Of course storytelling isn't the only thing going on around here. It's still canning time. Applesauce, beets and salsa have been the recent additions to the cellar. I'm having to buy jars now, 6 dozen so far and the end not yet in sight. I swear I think they evaporate in the dishwater! Still to do: more apples and cider, the pears, more salsa and vegetable soup. Then I will be finished. This is the downhill slope for canning though, the major work is behind me and this is really more fun.
Then there is the cabin project. I need to get some photos posted, I know. My big computer has decided for some reason not to go online these days and it will be taking a vacation to the shop as soon as I finish taking all my documents and photos off of it. That's where the cabin photos are. But to update, Larry has about 75% or more of the logs in place. He'll need help getting three big ones up where they need to be, and then he will start on the roof. I had hoped we would have the roof on by the end of September but the current goal is the end of October. As long as it's done by winter, that's all we need. It can wait then until we have time and money at the same time (how rare is that!) to do the chinking and work on the interior.
I will be opening another booth in an antique mall in Spencer next week if all goes according to plan. I've been wanting to do this for a while but there hasn't been time and the new one in Marietta needed a lot of attention for a while. It's off and running very well now, and next week I can see some clear days so we'll focus on getting the Spencer booth in place. I am pleased with the way this little side business is going; another small income stream adds to our retirement income and that's a good thing.
I'm back to selling on eBay after taking the summer off for the most part. I'm doing some things a little differently, though, using more Buy It Now and free shipping. That means figuring pricing that includes enough to cover the shipping and still make a little money. It's been working very well--I listed 3 items Monday and all three are sold. I've cut down the listing fees by listing only when it's free and I am meeting eBay's new requirements for one day shipping and a return policy so I get a good reduction on their fees as well as a break on postage. It means staying on top of sales, which was so difficult in the summer when I was so busy. Now I'm home more it's doable. I've actually bought items at antique malls and resold them on eBay for a good profit! Sometimes dealers don't take time to look things up and that's when you can find a bargain--like the $10 candlesticks I sold for $100, the Heisey piece I bought for $3 and sold for 21, the pattern glass vase bought for $6 and sold for $30, etc. Those dealers probably made a profit when they sold to me so they're happy, I'm happy and my buyers are happy.
Even with all this busyness, we still have time for evenings by the firepit, junking and auction trips and visits with friends along with the routine household chores. When what you do is what you enjoy, it never feels like work.
Someone recently asked me, "so are you making as much money as you were when you were working?" The answer is heck no--we're living on about a third of my former income and yet we seem to be living as well now as we were then. Funny how that works, but I have always heard that people will manage on whatever money they have and it seems to be true. I suppose part of that is expectations; we didn't expect to take long trips or buy lots of new stuff (rarely do I buy anything new to tell the truth) but we didn't do those things when I was working anyway. Paying off our bills when I retired was a sound decision because now the biggest expenses we have are gasoline and health insurance, not mortgage and credit payments.
So that, as Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story, with a few meandering thoughts along the way. Now, back to work to list a few things on eBay and get ready to head down to my uncle's assisted living place to tell stories.
Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
Showing posts with label retirement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retirement. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
What's Typical?
What's a typical day for me, now that I'm retired?
That's not an easy question to answer. Each day is different and each is full of so many activities it's hard to say what's typical.
Last Friday I went to yard sales. I came back with a lot of things I'll be listing online. And I found a lovely old bed and dresser set for the log room that isn't even built yet. (Ummm, I already have all the furniture I need for it now, and Larry says don't buy any more. Okay, okay. He's right--but we did need the bed and dresser and these were such a good deal.) When I got home it was canning time. Peaches for the rest of the day. Fun. Really. In the evening we visited some friends and I helped her with her tomatoes.
Saturday and Sunday I canned, but we took a little break Saturday evening to go to a local auction. Nothing exciting there except the cute little boy who sat beside me. He was a miracle child, his mother said, born at 25 weeks and has already had 3 major surgeries--and he's only 7. He was so well-behaved he was a pleasure to sit with.
Larry spent his weekend fixing my car (replacing the big belt before it broke) and mowing our son's grass and our grass, as well as digging on the footer for the log room. He's got it finished and will be ordering sand, gravel, cement and block for the foundation this week.
Yesterday I worked on routine housework in the morning. After canning all weekend I needed to catch up. So it was laundry and cleaning up clutter, sorting paperwork, and making a grocery list for today. Then I got to work on preparing some promotional letters for mailing. I also needed to respond to emails and clean out the spam emails.
Next was eBay. I had packages to prepare for shipping, items to list, and general catchup work there. Then more of the same with my book sales on Amazon (not as much work to do there), and then write my blog and catch up on Facebook. By then it was time to cook dinner and spend a little time with Larry. After dinner I worked on more promotional letters and got my mailings and list ready for today.
This morning I did some quick housework, researched gas refrigerators and then left for town. Grocery shopping, library, post office, bank--the usual stops. Now I'm home and back at work on eBay since they are offering a "listing sale" and I can list items for a penny and I can't miss this opportunity. This evening I'm heading to Parkersburg with a friend to attend a program about ghosts.
Tomorrow I will be cleaning house and cooking because one of my sisters is coming to visit! I know we'll get into something fun while she's here. Then on the weekend more family is coming in for the holiday, so I see a cookout or two on the horizon, and maybe a big country breakfast crowd too.
So that's how it's been recently. I've been up early to enjoy the cool, fall-like mornings, and stop often when hanging my laundry to listen to the sounds of birds and bugs and no human noise at all. It's peaceful. In the evenings we sit out on the yard swing or on the patio and play with the dogs before we head in--Larry to watch a movie, me to do whatever I'm into that night. Bedtime comes around 11pm for me, earlier for Larry.
The days are certainly full. I realized the other day that I never had any adjustment difficulties at all. No longing to go off to work, no missing the routine, no wishing I could sit in an air-conditioned office instead of sweating over a canner. I wondered if I would feel any of those things--once in my past I worked full time for a brief period as a mail carrier, and when it was over I was at a loss for a week or more. This time, there wasn't even a hiccup of longing.
That's not an easy question to answer. Each day is different and each is full of so many activities it's hard to say what's typical.
Last Friday I went to yard sales. I came back with a lot of things I'll be listing online. And I found a lovely old bed and dresser set for the log room that isn't even built yet. (Ummm, I already have all the furniture I need for it now, and Larry says don't buy any more. Okay, okay. He's right--but we did need the bed and dresser and these were such a good deal.) When I got home it was canning time. Peaches for the rest of the day. Fun. Really. In the evening we visited some friends and I helped her with her tomatoes.
Saturday and Sunday I canned, but we took a little break Saturday evening to go to a local auction. Nothing exciting there except the cute little boy who sat beside me. He was a miracle child, his mother said, born at 25 weeks and has already had 3 major surgeries--and he's only 7. He was so well-behaved he was a pleasure to sit with.
Larry spent his weekend fixing my car (replacing the big belt before it broke) and mowing our son's grass and our grass, as well as digging on the footer for the log room. He's got it finished and will be ordering sand, gravel, cement and block for the foundation this week.
Yesterday I worked on routine housework in the morning. After canning all weekend I needed to catch up. So it was laundry and cleaning up clutter, sorting paperwork, and making a grocery list for today. Then I got to work on preparing some promotional letters for mailing. I also needed to respond to emails and clean out the spam emails.
Next was eBay. I had packages to prepare for shipping, items to list, and general catchup work there. Then more of the same with my book sales on Amazon (not as much work to do there), and then write my blog and catch up on Facebook. By then it was time to cook dinner and spend a little time with Larry. After dinner I worked on more promotional letters and got my mailings and list ready for today.
This morning I did some quick housework, researched gas refrigerators and then left for town. Grocery shopping, library, post office, bank--the usual stops. Now I'm home and back at work on eBay since they are offering a "listing sale" and I can list items for a penny and I can't miss this opportunity. This evening I'm heading to Parkersburg with a friend to attend a program about ghosts.
Tomorrow I will be cleaning house and cooking because one of my sisters is coming to visit! I know we'll get into something fun while she's here. Then on the weekend more family is coming in for the holiday, so I see a cookout or two on the horizon, and maybe a big country breakfast crowd too.
So that's how it's been recently. I've been up early to enjoy the cool, fall-like mornings, and stop often when hanging my laundry to listen to the sounds of birds and bugs and no human noise at all. It's peaceful. In the evenings we sit out on the yard swing or on the patio and play with the dogs before we head in--Larry to watch a movie, me to do whatever I'm into that night. Bedtime comes around 11pm for me, earlier for Larry.
The days are certainly full. I realized the other day that I never had any adjustment difficulties at all. No longing to go off to work, no missing the routine, no wishing I could sit in an air-conditioned office instead of sweating over a canner. I wondered if I would feel any of those things--once in my past I worked full time for a brief period as a mail carrier, and when it was over I was at a loss for a week or more. This time, there wasn't even a hiccup of longing.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Balance, or Lack Thereof
I am still struggling with this thing called retirement. While it seems that I would have more time to do all the things I love to do, the truth is time flies by and I still feel like I'm running behind and not getting to the things I need to do.
Today is a good example. We were up early, around 6:30am, so we could beat the heat and get some work done before it got too miserable. This has been a tough summer, lots of 90+ degree days and little rain. We try to water as much as we can mornings and evenings without overtaxing the well. I like to take a little "porch time" to visit the pets, drink my tea and watch the morning settle in.Then breakfast and get started.
That's all good. But after breakfast there are dishes and kitchen cleanup. Then house tidying, making the bed and so on. When all that is done it's time to start on whatever vegetables need processing. Today it was cucumbers. I sorted them and got them ready for making dill pickles. Meantime Larry brings in more veggies to be sorted and decisions need to be made as to what to do with them.
While the cucumber slices were soaking in salty ice water, I took care of some business--balancing checkbooks, calling about my defective new cell phone (such a long, tiring saga that has been ongoing for almost 2 weeks--AT&T, you do not win points for this), paying bills, etc. By the time I finished with all of this it was almost 2pm and time to finish the pickles. I got them processed, then worked on Larry napped--he'd dug the potatoes this morning and was whupped. When he work up we had errands in town. Home for dinner and I began cleaning up the explosion in my office--so many programs in July led to major pile-ups in the office. I also pulled together some story ideas and other things for my programs this weekend for the Inland Waterways Festival in Marietta, OH. I stopped cleaning around 9:30 to go out on the porch and enjoy the sliver of a new moon and the night music of cicadas and tree frogs.
All in all, it was a good day. What did not happen, however, is telling: I did not write. I did not read any of the pile of novels and magazines by the couch. I did not work on finding new work for the autumn and winter months. Those things need to be done but the pressure of gardens and canning and recuperating from last month seem to be taking the driver's seat. It doesn't help that I seem to have picked up a sinus infection either.
Maybe I expect too much too soon. I feel like I am still playing catch-up as I sort and reorganize in my office and the rest of the house. There is a constant tote being filled for Goodwill, and the trash cans stay full as I work through files. The kitchen is always calling, for cleaning or cooking or canning. I wonder if I need to turn off that siren call, ignore it to work on the kind of things that produce something as green as garden produce--money! And yet, who can let a five gallon bucket of tomatoes go to waste? Not me!
This is actually my first 5-day break without a performance scheduled since I retired. After this week, I have many days without gigs. Which is good and bad--no work, no money. No work, more time. Will I eventually learn to balance all of these demands and learn to prioritize them? I think so. I hope so. Sometime in the next few weeks or months, maybe I will find that magical place called balance.
Today is a good example. We were up early, around 6:30am, so we could beat the heat and get some work done before it got too miserable. This has been a tough summer, lots of 90+ degree days and little rain. We try to water as much as we can mornings and evenings without overtaxing the well. I like to take a little "porch time" to visit the pets, drink my tea and watch the morning settle in.Then breakfast and get started.
That's all good. But after breakfast there are dishes and kitchen cleanup. Then house tidying, making the bed and so on. When all that is done it's time to start on whatever vegetables need processing. Today it was cucumbers. I sorted them and got them ready for making dill pickles. Meantime Larry brings in more veggies to be sorted and decisions need to be made as to what to do with them.
While the cucumber slices were soaking in salty ice water, I took care of some business--balancing checkbooks, calling about my defective new cell phone (such a long, tiring saga that has been ongoing for almost 2 weeks--AT&T, you do not win points for this), paying bills, etc. By the time I finished with all of this it was almost 2pm and time to finish the pickles. I got them processed, then worked on Larry napped--he'd dug the potatoes this morning and was whupped. When he work up we had errands in town. Home for dinner and I began cleaning up the explosion in my office--so many programs in July led to major pile-ups in the office. I also pulled together some story ideas and other things for my programs this weekend for the Inland Waterways Festival in Marietta, OH. I stopped cleaning around 9:30 to go out on the porch and enjoy the sliver of a new moon and the night music of cicadas and tree frogs.
All in all, it was a good day. What did not happen, however, is telling: I did not write. I did not read any of the pile of novels and magazines by the couch. I did not work on finding new work for the autumn and winter months. Those things need to be done but the pressure of gardens and canning and recuperating from last month seem to be taking the driver's seat. It doesn't help that I seem to have picked up a sinus infection either.
Maybe I expect too much too soon. I feel like I am still playing catch-up as I sort and reorganize in my office and the rest of the house. There is a constant tote being filled for Goodwill, and the trash cans stay full as I work through files. The kitchen is always calling, for cleaning or cooking or canning. I wonder if I need to turn off that siren call, ignore it to work on the kind of things that produce something as green as garden produce--money! And yet, who can let a five gallon bucket of tomatoes go to waste? Not me!
This is actually my first 5-day break without a performance scheduled since I retired. After this week, I have many days without gigs. Which is good and bad--no work, no money. No work, more time. Will I eventually learn to balance all of these demands and learn to prioritize them? I think so. I hope so. Sometime in the next few weeks or months, maybe I will find that magical place called balance.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A Hodgepodge Week
The days recently have been such a hodgepodge of events and activities. We returned from the Folk Festival on Sunday and on Monday Larry took off for a doctor's appointment and I caught up on house things. We were both still tired from the late nights and good times of the festival, but managed to get a little gardening done.
Tuesday was my birthday and we had town things to do. We did not plan a big celebration, just as we didn't plan one for Larry's 60th birthday or our 25th wedding anniversary in May. We do like a party, really! But just as when we got married, at this time of year gardens and other things take a high priority and we're so busy that we don't want to take the time out to plan a party! When we got married, we just came home and worked in the tomato patch, so you see we are still going on as we started. We went to the library, the grocery store, feed store, post office, and all the usual go-to-town places. Tuesdays are a good day to go to town too, because groceries are 5% off for seniors on Tuesday. I don't feel like a senior, but hey, I'll take a discount anytime.
We also went out to dinner with our son Derek and his family--and he surprised me with a gift from him and his brothers: a 32-inch flat-screen television and DVD player. Now we haven't had a television for about four years and we don't miss it. However, now that I am retired I'd like to watch a movie occasionally since I have more free time. Larry watches movies on his little portable DVD player and he likes it but I can't see or hear it. So now I can see movies in style! We are currently trying to figure out where to put it. One thing is certain--we won't be using it to watch TV programming. We have grown so far away from it that I cannot imagine that noise in my house again. But it will be nice to watch movies and actually be able to see and hear them.
On Wednesday Melissa Rogers returned to finish my interview for her West Virginia Storytelling Project. When she came before, we visited and ate blueberry muffins made from my first blueberries, then I taught her her how to make a lavender wand. I had to leave for a storytelling performance so we scheduled another meeting. This time we got right down to business, and about 4 hours later (she has a lot of video and sound recording equipment to set up when she interviews) the interview was done. Melissa is an interesting lady--a college student in a MFA program at Emerson College in Boston, pursuing a degree in Media Arts.
While we were busy, Larry worked hard in the gardens; they are showing the results of his care. We will have our first squash by this weekend, and beans before July 4th. Tomatoes have baby green tomatoes on them, the carrots are ready for digging and the onions are nearly ready to be pulled.
Today we had to go back into town. Not by choice--but my driver's license was expired and the police are picky about such things. We also needed to pay taxes, get Larry's truck license, talk to the investment company about my retirement funds, pick up the tractor radiator (a bolt came loose and the fan kinda dug a hole in it) from the repair shop, and a few other errands. The weather continued its erratic pattern of sun, rain, sun, storm, sun, rain, storm, sun, all day long. I managed to cut some lavender before we left this morning and made a few more lavender wands when we got home and Larry checked on the gardens. He didn't like what he saw in one patch. Colorado potato beetles in the tomatoes!
The biggest headache this year is this beetle. While we were away this weekend they literally stripped the potato vines. I have never seen the like of the infestation this year. I saw them walking on the sidewalk and when I checked on one of my little pear tomatoes, it was covered with these beetles! I dumped some charcoal ashes on them and they didn't seem to like that but we are concerned now for our tomato patch. Larry had to break out the spray for the main tomato patch, something we don't like to do, and he also dusted the plants with wood ash. We cannot afford to let these beetles destroy our tomato crop, so we'll be fighting back. In the past few years we've had only a few of them, nothing to worry about but this year, good grief! It's incredible. We may be out with jars of kerosene and hand-picking them if necessary. This is W.A.R. and all weapons are fair.
We had a little fire in the firepit this evening and watched the birds diving at the feeder before the final storm of the evening arrived. I counted the following birds at the feeder:
black-capped chickadee
titmouse
goldfinch
blue jay
bluebird
nuthatch
cardinal--male, immature male and female
phoebe
peewee
chipping sparrow
mourning dove
woodpecker--a downy variety but I'm not sure which one. This one had no red on it that I could see
a bird I could not see well enough to identify, but could be a yellow-breasted chat
nuthatch
I think that's all. It's a busy feeder, and the birds seem to pay little attention to us. As the night closed in, we could hear the melodic song of the brown thrasher deep in the hollow. I am sure he sings down there because he likes the way the hills echo and reverberate his singing. The whippoorwill soon started and the evening was officially over. A hoot owl may call soon, or a yellow-breasted chat might call out, but the birdsong is mostly still until daybreak. Only the lightning bugs are busy; the rest of us tuck under covers and rest.
Tuesday was my birthday and we had town things to do. We did not plan a big celebration, just as we didn't plan one for Larry's 60th birthday or our 25th wedding anniversary in May. We do like a party, really! But just as when we got married, at this time of year gardens and other things take a high priority and we're so busy that we don't want to take the time out to plan a party! When we got married, we just came home and worked in the tomato patch, so you see we are still going on as we started. We went to the library, the grocery store, feed store, post office, and all the usual go-to-town places. Tuesdays are a good day to go to town too, because groceries are 5% off for seniors on Tuesday. I don't feel like a senior, but hey, I'll take a discount anytime.
We also went out to dinner with our son Derek and his family--and he surprised me with a gift from him and his brothers: a 32-inch flat-screen television and DVD player. Now we haven't had a television for about four years and we don't miss it. However, now that I am retired I'd like to watch a movie occasionally since I have more free time. Larry watches movies on his little portable DVD player and he likes it but I can't see or hear it. So now I can see movies in style! We are currently trying to figure out where to put it. One thing is certain--we won't be using it to watch TV programming. We have grown so far away from it that I cannot imagine that noise in my house again. But it will be nice to watch movies and actually be able to see and hear them.
On Wednesday Melissa Rogers returned to finish my interview for her West Virginia Storytelling Project. When she came before, we visited and ate blueberry muffins made from my first blueberries, then I taught her her how to make a lavender wand. I had to leave for a storytelling performance so we scheduled another meeting. This time we got right down to business, and about 4 hours later (she has a lot of video and sound recording equipment to set up when she interviews) the interview was done. Melissa is an interesting lady--a college student in a MFA program at Emerson College in Boston, pursuing a degree in Media Arts.
While we were busy, Larry worked hard in the gardens; they are showing the results of his care. We will have our first squash by this weekend, and beans before July 4th. Tomatoes have baby green tomatoes on them, the carrots are ready for digging and the onions are nearly ready to be pulled.
Today we had to go back into town. Not by choice--but my driver's license was expired and the police are picky about such things. We also needed to pay taxes, get Larry's truck license, talk to the investment company about my retirement funds, pick up the tractor radiator (a bolt came loose and the fan kinda dug a hole in it) from the repair shop, and a few other errands. The weather continued its erratic pattern of sun, rain, sun, storm, sun, rain, storm, sun, all day long. I managed to cut some lavender before we left this morning and made a few more lavender wands when we got home and Larry checked on the gardens. He didn't like what he saw in one patch. Colorado potato beetles in the tomatoes!
The biggest headache this year is this beetle. While we were away this weekend they literally stripped the potato vines. I have never seen the like of the infestation this year. I saw them walking on the sidewalk and when I checked on one of my little pear tomatoes, it was covered with these beetles! I dumped some charcoal ashes on them and they didn't seem to like that but we are concerned now for our tomato patch. Larry had to break out the spray for the main tomato patch, something we don't like to do, and he also dusted the plants with wood ash. We cannot afford to let these beetles destroy our tomato crop, so we'll be fighting back. In the past few years we've had only a few of them, nothing to worry about but this year, good grief! It's incredible. We may be out with jars of kerosene and hand-picking them if necessary. This is W.A.R. and all weapons are fair.
We had a little fire in the firepit this evening and watched the birds diving at the feeder before the final storm of the evening arrived. I counted the following birds at the feeder:
black-capped chickadee
titmouse
goldfinch
blue jay
bluebird
nuthatch
cardinal--male, immature male and female
phoebe
peewee
chipping sparrow
mourning dove
woodpecker--a downy variety but I'm not sure which one. This one had no red on it that I could see
a bird I could not see well enough to identify, but could be a yellow-breasted chat
nuthatch
I think that's all. It's a busy feeder, and the birds seem to pay little attention to us. As the night closed in, we could hear the melodic song of the brown thrasher deep in the hollow. I am sure he sings down there because he likes the way the hills echo and reverberate his singing. The whippoorwill soon started and the evening was officially over. A hoot owl may call soon, or a yellow-breasted chat might call out, but the birdsong is mostly still until daybreak. Only the lightning bugs are busy; the rest of us tuck under covers and rest.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Further Thoughts on Retirement
So it's been almost a month since I retired. What has it been like?
- I've been dirtier and tireder than I have in years
- I've felt such satisfaction at the end of each day
- I do more laundry because I get more clothes a LOT dirtier
- I cook more and we're eating better. Not losing any more weight but not gaining either.
- I seldom sit still
- We will undoubtedly spend more on soap, shampoo detergent and dishwashing liquid
- We will spend less on groceries, makeup and clothes
- I need better shoes for the woods
- I need a lot fewer shoes in general
- I have too many clothes
- I have more cuts, scrapes and bruises than I've had in years
- We'll be buying more coffee since we switched to a different coffeepot (more about that later)
- The house is messier (THAT is a surprise!) because I have so many projects going on
- I sleep like a stone
- I still haven't found time to write, but maybe that will come after this initial pile of work gets done
- My gardens look better than usual for this time of year
- I want to make more gardens
- I have less time for online because I have so much to do
- I have not taken my allergy medication since I retired and don't think I need to
Friday, May 27, 2011
Busy Days
Retirement certainly is tiring! Who knew I'd be so busy that the days are still not long enough to get everything done? I suppose I knew that in theory, but in actuality--whew!
Yesterday was one busy day. Our bees arrived at the post office so Larry made a quick trip to pick them up. Once home he set about putting them in their hive, and while he was at it he checked on the other two hives and discovered that we needed to harvest. While he was busy with that I was making the jam I wrote about last night, baking bread and doing laundry. When we reached a stopping point we spent some "porch time" and assessed the rest of the day. Since the rain had held off we decided to plant some tomatoes. I swear this is the latest we've ever put in our tomatoes but with the daily rains we've had it's been just about impossible to get any planting done. We also got in a few hills of cucumbers, some beans and corn seed and I put out some romaine lettuce plants.
We got chased to the porch by some brief showers once or twice while planting but we got about 50 tomatoes in the ground before stopping. Dinner was followed by more planting--flowers this time. Then as evening settled in we ate spaghetti on the deck and enjoyed watching the Cedar Waxwings continue their bombardment of the mulberry tree. Larry brought the laundry in from the clothesline and I sorted it and put it away, then got to work listing a few things on eBay and packing sold items for mailing, and finished up by writing my blog for the day. Bedtime came early and was mighty welcome!
Today we relaxed a little. It rained all night (perfect for our plants) so instead of hustling out to do more planting we went into town for the Ripley on Sale event--yard sales all over town and all over the courthouse lawn. I found lots of bargains, some to sell on eBay and others for us to keep, and we saw many friends as we meandered around. I was happy to find some really big sheer curtains that I plan to use to cover my cherry trees when the cherries start to ripen. I don't mind the birds getting the mulberries, but the cherries are mine! Other cool things were wood bushel baskets, some nice kitchen utensils and, very, very best--a stainless steel egg poaching pan for $1.00. My mother had one exactly like it and I loved those poached eggs. I can't wait to try it out.
When we got home Larry donned his bee suit and headed to the hives. He brought in the frames of honey and put them in the honey extractor, whirling them around to spin the honey out of the comb. I don't have photos because I was busy in the kitchen getting jars ready. When he brought in the honey (about a gallon this time) I skimmed off the bits of wax, dead bees, etc and then jarred it up. It went beautifully this time--no bees in the house like last year! The honey is light and just beautiful. Larry also found that one hive is building a queen cell so he is planning to go out there again on Sunday and try to split the hive. Wish him luck.
Tonight I've been getting ready for storytelling at Vandalia tomorrow. I can't wait to head to Charleston to hear the great old-time music, see friends at the storytelling tent and browse the arts and crafts. It will be another long, full day of this restful time they call "retirement."
Yesterday was one busy day. Our bees arrived at the post office so Larry made a quick trip to pick them up. Once home he set about putting them in their hive, and while he was at it he checked on the other two hives and discovered that we needed to harvest. While he was busy with that I was making the jam I wrote about last night, baking bread and doing laundry. When we reached a stopping point we spent some "porch time" and assessed the rest of the day. Since the rain had held off we decided to plant some tomatoes. I swear this is the latest we've ever put in our tomatoes but with the daily rains we've had it's been just about impossible to get any planting done. We also got in a few hills of cucumbers, some beans and corn seed and I put out some romaine lettuce plants.
We got chased to the porch by some brief showers once or twice while planting but we got about 50 tomatoes in the ground before stopping. Dinner was followed by more planting--flowers this time. Then as evening settled in we ate spaghetti on the deck and enjoyed watching the Cedar Waxwings continue their bombardment of the mulberry tree. Larry brought the laundry in from the clothesline and I sorted it and put it away, then got to work listing a few things on eBay and packing sold items for mailing, and finished up by writing my blog for the day. Bedtime came early and was mighty welcome!
Today we relaxed a little. It rained all night (perfect for our plants) so instead of hustling out to do more planting we went into town for the Ripley on Sale event--yard sales all over town and all over the courthouse lawn. I found lots of bargains, some to sell on eBay and others for us to keep, and we saw many friends as we meandered around. I was happy to find some really big sheer curtains that I plan to use to cover my cherry trees when the cherries start to ripen. I don't mind the birds getting the mulberries, but the cherries are mine! Other cool things were wood bushel baskets, some nice kitchen utensils and, very, very best--a stainless steel egg poaching pan for $1.00. My mother had one exactly like it and I loved those poached eggs. I can't wait to try it out.
Tonight I've been getting ready for storytelling at Vandalia tomorrow. I can't wait to head to Charleston to hear the great old-time music, see friends at the storytelling tent and browse the arts and crafts. It will be another long, full day of this restful time they call "retirement."
Sunday, May 15, 2011
The End of Week One: Some Thoughts
Tuesday was my last day at my full-time job. Today is the end of the first week (although not a full week) of retirement. Several people have asked, "So, how's it going? Are you bored yet?"
Bored? Shoot, no! This week has been full of so many activities I fall into bed exhausted (but satisfied) every night. So, how is it going?
First, I think Larry was apprehensive. How would it be for him to have me around all the time? He's used to being here alone during the day, planning his own schedule and doing his own thing. What would it be like for me to be here all day and all evening too?
Second, would I be missing the daily contact with people and the challenges of my job? Would I be wanting to go out every day to get my people fix?
Third, what would I do all day? Would I wander around trying to find my place, or would I stay online all day as a distraction from being so far away from "everything"?
To answer those questions in order:
As for me "being underfoot" all day, that never seemed like an issue to me. Larry has his things to do, I have mine. And years ago when we both worked evening shift and rode to and from work together, we got along quite well, working together as a team and getting a lot of things accomplished every day before leaving for work. I could not see why it would be different.
But it is different in some ways. First, Larry has diabetes and that means a special diet. The man has worried me to no end the past few years because he would not take the time to prepare and eat the food he needed to eat. So this week I've taken over meal preparation, focusing on his diet and trying to keep our meals somewhere close to what he needs with the occasional cheat meal (like this morning's homemade waffles and strawberries!). He's mostly okay with this although I think he gets tired of me being the watchdog. I just want to keep him around as long as possible, and I think he understands that--and maybe he'll get used to the diet after a while.
The other way it's different is because I seem to have more energy than he does. This surprised both of us because I've had a desk job for the past 8 years and I was sure that sedentary job was going to mean I would not have the energy or stamina I needed to do the physical work this place demands. So you can imagine my surprise that I can work longer without rest or breaks than my strong hubby. Again, this is the result of diabetes--and I sure don't have the muscles I used to have! I can't even pull the crank rope on the pressure washer to start the darned thing, and that's a piece of cake for Larry. Back in my heyday I carried 100-pound sacks of feed and had my own chain saw, but I doubt those days will return.
As for the second question, I have to be honest and say I have not missed that daily commute or the daily stress and routine of my job at all. I do miss some of the people, but I know I can email or call them any time--but miss the daily drive, phone calls, city streets, and all that? Not. At. All. And not likely to either. The job duties were the reason I retired. When I was a library branch manager, I could determine the course of my day. I have a creative streak that needs to be fed daily, and as a branch manager I could plan my day's work to fill my personal needs: if I was feeling creative, I could plan programs, find crafts, do displays. If I needed rote work, I could shelve books. If I needed people contact, I worked the desk. If I needed intellectual stimulation, I could work on collection development, staff development or a myriad of other tasks. It was up to me to decide how my day would go. But as the facilities manager, my day was filled with problems and crises, or at least that is how it felt. There was no room for creative or artistic expression; I handled security problems and knew more about the police records of some patrons than I ever wanted to know; I dealt with leaking roofs, malfunctioning air conditioners and faulty toilets; I wrote reports, RFPs and other dry stuff. I do not miss any of it, and I seriously doubt I ever will.
And what do I do all day? The days are as varied as I want them to be. I have worked in the gardens; I've planned and presented a program; I've worked on some writing; I've cooked; I've planned; I've cleaned; I've been learning about selling on eBay; I've spent time just listening to the birds; I've pressure-washed the patio and porch; I've worked in my greenhouse and herb garden. I've slept until I woke up naturally, without any alarm clock telling me when to get up. And I've only scratched the surface of all the things on my to-do list.
So that's how it has been so far. I marvel at my freedom to do what I want to do, and I hope retirement continues to be this interesting. I am still wondering how I managed to find time to go to work every day. Those of you who are already retired are quite familiar with this territory, but for me it's like discovering a new country, in my own home.
Bored? Shoot, no! This week has been full of so many activities I fall into bed exhausted (but satisfied) every night. So, how is it going?
First, I think Larry was apprehensive. How would it be for him to have me around all the time? He's used to being here alone during the day, planning his own schedule and doing his own thing. What would it be like for me to be here all day and all evening too?
Second, would I be missing the daily contact with people and the challenges of my job? Would I be wanting to go out every day to get my people fix?
Third, what would I do all day? Would I wander around trying to find my place, or would I stay online all day as a distraction from being so far away from "everything"?
To answer those questions in order:
As for me "being underfoot" all day, that never seemed like an issue to me. Larry has his things to do, I have mine. And years ago when we both worked evening shift and rode to and from work together, we got along quite well, working together as a team and getting a lot of things accomplished every day before leaving for work. I could not see why it would be different.
But it is different in some ways. First, Larry has diabetes and that means a special diet. The man has worried me to no end the past few years because he would not take the time to prepare and eat the food he needed to eat. So this week I've taken over meal preparation, focusing on his diet and trying to keep our meals somewhere close to what he needs with the occasional cheat meal (like this morning's homemade waffles and strawberries!). He's mostly okay with this although I think he gets tired of me being the watchdog. I just want to keep him around as long as possible, and I think he understands that--and maybe he'll get used to the diet after a while.
The other way it's different is because I seem to have more energy than he does. This surprised both of us because I've had a desk job for the past 8 years and I was sure that sedentary job was going to mean I would not have the energy or stamina I needed to do the physical work this place demands. So you can imagine my surprise that I can work longer without rest or breaks than my strong hubby. Again, this is the result of diabetes--and I sure don't have the muscles I used to have! I can't even pull the crank rope on the pressure washer to start the darned thing, and that's a piece of cake for Larry. Back in my heyday I carried 100-pound sacks of feed and had my own chain saw, but I doubt those days will return.
As for the second question, I have to be honest and say I have not missed that daily commute or the daily stress and routine of my job at all. I do miss some of the people, but I know I can email or call them any time--but miss the daily drive, phone calls, city streets, and all that? Not. At. All. And not likely to either. The job duties were the reason I retired. When I was a library branch manager, I could determine the course of my day. I have a creative streak that needs to be fed daily, and as a branch manager I could plan my day's work to fill my personal needs: if I was feeling creative, I could plan programs, find crafts, do displays. If I needed rote work, I could shelve books. If I needed people contact, I worked the desk. If I needed intellectual stimulation, I could work on collection development, staff development or a myriad of other tasks. It was up to me to decide how my day would go. But as the facilities manager, my day was filled with problems and crises, or at least that is how it felt. There was no room for creative or artistic expression; I handled security problems and knew more about the police records of some patrons than I ever wanted to know; I dealt with leaking roofs, malfunctioning air conditioners and faulty toilets; I wrote reports, RFPs and other dry stuff. I do not miss any of it, and I seriously doubt I ever will.
And what do I do all day? The days are as varied as I want them to be. I have worked in the gardens; I've planned and presented a program; I've worked on some writing; I've cooked; I've planned; I've cleaned; I've been learning about selling on eBay; I've spent time just listening to the birds; I've pressure-washed the patio and porch; I've worked in my greenhouse and herb garden. I've slept until I woke up naturally, without any alarm clock telling me when to get up. And I've only scratched the surface of all the things on my to-do list.
So that's how it has been so far. I marvel at my freedom to do what I want to do, and I hope retirement continues to be this interesting. I am still wondering how I managed to find time to go to work every day. Those of you who are already retired are quite familiar with this territory, but for me it's like discovering a new country, in my own home.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
First Official Day of Retirement, and a Gift
I said a lot of good-byes too. I have worked there for almost 20 years and there are many people who have been there the entire time with me; others I hired at some point during those years or worked with closely in some capacity or other. There are a lot of threads woven in a 20-year career.
Some people gave me gifts of remembrance--a silver card case engraved "Granny Sue," an engraved pen that hides a 2 gb flash drive, a bottle of Chardonnay, a basket filled with gardening goodies, a book, and even a tape measure with the most creative story written on the back of it. (I will post a photo of that, and the story, tomorrow.) My fellow managers teamed up to provide a gift certificate to a local garden center, and I used it to buy 4 blueberry plants, 3 raspberry plants and some herb plants. What a nice gift! I'll post photos of those plants tomorrow too.
Now I love stained glass, and I love quilts, so I said I liked the double wedding ring pattern. It speaks to me because of the timelessness of circles and the interweaving of the pattern that is so like storytelling, and living too. She asked what colors I liked and since I thought I would put the glass in my kitchen, I said red, yellow and green, my kitchen colors.
Well.
THIS is what she made.
So even though I have retired, the people I worked with will be with me for a long time--each time I hand out a business card, use the flash drive or pen, sip some Chardonnay, make blueberry pie, use the tape measure or think about the characters in that book, or work in my garden.
And every time I look out my kitchen window to a multicolored world, courtesy of Sandy.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Book Review: Don't Retire, Reinvent Yourself
Getting Up to Speed on a New Journey in Life
It starts at 1 mile per hour, in first gear. Then chapter by chapter the speed increases as the conversation ranges from planning ahead, assessing finances, setting goals, planning, planning, planning--and then acting on those plans.
Mike Connell and Frank Jenio, Ph.D., team up to present a nuts-and-bolts, common sense approach to the next step after work--seeking and planning a new path. The authors do not advocate finding a beach and working on a tan; rather they suggest that those who are ready to retire think long and hard about what they will do with the remaining years of their lives.
It comes as a surprise when we stop our daily ragged run and realize that there are far fewer years ahead of us than there are behind us. I remember when I saw this curve in my life looming, and suddenly I knew I needed to think about what I still wanted to achieve, see, and experience while I was still able and healthy enough to do so. I began making lists, and working on budgets.
We all know someone who retired only to sink into depression or loneliness. We also know those who suddenly find themselves as full-time babysitter of grandchildren, or swamped under piles of volunteer chores because they could not say no. And we know those who, after a few months of retirement, went back to the workforce. Sadly, we also know those whose health declined so rapidly after leaving their jobs that they enjoyed only a few brief months before disability or death overtook them. Connell and Jenio maintain that lack of planning can derail a retirement and in the process reduce quality of life for retirees. They advocate a positive, assertive approach to assure the years after leaving the workforce are as rewarding as possible.
While most retirement guides focus mainly on financial issues, which are certainly of paramount importance--we all need to eat and pay the bills--these authors caution against letting retirement just happen. Connell and Jenio believe the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of retirement that should be given equal consideration. Pets, yoga, exercise, religion, and even plastic surgery come under their scrutiny as potential sources of well-being in later life.
I found the chapter on Values intriguing. I had not considered how my values influenced why I was retiring and what I wanted to do with my coming freedom. I worked on defining my core values, thinking about them in relation to my plans. Did what I want to do fit with what I value? Since independence, creativity, and freedom were high on my list, my plans to expand my storytelling, gardening and writing interests are right on target. Other chapters explore bucket lists (those things you want to do before you die), having a sanctuary as well as a network, volunteering, boomerang kids, applying for Social Security and much more--55 topics in all, so that by the end of the book the speed of 55 mph is reached.
It's a clever concept but one that works because retirement is as complex a challenge as we are likely to take on in this life. Suddenly it is up to us to make the decisions about what to do each day--no boss to dictate it. How well we manage the transition is a measure of how well we have prepared at each "speed."
Even those with a good many years ahead of them in the work force will find that this book will help them start thinking about the years ahead and what they can do to smooth their path and ensure that retirement is a time of fulfillment and enrichment. Those on the brink, as I am, can take stock of plans and make adjustments. And those already retired will still find information to help them as they move along on this new journey.
It starts at 1 mile per hour, in first gear. Then chapter by chapter the speed increases as the conversation ranges from planning ahead, assessing finances, setting goals, planning, planning, planning--and then acting on those plans.
Mike Connell and Frank Jenio, Ph.D., team up to present a nuts-and-bolts, common sense approach to the next step after work--seeking and planning a new path. The authors do not advocate finding a beach and working on a tan; rather they suggest that those who are ready to retire think long and hard about what they will do with the remaining years of their lives.
It comes as a surprise when we stop our daily ragged run and realize that there are far fewer years ahead of us than there are behind us. I remember when I saw this curve in my life looming, and suddenly I knew I needed to think about what I still wanted to achieve, see, and experience while I was still able and healthy enough to do so. I began making lists, and working on budgets.
We all know someone who retired only to sink into depression or loneliness. We also know those who suddenly find themselves as full-time babysitter of grandchildren, or swamped under piles of volunteer chores because they could not say no. And we know those who, after a few months of retirement, went back to the workforce. Sadly, we also know those whose health declined so rapidly after leaving their jobs that they enjoyed only a few brief months before disability or death overtook them. Connell and Jenio maintain that lack of planning can derail a retirement and in the process reduce quality of life for retirees. They advocate a positive, assertive approach to assure the years after leaving the workforce are as rewarding as possible.
While most retirement guides focus mainly on financial issues, which are certainly of paramount importance--we all need to eat and pay the bills--these authors caution against letting retirement just happen. Connell and Jenio believe the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of retirement that should be given equal consideration. Pets, yoga, exercise, religion, and even plastic surgery come under their scrutiny as potential sources of well-being in later life.
I found the chapter on Values intriguing. I had not considered how my values influenced why I was retiring and what I wanted to do with my coming freedom. I worked on defining my core values, thinking about them in relation to my plans. Did what I want to do fit with what I value? Since independence, creativity, and freedom were high on my list, my plans to expand my storytelling, gardening and writing interests are right on target. Other chapters explore bucket lists (those things you want to do before you die), having a sanctuary as well as a network, volunteering, boomerang kids, applying for Social Security and much more--55 topics in all, so that by the end of the book the speed of 55 mph is reached.
It's a clever concept but one that works because retirement is as complex a challenge as we are likely to take on in this life. Suddenly it is up to us to make the decisions about what to do each day--no boss to dictate it. How well we manage the transition is a measure of how well we have prepared at each "speed."
Even those with a good many years ahead of them in the work force will find that this book will help them start thinking about the years ahead and what they can do to smooth their path and ensure that retirement is a time of fulfillment and enrichment. Those on the brink, as I am, can take stock of plans and make adjustments. And those already retired will still find information to help them as they move along on this new journey.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Values
; review coming soon) and one chapter in the book suggests that anyone considering retirement should determine what their values are so that they can plan accordingly. In other words, if one of your key values is lifelong learning, how will you accomplish this when you retire? A list of values is included as a starting place for thinking and possibly even discussing with your mate or family. I had not considered that my values could play a key role in my retirement, but as I thought about it, I realized that my values are exactly why I am retiring now instead of later. I also realized that because my values were out of sync with those of my workplace, I have not been happy or satisfied in my current position.
(image from tulane.edu)
But what are my values? How to put a name to something that I have accepted as part of who I am for so long, yet have never really recognized for what it is? The list is long, actually, and the book acknowledges this and suggests that the list be reviewed and honed until only the most important remain. Those then become the values that can shape or define your retirement.
So, to make a start, here are some of the values I can identify immediately as important to me, in no particular order:
honesty
respect
compassion
empathy
self-reliance
independence
creativity
humor
equality
integrity
civility
lifelong learning
There are more, I know--these are the ones I can name in 15 seconds. I would like to delve into each of these in future posts and explore why these are important to me.
If you had to make such a list, what would you name, and why?
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