As a family therapist, I have noticed that retirees often end up becoming full-time babysitters for grandchildren, which can and often does cause insurmountable problems both for grandparents, parents and children. Understandably, new retirees may jump at the first chance to have unlimited time to give to their precious grandchildren; parents may thrill at low- …more

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The short version of a long story looks something like this: I was about to hit the big 40 when I decided to bail out. I quit the dead-end job, sold the house, the car and all my ‘stuff’ and traded it all for a backpack and a one-way ticket to nowhere in particular. Sounds …more

“Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old,” is a quote by Mary H. Waldrip which anyone who is a grandparent is sure to appreciate. Grandchildren make our hearts swell; they restore our sense of joy and hope; they replenish our energy and creativity. In short, grandchildren make us feel younger in every …more

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I have very little to complain about my life in Spain and the Canary Islands. It is a wonderful place to live and work, and the decision to leave the UK for a new life in the sun was the right one for us. However, I am sometimes asked if there is anything that I …more

A number of years ago, I was the Cruise Editor of a travel trade publication. I was fortunate to be able to cruise on dozens of vessels on just about every cruise line that sailed the open seas and rivers and lakes around the world. Then I had a 15 year span when I took …more

When I worked I had a small garden with just a couple items, but when I retired last year I expanded my garden and this year it is even larger. Gardening gets me outside, gets me much needed exercise and gives me some delicious vegetables that have been grown in conditions I can control. I …more

For the past year, since the first of the Baby Boomer Bulge reached the age of 65 years, the estimates are that 10,000 Baby Boomers are retiring each day – yes, that is correct – each and every day. Also, from reliable statistics around 70 – 80% of all Baby Boomers have realized they have …more

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The definition of ‘cynicism’ appears to have changed over the years. I have always understood the definition to be ‘a sneering faultfinder’, yet later definitions appear to embrace the overall discontent of modern society. It is currently a definition that refers to the belief that people are motivated by self-interest, because they are distrustful of …more