Fantasy #1. That would be Sam and Winnie’s big move to a tropical paradise, replete with nocturnal screaming geckos on their bedroom walls, monkeys that bite and the work-a-day cacophony of a thousand motor scooters whirring past the property that they leased for thirty years. They’re back in LA dodging loving but probing questions from their many friends concerning when they are going back to their island retreat. Latest we heard, sometime in May..as in Maybe.

Fantasy #2: That would be some other friends of ours, Joanne and Bill, who are tired of big city hassles and the upkeep on their own property, and moved to the “hassle-free” security of a gated retirement community. Joanne blossomed as a photographer, using their classes and dark room facilities. They both attended music appreciation lectures at a local college, that held classes right on the grounds. There were many benefits to them to move there. But living a hassle-free life was, unfortunately, not one of them. The biggest issue was neighbors. On the same level as their apartment, were the fighting sisters (no, not the name of a rock band) who screamed like Banshees into the wee hours of the night. On the other hand, when Bill turned on the television loud enough to hear it, it disturbed the downstairs neighbor, who rather than issuing a polite request to turn the volume down, would call the security people and terrify them.

So, what will be Fantasy #3? And the bigger question is this: will it be worth leaving behind the comfort of family and friends, the familiarity of our routines, the best place for salmon and tomatoes, the dentist we’ve had forever and all the other little negotiations with life we’ve made in the past, of which we enjoy the benefits, and so often take for granted? Bet with the boomers, and the answer is this: it’s okay if it has a gate, it’s even okay if it’s got a palm tree, but when it comes to making a decision about where to live, there’s no place like (close to) home…

Carol Orsborn