OUT OF THE LOOP

This past week, while performing a dental exam on a fifteen year old patient of mine, one of the dentist's I work with made the comment, "I hear you're going to Panama to retire.  I hadn't heard this news yet."  I had to have him repeat what he said because he had his mask on, and I wasn't expecting him to bring this up.  I had no idea when he was told this information or who had talked to him about me either.  He told me the other dentist told him my plans.  I agreed with him, told him it would be in a few years, and yes, I am going to retire to Panama.  He said, "we need to sit down and talk about this."  I immediately looked around for my father.  When I joked with my boss about letting the cat out of the bag to the other dentist (yeah right, since everyone else but this man knows my plans), he simply said that "Obamacare and the mess of the country" was what got them on the subject of retiring to another country.  How many times does it have to be written or spoken that just because you may not like what is going on in your own city, state or country, it doesn't mean you should pack up and leave.  Another country isn't going to be the answer if you aren't prepared for the ups and downs.  Ray and I are retiring to Panama for a few simple reasons:  climate, out of the box desire, living expenses, adventure.  We want to try experiencing something else.  Something out of the ordinary.

Today, while eating lunch at a restaurant in Old Town Fredericksburg, I watched men and women of all ages walk by the windows in Civil War attire.  They were spending the day re-enacting what happened in the United States 150 years ago. Sitting there I wasn't thinking about the current state of our country, the Republicans and Democrats not compromising on anything (or the Yankees and the Confederates for that matter), or the cost of my health insurance/mortgages/utilities.  The state of affairs of the U.S. is not what's driving our decision to move to Panama. 

Fredericksburg, VA

Civil War  VA 1862

Present day  VA  2012

Once home, I wrote out my Christmas cards.  Many of our friends know of our future plans.  Many relatives do not.  I included in our annual newsletter the events of the past year.  I wrote about our vacation to Panama this past October as well as our pending trip in March.  I referred my family and friends to my blog if they want to know the nitty gritty as to why we chose Panama and how we think we can retire there so soon (sometimes I get tired of answering the questions).  Not too many will be out of the loop now.  More will think we are crazy "wannabretireesinPanama".