The Everyday Life of Retirement

It was a long time coming, retirement day.  I started working for pay when I was 10 years old, in the family owned grocery store.  I worked non-stop from that day until May 31, 2018. I was never on welfare, never fired from a job, never had a really bad experience.  It was just everyday life.  

 I tried retirement in 2010, that didn’t work, just seemed like there was more to do.  So I tried a little consulting, some temp work and then finally, manual labor.  Almost entirely, I can say I loved every minute of the journey.  

Now, on this Sunday morning, I’m putzing around the house;  Groomed Sonny as much as he would let me,  ran the sweeper on the porch,  started a painting project and in between all that, sat down and did a little reading and then got distracted by the incessant cry of the neighborhood hawk.  Seems he is being bullied by all the other birds, mostly the Red-Headed Woodpeckers.  I watched him for 10 minutes through my handy binoculars.  I have no idea what type he is, not being the bird person most of my friends are, but this guy is a neighborhood regular and his cry is so distinctive that you can’t help but take notice.  

Everyday isn’t like this…through the week I take classes at the Y, go to book club and my Scrabble group.  I’m in the grocery store almost every day and spend more time in the kitchen now than ever before.  I’m working on my bucket list.  I’ve read biographies of the first 5 presidents on my way down the list of all.  I have almost 100 pages written of my novel.  I continue to putter on the family genealogy, although I have that almost as far as I can take it.  My savings account for my trip to Scotland is about halfway where I need it to be.

So, what do I love most about this phase?  Really, how unstructured it can be if I want.  In the days before retirement mine was a pretty rigid schedule, like it is for most folks.  Now, while I don’t seem to stay up any later, I do sleep in longer….love it.  When I wake I grab my phone first, before I am out of bed and check on the early morning news.  Then I pick up the current book and read a few pages and then, finally, I am out of bed.  No alarm in sight!!!  

 

There is something to be said for this phase of the journey.  I may not have the same energy or the same stamina as in my youth.  But I can still hike an 8 mile day, ask as many questions as ever before and do indeed love life as always.