We sold the house 6 weeks after we put it on the market, and we were on our way to a new life together in one house and one city. It was an exciting time, and a big step after living apart for the first four years of our marriage.
And my second year of retirement was very different from the first. I spent time working on “our” house, and if you ever merged two households into one, you know that means lots of sorting, purging, donating and organizing. I painted and tried to put my own touch on what was my husband’s self-described “college dorm room” house.
My husband and I put a priority on spending time with the important people in our lives. We’ve had some fantastic times this past year visiting friends and family at sporting events, holiday celebrations, summer festivals and auto racing events. And now I’m quick to drop my plans if someone calls and wants to get together.
I have been exploring my artistic side, and the hours race by when I spend time in my little studio on the second floor of the house. I am writing my own retirement blog, and my camera is never far away as I chronicle our life in photos. I am learning how to make jewelry, and I’ve dusted off my sewing machine to make original purses out of re-purposed denim and designer fabric samples.
And I continue to think about what I want to do next. A job? Volunteer work? Bottom line is I’m still enjoying this freedom of time and schedule, and I’m hesitant to fill my time with activities. I am not anxious about what comes next. I see retirement as a journey, and I plan to be ready when opportunity knocks.
Some people ask what has surprised me about retirement. A few things come to mind…
I know that all the paths led me here. I may not have a specific retirement plan or know the next stop on the road, but I am certain it will continue to be an exciting adventure. And I’m not really looking back…just forward.
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Great insights! Thanks for sharing!
Great write up! In working with client make this transition I see many different scopes of how this transition affects them. For many it's hard to embrace the next chapter while others wished they would have started the chapter much sooner.