Getting back in the game

I ran into some old friends at a retirement party at the Pentagon the other day.  One of them (Cathy) said that she missed my musings here so I thought maybe I should start this thing up again.  I explained that one reason I don't blog as much any longer is that I spend too much time trying to get the photos that accompany my posts looking just right, then I get so tired, I just stop writing.  So, I'll re-think that approach from now on.

It has been 42 months, 3 and a half years, since I retired.  Time moves so quickly, doesn't it?  In those three years I believe I could count on one hand (and maybe one foot) the times I've been bored.  Can't really count on one finger the times I wish I were still working full time, however.  Attending the retirement party further reminded me of what I do and don't miss.  I miss the wonderful folks I knew.  I don't miss the intrigue, in-fighting and stress.

In the past three 1/2 years, I've been to Italy, France, China, Bolivia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea and Florida, North and South Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Texas, Cincinnati and the Hamptons.  I've got several more good trips ahead of me.  I don't really think I'll ever run out of places to go...but maybe the steam to get there.

I've built and maintained a beautiful community garden here at home, hosted three very successful Halloween parties in that garden and feel like I've in some way created a community right here on my street.  The children in the neighborhood know my name and wave when they ride by in their parents' cars.  One mother told me that my name was the second thing her little boy said.  Not sure what more I could expect in the way of feeling good about that garden.

I've volunteered at Martha's Table cutting up vegetables, fruits and the dreaded raw chicken for close to 700 hours.  Made some great new friends there while we were all crying over the diced onions or laughing at some of the ridiculous and down right erotic shapes of various vegetables.  I wish I had taken some photos to illustrate, but then I guess I'd be right back where I started at the beginning of this post....working on the photos and not getting to the writing.

I've lost two good friends.  I'm not sure what to say about that.  I miss them.  I wish so much that they could have had the time that I have to have done all of the above.  But they didn't and it is unfair.

I've made two good friends, also.  Just two doors down.   We've lived in both these houses for almost 20 years, but had not become friends.  How busy were our lives that we did not have time to meet and become friends.  Lost time.  Lost laughs...for they make me laugh so often. 

I've reconnected with my middle sister, Lee, over the care of our parents.  We never lost contact with each other, but we weren't "connected" if you know what I mean.  Now, I think we both appreciate our differences because we see that one's strength might be the other's weakness, but it's all good.  The combination of our strengths is what has made the whole situation much more do-able.  No one is sweeter than Lee Ann, no one can turn on the charm like she can and NO ONE can tear you a new one if she thinks you aren't taking care of mom or dad like you should.  She is my secret weapon with the medical establishment when all else fails.

I'm not sure how many hours I've spent lying on my sister Tracy's couch watching pretty terrible movies on TV and laughing.  I've laughed so much in that living room that I could run out of laughs but probably not for at least another 100 years.  Neither of us can really figure out how we pick such awful movies to rent, but we do, and we vow not to the next time, but we do it again.  She has a laugh that makes me laugh.  Kind of reminds me of the day I was in a pet store and a parrot started mimicking my laugh, which made me laugh, which made the parrot laugh so more and so on.  I love laughing.  Tracy is my rock.  She is my secret weapon when I start questioning myself.  She cuts right to the chase and makes me see the ridiculousness of my concerns.

I lost my best friend, too.  It has been almost a year since I lost my Chapi.  I'm trying to live with only one dog, but poor Indy isn't Chapi.  It's not his fault. He doesn't have the in-your-face personality.  He doesn't run to you saying "pick me pick me" with his eyes.  He doesn't snuggle as close to me as he can every night and wake me up with that cold nose and those big black eyes.  I don't believe there are many dogs out there like he was (yes, I know you think the same thing about your pet!).  I miss him.

So, it has been a very good, no great, 3 1/2 years.  I'm looking to many more and wondering when some of those good folks from the retirement party are going to join me.

Okay.  Had to add just this one photo, because I know it will make Tracy call me and LAUGH!