So leaving the best place I have been in 20 years was not so easy. My 82 year old mother who lives with me is depressed...that means we all experience her pain....there is a bunch of snow around the house and the laundry is sky high. I am not sure I want to be back.
I loved letting go for a week, in fact I highly recommend vacation. I am eager to return to work and feel refreshed, sounds crazy but true. I am also eager to start to plan for my final vacation at hmmmm age 70? is that the new 65?
I am pretty sure that I want to be where it is warm for at least part of each winter. (Oh my goodness I will be a snow bird.) Life is funny huh? When did I become older, when did the activities of 70 years old look good to me? I watched these people walking everyday along the beach road, having early dinners and drinks by the beach and it looked good to me. I think I will include kayaks in my future I discovered how much I really enjoyed that activity, especially in the warm waters of Florida. What do you all envision for your retirement? Do we even really think we will? I think I will always do something...but maybe less stressful like part time grant writing or consulting...But I sure do believe in early bird specials and morning walks!
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I'll spend a lot of time walking in the woods with my animals (cats and/or dogs). I'll visit my daughter in New York City. I'll do yoga and go outside during thunder storms and snow storms. And go to beaches after storms. I'm always hoping I see a ship wreck or a dead seal or something dramatic like that. Saw a dead seal on the beach when I was a kid. I think I'm a forensics person in another world -- death fascinates me. I always see myself as alone and poor. I think deep down I want to be a monk.
ReplyDeleteLaurie, you are a hard act to follow! Death fascinates you and you see yourself as a monk...WOW! You certainly are your own person!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger I couldn't wait till retirement. I loved the idea of having the time to spend with family and renewing old friendships. Now that I have reached that time of life I can admit...I'm afraid of it. Retirement came at the wrong time. Maybe the job I really love came at the wrong time. I love what I do and want to be able to continue to do it for a long time yet to come. Will my health hold out so I can continue to be at TPC? I hope so! I can't imagine myself sitting at home watching soap operas, having coffee with the neighbors, etc. That just isn't me. I also worry about what will happen to my mind...although some will say I lost it years ago. My mother had Alzheimer's disease. I don't obsess over it but it helps to scare me when I think of sitting around in retirement. I'm just not a sit-around type of person. I'm not saying that I couldn't sit around for awhile but I'm sure that would get old soon. I need something to keep me occupied!
About being a snow-bird....I could do that and I'm sure I'd enjoy the early-bird specials and drinks on the beach. Don't forget those AARP and senior discounts. I doubt if I could do it all winter but I do admit to dreaming about living in a place, any place, where snow and wind-chill are never in the forecast!
The older I get the more I think that I'm starting to live my life in reverse. Instead of being an old "fuddy-duddy" I think that I'm heading in the other direction. They say that you regress as you get older....could be what is happening to me. Maybe I'm trying to live life to it's fullest before it's too late. Age brings the reality of just how short and precious life is into perspective.
How nice Laurie a Monk! I think that you would miss the day to day contact with the "man on the street" folks. But I can see you walking the woods.
ReplyDeletePriscilla it is great that you are going backwards~I would hope for that as well. I love the AARP discounts and plan to take full advantage before I am lost in the world of Alzheimer's.
I want some time in my life to live and enjoy and learn to just love the feel of sun on my face. That is my goal indeed.
Started yesterday but got tired :)
ReplyDeleteFirst, just a quick response to your latest – obviously Alzheimer's is a huge present and potential issue… regarding the future… never forget the impact of self fulfilling prophecy. Praying things will change.
For vacation – welcome back! I need your trip details because Pine Island looks very relaxing and inviting. Please send email with info regarding where you stayed.
Laundry and initial depression is the worst coming back from a break. I also find myself needing a couple of days to really get back into work. Agree, we ALL need the break (whatever it is) and so glad you found a spot which you truly enjoy!
Yep, 70 is the new 65 (or in my case it feels more like 80 since I stupidly checked my Fidelity account this week… it BETTER recover) So, I think this means we need to lead fuller lives going forward because we will miss those joyous retirement years. Balancing this and setting aside money for eventual retirement is tough though.
Same as you – don’t see myself ever not working. But, hope it is for fulfillment/pleasure versus need. I am already a “consultant” but really just a contract worker so my awful schedule is NOT what we want in retirement :)
When I retire I‘d like to go around the world “backwards” (in my mind meaning going west first) and living every lifestyle in every culture/lifestyle I can (from a dirt floor to the Ritz.) Missed some opportunities to work and play in foreign places and have an obsessive curiosity about how other people live.
You know I am so interested in your backwards travel...I also find people and how they live totally fascinating. I love to hear people's stories. I also think you are correct that we are not going to have the dollars we expected and that we best figure out how to balance the good times now b/c retirement may not really exist anymore.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to stay positive about the memory stuff and play mind games frequently to keep it working. Maybe I should learn to play the piano...a new challenge for the second half of my life.
Where do we find the nice schedule?
Don't know why I've always called my plan "backwards" but have for years. Some day… I do have the challenge of Arnie not wanting to travel much outside of Maine (he’s been retired since age 47 and has very clear preferences on what he likes and does not like to do.) Hoping to convince him we at least need to go back blue water next winter.
ReplyDeletePiano - if I had any sense or rhythm or music it's what I'd want to learn. You should! Just think of Christmas Eves with your grandchildren (and then their children)... could be so fun!
I can see a piano sing along. Bob does not like to travel-it was amazing to get him to Florida (only took ten years) I am all for blue water in the winter. I like the idea of backwards. Think it has charm. I played the french horn once... not really musical. But we can dream right.
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