GROWING OLD IN PANAMA

Tonight Ray and I went to see the movie "Quartet" with Maggie Smith.  I have always loved her character as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies, and most recently the two of us have been enjoying her sassiness as the Dowager (a titled widow) Countess of Grantham in "Downton Abbey".  The movie is basically about lifelong male friends along with a former musical colleague living in a retirement home for musicians.  Once the character Jean moves in (played by Maggie Smith), the threesome try to convince her they, being the finest singers in English operatic history, should perform once again as a quartet.  It drives home the idea of aging.  How we choose to let it happen to us.  And if we come to terms with it.  I thought long and hard about love, support, family and friends while watching the movie and afterwards.  Amid those thoughts,  I was letting thoughts of Panama drift in, as usual.

While waiting for the movie to start, we had our cell phones so we could stay connected to the outside world.  Not really.  I usually get to the theater so early that I then read a book on my Kindle (an app on my phone) or catch up on reading a new blog as I did tonight (indacampo.wordpress.com).  While reading the blog, the subject of internet and cable came up.  I leaned over and asked Ray (there were only advertisements popping up on the screen and perhaps three other couples were in the theater at the time) if he thought we would have just one cell phone to start with when in Panama.  I told him I didn't see why we would incur the extra expense of another phone if we would be with each other daily for the first couple of months.  His comment put me at ease when he said that it would be longer than just the first couple of months most likely that we would be inseperable, and he sees my point of why we would only need one phone.  TBD at a later date.  We like the idea of having a phone and just adding minutes to the card, but we will cross that bridge once there.

Once the movie started and was getting to the good part of the relationships forming, I leaned in again to Ray.  Relationships were forming, some of the residents were having issues (don't want to give things away), and others were just being crotchety and testy (lightened the mood).  But this time when I leaned in, it wasn't to ask "what did he just say"?  I just wanted to hold his hand  :)  I was feeling content watching the movie (at peace), letting a daydream slip in about our retiring to Panama, thinking about spending the days together while still so young and healthy in hopes that we will live a long, healthy, comfortable and easy life in Panama.