Editor’s Note: A respite from sports talk with a lighthearted, personal piece, as we welcome in Spring.

When you live by the water in New England, spring can’t come fast enough.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my little beach house. It’s on a decent size lot with about 150’ of beachfront property overlooking beautiful Buzzard’s Bay. I’ve owned it for over 40-years.

As an old guy who lives alone, my little piece of heaven is what keeps me going. I love the view, the boats, and the smell of the water. It never gets old. Some ask why I don’t sell and live like a king in Florida. Not a chance. However, I’d like to get back to my original plan of being a snowbird for a few months and live on the captivating islands of Sanibel-Captiva on the Gulf Coast. Hopefully, there’s still time for that.

So, with spring a week away, we can finally put another winter behind us. But to be honest, it really wasn’t too bad this year on Massachusetts’ SouthCoast. There was little snow and only a handful of days when it got bitter cold. However, it’s not the cold that bothers me…it’s the wind. You see, my little cottage wasn’t meant to be lived in year-round. It was originally purchased to be a summer home. A beach house with little insulation can get a little chilly when windy. Oh well, I guess I could have it worse.

The biggest complaint this winter is my electric bill. A few years ago, I changed from gas to electric heat. BIG MISTAKE! My electric bill has more than doubled in the past two years. Thanks Joe! I will be converting back to gas in the Fall.

So…on to Spring.

Soon the windows will be opened, and my screen doors will be in use. Fresh air, the sail boats and fishing boats, plus the smell of the salt water will return. All the reasons why I love living on the water – not to mention that summer will soon follow, and I’ll be soaking in the sun and getting my tan back. Being of Portuguese decent, it doesn’t take me long to get some good color. 

Then, of course, there’s my Red Sox. Baseball is the only sport in which I enjoy listening on the radio. My sandy beach…my beach chair…a cold beer…and my Sox on the radio. Heaven.

I pray that your life also changes for the better come Spring. If not, and you’re a woman with long, blonde hair and blue eyes (my ex), you’re welcome to join me on my beach. It’s a little piece of paradise filled with wonderful memories. 

Finally, Spring is upon us.

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