First Retirement Update

FIRST RETIREMENT UPDATE – GET OUT THE FUN STUFF!!

Every day that I went to work, I dreamed of retirement.  I retired in January from teaching 12^th grade English Language Arts.  I never said I could afford to, I said I’d figure it out along the way.  Here’s a note I wrote to my teacher friends who were still on the job.  This is what my first few months of retirement were like.

Happy Spring forward and almost Spring Break! I miss you all and I think about you all the time.  Thanks for all the great retirement gifts.  I’ve been keeping very busy, but don’t have much to show for it.  My house is still a mess.  My personal belongings that I brought home from work, are still sitting at my front door, just where I left them two months ago!  I did, however finally take down my Christmas tree before the end of January – or maybe before Valentine’s Day.  Anyway, it’s not Easter yet and my Christmas tree is down!  The problem is that all the Christmas stuff I did not put up is still not put away and is making my babies’ playroom a mess!

Well, I’ll justify my messy house by saying that my first priority was to get us (my husband Roger, my dog Popeye and me) eating healthier. Popeye is a white boxer and he has He was scratching excessively to the point where he had to be medicated to ease the itching.  I thought it was food allergies so I start making his food myself.  He’s still scratching, but I’m pretty sure he’ll never go back to dog food again.  He loves having a stay-at-home mommy cooking for him and is really becoming a spoiled little “mama’s boy.”

Rog and I are on a healthier diet too. I got a Nutribullet and have committed to having at least five servings of “healthy” food, at least five days a week.  In over 30 years of cooking for Rog, I have been fortunate.  He’s a great guy to cook for.  He likes almost everything and has only, once in 30 years, not liked something I cooked for him.  (He was right about that one too).  This healthy diet may be pushing my luck a bit.

The Teeter Table finally got put together.   I have to use it slowly and gradually because it moves up and down by arm motion.  My mean cardiologist is making me exercise 30 minutes a day.  Usually, I just walk in a circle around my house for 30 minutes then stretch on the teeter.  My back still hurts, but I’m going to stick with it and hope over time it will make my back feel better.  I’m trying to lose 10 pounds, which to me seems reasonable and do-able.  It seems like the healthier I eat, the fatter I get.  If this healthy diet doesn’t work I’m going to forget the green tea and vegetables and go to back to brownies, hot dogs and Pepsi.

I continue to work for my daughter Julia’s business, and my daughter Jackie also has her own business selling wellness products. I’m going to be her “before and after” poster child.  Needless to say, my grandchildren remain absolute perfect little angels!  Alexandria just won 3 Platinum (better than gold) awards in a dance competition this week-end.

I finally got to start making the blanket I was supposed to have made for my baby Olivia before she was born (she must never know the truth). While I’m doing that and walking around in circles, I’m hooked on the mystery shows like “Forensic Files.”

I know you enjoyed your snow day. My 83 year old mother made us go to the casino with her that day.  I tried to explain to her that there was a reason it was a snow day, but she made us get on a bus with old people and go anyway.  We didn’t win any money, but we didn’t lose too much and we enjoyed a delightful complimentary “all you can eat,” buffet, which is a real bargain when it comes to feeding my husband.

Rog and I went to Costco last week and it made me kind of sad to go down the snack aisle. The last time I was there, I was buying snacks for Artistic Expressions and Friday phone calls.  My wonderful husband quickly cheered me up by insisting I get a bottle of wine with all the money I saved not buying cleaning products.

Okay, clam down. That’s enough excitement for one session.  I know you’re all very busy, but write or call whenever you get a chance – miss you!

debbie@grammyslittlehelpers.com