My Retirement Journey

Twenty years ago today, I was handed from a doctor my first grandchild Riley while I sat on a stool in the delivery room next to Kari having a C Section.  The doctor said "Happy Birthday Grandma".  I had also been born on my grandmother's birthday, and now I had a grandchild born on the same day.  Riley has been my best birthday gift!  He can't be topped.  I have been so proud of him each stage of his life.  I love him so much... Happy 20th Birthday Riley!  68th for me... 

OK so this weekend i started to learn how to make wire wrapped jewelry.  This is one of my first attempts at making a simple ring.  I made 10.  It's all in learning your wire and using tools.  This combines a few things I love.  Stones, beads, sea glass, jewelry, and being creative.

It's not easy when you lose someone close to you.  One goes through so many emotions.  I keep doing things twice, or walking into rooms forgetting why I am there.  I can't seem to be normal.  Maybe I will be more so next week.  

We had a BBQ with Young at Heart today.  It was at the Memorial Park.  I sat with Renee and her son.  We played a game.  Ate.  Then I had to go early to meet up with the electrician.  We got our outlets fixed. Brady will be gone 3 days then he'll be home.  Toby will be happy his buddy is back.

I had to take yesterday off... one of my best friends, Susie, passed away.  Susie in 2020 had breast cancer.  She overcame until in July... she announced it was back in her lungs and other places.  She had started treatment, but yesterday she was done with that.  Her daughter sent me a message to let me know.  Of course, I am very sad but happy she is out of pain and suffering.  I will write more about Susie later, but right now I need some time.  So until tomorrow.

I took my own advise and took some time out.  I wasn't here last week but it was a busy week.  Monday I went to the doctor to update my meds and got a pneumonia vacine.  They were excited to see I've almost lost 40 lbs.  We took Brady to the airport to go to CA, ate salad at Corner Bakery, and got Bundt cake on sale.  We also went to the Kent Nursery again but it was almost 100 degrees and I wasn't feeling that great (vacine).   I stayed low most of the week.  Going places means spending money.  Then on Friday I reconnected with Renee in Sumner.  Renee use to work at GRC with me in Outreach.  I was in Outreach for 6 years promoting the college.  Before the pandemic I had lost connection, but we picked up where we left off.  We had breakfast and we shopped the in the downtown for 3 hours.  It was fun and I felt "back" since Sumner is one of my fun places to go.  We loved these signs with funny things on them.  

Continuing with mourning brooches... this is a bar brooch.  Most were used at the neck.  This would be worn in a state of mourning for someone.  It's not a brooch with hair or a photo.  There's not pearls which symbolized tears.  It's very simple.  There must be a reason or story.  Right?

I have so much fun with brooches, I want to show you another brooch I own.  This is Victorian.  It dates back probably to the mid 1800s.  I can tell by the C clasp the pin hooks into, and the tubelike hinge of the pin.  It was advertised as a mourning brooch but I am trying to learn why.  The glass doesn't appear to hold hair.  There's no photo or motif.  There is very little black on it.  It might have worn off though.  The back tells me the date it was constructed.  It's a fun piece of history in my collection 

One of my hobbies is collecting brooches... mostly vintage or Victorian.  I am learning the dates of the item by how it was constructed.  This is one of my favorite Victorian Mourning Brooches (due to being black) which were popular when women wore mourning clothes for long periods of time.  There were all kinds of regulations, symbols/ motifs, and remembrances like hair from the deceased love one.  Hair keeps.  And in an age where it was hard or expensive to get a photo of a person, keeping hair was the custom to remember someone. I love the history.  I am sure I wouldn't like the rules or the layered outfits, but it's interesting what they did then, and why.  I will share more about my collection as we go. 

Count them 5.  Brady and I stopped at Value Villege to drop off more donations on our way to getting our haircuts.  Brady leaves for CA on Monday and I want him to look good for his grandparents there.  Third we were looking good so we went to Chick-fil-A for lunch.  I got my daily salad with chicken nuggets (no cooking) today.  I usually have it at 2 or 3 pm.   Next we went to the Covington Library.  It has been on my summer bucket list.  I must start to catch u.  Haven't been to the library since before Covid.  So we both updated our library cards, I learned about Libby, and borrowed some magazines.  I never know what to do with them if I buy magazine.   The last thing today is that we went to GRC to turn in Brady's scholarship money.  I saw Shawn, Shirley, Dave, Derek, Teresa, and Alex.  It was so good to see them. All and all it was a productive day and fun too.  

Sorry I have been gone from here a few days.  I have been keeping summer busy.  Yesterday I mentioned to Kari that we should go check out the Kent Nursery.  We pass it all the time but haven't gone there for years and years. So we went and it turned out to be the best plant place ever.  Kari got some plants discounted she had been wanting.  

Since January 6th, 2021, I've expected this day to come.  I am not surprised, and believe if found guilty, Trump should pay.  There's no love lost here.  No excuses.  And I don't understand how he can run for president.  If I was indicted on the charges he is, I could get a crossing guards job... or any job... so why president?  This is historical.  I saw Nixon resign.  This is more, and they also leave a visible trail.  I've never decided if they aren't that good at being criminals or do they don't care due to thinking they're so powerful.  Wrong thinking all the way around, in my opinion.  Some people say today's a sad day.  I don't think so.  January 6th was the sad day.  We overcame it and are still working to set things right.

Now, here we are in August.  Wow.  Ok, so now what?  Brady goes to CA for 2 weeks.  Riley turns 20 on my 68th birthday.  I've been "doing" and not taking in summer.  So, I am going to change that.  I need more Zen time.  Spiritual connection time.  Outside time especially.  Soak up the rest of summer.  Today is day 1.  Let's see what's up.  Well, ffor one its a full moon. :-)  Have a good day.