My Retirement Journey

  Dirty Works Pore - Fect Face Scrub -125ml https://a.co/d/ckB4Fc3 Over the years I tried to get interested in skin care but it's so confusing and can be expensive. I would just go on as best as I could. Nothing ever became a standard or seemed helpful. When I began to get acne in my 60s, that seemed really unfair. So when Susan Buchanan posted a video on skin care, I took notice since she's my age. And she spoke to my "hippie heart" with the oils she uses rather than moisturizer. Today I will share one of those finds and I really like it because it feels fresh and tingles. Why not have fun in the shower washing your face? This is Dirty Works Pore-fect Face Scrub. There is also a cleanser but I bought this first to try out. I found it on Amazon but its on Google too. After all, today is Spa Day.

 Today marks one month since I walked out of GRC to my new life in retirement. So how is it going? I decided to take it somewhat easy my first month. I did some cleaning, decorating, celebrating, got my hair done, had a girls day out, went to lunch two times, and the movies, but most of all I rested. I was exhausted the first two weeks. The ending of one way of living and stepping into another was tiring. The only time I felt retired was when I woke up and discovered I didn't have to go to work. Or when I could go take a nap. I discovered about the third week I wasn't as tired and my mind was thinking about March and things ahead, not what had passed. So taking it slow the first month was good for me. I gave myself time to reset my thoughts etc. Tomorrow I am planning to go to Lydia's Ladies. So stay tuned to see what I discover.

Two years ago I had my second vaccine for Covid 19. I was glad and nervous at the same time. I had to remind myself that I have had Small Pox vaccines, many Polio vaccines etc... and they were contemporary medicine at the time. I leaned on what I knew my parents would have suggested to do which was have faith in science. Then there was if I'd have side effects, but normally in the past with other vaccines I haven't, and I've been tested. Once I had to have a vaccine for Hepatitis because I was taking care of a coworker that we thought had the flu. Nope, Hepatitis.  That Hepatitis shot really hurt in our back side and made us limp. The doctors said it wouldn't stop us from getting sick but it would be less severe. Sound familiar?  This will all be a part of history the vaccines and vaccination cards. Covid 19 stories will fade in the future, just like Polio has. However, it won't for us that lived it. Or lost people. We lost a dear coworker Sal to

Today it's been really cold. It was 27 degrees when I last looked, and the high is only suppose to be in the mid 30s. To me, that is a day to create a soup on the stove. I can do that now even on weekdays.   I decided to make a quick 8 can Chicken Taco Soup: 1 can of diced tomatoes  1 can of corn  1 can of black beans 1 can of pinto beans 1 can of cream of chicken soup 1 can of chicken broth 1 can of green enchilada sauce 1 can of white chicken breast Taco Seasoning Of course, I add or subtract whatever or change the ingredient. What's great is  you heat it up and set on low. Then there's something warm to eat.

For months I worked with the Social Security Administration with filling out the benefits application, filling out the Medicare B application and proving I have had medical insurance while I worked. Then having to recheck it when the local office didn't turn information in when they said they will... and getting a notice telling me that I would be penalized etc. It left me wondering if it would all work out. Today I got my first month of retirement benefits. It seems to be working as it should. Sigh of relief. Next week I get my DRS benefits. Hopefully all will go as smooth.

Two years ago today Elaina took her life. Something was desperately wrong but she didn't tell any one. She took pills and went to sleep. I have had a hard time understanding this act. She is Riley's older sister and the wake of pain in others that she left behind causes me to still go between anger and trying to be understanding.   The thing I do is remember the good times we had. I would make sure we met at Red Robin 3 to 4 times a year. She knew we loved her. We miss her. This is real stuff. It's a part of life whether we like it or not. We take care of each other when dealing with the grief. I am always checking on Riley especially. All I can say is damn it, I wish it was different. Let the truth be known always.

I have a new friend, her name is Susan Bachanan. She's just turn 68 and although she lives in Michigan I look forward seeing her posts on You Tube. In many ways I relate to her... divorced, creative, etc. Her personality reminds me of my aunt a bit. (I don't know why) She talks about was has happened in her life, skin care products she's using, make up, thrift store shopping, decorating etc. She's had a long dream of buying a small home with a yard for her dog which she is now able to buy. She's moving closer to her grandson and family, north of where she lives now. In a short time that I've been watching Little Poet (that's her You Tube name... and I found her channel this month) I am amazed at all I have learned as I am beginning my new life retired. While I begin to venture out in my own, it's nice to find inspiration and get ideas.

This post is extra today. II've been struggling. I have a planner, and I am a planner. I have a calendar available at all times. That's not changing in retirement. However, life isn't being so much dictated to me with things to do. Now, I have to create items and events to put on the calendar. Strange? Yes! Oddly, it can make one have sad feelings instead of the freedom feelings that was promised. Like everything else, I am assuming this change is going to take time and practice. I can't let it get me down. See you next week... I am putting it on the calender. Deal

Eva has been my stepmother since I was 18 and she was 29. My dad met her while being a patient at the hospital she worked at as a nurse. My dad had MS, and I gather they were flirting. My folks divorced when I was in 9th grade. My mom was drinking (which later she recovered... another story for another time), and my dad was in and out of the hospital. He was in his 40s... maybe 40 or 41 when they married.   Dad was charming, with an Irish twinkle in his eye with his teasing. So in December 30th 1973 the had their Christmas wedding. I was in it but was very ill with a fever from the flu. Dad passed away in August 1999. He was hoping to see the  new century, but cancer along with the complications of MS took him. Eva and my family has been close over these 23 years since he passed away. She  is a Seventh Day Adventist, so out of respect I talk to her early on Fridays or Sundays... they have the Sabbath Friday sundown to Saturday sundown.   She is Mexic

In the early 1970s, I graduated from high school and my family moved that summer to Costa Meas, CA. About a mile down the street was Calvary Chapel. They were growing in attendance that they had to put up a big white circus tent. The music was contemporary and it drew my generation. Many bands came out of that movement such as Mustard Seed Faith. And although I attended another church, I was a part of that movement. I was also baptized in the ocean as seen in the trailer of the movie coming out next week. Susie and I are going together to see it to relive our Jesus Revolution days. I seemed so easy then. Since then, I have had to be careful among those in the church. I go by love one another, but in the past few years I have been embarrassed by the church, not God, but the church. They've  got into thinking their opinion matters more than the commandment I mentioned above. It will be nice to relive the history of when Chuck Smith changed his attitude and the chu

Next week I will begin receiving Social Security benefits and the next week I am to receive DRS benefits. Hopefully all will go well. I checked it a few times and I am trying to have faith. I set up a new budget on my laptop in Excel. I had one set up before the pandemic and used it all the time. Then when the pandemic came, my keeping up on a budget went out the window. I paid bills online and didn't really go anywhere. A budget was very simple; pretty much not necessary. Now with life coming back to almost normal, and I have a new income schedule to work with, I need to manage a budget again.   First I listed all the expensive I have monthly. Things have changed there. I am also looking at what expenses I can cut such as subscriptions which will save me $100 a month. I  need to limit myself in some spending which isn't necessary, and plan better for gifts for various occasions. I didn't  have the time before to plan meals which might be less expensive. Those a

Where I live, it's still cold but the days are showing to have daylight earlier and later. It's time to at least prepare and plan to grow flowers, herbs, or vegetables especially if you are from seeds. Although it snowed last night, March is just around the corner. I am hopeful Spring is coming. During the weekend, I looked at what I might need in March but not buying quiet yet. I am enjoying the process. I will probably buy this week sometime.   I keep looking at the clean up outside in the yard that has to be done. I need to coordinate the boys and myself to start raking up leaves etc. Hopefully there's warm days ahead.

Susie (on the right, the day she was moving), Kari, and I met up at the Spaghetti Factory in Tukwila today. She is here visiting her daughter who just had their second baby for 2 months. Susie was the Career Specialist at Kent Ridge HS when I was at Kent Meridian HS. Later we both worked at GRC. She moved back to North Carolina and I stayed 22 years at GRC.   Today, after years of not seeing each other due to illnesses, pandemics, bad timing etc we finally got together. Susie has been a major mentor besides a friend in my life, and thirty years plus later we are always able to pick up where we left off. We spent two hours plus talking and laughing. It's good for the soul to have a friend like Susie.

Unfortunately there's a time where one wonders, "Should I grow out my grey hair?" The way I was covering grey from a box dye wasn't cutting it anymore. So I decided to grow it out. But, just like with bangs, there's a time in that process that it's ridiculous... half grey and half brown. I thought there must be a better way, maybe somewhere in the middle?   At Brady's birthday party Kari and Debra (a close friend of Kari's but is now a part of the family) decided that low lights were the answer. They got out their phones to show me. So I made an appointment. Since the boys were little, I took everyone to a salon in Kent. The boys were so little that they would crawl up into the chair and sit on a booster seat. The last time we had been there was before the pandemic. During the pandemic Kari cut all our hair. This would be my first time back in 3 years. The ladies that work there recognized me right away in their always friendly way. They we

Let's face it, when a person goes through a life change one needs inspiration. You may find yourself getting married or divorced, having a baby, moving, dealing with a pandemic with changes, starting a new job or retiring. That is when one finds themselves not in the same circumstances and there is a need to rebuild your life. I remember the first time I had to rebuild my life was after graduating high school. There suddenly wasn't a schedule, friends to see or homework that took up my time. I was rather lost. I am older and have gone through many changes and I have had to rebuild my life many times. Inspiration is key. It can come from anywhere.The most common places to start are books, music, nature, friends, maybe spiritual intervention such as church (I have a unconditional love type pastor for counseling); just to name a few ideas. Whatever helps on an unmapped out journey. I have to try them out to see what helps.   One day I was surfing through TV channels an

I feel that in the next few weeks I will be finding ways to be social again. For a very social people, this is an area of my life that I need to rebuild. I need to plan a day to go over to Hansville to see my friends Chuck and Carol. I would like my friend Valerie to go with me.  Chuck and Carol were instrumental in Kari's recovery. At our church, there was a program called New Heart for recovering addicts and their families. Not many people are like them, but when I find them, I am drawn to them.   Next Monday I am having lunch with my friend Susie. Susie was the Career Specialist at Kent Ridge HS when I was the Career Specialist at Kent Meridian HS in the 1990s. She is visiting her daughter and helping out with her new grandson. Susie and I both worked at GRC in 2000. She later moved back to North Carolina. We always just pick up where we left off.

Today I have the intention of making doctors, hair, making time for friends, and other appointments. I hate doctor's appointments etc but it's necessary. You may be asking "when are you going to start having retirement fun?" That's a good question. I had fun at Brady's birthday party yesterday. His party was at Athens in Auburn with family and friends. It was nice to feel a bit normal again after years of a pandemic. Little by little. 

I am a bit late due to another dentist appointment and Brady having his wisdom teeth pulled. Kari's not too good with  blood so I wanted to make sure I was home on time to support them. I am taking on eating better and getting out to walk together but in baby steps. I feel I have better choices what to eat at home. Also I feel as if I can choose a time and walk. I lost a lot of balance being at home during the pandemic. I didn't realize it until we went back to normal. Also I took a hard fall last summer. I need to improve.  I'll let you know how I approach these two goals mentioned in the title. I collect recipes. Maybe now I can use some of them to eat better at home..

I am very fortunate because I knew my grandparents on both sides of my family well. My dad's dad was from Alabama and was born in the 1800s. A very quiet man. Went to bed early and got up early with intention even in his retirement years.   My dad's mom was a nurse and my grandfather made hospital meals. Both of my grandparents worked at the county hospital a few blocks away from their house. That's were I got the idea to live close to my work. He was their only driver because she never learned to drive. When I learned to drive, I would help out. I can't remember when they retired... I just remember them receiving a gold watch. That was a thing in those days. I believe they retired earlier in life than I did... early 60s maybe? Both lived into their 80s. In the early 70s , grandma spend the weekdays at our house for about 3 years. My dad had MS and was in a wheelchair. She helped out and taught me some nursing skills. I was always good at nursing but had my

I was given some self care items for retirement. I decided I would put them to use. I took a long warm shower and used the shower gel and other items from my basket such as lotions etc. I washed my hair, dried it etc. I  was surprised how many gifts were in the basket.  So thankful. Later I did more decluttering to keep my goals on track. I feel like I am doing something but only making a dent. It's going to take me a week or so to make it like I'd like it to be. I am organizing beads and cleaning an area of the room each day. It  takes me a while to process what I am going to do. Then  I might change my mind because I can see it a better way. I am  afraid that if I get overwhelmed I will stop and get nothing done so I am taking small steps.   I can you believe I have been blogging again for a week? I have thought of many ideas to share.

 One of the effects of the pandemic for me was clutter. As I look around, I can see how buying things on Amazon was a way of keeping life maybe interesting. I hear I am not the only one. I have to have things visible or I forget them. However in time, it got out of control. I've started to work on organizing or putting items in a bag for the Goodwill. I am doing some everyday. Today I am wondering where all these cable connections for USB etc came from? The best I could do is collect them and put them in a plastic bag for my electronics drawer. I am starting to feel a little lighter and more in control.   Today is Brady's 18th Birthday.