Ready for Halloween

Yesterday Rosalba came to clean. It has been 6 months since Chuy died. Chuy's favorite color was orange and she loved to decorate my house for Halloween. In her sister's memory Rosalba wanted to decorate this year. I didn't want to climb into the attic to bring down the decorations, so we settled on a readily available black tablecloth and the orange runner that Ann brought from Africa. So, here's to you Chuy! Horrible breast cancer ended your life way too soon. We miss you!

Rosalba was very touched by the button that Monika carried in the 3-day breast cancer walk. She is helping me find a good way to display it. Very special people in my life.

Rosalba also knows that soon it will be Diwali so she made sure to put out candles for Narinder. The gesture gave Narinder a chuckle.

Halloween candy is bought; decorations are out; Fall is in the air; let the festivities begin!

Location:Home

Uninspired Monday

This must be post-retirement depression. I don't feel like disproving myths today. The weather is gorgeous--warm and sunny with the softness that means 'Fall' in the Bay Area. So, I can't blame it on the weather.

Took Mother to the retinal specialist today. His waiting room was rather blah this morning. Usually there are some entertaining patients keeping it lively for those of us who drive the patients. Well, Mother got a good report and that's worth a lot more than entertainment.

A new myth:
10. I will practice sustainability.

It's time to put the 'I wills' into action.

Onward!

Location:Home

Spring to Fall

This is not symbolic of the beginning of my career compared to the end. For one thing a career beginning is not like a bright and beautiful blooming plant in Spring. It's more like when I first got Spencer. He enjoyed digging in the flower pots and was always uprooting this hydrangea. I was constantly rescuing it, replanting it, and hoping that something would survive and take root. That's more like the start of a career: constant readjustment, repotting, and hoping for the best. The plant did survive and this year it produced beautiful blooms that recently became lovely dried blooms. I carefully saved the dry blooms, imagining that I'll make some sort of artistic dried arrangement this winter. I don't know if this enforces 'I will get new hobbies,' or proves that 'I will organize my belongings' is indeed a myth because I've just added to my disgusting mess. Trade offs always! I'm guessing saving the dried flowers proves a myth as that's my nature.

Had a nice lunch with a friend who is briefly in town. It was nice to reconnect. So, I'm on track with 'I will have time for friends'.

Here are the added myths:
8. Humor remains
A. I will continue to share laughs with my family, friends, and partner.
9. I will not worry.

Quiltfest

Today Sally and I attended the quilt show in Santa Clara. It was a lot to see. Bad news: all little old lady quilters look alike. If I lost my sister at the convention center, my description of her to security would have matched 90% of the women in attendance. Same if she had needed to describe me. We had to stick close in the mob of gray haired ladies arriving by the bus-load. I think I've found my people!

I used my retirement gift to buy a design wall--really just a piece of flannel stretched between tent poles. Strange things excite me these days. Poor Daddy will lose more of the living room to the quilt studio when the wall arrives. Many thanks to the colleagues who gave me the means to splurge on what I've wanted for many months.


- Posted by Rosewood Lady

Location:Santa Clara

Humor

I received the following note from a colleague on my last day:

It was really a highlight, even with the short time we strudel in the hall-way or in conference, with your utmost support is well appreciated.

His wishes are sincere and well-intentioned. I appreciate his message to me. Even more I appreciate the humor. For the life of me I cannot figure how we 'strudel' in the hall. So after a good laugh and a consultation of the on-line Urban Dictionary, I am reminded how important humor is to us. I don't intend to trivialize people or situations, but laughing keeps me going. Shared humor has been very important to me with my friends and colleagues. As a gag gift at my good-bye party I got a picture of Coach Belichick from my colleagues in IT. They were teasing me about liking the Patriots and not the Colts. It was another good laugh, though it looks like Bill doesn't get the joke.

I hope I can keep humor during retirement and that continued laughter is not another myth.

Location:Home

Retirement Day 1

During my last week of working, before 'retirement' I read an article on the Internet about the 'myths' of retirement. Each one I firmly believed, so I was shocked to discover they may actually be myths. It may be that retirement isn't the last cocoon and I will emerge from it like a beautiful butterfly, a changed and better person? It may be that the flawed, average person I've carried around inside this body so far is the person I'll be in retirement? It may be that having more time does not heal all problems and personality flaws? Say it's not so!

Hence the idea for this blog; a journal of my myth busting; a place to chronicle if retirement is what I'm planning or if the article is more true than I care to admit.

I searched for the article so I could copy the myths for the blog, but it seems to have disappeared into the ethernet in favor of articles about financial planning for retirement. Therefore, I've recorded the list as best as I can remember and added my own embellishments and corollaries to begin this blog.

Rosewood Lady's Potential Retirement Myths (so far)

Summary: In retirement I will be a better person than I was heretofore and I will finally get my act together.

1. I will make a budget and stick to it
A. I will not practice fantasy financing
B. I will finally listen to my financial planner
C. I will use a cheaper brand of face cream
D. I will avoid Nordstrom's
E. I will avoid Internet shopping sites--Amazon be gone!
2. I will exercise
A. I will continue my yoga and exercise classes
B. I will take the dog for longer and more vigorous hikes
3. I will organize my belongings
A. I will clean my closets
B. I will get rid of my disgusting messes
C. I will pare my things down to what I actually need
4. I will travel
A. Not so very likely, but I can dream about the trip to Italy
5. I will stay healthy and eat right
A. I will go to the doctor for regular check ups
B. I will cut out fats, sugar and salt
C. I will learn to like salads
D. I will stay as 'young' as I am now; I will not look really old and wrinkled. I will avoid mirrors so this can be true. As long as my thoughts stay young and I keep the picture of me that's inside my head I will stay 30, er 50.
6. I will get hobbies and volunteer
A. I will learn to cook
B. I will avoid Law and Order TV marathons
C. I will have time for friends
D. I will fix up my yard and garden
7. I will never work again
A. I will be so independent and financially sound, working will never be a consideration.

So here goes.
- Posted by Rosewood Lady

Location:Home

Fall begins

Retirement Day -1

Looking forward to getting on with this next step. Here's to the last day of work!