2015

My wife and I have been retired since 2015, so we have 5 years of retirement behind us...  and...  it is my opinion (whatever that is worth) that I will live at least another 2 decades which would take me to age 93...  My mother lived to almost 96 and my father lived until 89...  but, does that heritage support my longevity?  Maybe...  maybe not...  but, it is what drives my motivation.

At the beginning, my wife and I traveled a lot that included flights to Europe, Cruises to the Caribbean, and auto trips to various places of our interest all around the United States.  About the time that COVID hit us, my wife and I had pretty much decided that traveling no longer suited us.

Airports and Customs more than anything else caused our traveling dreams to end....  not to mention the fact that very few people in Europe these days seem to have made the decision that they no longer wanted to speak english....  and, more importantly, the food in Europe was not necessarily cooked to our Southern Tastes, at least those foods we could recognized.

A few years ago, we donated all our luggage to a local Church to sell at their Yard Sale and in order to travel now, we would have to purchase new luggage that to us seems like a needless expense.

The Great Smokey Mountains is only about 90 minutes away from our home in East TN and the Cherokee Gambling Casino is only 30 minutes beyond that...  although, neither my wife nor I have that much interest in gambling these days...  and if we do decide to gamble our limits are about $20/night.

While using our combined Social Security income, most of our monthly expenses are covered because of where we live in East TN...  this is not the case in other parts of TN or the case in other nearby States.  Our savings covers the other part of our expenses and allows us to travel in an average way...  so, we elect to focus on Myrtle Beach even though we have tried other places from time-to-time...  and, each time we do, we quickly realize we should have gone to Myrtle Beach.

Last Day In Destin

Everything that we do has a beginning and an ending without fail and today represents out last full day on the Gulf Coast of Florida.  Northern storms have finally found their way down south and have impacted this area adversely with falling rain.  For the last several days, we have been faced with overcast skies and afternoons where the sun unsuccessfully tried to break through...  but, it never rained, and we remained under the umbrella all day...  watching the rhythms of the Gulf crash along the shoreline.

As mentioned before in previous posts, my wife and I are not impressed with this area even though we like the deep white sands.  The restaurants are more expensive than other areas we have visited and remind us of prices you find UP NORTH in cities like WashDC and NYC...  and, while we have enough income to pay these increased prices when we want to, we would rather visit coastal areas like Myrtle Beach, SC where restaurants have cheaper prices and the cooked food is just as good.  Higher prices does not necessarily mean better taste.

It takes my wife and I over 8 hours to drive down to the Gulf and if you are wealthy, you can fly in 3 hours...  but, a better area for us to visit with LOTS TO DO is Myrtle Beach, SC which we can drive to in a little over 6 hours...  The beaches adjacent to the shorelines are about the same as are the living accommodations but the price to rent a condo is a couple hundred dollars less and the meals cost $10-20 less which includes at 15-18% tip.  The road traffic is about the same as well

THE BIG DIFFERENCE between these two resort areas are THE THINGS TO DO whether or not my wife and I want to take advantage of them...  they are still available to us whereas this is not the case in Destin.

GOOD BYE FLORIDA...

COVID America -- East TN

 TODAY...  was the end of a two week wait after my 2rd COVID vaccine shot...  so, now I am 96% protected against all forms of the virus...

How does that make me feel?

Well...  when others have asked me that same question, I typically answer by saying "I FEEL WITH MY FINGERS."  And...  that response usually elicits some mild form of laughter...  not wanting to give me the impression that I have said anything that was really too funny.

BUT...  knowing that I am protected is a good feeling especially because of my on going battles with:  heart disease, lymphoma, melanoma, and hypothyroidism all of which has contributed to my constant fatigue, low immunity and anemia.

HOWEVER...  I will continue to wear my facemask in public and I will continue to wash my hands often especially when I am in public or going to a doctor's appointment...  and, since I am currently teaching a night class for a local university, I will be protecting myself there as well.

My concern about COVID will for the most part end once we develop herd immunity in the US and once we get control over the COVID that is being brought into the US as a result of our current immigration policies...  and while it does not really impact me, living in East TN, immigration could have a negative impact on our country in the months to come.

MEANWHILE...  my wife and I are planning several trips down to the Gulf Coast and to the East Coast, specifically Myrtle Beach, SC (above).  Myrtle Beach is not a place that attracts millionaires and billionaires but it is a place where my wife and I can stay in an efficiency apartment for a week for $1,200 and sit in lounge chairs with umbrellas for under $150 for that same week and spend $50 a night (or less - including tips) on dinner for a total of $250...  Our round trip visit usually involves 3 tanks of gasoline for about $100.  Our total visit cost is $1,800 +/- and since we received $6,400 in total stimulus checks as a result of this pandemic, we will be able to use the stimulus to pay for 3.5 visits before needing to use our own money...

As far as I am concerned, the Democrats can keep the money flowing, especially since it will not be me that will be responsible for our National Debt nor will it be me that suffers should the FED print up a bunch of money to pay off the debt resulting in a severe dilution of the value of the US dollar.  That dilution will not be necessary until after I am dead.

PERFECT TIMING FOR ME...

COVID Vaccine

By the end of this week, I will have received my second COVID Vaccine shot using the Moderna Vaccine...  the shot is in the muscle and my first shot had no side effects except for a sore arm for a few days.  My shots are being delivered by our local health department while my wife receives her first shot from a local pharmacy.  I signed up in January and was called at the end of February and my wife called yesterday (Monday) and will be receiving her shot two days (Wednesday) later...  so, I am not sure who had the best approach although her request was processed quicker.

Last night, we discussed what we would be doing this summer now that we both will have been vaccinated and decided that by April, we should start making plans to visit the beach for a few days and while we will still wear our masks and socially distance, we will both feel more comfortable being out in public.

Last year in the Spring we went to Myrtle Beach and were both very concerned and very careful with our activities in that, we would not share an elevator.  When we first got to our room, we put on masks and gloves and cleaned the room even after it had already been cleaned.  We put the remote for the TV in a plastic bag and washed our hands often.  Were we lucky???

This spring/summer, we are going to the Gulf Coast of Florida at least once maybe twice and we are now planning to go the Myrtle Beach at least twice...  However, we have no plans to fly anywhere nor do we have plans to go on a cruise anytime soon if ever again.  No matter where we go we will plan to wear face masks and continue to socially distance.

Day 6 - at Myrtle Beach, SC

This is our last day at Myrtle Beach and the sun is out and strong with not a cloud in sight and the weather forecast yields a day with no rain in sight...  hot and humid...  with a slight wind to cool off the senses...

As I sit beside my floor-to-ceiling sliding door window, looking out at the Atlantic Ocean, I see calm waves slowing approaching the shore, fizzling out when they hit the shore...  and, I see a light blue sky from north to south and a far east horizon where the water and sky meet...   and, I see the lifeguard setting-up chairs along the line the tractor made as it scraped the surface of the ground...  and, I see early-bird vacationers who like to walk before the sun rises too high in the sky...

Inside my rented efficiency apartment, the air cools the air and the smell of heated coffee lingers in the living-kitchen room while FOX NEWS plays on and on behind me...  and, my wife who finally leaves the bed gets ready for her final day in the sun here at Myrtle which she has been visiting each summer for the last 50 years...

Our last supper here on the coast will be at either Chili's or Red Lobster and an early night will be claimed as we leave before sunrise the next day to beat the crowd on our drive back to TN...

Day 3 -- at Myrtle Beach, SC

Nothing remarkable happened today except seeing a shark's fin pass as close to the shoreline as where the waves were breaking this morning...  one person made the sighting and in seconds about 100 people were standing at the water's edge watching the fin traverse a distance of about 100 yards give or take, then disappear as it turned towards deeper water.  Otherwise, the day passed by unnoticed in the minds of many people as they enjoyed the weather and the convenient cool breeze and since the sun was pretty much hidden behind clouds all day, many people decided to do other things as the crowd gradually thinned out as the day progressed.

Tonight, we ate at the OVERPRICED Bonefish Grill and enjoyed a mediocre meal (including service) leaving us with the impression of having no desire to return again anytime in the near future if ever.  On the way back, a gentle rain washed away the ocean's spray that had collected all over the car but not hard enough to cause us to pull over until it subsided.  Maybe rain again tomorrow afternoon, the forecast suggests.

Day 2 -- at Myrtle Beach, SC

Today was pretty much the same as yesterday with the two exceptions...  first I wore only a bathing suit and T-shirt making sure I had on plenty of sunscreen and second, we got into the water at low tide just in time to pee out all the water I had drunk that morning.  Also, there were more people on the beach but ALL MAINTAINED SOCIAL DISTANCING and again there were very few blacks and no foreigners at least in our location, but, the area was again full of families and children.

Our Polynesian Lifeguard from New Hampshire stopped by to talk with us as he made his rounds asking people if they were ok...  he wants to visit Hawaii this winter since that is where his mother is wrong but he knows that it is very expensive to live there.

All-in-all, it was another almost perfect day...

We are on the 3rd floor this time and while we always make a request to go as high as possible this is the first time we have been down this low...  but, even on the 3rd floor, our balcony has a great view of the ocean with unobstructed views on either side...  and, while we cannot see our neighbors we can hear them if we are both out on our balcony at the same time.

TONIGHT, is COLD STONE ice cream night which means that my wife uses one of her gift cards that I got her several years ago ($250 worth in $25 increments) and whatever ice cream she decides to eat, that will be her dinner...  and for me on those nights, I get a Tuna Sub from Subway which is on the way to the COLD STONE location.

We also decided while on the beach today that after ice cream we would drive to North Myrtle Beach and see if there was a Motel and location that we might like and vacation there next time or next year instead of always vacationing at South Myrtle Beach.

DAY 1 - at Myrtle Beach, SC

Even though we could not check into our efficiency apartment until 3 pm, my wife and I were on the beach sitting under a rented umbrella and beach chairs by 10 am wanting to make sure that we got a full day... Last night we had stayed in a motel about 20 minutes from the beach and were up and out by 8:30...  All-in-all, it was a perfect day, at least for me because I have to wear a long sleeve UV shirt and long UV pants because of my cancers and there was a steady breeze all day long allowing me to feel comfortable and not too hot through the day.

However, the day did not pass by without my making note of my observations:

• most of the people were in there 30's, 40's, and 50's
• most of the people drove pickup trucks of SUV's
• obesity seems to be the norm for all ages
  
• did not see any drinking of alcohol
• did not hear any music playing from a boom box
• all people respected social distancing
• most lifeguards were skinny instead of muscular
• police only patrolled twice a day
• there were more smokers than I imagined
• very few black people on the beach after noon/1 pm
• everyone was modestly dressed
• mostly families with children
• very few foreigners unlike last year
• only saw 1 dog
• no screaming children
• surf was very mild
• low tide lasted longer than normal it seemed
• our lifeguard passed by 3 times asking if we were ok

MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA

This article has Unlimited Access. For more coverage, sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our commitment to public service journalism: Subscribe Now.

Tourist season is in full swing now as the Grand Strand is experiencing a wave of business re-openings in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

This week, salons, pools, tattoo services and other close-contact businesses have been allowed to reopen with restrictions in place. The wave of re-openings follows restaurants resuming dine-in services, also with restrictions.

Cases of the coronavirus have reached 299 since mid-March in Horry County, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The county has had 19 virus-related deaths.

DHEC reports 52 COVID-19 cases and three deaths in Georgetown County.

Across South Carolina, health officials say there have been more than 8,900 confirmed cases of the virus and 391 deaths.

Traveling to Myrtle Beach, SC

My wife and I left for Myrtle Beach, SC at noon today and as we were making our way towards the Interstate realized that this is our first vacation for the last 9 months.  This was partially due to COVID-19 but mainly due to the fact that we just did not want to go anywhere...   Two years ago (2018) we booked passage on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, and traveled to Europe where we visited Paris, France; Geneva, Switzerland; and London, England.  

While we really enjoyed our cruise on the World's largest cruise ship, we did not much care for our trip to Europe which started with the confusion at the Charles De Gaulle Airport and continued with the residents of Paris not really caring for Americans.  We visited all the typical tourist sites and enjoyed that but directions were weak and the city itself was dirty and drab.

Once we returned home, we donated our luggage to our Church for a yard sale and used carry bags last year (2019) when we vacationed in Destin, FL and Myrtle Beach, SC.  We realized (both my wife and I) that vacationing in the USA was much better than going overseas...  one concept that caused this to be the case was NO ICE available in Europe when asking for a drink.  Public Restrooms were sparse and something had to be ordered if you wanted to use the restroom in a restaurant.

BUT, what really got us going was that there were NO FREE REFILLS and the cost of everything was about 25%-30% higher in most cases.

We decided quite easily that vacationing in the USA was much preferred over anywhere else and in that vacationing choice, our best area is Myrtle Beach...   our second choice is Destin, FL and if we need to make a third choice, it would be Daytona Beach, FL.

On our way to MB,SC when we stopped to eat at a FAST FOOD, there was only DRIVE THRU available and no one could use the inside restrooms.  If you need to use the REST ROOMS, you need to stop at a State supported REST AREA or a TRUCK STOP...  and, if you stop at the latter, you don't have to buy something in order to use the restrooms.

We stopped for the night at a MOTEL and the first thing that we did was put on gloves and with disinfectant cleaned all the surfaces that we would touch and put the remote for the TV in a baggy.  When we get to MB,SC tomorrow and get into our resort room, we will do the same thing there.

This is going to be our NEW NORMAL...