Coffee

I like to enjoy a cup of coffee as I read the news in the morning. The only problem is that I need to leave my house and hope it's not raining or snowing. I put on a jacket and shoes, walk five feet to my daughter's house, unlock the door, go into her kitchen, get my coffee and return to my house.

That seems like a strange routine, right? Well, here's why I moved to Fort Collins four years ago to be close to my daughter's family. I sold my house in Wichita, Kansas, and hoped to buy a small place here I had visited a few months earlier and was shocked at how expensive housing was, but I thought, oh, there's got to be a place I can afford. There wasn't. We started tossing around the idea of adding to my daughter's house.

Fortunately, they have a good sized backyard, so there was room for an addition. My daughter has a friend in her band who is an engineer architect. So we talked with him about our ideas. He thought it was entirely doable and could be within my price range. He drew up the plans. We chose a builder, and after getting the city permits, work began. Almost a year after arriving here, I moved into my cozy, 640 square foot apartment, I have almost everything I would need to age in place, wide doorways, a walk in shower, grab bars in the bathroom, etc. I am so fortunate to have family close and also have peace and quiet when I need it.

We share expenses and often share meals or have other interaction every day. This is so important for the safety and mental health of seniors who often live isolated lives. I do have a wet bar with a refrigerator and sink, but unfortunately, the city of Fort Collins does not allow a stove, microwave or anything to cook with, in order to be as independent as possible. For as long as possible, it would be helpful to have a complete kitchen, but for now, the city codes do not make that possible, so that is why I take my morning walk to get my coffee.