Getting ready for the holidays, and I am doing OK
As I no longer go to work on a daily basis and time has lost its importance, I have, on occasion, woken up and am not sure what day it is. I look for clues and if hubby is not there, it means he went to work (big smile, big smile!). So now I am down to one of five or one of two and that is good enough for me.
Where, oh where, did that mind go that used to figure out complex programs and mathematical equations. I was that person who managed a small company and a large family and now I cringe when my grandchildren want me to play Angry Birds on their iPod. I used to be that person who jumped out of bed and quickly got her day going at 5:30 AM. Now as I slowly slide off the side of the mattress and onto the floor, my main purpose is to look for my glasses. Finding them within three minutes is sort of like getting a hole in one for me.
Monday, Schmonday, what does it matter now. It has taken me a while but I have learned to embrace a less stressful environment. Unless hubby is around, time is mine to do with what I want. I have a volunteer job that I love, love, love and gives me great satisfaction and joy. I also now have time to spend with my grandchildren that I did not have before and I am making memories. I have replaced the stress and restraints I had by now doing things I choose. My early enthusiasm about doing chores that I had put off for years has waned. Purging the basement of unnecessary collections has not been accomplished although I do make attempts at it every now and then (the emphasis on "then). I have decided to focus on small victories rather than big burdensome tasks. Best of all, what I have found is that in this phase in life I do less complaining and am grateful for so much more.
So when I woke up this week and saw the thick fog, I did not worry about being out on the road trying to see through the mist. What I noticed was how beautiful it looked. There was silence and sweet peace in the scene.
The Fog
by the wonderful Carl Sandburg
The fog comes
on little cat feet
It sits looking
Over harbor and city (and suburbia)
On silent haunches
And then moves on
And so have I.
As I no longer go to work on a daily basis and time has lost its importance, I have, on occasion, woken up and am not sure what day it is. I look for clues and if hubby is not there, it means he went to work (big smile, big smile!). So now I am down to one of five or one of two and that is good enough for me.
Where, oh where, did that mind go that used to figure out complex programs and mathematical equations. I was that person who managed a small company and a large family and now I cringe when my grandchildren want me to play Angry Birds on their iPod. I used to be that person who jumped out of bed and quickly got her day going at 5:30 AM. Now as I slowly slide off the side of the mattress and onto the floor, my main purpose is to look for my glasses. Finding them within three minutes is sort of like getting a hole in one for me.
Monday, Schmonday, what does it matter now. It has taken me a while but I have learned to embrace a less stressful environment. Unless hubby is around, time is mine to do with what I want. I have a volunteer job that I love, love, love and gives me great satisfaction and joy. I also now have time to spend with my grandchildren that I did not have before and I am making memories. I have replaced the stress and restraints I had by now doing things I choose. My early enthusiasm about doing chores that I had put off for years has waned. Purging the basement of unnecessary collections has not been accomplished although I do make attempts at it every now and then (the emphasis on "then). I have decided to focus on small victories rather than big burdensome tasks. Best of all, what I have found is that in this phase in life I do less complaining and am grateful for so much more.
So when I woke up this week and saw the thick fog, I did not worry about being out on the road trying to see through the mist. What I noticed was how beautiful it looked. There was silence and sweet peace in the scene.
The Fog
by the wonderful Carl Sandburg
The fog comes
on little cat feet
It sits looking
Over harbor and city (and suburbia)
On silent haunches
And then moves on
And so have I.
Girl you have come to a special time and place in your life. sandie
ReplyDeleteWhat is your volunteer job?
I work at a community center/food pantry.
DeleteThese photos are glorious; the fog and the cat, and I too am embracing retirement.
ReplyDeleteThe cat is a kitten which was abandoned by her mom on my porch. We have adopted her.
DeleteBeautiful pictures. Your days sound perfect to me. The basement will wait for you. Have a wonderful weekend. Bonnie
ReplyDeleteMy life is so much better without the stress and anxiety I used to have.
DeleteLovely photos. Yes, the basement can wait.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I will leave it for my kids to clean out. Many of the things down there belong to them anyway.
DeleteEnjoy this time. I love looking out my front window early on a wintry morning watching people digging out their cars so they can go to work. Then I go back to bed. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI'm in that state of contentment too. And your cushiony fog pictures capture it well.
ReplyDeleteThank yo, Joanne
DeleteBeen retired 3 years and still sometimes feel like I'm playing hookey. Delightful post and fine pictures!
ReplyDeleteThe best is when it is cold and snowing and after I look out the window, I can get back into bed and pull those warm covers around me.
DeleteThis is a great post – I totally agree – enjoy the fog and forget the basement! My husband is retired as well so I went to Target and bought a wall clock which gives us, in addition to the time, the day, the year and the temperature. I used to have to get up at 4:00 am for work and I am an evening person – now I can stay up to 1 am reading in bed – bliss!
ReplyDeleteIt took me a year to adjust, but now I am doing just fine. Of course, it helps that my hubby still loves to go to work.
DeleteIsn't this an absolutely fantabulous time of life? When my husband first retired, (11 year ago) for a while, he got great joy out of waking up early in the morning just long enough to listen to the abysmal traffic report, and then smiling, and going back to sleep. Yep, life is good, even if gravity is no longer our pal.
ReplyDeleteYour husband was so fortunate to retire so young and have many years to take time to smell the roses, instead of the exhaust fumes.
DeleteBeauty! Brava, enjoy life!
ReplyDeleteI rise at 5.30 am every morning. I have to; now that I'm 'officially' retired, there is so much to do.
ReplyDeleteI go to bed about 11, wake up at 1:30. 3:30 and 5:30. If I am lucky I can squeeze out another hour and am ready for the day at 6:30. My dream is to have a full nights sleep.
Deletep.s. I desperately want to take my secateurs to that middle twig in your last photo.
ReplyDeleteSo did I. However, the offending twig does bring attention to it more, annoying as it might be.
DeleteWonderful story and delightful pictures.
ReplyDeleteI get up in the morning when I get up. I go to bed at night when I go to bed. And if I want to nap in the afternoon, I do that, too.
I'm not lazy; I'm "relaxed." Yeah, that's the ticket!
But I still manage to accomplish a lot, if I'm so inclined.
Except for the nap in the afternoon, you have described my life.
DeleteDear Arleen, your posting made me sigh with contentment--over what you said, Sandburg's poem, and the photographs. Thank you for enhancing this day, which has brought many gifts to me of sight and sound and loveliness--your posting among them. Peace.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Arleen and I can so relate to this. And to not see the fog as an inconvenience but to admire the beauty.
ReplyDeleteThank you and now it's time for "Schmonday" :)
Loved this post! I am a new follower and can't wait to get to know you better. I like your way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteYou are brilliant. You had me laughing the whole time. Esp. about finding the glasses and hubby being at work.
ReplyDeleteLove your new photo.
I love that poem too! I started off retirement about the same way, with a list of projects I wanted to get done. I did get the back bedroom cleaned out so the grandchildren could stay with me last summer, but it's filling back up. I have taken a lot of stuff to the Goodwill. I am pretty content with my ordinary life, and I am grateful.
ReplyDeleteI want to enjoy the simple life...right now I have enough of everything but time...always running around like crazy. I am ready to chill and read my books..in my jammies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteI greatly enjoyed the visual of you sliding off the mattress and on to the floor -- in search of your glasses. :-)
Pearl
A nice philosophical post and some soft and lovely pictures. Thank you for a little bit of "slowing down" today.
ReplyDeleteOh how I could relate to so much in this Post... I took an early retirement from my Corporate Life and it was a huge adjustment. Even though 'time to myself' isn't one of the perks as The Man has been battling serious illness and disability, and we're Custodial G-Parents of two of our Grandchildren. So Life has taken several unexpected turns... and I am along for the ride... but I bought the ticket so I'm on for the whole ride. *LOL* Recently I opened a Showroom in an Antique Mall and work there part time and still try to do Volunteer Work that makes my Heart and Spirit Sing, I am an Artist and can now also pursue my Art full time if I want to. I think for those of us used to Purpose it would be difficult, if not impossible, to completely Retire, don't you think? Love your Blog!
ReplyDeleteBlessings and a Happy Thanksgiving from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
You’ll get the hang of this retirement business eventually, I promise. You’ll probably find that you wouldn’t have time to go to work anymore.
ReplyDeleteI love being free, without fixed hours, able to wander about in my own time and do what I want to do when I want to do it.
And ambling about in the fog and taking pictures of it is certainly a priority on a foggy day.
My retirement arrived two weeks ago. I'm just getting to the point where I can have a little free time here and there. The "someday" projects have yet to be touched, I wake up several times during the night, and identified with and appreciated this post (and comments) more than I can say. Well, I could say, but it would take too much thought and time and I'm relaxing now... (insert horrible little smiley thingy here).
ReplyDeleteThe foggy pics are breathtaking!
ReplyDelete