Start of the Week

Over the entire weekend I contemplated attending to two matters as soon as possible on Monday morning, both involving the Office Manager of our condominium corporation and neither of which was especially compelling except in my own feeble mind.  I'm tempted to blame this frightful fixation upon my advancing age but I have to confess I've always suffered a similar neurosis. On the plus side, the obsession propels the accomplishment of one's agenda.  Accordingly as soon as the business day got underway at nine o'clock this morning I was calling the Office Manager to ensure she were available to see me.  She was and I did. As fate would have it, another matter arose from our brief meeting and I spent the next half hour at my desk getting that in order.

Refreshed by these undertakings (and the fact that I had earlier this morning - between 2:30 am and 6:30 am - exhausted my incessant literary appetite by composing a piece which had been simmering for weeks) I completed my usual breakfast then pushed off on my bicycle for a jaunt to Bayfront Park and back (about 9 miles in all - being roughly from 0 to 4000 Block on Gulf of Mexico Drive). When I stopped at the Park for my customary repose I hadn't much interest or desire to linger. My routine need for capitulation had obviously been sated by my prior performances. Besides it was turning into a warmer day than I had originally anticipated and I wanted to get myself onto the beach to toast in the sunshine. I did however review an email from our Canadian banker setting up an appointment with our Sarasota banker, one more outstanding detail taken care of. This further animated me and made the ride home fluid.

There had been one additional email from friends on Anna Maria Island inviting us to join them and mutual friends for a late lunch but I declined. We just couldn't get ourselves ready in time and the weather was too perfect to interrupt the day for the Nose Bag. It is but one more example of my awakening resolve to avoid unnecessary urgency.

On my way to the beach (after parking my bicycle in the storage room) I was hailed by a gentleman with whom I had been speaking several days ago. He asked me forget our prior conversation - which I hesitatingly agreed to do, not quite fathoming what particular aspect was troubling him.  He explained that he should not have disclosed to me his age. He felt that doing so boxed him in somehow - though I quite honestly reassured him that he looked surprisingly well for someone of his advanced years and that we should all be so lucky. Not sure whether this convinced him but we parted upon genial terms.

At the beach there was more activity than there has been in the past several weeks.  The temperature is steadily climbing towards 80℉ with brilliant sunshine today and in the offing. I went to the north end of the beach furniture, removed from others nearby, and stretched upon the chaise longue to enjoy the blissful radiation. About an hour later I retired to the deck for a soak in the spa and a swim in the pool, utterly relieving.