Adjusting to the idea, comfortably, to retirement

[Ozz]

All those old people here……………
When we arrived here, at the Islander RV Resort in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, we were greeted at the security gate by a smiling man, he looked at his clipboard list and said “Welcome, Jim and Sue”, he told us to just park here, and check in at the office. We did have a reservation, but were pleasantly surprised by our nice greeting.
First impressions are accurate, I think. People, places, things. A persons sub conscious, past experiences, preferences, all contribute to our first impressions, in that marvelous computer atop our body. We knew this stay would be a pleasant one.
Almost to the person, everyone is, well, old.
We were here for just two days, when one of those ‘old’ people came over to chat with us. Patty is her name, always a smile on her tan face, not pushy, no hidden motive, just a sweet lady. She gave us an outline on activities, which generate from a weekly meeting at the large open , sunny community center at the office complex. Patty lives just two spaces to the West from us.
We agreed to walk to the meeting Monday morning, with Patty and her husband Ronny. The 2 block walk was along the Park Models and RV’s lining our street, Patty pointed out some units discrbing who was who along the way. The meeting was nice, coffee, pastries at the door, a $1.00 a ticket, raffle chance, Ronnie had bought the last 3 seasons without a win, so it’s Patty’s turn this year. The meeting was fun, various people took turns at the floor, one very entertaining village character, with a few jokes and a poem or two, he paid homage to the service members attending, including the Vietnam Vets, which I am one.
He mentioned in his poems how WW II returnees were greeted by ticker tape parades, while we were spat upon returning from ‘Nam, he had us stand and thanked us, I had to fight back tears, as I am now, as I write this. It’s strange how it evokes so much emotion, happening so many years in the past. A nice thing for John to do, which I will hold close and remember always.
There was the activities director; affectionately called “The energizer bunny”, she walked around introducing new visitors, and birthday people.
You have to smile when she is walking around speaking to people, getting us all, well, energized!
One lady was absent with a broken kneecap, it was announced that “The men” got together and built her a ramp, to ease her entry to her Rv.
Not the kind of thing that would happen ‘Back home’ for most of us.
Patty and Ronnie planned on making the 3 hour trip to Old Mexico with some out of town visitors, she stopped by our place with a notepad, asking which meds she could buy for us-also not the kind of thing that would happen, ‘Back home’.
Friendly people, security, beautiful scenery and wonderful weather, a walker and bicyclist’s wonderland.
I haven’t seen any of those ‘Old people’ for a few weeks now. Just our friends and neighbors.

[LonnieB]

Thank you Ozz, for such a touching story. You have been blessed with some wonderfull new friends, and they, with the two of you.

[8.1al]

That was a nice post Jim,
That right there is a good example of what RVing is all about, the wonderful people. Last year me brother wanted to buy a motorhome and his wife was less that enthusiastic. She wanted to know what was so special about having an rv. I asked her how many friends she had from their stays in hotels. When she responded "none" I told her that was the big difference, we cant begin to count the number of friends we have made and all the wonderful people we have met.

[Mudchief]

Ozz,you are really lucky. If you were still back here fixing AC and heating units you would be missing out on all that good stuff.

8.1 you are correct. With all my work travel over the years I have never made a friend from staying at a motel, but I have from RV parks.

[Driftwoodgal]

Ozz,

What a great post. We have found in our very limited camping expierence the same thing that you have written about. For the few times that we have camped we have only met nice people. I was even given the area of a great fishing spot on our last camp out. Now that is saying something when a fisherman tells you where his best fishing hole is. Maybe he knew we didn't have our fishing poles with us on that trip.

Our last five vacations have been on a cruise. You can say just about the same thing about cruisers that you can about RV people. I am looking forward to getting to practice the camping and the cruising!

Glad you are enjoying your retirement, and hopefully you are having great weather.

[Parrothead]

Jim, I'm really pleased you are not against old people because our numbers are rather large. LOL Age in only a date on your driver's license anyway.
Happy trails..........................

[Wrenchtraveller]

Great Post Ozz and my personal theory why RVers of all ages are such terrific people is because even a large RV is a small home and if a couple can be happy together in a small home, they are usually a very close couple. Close couple equals happy couple and happy people are fun to be with.
Last year when I drove down to pick up my Dad in Yuma after he had his pacemaker put in, they had a Happy Hour at my parent's park model. I met his friends, some well into their 80s, what a great bunch of people. Dad is 80 and drove Mom and Him back down to Yuma and they are there now.
My parents keep calling me a young man and I am 56. I remember when I was 16 and thought someone 56 was more dead than alive. Now that I am 56, it doesn't feel much different than any other age
so it is funny how our percepion of age changes with time and now even the English language is hatching phrases to slow down aging. We have the Young Old and we are saying that 60 is the new 40. Only because Baby Boomers want to hang on to Youth a little longer than the previous generations.
Thanks for the great post and sorry for rambling on but you did get my brain cells moving and that is what good writing does. Take care .

[bob n pam]

Ozz, your post brought both smiles and tears to my eyes. You are so right about the "old people" in an RV park. I fell blessed to know that one day when we start staying seasonally in a park that there will be "the men" to make a ramp for me if needed. It would be even better if we had a MOC park we could all hang out in!!

[Ozz]

Bob and Pam,
Thanks, you know you just might have something there with the MOC park! As popular as they are becoming, the numbers will be there.

[565568]

Ozz, Welcome Home ( from one Vietnam Vet to another ). Your post are great and I have learned a lot from them. Right now I'm in the office of an American Legion in Rochester NY helping out. I'm waiting for Dec. 27 to hug the kids and head back down to Florida where our Montana is sitting on a site in a geezer park for the winter. Yes, some of those (older) people can surprise us Veterans of VN. During this Holiday season and the rest of the year we should remember our service women & men who pay the price for our freedoms.

Happy Holidays to all of you,
Jack Favret
Army Artilery Vietnam 1968 & 69
Still can't hear a thing.

[Ozz]

Welcome home to you, my brother. Thank you for your service to our great country.
And, thank you for your continuing service and sacrifice, it's unfortunate that men can't see into another's soul, Lot's of good stuff to be had there.
I had to laugh when I read your "Still can't hear a thing!"
We get pretty good at reading lips, don't we?
Take care, and stay safe.
Ozz

[Cat320]

Sounds like we need a VN vet thread. For me:

1967 - 68 artilleryman and aerial observer, 4th and 25th Infantry Divs (B Btry 2/77 Arty and HHB 25th Div Arty).

1970 - 71 CO, XO and helicopter pilot 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company (CH 47C Chinook), 1st Aviation Bde.

I had so much fun, I stayed in for 24 years!

On edit: All the helicopter companies had call signs/mascots...the 213th was the "Blackcats." If anybody had any heavy lift (ammo, chow, water, bull dozer, back hoe, howitzers, etc )brought in by a Chinook, with a Blackcat call sign...it was one of ours.

[Ozz]

Dang,Tip O the hat to you my brother, and a thank you as well.
You were, indeed in the thick of it.
Were you banged on the head? What the heck is the 24 about??
Take care.
Ozz