Crazy times call for crazy decisions

What a crazy time we are living in right now. Never could I have imagined in our age of modern medicine that our world could be shut down by a virus. This situation has caused many people to take a look around them at what is important, what is essential and what they can do without. Three months ago few people thought twice about where their food came from or worried about availability. America is the land of plenty after all. Now people are stockpiling food and essentials like the best doomsday prepper. What next? I pray for a quick resolution and lives to be spared. Until then America WAKE UP and follow recommendations. Please maintain safe distancing as directed (still don't like the term "social distancing"). 

It's hard to follow recommendations when the spring weather is calling all of us to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and warmer temperatures. Nothing says we can't do these things but we have to be careful in order to stop the spread of the virus. A simple thing would be to just open your windows and let fresh air and sunshine in your home. Take a walk staying away from public areas and anyplace large numbers are likely to still congregate. Clean off your porch or patio and sit outside reading a book, writing letters, cooking out or starting a container garden. In the spring there are plenty of rainy days. Use that time to clear out the clutter in your house or try new recipes. Focus on a healthier lifestyle. 

I have changed all my short term plans for retirement because of this virus and the situation it has created. Number one of which is ... I'm not. Retiring that is. With the economy in a slump, stocks dropped, no travel possible, etc I decided to continue working but I will be cutting my hours in half. It was such a big decision to retire and now at the end I'm backing out. Today was to have been my last day of work and I have been ambivalent about whether I'm making the right decision. I believe it's the right choice for me now though. Plenty of people retire only to find another part time job to help with expenses or other reasons. To me it just made more sense to keep the job I already know but reduce the hours. So in actuality I'm not fully retiring but I'm also not fully working either. This is the bright side for me. 

I will now have more time at home than at work to enjoy the things I've been planning to do. Confined to our home I have been doing my usual online research and shopping. I'm planning my garden and researching hiking and backpacking. These seem to be safe activities that I could enjoy right now. I'm researching how to be more historically accurate in my living history passion and updating my kits and clothing for this. I will eventually be able to participate in this activity again and hopefully will be better informed and prepared. I've gotten out most days to walk the dogs or take a short hike. Travel plans? Well, that's still up in the air or better stated - I'm still grounded. But planning the adventure is part of having the best experience. The time will come when we can fly the friendly skies again and I'll be ready to go. 

The other positive about not fully retiring at the present is that I will ease into living on less income than I'm used to. With my salary cut in half I will have to make adjustments same as if I were living on my planned retirement income. By the time I take down my shingle for good I will hopefully have a more accurate idea of what my minimum monthly budget will be. I've already been thinking longer and harder before making even simple purchases. Planning meals and shopping lists is the new normal also and one that should allow some savings each month.  

I'm not sure at this time how much longer I will be working. My financial adviser asked me this very question. My only response - time will tell. First will be adapting to a new budget and work schedule. If it fits then this part time option may continue for awhile. But I don't plan on work holding me back from all that I want to enjoy with my family and friends. If it is then it will be time. For now I will be embracing the change and I continue to look forward to the future. None of us can ever know what is in store for us around the corner. 

Stay healthy, stay safe and make wise choices. 

Hiking with family in Shawnee National Forest

Social distancing? - I don't think so!

We are all experiencing new and different times. For those of you like me who are on the verge of retiring it has certainly raised a lot of additional questions that others aren't thinking about. The markets have not been stable and travel plans are cancelled or postponed. I question if I should delay my retirement. Working in the healthcare field I wonder if I will be needed to care for patients or should I consider myself "high risk" and avoid work at this time? 

In my immediate area there are no documented cases of Covid-19 but it is getting nearer. Per the news media you cannot always tell if somebody is infected and contagious. It's a scary world out there right now. Still, I don't think mass panic and hoarding toilet paper is a good solution. The virus will spread across the country and affect a large number of the population. We can limit our risk by limiting contact with others as instructed. That being said I've been reevaluating and working on my immediate retirement goals. 

Cleaning out closets and reducing clutter, learning a language with Duolingo, catching up on scrapbooks, trying new recipes, working on my living history kit, reading, making soap, researching travel ideas and fine tuning my bucket list - all these things and more can be done at home. Nobody has said I have to be confined inside my home so I can go outside and garden, take a walk, enjoy the pool or other similar activities. Not all public areas are closed off to hiking and hopefully will remain open. Living in a rural area it seems easier to comply with "social distancing" while still being able to go outside my home. And there is always the internet which allows us to stay connected with friends and family instead of being totally isolated. 

So, with my glass still half full instead of half empty, I will be retiring as planned. I've talked with my retirement adviser and while there are never 100% assurances I am trusting that everything will work out. Ultimately it reverts back to my retirement priorities which are having quality time with family and having time to pursue all the things I love to do. So really, nothing has changed other than travel plans and there will be time for that too, just not now. 

Life is still wonderful. Say a prayer for those who are ill and look for opportunities to do something you wouldn't normally think of doing in our highly mobile, social world. You may find a new hobby or interest or find time to write a letter, connect with distant family or just learn to relax and be still in the moment. I really feel that they have mislabeled "social distancing" as we do not have to give up on being social with so many avenues to reach out to others without physical contact. It should be more appropriately termed "physical distancing" as that is really what is required. 

Take care, stay safe and consider the mandated "social distancing" as a gift instead of a curse. 

History Nerd

I learned to love history when I was in college. It was required to take at the college I attended. I had transferred in and was catching up on basic requirements so I took two different American history classes the same semester. I had two wonderful instructors that knew how to get your attention and keep it. In addition to dates, places and important events they taught social history. We explored how people lived and why new developments were important. I can even remember having to clean a raw cotton boll to demonstrate the importance of the cotton gin! It opened a whole new world to me but it took years to evolve into my passion of reenacting. 

In my hometown there was an annual reenactment that was a big event and I never missed attending. As years went by I joined a group that served as vendors during the event and began dressing in my interpretation of period clothes. Then, a casual friend offered to take me to participate in an event as a reenactor. She got me hooked and became one of my dearest friends in the process. How could anyone sleeping on the ground under a tarp in the rain with no shower and only portable toilets have so much fun? Following this I inquired about joining the local reenactment group which portrays a French military unit of the French and Indian War also known as the Seven Years War. I have evolved from sleeping on the ground under a shelter to a cot and tent but the best part is that I have made so many more great friends with this same passion. I hope I can continue to enjoy this hobby for many years and will be sharing my adventures into living history with readers here. 

          

Then

... and now

Last weekend a small group of us went to the Seven Years War Conference. This is an annual educational and business meeting for members. I chose the option of learning about 18th century quill making, writing and paper making. Our instructor was so knowledgeable and I left wishing I had more time to pick her brain. The weekend also included a dinner and dance in period clothing. It was a fun weekend and the location at Spring Mill State Park in Indiana was beautiful. I'm wanting to go back sometime with my husband to camp and check out all the other great things the park has to offer. 


              











Spring Mill State Park is in southern Indiana not too far from Paoli Peaks and French Lick. One of the main features of the park is the Pioneer Village which contains a water-powered grist mill built in 1817. Besides the mill there are 20 log cabins set up as homes and places of business. The log buildings were restored mostly in the 1920s and 1930s by the CCC. In the summer they have various interpreters staffing the shops as merchant, apothecary, carpenter, etc. Unfortunately it was closed for the season during our visit but definitely worth a trip back to see. 

The park itself is beautiful and has many natural features to explore. One area known as Donaldson's Woods has native trees more than 300 years old. There are short hiking trails, mountain bike trails, a lake and caves. Accommodations include a campground with or without electricity and shower houses with flush toilets or the inn which is open all year and has a delicious dining hall and rooms available for events. If more modern history is your thing there is the Grissom Memorial which honors Virgil "Gus" Grissom and houses the Gemini III capsule and spacesuit. Grissom was an early pioneer of the space program and local hero raised in nearby Mitchell, Indiana. They also have an Olympic size swimming pool with pool house in the park and indoor pool at the Inn. If you're near the area I encourage you to visit the park for a day or stay the weekend. 

The journey begins ...

Hi fellow retirees and retiree wannabes

I am about to embark on the adventure of retirement after 40 years of working. I turned 60 last year and had that moment of awareness that there was less time ahead than behind. My first step was to meet with a financial advisor to see if I could feasibly retire and accomplish everything I dreamed for retirement. Thankfully the answer was yes!

This blog is not about achieving financial security so that you can retire. There are numerous websites and videos out there for that. My only suggestion on this is to find a retirement planner that understands you and your goals and then research as much as time allows. Make that bucket list! In the end, trust that your financial advisor will have your personal goals in mind. If not, find another. Then, take a leap of faith.

This blog is about how to truly live a meaningful and enjoyable life after retiring.

One of the main things I plan to do initially in retirement is traveling. I want to get in as much traveling as possible as long as I physically can. To me it's all about making memories. I have to admit I am an internet search and YouTube addict. I love learning new things and studying the best methods. So I immediately turned to the internet for information on where, how, when, etc. I have to say I was disappointed that most of the travel blogs were geared toward a much younger audience. There were very few YouTube videos for seniors such as myself. And, let's face it, there are differences in how we travel. So my journey began with blogging and maybe eventually embarking into the realm of YouTube to bridge that gap.

Besides travel there are plenty of other topics of interest that I'd like to share including cooking, reading, camping, gardening and family life in general.

As a newbie to retirement (and to blogging) I don't have a wealth of experience to share - yet. But if you want to follow my adventures and misadventures as I navigate through unknown territory ahead I welcome you to come along on this ride with me and we can learn together how to live a happy, active life after retirement.