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

For the Love of Grandchildren !

Grandchildren are on my mind this week. There is almost always something going on when you have them. 

When you think you have life somewhat figured out grandchildren turn your world around and change your perspective on what is important. Before I had grandchildren my husband and I took some marvelous vacations, just the two of us. Our kids were older and no longer wanting to travel with us and we had so much fun with that freedom. Then the grand kids started coming. They were all born in North Carolina and lived there for 6 years before moving back home. All of my vacations from that point forward were geared toward visiting them. Sometimes we worked it into a vacation such as meeting halfway or going to the beach with them. I wouldn't trade those trips for all the European vacations in the world. I hated leaving them and returning home and hated the thought that I was missing out on school music programs, ballgames and overnights at my house. I can see why many couples retire early and move to live closer to their children. I was so fortunate that my family moved closer to me. 

Like any grandparent I LOVE my grandchildren. I think having grandchildren is one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I can't say that I love them more than my own children but I do love them differently. Again I can look at children and see their unique talents and wonder at how their lives will develop and who they will become. I marvel at their imagination and eagerness to learn and do new things. The treat is that I don't bear that same responsibility that parents feel toward their children. But I do have a responsibility to them. Grandparents should show children that love is unconditional and reinforce to them their originality. We should help them to develop self esteem and self confidence that they can rely on in the future when they are adults and facing difficult choices. And we can share family stories that only we know. 

Our world has gotten so mobile that families don't stay together like they used to in the same community, sometimes even in the same house, for generations. I wonder frequently and think we've lost something by having such a mobile society. My grandmother lived a block from my house and 2 aunts/uncles lived in houses between ours and hers. Both my parents worked but when my sister and I came home from school or during summer break I had my grandmother and 2 aunts that were close and always home to watch out for me. No need for a strange babysitter. And it was free. I paid them with my love. And I'm sure Mom and Dad did favors for them in return. What a great system that was! Flash forward to the next generation and I didn't live quite so close to my parents but did remain in the same community to raise my children. My Mom and Dad came to see their grandchildren almost every day. They even moved closer to me to enable more time with them. I can't imagine what I would have done without them and all the assistance they provided in raising my kids. Not just babysitting but transportation, meals, homework help, teaching skills - in truth just being there when needed. 

So I am glad my children live in this same community and I hope that I can be half as good a grandparent as my parents and grandmother were. And spending more quality time with my grandchildren is high on my bucket list when I retire. 

I think I'm learning as much from my grandchildren as I hope they are learning from me. I've learned how precious time is when I see how fast they grow and change. My whole outlook on healthy living has changed so I can hopefully be around longer to watch them continue to grow. I've learned that a clean and orderly home is not necessary. It's much more important to spend that time with them or my husband or doing something rewarding for myself than it is to spend time being a slave to my house. I've learned to be creative and live in the moment. I can see life through a child's eyes again and it's a wonderful thing!

I started out saying they were on my mind. I should have said on my mind, in my house, eating my food, etc. Of course, I love it. This weekend started with overnights and ballgames. Friday my oldest grand daughter cheered, played basketball AND sang the National Anthem at her grade school's games. She was wonderful. She made all A's on her report card too. Then she woke at home yesterday with pain in her abdomen. It turned out to be appendicitis. She's had her appendix out now and will be released today to go home. My husband and I watched the 2 younger ones so Mom and Dad could be with her. So yesterday was filled with golf, basketball, hover board and pizza! It was hard not to be there at the hospital but as grandparents we do what is needed and I'm glad we're here for them. I'm sure she'll pull through and be back to her usual self soon. 

heading out for shopping and lunch

mastering chopsticks

fun on the hover board

team spirit

Decisions, decisions

I don't know about any of you but I never thought making the decision to retire from work would be so hard. For those of you that have done this already you probably understand. It really is like taking a leap of faith!

I always had it my mind that I would retire at 60. But as my birthday drew near I had no plans for how to do this. My work was going through some changes and I hated to add the burden of losing another employee to an already short staff. But I kept meeting up with old classmates that had been retired for a number of years or were planning to do so soon. I was green with envy. So I took the first step and made an appointment with a well recommended retirement planner. After a few short meetings I found that I really could retire and be reasonably confident I could have the retirement I dreamed of.

Good news! Now to set a date. Wow! It's hard to give up your salary and life as you know it.

I spent a few months or more stewing about should I retire or should I wait. Have I mentioned I have a hard time making decisions? I finally turned in my notice at work. And then I waivered, wondering if I should maybe just cut back my hours for a few years. About this time I met again with my retirement advisor. I mentioned I was thinking about going part time. His advice: Don't do it. He recommended I go for it. He suggested traveling and enjoying myself for a year without work and see how I felt then. Fortunately my nursing background would allow me to go back to work anytime if needed. Well, he's seen many people retire and spent time getting to know me. So I finally decided to trust and follow his advice.

After I accepted this decision I began to see just how great retirement was going to be. My husband had retired 3 years ago and bought an RV that we have barely had time to use. There are so many great road trips we have thought about and now need to begin planning.  I've also made plans for a reunion traveling with my high school girlfriends, a camping trip with my daughter's family, visiting my sister and her family and a trip to Ireland. Interspersed with all that traveling I will be glad to be home for the summer to spend time with my grandkids. I'm already getting a site ready to put in a small garden and I'd like to get in better shape by joining a yoga class and get back into hiking. Plus I promised the hubby I'd have time to golf with him again. Add in my volunteer activities and I will be one busy retiree. Not to worry. I'm planning time to relax too. 

Now I'm counting the days until April 2, my last day to work. No more wavering or second thoughts for me. My husband says one of my biggest challenges will be to stop expecting boxes from Amazon! I do expect to have to make some choices to insure my funds will last but I know I can do it.

Are you sitting on the fence and can't decide? Sometimes you just have to trust you can make it happen. For me it's all about priorities with time for my family and myself topping the list. I'm not getting younger and my grandkids are growing up fast. Time is more precious to me every day. Yes, it's scary making adjustments in my lifestyle but the rewards will be worth it.

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. 

We have only today. Let us begin.” 

Mother Teresa