One Year of Retirement

One Year of Retirement

All I can say is, this is the best thing I have ever done for myself.  I just love not working.  Sure, I still work with the horses, work in the garden, work in the house and work taking care of my ever so demanding cat, Thunder, but this is work that I want to do.  I didn’t want to work for anybody else, anymore, unless they have 4 legs.

I haven’t done anything spectacular with my time, and that is just what I expected in retirement.  It is about the day to day living, not the big events.  I take long walks with my dog--that’s not exciting--but when I find a new dragonfly or flower, it is exciting for me.  

Of course, I ride nearly every day.  I have to make a conscious effort to give Cole a day off.  Most days, the rides aren’t long, but they are always fun.  I contemplate getting a second horse, but that’s as far as it gets.  I do help my sister take care of her retiree, Ranger, so it is almost like having a second horse when she isn’t there.  I just take him on walks.  He is a good walking companion--something I missed when Cruiser died.  I mostly walked him the last year of his life, too.  

I joke about it, but there is a lot of truth when I say that I retired so I could take better care of Thunder.  We formed a mutual admiration society.  My day isn’t complete if I don’t get to spend a lot of time with him.  I don’t know how I managed on those busy work days when I went right to the barn after dinner and right to bed after the barn.  He wants me with him all the time.  I am so glad to say that he never seems to get tired of me being around.

I get along much better with my dog, Maggie, now that I can spend more time with her, too.  Sounds odd, but she just needed more attention and longer walks.  Now, I hardly ever call her Dumb Dog, anymore.  She is a fun little dog to be around.

I can finally get enough time in the garden without thinking I should be doing something else at the time.  I try to time it during Thunder’s naps.  My veggies are doing well, so far.  If I get any bumper crops of anything, I have all kinds of new things I can try with them.  Right now, it looks like I will have more peppers than I have had in years!

Of course, I spend lots of time with Kevin, too.  I think he is as happy as I am that I retired.  He rides with Ellen and I quite often.  We hike all the time.  Now and then, we go on excursions--but not as often as he’d like.  I have a hard time taking time away from Thunder...We watch a lot of DVDs, too.  Both of us get them from the library, of course.

Retirement has brought me to a very contented state of mind.  I seldom feel like I am in a hurry--something I always felt when I was working.  I was very depressed after my dad died, and that lasted so long.  I truly didn’t shake it off until I did retire.  Sometimes I still feel a little down about “whatever” but I don’t feel the black cloud enveloping me, anymore.

Oddly, I don’t worry about money half as much as I used to, even though I get no paycheck or pension.  If my investments go south, I will just have to deal with it.  After weathering the great recession, I feel like I can get through anything besides a huge disaster.  I can’t predict the future, so I no longer worry about it.  

So retirement has meant more time and less stress.  I recommend anyone who can afford to retire early--should.  Life should be about enjoying it while we can.

Book Review: "What Maisie Knew" by Henry James - 1897

I swore I would never read anything by James, again, but I got tempted, and I am glad I did.  His work can get so bogged down in language, sometimes I just don't know what is going on--and sometimes nothing is going on at all!

Not much went on in this one, but it was still a fascinating story.  It is about a young girl whose parents divorce.  They start with sharing custody, and eventually don't seem to want her at all.  That is where the step parents step in with the help of a governess.

The morals of the day as far as divorce and such were very different, then.  That caused a lot of conflict and uncomfortableness in the story.

It kept my interest and I enjoyed it.  I won't completely write off Henry James, anymore.

Garden Update--Thank Goodness for Volunteers

Volunteer Tomatillos, that is.  This is the third year that I planted them.  The first was on a whim.  The second, I gave them more room.  This year, I gave them special treatment.  I didn't just scatter seeds, I planted carefully--and got terrible germination.

I was very upset about it, and then I found a volunteer--then another one.  Every few days, I find one.  They are in all different spots--a few are nowhere near where they were growing last year.  I think I have about a dozen, but there may be more.  They are thriving, too.

It will be interesting to see where they grow the best and with what plants.  Will the one with the peppers grow as well as the one in the cucumbers?  How will they get along with beans and eggplant?

I also have volunteer winter squash. At least that is what I think they are.  I ate my big winter squash in March and tossed the seeds in that area.  It was a good squash, so I am pleased I will have more.  It is possible there are some pumpkins mixed in, but right now, nothing is looking like a vine.

I even have a few volunteer tomatoes.  Since they happen to be where the tomatillos are supposed to me, that worked out well.

 The peppers look better than they have for years, and the tomatoes look awesome.  I didn't have the best germination with my beans and limas, but I replanted the areas with dried beans, which I had an abundance of seeds.

Of course, I have volunteer basil, I always do.  Good thing, since I got poor germination from the basil I planted.

The cukes and zukes look great, too.

This might be a fantastic year, but I won't get my hopes up.  Usually, something goes wrong, somewhere...

Book Review: "Pirate Latitudes" by Michael Crichton

This is Crichton's most current book--published after his death.  Of course, I liked it, as I like all of his books.  This one was a bit different than most of his recent books.  It is historical fiction rather than current fiction with a scientific bend.  He did manage to be just as scientific--he talked about the science of the time.

It takes place in 1665 in Jamaica and the waters thereabout.  Pirates were legitimate government business.  Our pirate, Charles Hunter, plans and attempts to execute the most daring escapade in history.  The greater the risk--the greater the reward.

With the help of science, technology and even geometry, this exciting adventure story keeps you on the edge of your seat.  It is fast - paced and fun.  Everybody is a bad guy, too.   I sure will miss this author.

Eastern Pondhawk

On my dragonfly quest, I found this guy.  It seems I don't have to go far from home to find dragonflies.  He landed on the steps by my house.  He was a tough one to identify.  I got my ODNR dragonfly guide and searched and searched.  It wasn't until I read the various descriptions that I found a clue.  The Eastern Pondhawk is blue--but it hatches out green and changes to--starting on the abdomen (tail.)  That is what I have, here.  I searched on the internet and found pictures of them at this stage.  The next day, I saw a completely blue one out in the park, and this morning, I saw a completely green one on the outside wall of my house.  What confuses me is, why are they by my house?  There are no ponds, here.

Book Review: "The Power and the Glory" by Graham Greene

The story takes place in Mexico in the 1930s.  Religion is outlawed, and a renegade priest is being prusued across the countryside.  The priest is a "whisky priest" who is far from sinless.  Yet, he does his duty in the face of danger--just wishing he would be caught and executed--to free him from the life of danger.

This was a very well-written book--could be Greene's best.  The priest is a very well-rounded character--as are the minor roles, too.  The subject is deep and the tension is high.  The Catholic religion is a very important part of the book--but it isn't preachy or judgemental.  I was rooting for the priest's escape as well as understanding how he didn't really want to escape, anymore.  It was just his duty.

Wonderful book.

Book Review: "The House of Seven Gables" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Mystery, unexplained deaths and drama are all in this nineteenth century novel.  An elderly spinster living in a cursed house, awaits her brother's release from prison.  A young, pretty niece shows up to liven the atmosphere--bringing some lightness to this dark drama.  Of course, that leads to some romance, but the real story is much deeper--and that is what keeps the book going.  It does drag a bit in the middle, but once you get through that, it becomes very suspenseful.