Four years ago today

It was four years ago today that I “closed” on the condominium here in Sarasota. It almost did not happen.

On 15th June 2006 I was driven to Boston’s Logan Airport, having “closed” on the sale of my Medford condominium earlier that day. I was to take a flight from Boston to Sarasota, via Atlanta. If all had gone to plan I would have arrived in Sarasota that evening.

But the flight from Boston to Atlanta was delayed. So I missed the Atlanta to Sarasota flight. The airline (Air Tran) found and paid for a Hotel room near Atlanta’s airport. But the best flight they could offer next morning was from Atlanta to Tampa, arriving there at about 10:30 a.m.

Tampa is some 60 miles away from Sarasota, and it was hard for me to believe that I would manage to find a rental car in Tampa, and get to the lawyer’s office in Sarasota by noon.

(The time was crucial, for the lawyer was ready to close his office soon after Noon, before beginning a two week holiday).

At just before midnight on 15th June 2006 in Atlanta I called my good Sarasota realtor. I said “help”, and added “please meet me at the Tampa Airport tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m., and drive me to the lawyer’s office as fast as you can”.

That good realtor (his name is David Foster), was more than ready to oblige. He met me at the Tampa airport as he had promised, and drove to Sarasota like a bat out of hell.

We arrived at the lawyer’s office in Sarasota, with just a few minutes to spare!

So now I (and the bank) have owned this condominium for four years.

I am not sure how the bank thinks about this.

But I think that all this is cool, and that my four years in Sarasota have been better than good!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not rem...
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur...
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were a...
Read more