This quote is from a post written nine years ago already; wow, time does fly. At the time I was describing the changes in my lifestyle since my retirement from the healthcare industry:
Since retiring last April, it seems I never know what day of the week it is. I rely on my fifteen-year-old son’s school and hockey schedule to keep me somewhat on track. My other two sons are older, can drive themselves around and so keep track of their own schedules. The rest of the side effects of retirement are all positive…
To start, I spent a lot more time doing the things I had previously called hobbies…
I have read more books in the past year (since retirement) than I did in the previous 25 years combined. My favorite was the Millenium trilogy from Stieg Larsson; the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the Girl that Played with Fire, and the Girl that Stepped on the Hornet’s Nest. I had a hard time putting these books down once I started reading them, the suspenseful storyline and believable characters were gripping, from the beginning of the first book to the last pages of the third book. Yes, I did read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, but it didn’t rate nearly as high in my books (pun intended!), and by the third one, I found the plot to be quite predictable and boring.
My other (pre-retirement) hobby was gardening, which currently moved to the front burner in the form of a new business called Gardens4u. This was a no-brainer for me as I had spent many previous gardening seasons volunteering my green thumbs to friends, family and neighbours. I now do gardening on a full-time basis from April to October, depending only on Mother Nature for restrictions.
I was also able to spend more time at our family cottage, and what a summer it was for living lakeside. The water temperature was the warmest it has ever been; I’m sure I spent more time in the lake than I have in the previous 10 years combined.
In the last half of 2011 and throughout 2012 I discovered firsthand the health benefits of a wheat-free diet. Just recently I began to share my knowledge with friends and family concerned about the same health issues. Please share your knowledge on this important subject by visiting my blog…
Retirement takes getting used to, but I am game!
Retirement Update:
Fast forward to 2022. My interests are still the same, just evolved over time. My husband has now joined the retirement club. This means neither of us knows what day of the week or month it is. His work schedule kept me (somewhat) organized chronologically since my retirement.
Compromises
Hubby’s retirement also means lots of adjustments and learning to choose my battles. Compromise is key. For example, I have learned to find the positive aspects in his need to re-organize the kitchen cupboards after almost forty years. As long as they are decluttered, something he is not known for, I am happy. Another example? Loading the dishwasher, something I have (predominantly) done over the same forty years. Knock yourself out, dear, I have other things to accomplish.
Extended Family
We are now empty nesters. Our three sons are grown up and long gone, graduated from post-secondary schools, and doing well in the workforce. Two have purchased homes of their own and the same two are parents themselves. The third son (almost 25) is finding it harder to break into the homeowners market with the current real estate conditions, rising inflation, and a struggling economy. But that’s a whole other post, and fortunately, he has time on his side.
We are currently blessed with six (!!) healthy, adorable grandchildren. I must admit that my life revolves around them. I figure in a few years when they are all registered in school and extracurricular activities, Grandma days will be few and far between.
Gardens4U
My beloved gardening business is winding down this year, with my current focus on design instead of maintenance. I’m okay with that as garden design was my original business dream. Several of my garden designs can be viewed on my YouTube channel in a time-lapsed format. Modern technology is wonderful!
Cottage Renovations
Cottage renovations have been in our conversations for several years now but unfortunately, we have not accomplished much. My father-in-law’s declining health and subsequent passing created the first delay, then Covid and the resulting pandemic extended the delay. Hopefully this season we can get our renovation plans back on track instead of spinning our wheels. Follow the process here.
Health Issues
My health issues from the last decade have been resolved, mainly by eliminating wheat from my diet. Of course, new ones have developed this decade, as I am not getting any younger. I am finding though that regular exercise and clean eating keep me relatively healthy.
Travel Plans
Something else that moved to the back burner thanks to the pandemic was our travel plans. We did squeak in a trip to Mexico last November between covid travel restrictions. My brother’s destination wedding was a great excuse to find a way to plan the (much-needed) getaway. Hopefully, more travel is in our future.
We are counting on the next decade (at least) to be full of adventure and compromise.
