[Madelaine Amee]

We spent the Christmas with family in NH. The weather was absolutely unbearable, bitterly cold, freezing rain, freezing fog and snow - then top that off with the muck and filth that follows when they salt and sand. At some time during the holiday the question of when we were going to be too old to live in Florida and would have to go back "home" to live with the kids was raised. Due to the fact that we are still only "39" it has never occurred to me before that at some time we would be too old to live in our own home and in Florida. It took me completely by surprise and has been roaming through my head ever since the question was raised.

Has anyone else thought about this, or am I over reacting? To be quite truthful, the very idea of returning to the North fills me with horror, I can envision being a prisoner in my home (or God forbid theirs) for the winter months. On top of which our children have mentioned in passing that when they retire they will probably move south .............. so what happens to the parents at that time?

I just read this through and it sounds kinda dramatic, but I am interested in hearing other opinions.