retirement report

It's time for my annual report on the progress of my retirement. Each year I try to collect my thoughts, see where I'm headed, how much I've accomplished, and try to make some adjustments that will keep my retirement life on course. I'm dividing this post into three sections: Health, Daily Routine, and Goals . These are the concerns that have to be met in order to have a meaningful and happy retirement. Some may say that I should include income, but income is a question that needs to be settled before you retire. After retirement, your happiness will not depend on the size of your income, but on how you manage your life on a day to day basis. I did not retire wealthy, but I do have a modest pension that is adjusted annually to meet any increases in the cost of living, and a good health insurance. So, although not rich, I am more fortunate than some whose retirement has been ruined by enormous medical costs and a fixed income that year by year shrinks in real purchasing power.
Here's my report:

Health: During my first year after work I was disappointed to find that I wasn't as strong and robust as I thought. I developed a lung condition (actually, it had been lurking in the background for years) that the doctors thought was either COPD with chronic bronchitis, or asthma, but finally decided it was an immunological reaction (allergy?) to something in the environment. I also had my gall bladder removed and had a long recovery time. The second year has been better. I try to walk regularly and stay away from ragweed and other things that might aggravate my lungs. Walking at Wal-mart seems to be the best regimen. I can travel around the inside perimeter of the store in air-conditioned comfort and maintain a brisk pace. Keeping my weight down has proven to be difficult. I've started eating smaller, more frequent meals and that seems to help, but I live with an excellent cook who loves to experiment with new cake and pie recipes. I also work out with dumb bells 2-3 times a week to maintain muscle tone. Keeping in good health is essential to a quality life well into old age.

Daily Routine: I know people who have gone back to work because they were bored. I'm not one of those. Working was always a drag for me. It was something I did to pay the rent and buy groceries, but what really gave me satisfaction in life was the interests I pursued outside of work. People who love their jobs and find meaning and fulfillment at work are very fortunate, but, also very rare.
Here's my daily routine: I get up between 6:30 and 7:00. When I quit working, I continued to get up at 5:30 for a long time and then gradually started staying up a little later and sleeping a little longer until I settled into this routine. For breakfast I usually have a bagel with cream cheese, or a bowl of cereal, and sometimes toast and peanut butter. Once Dorothy leaves for work I have a few more cups of coffee while I surf the Internet, read blogs, and post an entry to this blog. By 9:00am I'm ready to get the house in order. If the dishwasher is full of clean dishes I empty it, then start loading any dishes that may be on the counter from last night's meal. Once the kitchen is clean I move to the bedroom. I make the bed. I don't know why it needs to be made, since we're getting back into it tonight. I don't like making the bed. All this tugging and tucking and walking back and forth from side to side making sure everything is straight. I have a suggestion for comforter manufactures. Make only solid colors, or abstract patterns. Geometric patterns on comforters makes it hard for a man to make the bed. Trying to get all those lines and squares to line up is exhausting. A simple thing like making the bed shouldn't take that much time. After the bed it's time to clean the bath rooms. I don't mind that job at all, and everything sparkles and smells so good afterward. Laundry is another chore I don't particularly like. I don't mind putting the clothes in the washer, then transferring to the dryer, but hanging everything up doesn't appeal to me, especially Dorothy's clothes. I know where to hang her tops and pants, but other things I stack on the bed for her to put away when she gets home. Her drawers are like her purse, mysterious places that are best left unexplored my a male. If she ever has a secret that she doesn't want me to discover, all she has to do is put it in one of her drawers or her purse. It will be safe.
When I'm finished with the house work, or at least done all of it that I'm going to do, I'll start on a project. In the summer that means working in the garden or mowing the lawn. In the winter I'll be working on a painting, reading or watching an old movie. Then, late in the afternoon I start thinking about making dinner. I search the Internet to find new recipes. I'm trying to improve my cooking skills and Dorothy is usually pleased with the meals I come up with. That's my basic daily routine which is of course punctuated with days of babysitting the grand kids or taking them on an adventure. Sometimes I go to yard sales to look for books to resell on the web. And, of course, I teach an English as a Second Language class on Tuesday nights.

Goals: Retired people need goals to keep their lives focused and to keep them thinking and using their brains. To leave the working life and spend your days sitting on the front porch will result in a deterioration of both mind and body. Just as muscles need exercise to keep maximum function the mind needs a daily workout. I've read that reading and doing crossword puzzles keeps the mind sharp, but I think we all need a long term project to work on that requires extensive planning and perseverance. My plans are to remodel the house. I've been working on this for many years, but now that I have the time I'm going to attempt the project without incurring excessive debt, which means I'll be doing most of the work myself. I can do plumbing, electrical, lay tile, and install cabinets. There are some things that will require a professional but mostly it will be a hands on project for me.
I've started painting again and I want to improve my artistic skills so that eventually I can have an income from my art. I want to write more entries for my blog. I do a lot of filling in with photos and book reviews, but surely I can come up with an original thought once in awhile.
Before I retired I thought that my days would be filled by maintaining the property and making in look like a park, but now I'm inclined to move in another direction. As a long term goal we may sell the place and move to town where we can be close to doctors, shopping, and family. A small house with little or no yard is beginning to appeal to me. Right now we drive at least twenty miles to go grocery shopping, doctor appointments, church, and restaurants. I wouldn't mind living in a small town where I could walk wherever I wanted. I have plenty of time to think about it.