there’s the beach.  When I lived in Maryland and New England, we trekked to Cape Cod most summers for my beach fix.  Yes, the beaches are lovely, the towns quaint and the local artists fabulous.  But the water was FREEZING even in the dog days of summer.  My heavens, I was raised in Florida …. bath water, baby!!  That’s how I like it….warm and warmer.  Hilton Head checked all those boxes.

Every time I come, I do the same things.  Breakfast at Harold’s, lunch at Market Square Cafe, early bird special at Alexander’s.  Harold’s is a hole in the wall, about the size of a large closet, owned by a guy from Boston who loves the Red Sox.  There is not a square inch of wall space not covered by some bizarre saying like “Politicians and babies need changing—-often for the same reason” or “I don’t discriminate I hate everybody” or “Where the hell is Easy Street?”

I always order the same thing for lunch….a small Greek salad….hold the onions, and pepperoncinis, dressing on the side.  Basically, I want lettuce, black olives and feta.  Is that still a Greek salad?  I feel like Sally in When Harry Met Sally….the waitress looks at me like I’m nuts.

Can’t beat Alexander’s….on the water….a lagoon, actually.  I had never ordered anything but shrimp and grits until yesterday.  Went with the blackened swordfish special.  Amazing.

Went on the Wildlife and Gator boat tour … lots of gators, especially, mean mama gators
guarding their nests.  The guide was a native Hilton Header….loves to get up close and personal….so close I almost jumped into Buff Honey’s lap!

Ending our week with a sunset dinner cruise Friday night.  Never done that….never had someone I wanted to do it with…I love a little romance now and then.

Of course, there’s bridge…a competitive club that gives out a lot of master points.  We’re racking up some points readying ourselves for the national tournament in Atlanta next week….gotta stay in shape!

The most striking feature here is that all the development has been built into the landscape as opposed to the Florida model.  Raze all the natural beauty to the ground, build cookie cutter concrete block houses on postage stamp lots, plant a few flax lillies, a palm and call it a day.

The natural beauty here is stunning….primarily, pines and palmettos.  A labyrinth of lagoons throughout the neighborhoods.  The beach?  Perfect.  Wide, white sand and light waves in wonderfully warm water.  I love that a couple of my good friends retired here….I may only see them once a year, but it’s like we never skipped a beat.

BH loves the fact that there’s so much shade….he was running at 7 this morning.  Much easier than Florida.  Yesterday, he was inquiring about the cost of houses.  Of course, I’m sure that’s all pie in the sky.  Not exactly the most impulsive soul I’ve ever known.

Two more days.  Heading outside for coffee with Fluffy then off to the beach for some very light reading, Crazy Rich Asians.  Very light reading, another favorite thing.