Retirement

Retirement. Hmmm. The first couple weeks felt mostly like vacation but I'm starting to get used to the concept that I don't have to go to work anymore...and everyone else is a little crabby about that! Surprisingly, though I thought I'd spend a lot of time sleeping in, I've been wide awake at 7:30 most mornings. The really nice part of that is that I can choose to stay in bed or get up at my pleasure. Ah...yes...this is what they've been telling me about. Chris arrived from Tucson last Saturday and Ken & Linde are back from Mexico so we had a big party on the boat Saturday night. It was originally intended as just a 'welcome back Ken & Linde' deal with a few friends but morphed into a "G Dock Extravaganza"! The boat looked like a war zone the next morning but a good time was had by all. Chris & I have been busy buying parts & pieces and he's knocking off the projects one by one. He has to make one last trip to Tucson next week for his surgery but then he'll be back for good. We went racing on Sugar Plum last night and that was a nice break. I'll miss the racing but Rod announced that he's going to sell S.P. so that would be the end of that era anyway. Besides...the plan is to take Faith to Mexico - not stay in Portland for buoy racing!

Winter again?

Today is the end of week one of retirement. Wow! While it has been very nice, it still feels like I'm on vacation. Have been "sleeping in" (tho' not nearly as late as I had expected) but accomplishments seem to be sporadic. The weather has been lousy. I am still having to run both heaters most of the time to keep the boat warm...in June! Rain and wind have been constant companions. On the one hand, it is very nice to be able to hunker down under a blanket and read, write, watch movies, do what I want, but still...there are plenty of things needing doing to get Faith ready to go. If this wintry (snow at pass level!) weather continues, this will be the perfect year to head for Mexico. Looks like today will be another "indoor projects" day. Still...it is a new luxury!

Retirement

Well...yesterday was my first day of "retirement". How strange it feels. My plan was to sleep in but when I woke up I thought, "I can sleep in any time I want to", so got up at 8:30! Still...it is later than 6:15. Since the sun was out I started the day with a long walk. Then puttered a bit, read a bit, visited with the neighbors, went to a party last night. Today I spent some time working on my "new" budget. I am nervous, calm, a little fearful, happy, all sorts of things. Mostly I think I am anxious to get going on the new adventure but a little stymied about what to do first and a little worried that there won't be enough money to get it done. Trying to take it one step at a time and remember that it will all work out. Sometimes it's hard to do, but then...this is just day two.