Comfort and Joy

For the past 365 days Mr. J&C and I have explored the brave new world of retirement. This year has been a period of adjustment for us.  Learning we don't have to live by the clock.  Making a list of fun things to do and actually having the time to do (some of) them. We are also finding new things to do to keep our brains young happily middle aged. There has been lots of togetherness, so much that some days we just make time to be away from each other.  Still, my favorite way to start the morning and end the day is with him.

A perfect gift from my mom.

Mr. J&C still belongs to his professional society which meets once a month. He has also joined a group of retirees (many of whom he worked with) and they meet once a month. He's slowly getting back into golf (very slowly, he hurt his elbow weeding in the flower beds - I told him gardening was tough). He goes to lunch every now and then with his friends. He likes the outdoors and hunting (visiting with family and friends). He's taken 3 different BBQ classes and (I'm happy to report) his cooking gets better and better.

I still visit with my girlfriends (we call it shopping - it's really more talking and having lunch and talking with a little shopping thrown in). Took a pottery class in October.  And (this is big) I've joined a book club - it's a delight, one of my smartest moves in years. We meet once a month, taking turns to be hostess and choose the book and, if we're lucky, our hostess will theme her lunch menu around the book. The month we read The Great Gatsby our hostess welcomed us into a 1920's cocktail party. I'm planning on doing future posts to describe the books we've read and the meals we've shared. This group of eight women is amazing and the books they have me reading (no pictures! I'm talking serious reading here!) have been entertaining.

I guess the point of my post today is to let the world know we are surviving, even thriving, in retirement. Still learning about each other and the world around us.  Always on the lookout for our next adventure.

Happy New Year!

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Celebrate

Life at our house has been crazy lately. My husband is retiring in less than a month and the parties have already started. If anyone is retiring PLEASE take time to celebrate.

I know so many people who say they want to 'go quietly.' Or you'll hear someone - birthday girl or guy - say "Oh, I don't need anything..." (Yes, I'm guilty of this.) You need it. And your friends need this celebration, too.

Each life is unique with its own series of important life events. In a world with Twitter and "In Your Face" media, you and yours are the Stars of your life.  So, please, enjoy your life - do lunch, brunch, dinner, and Sunday Supper whenever you can.

Take pictures.

Email and snail mail cards for all occasions. 

Light candles, sing songs.



 

Celebrate Life!

Get out there and party. Because every life needs a way to mark time. Life markers to remind us how far we've come, what we have accomplished, and who we love. Places and dates where we can look out and observe the changing of the guard and the beginning and ending of things. So go to those graduations, showers, weddings, birthday parties, funerals, memorials services, Christmas open houses, New Years parties, and retirement ceremonies.  Make time to stop and visit with friends at the nearest bar, tea room, or coffee house.

Even if you live to be 100 life is short.

Celebrate every time you get a chance.

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