I am not so interested in the retirement countdown any more. It's too close to my last day and all I can think of is how much I am going to miss everyone. I work with incredibly wonderful people and leaving them will be a huge loss.
The other loss is we miss Rocky. This morning the three other cats were in the bathroom watching me brush my teeth. I kept wishing it had been all four of them. I miss having Rocky sleep beside me on the bed. I miss picking up his chunky body and feeling him wiggle to get free. I miss hearing that loud purr. I miss the fact that with out the Rock-a-Mundo, the herd of elephants doesn't sound loud enough.
The gains are knowing I will be a stay-at-home mom to teens, that I can knit and quilt to my heart's content, that I can explore lots of different interests and that I can find out who I want to be next.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Lost Weekend
Rocky- aka Rockamundo Kitty Cat died Saturday. Part of us did too.
I noticed Saturday morning that he was having trouble walking and was very lethargic. We took him to the vet who ran tests and let us know that there was no hope he would get better. The boys, hubby and I took turns holding him, telling him we loved him and saying good bye. After a few minutes the boys went to wait in the car. They needed someone to hold on too so hubby went to the car too. While the vet put him took care of him, I held him close whispered of our love and our saddness. It was over in minutes.
Rocky is buried in the back yard next to Jessie. His service was conducted by loving boys and loving parents. He is being missed.
The boys found Rocky and his sister Star in the woods 5 years ago. The raced through briars to catch both cats. Since we already had two cats, hubby and I were going to take them both to the Animal Shelter. We never got them into the cat carrier, thanks to the pleading and trickery of two small boys the cats would become loved members of the family.
Rocky had a loud purr and a quiet disposition. He was timid and it took him a while to trust us. But once he did he proved to be a lover. He loved to be petted and sleep near us.
He is missed.
I'll post a picture of him when I can get my laptop working.
I noticed Saturday morning that he was having trouble walking and was very lethargic. We took him to the vet who ran tests and let us know that there was no hope he would get better. The boys, hubby and I took turns holding him, telling him we loved him and saying good bye. After a few minutes the boys went to wait in the car. They needed someone to hold on too so hubby went to the car too. While the vet put him took care of him, I held him close whispered of our love and our saddness. It was over in minutes.
Rocky is buried in the back yard next to Jessie. His service was conducted by loving boys and loving parents. He is being missed.
The boys found Rocky and his sister Star in the woods 5 years ago. The raced through briars to catch both cats. Since we already had two cats, hubby and I were going to take them both to the Animal Shelter. We never got them into the cat carrier, thanks to the pleading and trickery of two small boys the cats would become loved members of the family.
Rocky had a loud purr and a quiet disposition. He was timid and it took him a while to trust us. But once he did he proved to be a lover. He loved to be petted and sleep near us.
He is missed.
I'll post a picture of him when I can get my laptop working.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Five More Days to Work
I have 5 more days to go to work. In five days I will retire. Five days. Five. Days. Five.
5
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A Perfect Day
Yesterday was a perfect day.
First---I realized I have made the transition– at least in my mind- to really being ready to move on, to take the next life step—retirement. All major life changes are a multi step process and the most important --- mindset--- seems to be the hardest. While I have been looking forward to retirement for close to a year, part of me has been clinging to what I will miss. I’ll miss the job; at its best it is interesting, challenging and demanding and it is often at its best. I’ll miss the people; the people I work with are wonderful. They are smart, funny, committed and hard working. They are my work family. I’ll miss knowing I make a difference. I work for a large Federal Agency. The services we provide make a difference in people’s lives and I help provide those services. I realized today that I am looking forward to what I can do in the future much more then I am thinking about missing this life. I’m really ready to move on.
Second-the boys just got their Christmas presents-new laptops. These laptops can be voice activated. The boys can dictate papers or tell the computers what functions to bring up. Boy B was reading a prepared script to “train” his computer to recognize his voice. I sat and listened to him and felt absolutely overwhelmed with joy. I was content; I was living the life I wanted to live. I am lucky to have a husband who loves me and caters to me and to have two boys who bring me joy.
Third—I have good friends, people I enjoy spending time with.
Yesterday was a perfect day. I day I felt connected to all the people around me, I day I felt content with life and what it holds for me. It was a perfect day.
First---I realized I have made the transition– at least in my mind- to really being ready to move on, to take the next life step—retirement. All major life changes are a multi step process and the most important --- mindset--- seems to be the hardest. While I have been looking forward to retirement for close to a year, part of me has been clinging to what I will miss. I’ll miss the job; at its best it is interesting, challenging and demanding and it is often at its best. I’ll miss the people; the people I work with are wonderful. They are smart, funny, committed and hard working. They are my work family. I’ll miss knowing I make a difference. I work for a large Federal Agency. The services we provide make a difference in people’s lives and I help provide those services. I realized today that I am looking forward to what I can do in the future much more then I am thinking about missing this life. I’m really ready to move on.
Second-the boys just got their Christmas presents-new laptops. These laptops can be voice activated. The boys can dictate papers or tell the computers what functions to bring up. Boy B was reading a prepared script to “train” his computer to recognize his voice. I sat and listened to him and felt absolutely overwhelmed with joy. I was content; I was living the life I wanted to live. I am lucky to have a husband who loves me and caters to me and to have two boys who bring me joy.
Third—I have good friends, people I enjoy spending time with.
Yesterday was a perfect day. I day I felt connected to all the people around me, I day I felt content with life and what it holds for me. It was a perfect day.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Sister and Brother
These two love to snuggle. They tolerate the other two cats but are not very friendly with them. Sandy (the ginger cat) terrorizes the dog. Camden steers a wide berth around Sandy at all times. It's actually funny, Camden is manytimes Sandy's size-but Sandy is the boss.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Blue Lady
I made it official. I signed all the papers. I will retire effective March 3, 2007, just a little over 2 weeks from today. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to being able to do what I want to do. I’m even willing to be the one who has to run the errands. I’m ready for the changes. What I didn’t expect is to feel a little blue about it all.
When I think about it, feeling a little blue makes sense. This place has been my home away from home for nearly 32 years. And I’m leaving. Maybe retiring is its like breaking up with someone you still love but just can’t live with any longer. You know you can’t stay any longer, but it still hurts to leave.
I will miss being a part of this life.
When I think about it, feeling a little blue makes sense. This place has been my home away from home for nearly 32 years. And I’m leaving. Maybe retiring is its like breaking up with someone you still love but just can’t live with any longer. You know you can’t stay any longer, but it still hurts to leave.
I will miss being a part of this life.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Dyeing with Kool Aid
This was early in the "waiting to retire" process. I am now down to three candles and 12 angels. I added angels and Santas at Christmas and decided it liked them so much I would leave all 16 angles. I could take one down each night during the last 4 weeks. Or really I could take one down for each Monday thru Thursday and a candle on Friday. Tomorrow I'll post
Friday's picture-the one before I took the candle down.
Friday's picture-the one before I took the candle down.
Three weeks to go. Just three weeks.
This was a lazy weekend. I caught up with sleeping and laundry. Or at least I am mostly done washing the laundry, but I haven't even started to put any of it away. I hate the putting away part.
I did have some fun. Hubby and I went out to dinner with out the boys Friday. I used a gift certificate the Lunch Bunch gave me as a retirement present. It was really nice of all of them. They are a good group, three women and a man. We have been friends for years. Thanks to them we had a wonderful dinner sans boys.
I also stopped at Safeway and bought some unsweetened kool aid and dyed some wool yarn. I'll have to get a picture of it too. It is in shades of bright pink with a little purple. It was fun to do and the yarn smells like kool aid.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Requieum for a Mouse
Schools were closed due to snow. Boy A and Boy B were staying home alone. Hubby and I left, closing the door on the teenage mutterings of Boy A, who was deeply disappointed that we would not drive the 20 miles from work to home, during lunch time, to drive him to his friend’s house, the one who lives the 30 miles further out.
Shortly after getting to work I received an imperious call from Boy A demanding I come home immediately. The problem, they found a dead mouse on the floor (thanks, cats). Boy A could not stand to be in the house with a dead mouse and could not bear to touch it in any way, shape or form. I suggested paper towels or a broom and dust pan, but Boy A was adamant. He would not touch it.
Boy B came to the rescue. Protected with paper towels and a dust pan, he carried the mouse out back. Boy A followed to complete the funeral procession. The mouse was laid to rest among the trees in the back yard. A solemn ceremony of song and eulogy commemorated his passing. Boy B is the man.
Shortly after getting to work I received an imperious call from Boy A demanding I come home immediately. The problem, they found a dead mouse on the floor (thanks, cats). Boy A could not stand to be in the house with a dead mouse and could not bear to touch it in any way, shape or form. I suggested paper towels or a broom and dust pan, but Boy A was adamant. He would not touch it.
Boy B came to the rescue. Protected with paper towels and a dust pan, he carried the mouse out back. Boy A followed to complete the funeral procession. The mouse was laid to rest among the trees in the back yard. A solemn ceremony of song and eulogy commemorated his passing. Boy B is the man.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Dela's Cold Day Parking Creed
It is bitter cold today and as for as I can see the only purpose if it is to remind me how much I don’t like cold weather. When it is this cold I want to park as close as possible to the building. Since I never arrive at 6:00 in the morning I don’t get a close parking spot. If the weather is nice I don’t mind the walk. At least I can tell myself I am getting some exercise. But when the weather is this cold I want to park in the lobby. Unfortunately the security staff won’t let me.
On cold days I resort to cruising by the close parking spaces and saying a little prayer that I’ll see someone pulling out of one of them. There are some folks who may get in 6ish even if they need to leave 7:30ish or 8:ish. I almost got one this morning. I could have if I had been just a tad more aggressive and run that woman over. After all it was my space. I saw it and I wanted it. That statement reminds me of the Toddler’s creed that used to hang on our refrigerator when the boys were little. The gist of it was if a toddler wanted something it belonged to him, even if he had just thrown it out 5 seconds before, or he had just said he didn’t want it. When it comes to close parking spaces and cold weather I adhere to Dela’s version of the toddler creed. Close parking belongs to me. The only problem is I can’t get anyone here to go along with that. “The Woman” who took my space should have known it was mine. She should have moved aside and let me have it. She is a pig cake, a bean brained pig cake.
Oh well in 3 weeks and 4 days I won’t have to worry about parking, at least not here.
On cold days I resort to cruising by the close parking spaces and saying a little prayer that I’ll see someone pulling out of one of them. There are some folks who may get in 6ish even if they need to leave 7:30ish or 8:ish. I almost got one this morning. I could have if I had been just a tad more aggressive and run that woman over. After all it was my space. I saw it and I wanted it. That statement reminds me of the Toddler’s creed that used to hang on our refrigerator when the boys were little. The gist of it was if a toddler wanted something it belonged to him, even if he had just thrown it out 5 seconds before, or he had just said he didn’t want it. When it comes to close parking spaces and cold weather I adhere to Dela’s version of the toddler creed. Close parking belongs to me. The only problem is I can’t get anyone here to go along with that. “The Woman” who took my space should have known it was mine. She should have moved aside and let me have it. She is a pig cake, a bean brained pig cake.
Oh well in 3 weeks and 4 days I won’t have to worry about parking, at least not here.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
New Year's Resolution Update II
No wine, no booze for over a month. That right. Over a month and no wine. Dinners out and no wine. Wine in the fridge and none in me. I am right pleased with myself. The real benefit is I am not feeling depressed. Some quid pro quo going on.
The guys are watching the Super Bowl. I'm updating. I am keeping an eye on the ads, but so far while a few are cute, none are much good.
I haven't bought yarn recently. I would have this weekend, but I left my wallet at work. I sure didn't feel like spending money on yarn if I'm about to lose all the money that was sitting in my wallet. I don't really need yarn. I still have enough to finish the sweater I am about a quarter way through, enough for a hoodie, a pair of socks and several scarfs and bags.
The guys are watching the Super Bowl. I'm updating. I am keeping an eye on the ads, but so far while a few are cute, none are much good.
I haven't bought yarn recently. I would have this weekend, but I left my wallet at work. I sure didn't feel like spending money on yarn if I'm about to lose all the money that was sitting in my wallet. I don't really need yarn. I still have enough to finish the sweater I am about a quarter way through, enough for a hoodie, a pair of socks and several scarfs and bags.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
I Absolutely Hate Going to the Doctor
I went today for a blood pressure check. It was too high so I need to increase my medication and go back in two weeks. No wonder the blood pressure was high-I hate going to the doctor.
I have been telling myself that I can wait until I retire to start exercising again, but maybe this is a good indication that I should start tonight--well tomorrow.
I will walk tomorrow. No excuses.
Boy B says if I don't walk tomorrow I will owe him $182. I sure can't afford that so I better walk. I'll post the results here along with pictures of my knit bags pre-felting.
I have been telling myself that I can wait until I retire to start exercising again, but maybe this is a good indication that I should start tonight--well tomorrow.
I will walk tomorrow. No excuses.
Boy B says if I don't walk tomorrow I will owe him $182. I sure can't afford that so I better walk. I'll post the results here along with pictures of my knit bags pre-felting.
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