Day three of retirement was odd. I know I'm in a transition but the only other two retirements I experienced is The Mom's and CaDiva's.
With the Mom, I had been telling her she should retire since she was 62. With her health issues it would only make sense. She just plugged away until until one Friday when she was closer to 65 than 64. I wasn't there for the event, I had been traveling for work and drove up into the driveway to find her standing at the front porch door. Since it was a full hour before her normal business day would end I climbed out of my co-worker's truck and lifted out my luggage before I asked, "Have we retired?" She just answered, "I think so." Then she started banging her head against anything above 5'5" high.
Long story short, The Mom finished payroll after double checking about paying two of the employees who didn't work before or after holiday. Of course the office manager changed her mind later. The Mom said she would do as told, but she would have her say and then she would leave. That's exactly what she did. She redid the whole payroll, refigured the taxes, redid the tax deposits and packed up her things and walked out the door. She was so miserable for days after that. I, being the most noble and best of daughters, not to dismiss my other siblings except there is documented proof I am the favorite regardless of what they say, assured her all was well.
I was unsuccessful until I pointed out to her that she had the premium exit that all wage slaves dream of and if she can't enjoy that then she might as well give up coffee, cigarettes and chocolate. (for an analogous situation, read the interaction between CaDiva and her former gentleman friend in the Omelet Express) I may be paraphrasing but this is how I remember it.
Now CaDiva just sort of eased into retirement. She moved to Iowa and managed her first winter. I taught her to drive in snow and that things stayed frozen after 10 AM and sunshine didn't mean warm. (Remind me to blog about her first winter. It was hilarious.) Then she worked temp jobs but the more I traveled the more I needed her to, you know, tend to my every waking desire. So up until 10 years ago she mostly traveled with me and tended to our finances. Yeah, she took that time out for the whole "I have cancer" thing. She worked her way slowly into retirement.
Now here I am, trying to figure this thing out. So, bad night sleep. Not unusual, my hip has been bugging me since that last fall. So I got up at 7:00 am. As the Tylenol kicked in, I started to drowse in the chair. Then CaDiva decided to go start some laundry. I followed her down and walked the treadmill.
Ok, that sounds like I really exercised, which I totally did, but it's not like I used the incline. Or walked faster than a meander. But I could almost have made it 10 minutes, except it was more like six. But, you start from where you are, you know?
The important thing is I'm still retired. And I remember to blog.
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