On the Move

Last night, we met our group of friends at The Field, an Irish restaurant that looks like an Irish cottage that was plunked down by a banyan tree.  Once most of the group worked together, but most of us have gone on to other things.  Now, two of them are moving.  It will take some time, because they're having houses built.  But they are going.

It is sobering to me how many people are moving.  In part, it's because of Hurricane Irma.  But it's also because of overdevelopment, more than anything else.  People don't want to live in places where condo towers are being thrown up without much thought for traffic or parking or preserving the character of what has come before.

Last night's friends told us of a traffic flyover that was being planned not for an Interstate, but on a regular city road.  So one condo building will be at eye level of that flyover--at least the ones on the 4th floor will be.  The ones underneath will have no view, while the higher levels will look down on the traffic.

Our flooded streets on Sunday point to other issues too, issues that aren't as far away as we once thought.  Our friends are moving to one of the highest elevations in Florida, just over 100 feet above sea level.  That will be enough to protect them against the sea level rise that's likely to happen in our lifetimes.

On Sunday morning, as we watched the waters rising, we opened Saturday's mail, including our insurance bills for the coming year.  As of right now, our insurance costs haven't risen significantly from last year--but we are paying almost $13,000 a year to insure the property from all the dangers it faces.  Those costs will surely rise.  And the first time one of us is refused insurance, all of our property values plummet.

Last night's friends who are moving are retired, and thus, they have some options.  We are not at the same stage of life.  Our jobs are here.  And we have hurricane repair left to do.

I don't want to leave too soon--but I'll feel real despair if we wait too long.  In the meantime, let me get back on track with these hurricane repairs.