"WE HAVE TO DO THIS MORE OFTEN- IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG "

Ever said that ?  Goodness every time I spend time with my friend Julie- we say the same thing.

Tuesday was Karen day-- well I did have one other errand also- but second on the list was getting my toes done-- AHHHH!!  You forget how good it feels!!  Amy has been doing my toes for 12 years now.  I have followed her all over Corpus and am still willing to drive the 40 miles to get an Amy pedicure.   

So after the one errand I had was done and the toes were once again made beautiful-  I had made plans to have lunch with my friend Julie--  Where we eat does not matter, it is just the act of sitting across the table from each other and catching up on us!!  We usually pick someplace that will not be upset with us when we spend 2 hours at the table. 

Julie has been my friend since about 2002.  We met at a church singles group Super Bowl Party - and hit it off immediately!!  Ever just meet someone and just know that they were going to be your friend?  Well that is what happened to both of us-- The party was at my house and afterward Julie stayed and helped me clean up and we talked until well into the wee hours of the morning and after that we got together regularly to go to the movies, out to dinner, and just sit and visit.  

Not too long after that things happened in Julie's life that made it a necessity for her  to find a room mate- it just so happened that my youngest son had left for the Navy and I had a spare room in a house way to big for me - so it seemed obvious!!  I had never had a  room mate before and she had had a bad experience with one before so we both were probably a little wary -  but what a time we had.  It was great!!  A good friend that lives in the other part of the house!!  WOW!!    We still talk about the dinner parties we gave and the road trip that we took!!  

So- as life would have it - things changed and Julie decided to move out of town to be closer to her granddaughter and son- (cannot blame her for that)- but being heart girlfriends(that is what I call us)- the distance just kept us from seeing each other as often- but talking fairly regularly on the phone.  

Time moves forward and things change- I met this wonderful man, Julie moved back to town, and we spent less and less time together, but we always knew the other one was only a phone call away- cause that is what heart girlfriends are - just a phone call away!!  

I married that wonderful man, she came to the wedding, I moved an hour away,   and we don't get together as much- but Tuesday we sat across the table from each other and caught up on us!!  How wonderful that was.  

So we made a plan --  my SH (sweet husband) is leaving to go on a guy fishing trip for about a week and Julie is coming to stay for a couple of days-  WOO HOO!!   So it will be a night of chick flicks, ice cream, and talking- big girl slumber party!!  

Don't get me wrong, I love my SH and he is my best friend, but there are just some spots in you that only a heart girlfriend can fill. 

So my question to you is -- do you have a heart girlfriend?  someone who knows you- really knows you and still  loves you anyway, someone who is only a phone call away?  I certainly hope so!! 

Thanks for stopping by !! 

THE FIRST

Yes, today  August 15, 2012 I received my first Social Security check- right on time !!  Don't you just love how money just shows up in your checking account- like money fairies, happens while you are sleeping.  Could this be any easier??   Kind of feels like they send me money for not doing anything- guess it sorta is- well if you don't count having worked since the age of 17.

Well it has been a week since I have written on my blog- wish I could say it is because I have been sooooo busy that I have just not had time, but alas- that is not the case- the only excuse I have is that - well I don't have one- I mean a good one - so I won't even go there- procrastination, laziness, hmm those words do come into play probably, no not probably most likely.

Been so hot here-- I am so ready for Fall-- days of 98-100- like  my sweet chosen sisters says - we have been having temperatures that should be oven settings, not outside temps- and no rain- goodness no rain in such a long time-- okay God we have been patient and have not been praying really hard for rain until the farmers got all their crops in - but the crops are in and now  please bring on the rains.

The new job- (guess I could stop calling it the new job)- is going well-- I am really enjoying getting to meet everyone that lives out here -- I am such a people person and the last 15 years have spent my days sitting in front of a computer- talking to no one- so this is a real treat for me!!

Woo Hoo- we are going to Skype with my son ,  his wife,  and my beautiful granddaughter tonight- can hardly wait.   After growing up with three brothers and raising three sons (the toilet seat was always up at my house) I now have this precious beautiful granddaughter Sydney- sadly they live in Washington State- but thank goodness for Skype- almost as good, almost.

This retirement thing is going pretty well so far- I seem to be filling up my time pretty well- my SH (sweet husband) asked me yesterday as he was headed out the door to go to work- "so what are you going to do today?" - my answer was "don't know yet"- that was kind of fun-- before the answer would have been "work" - but yesterday it was "don't know yet"- which made a day of possibilities open up -  I suppose with a statement like "day of possibilities open up" you are expecting me to say I spent the day at the beach or read a good book, or got my toes done, or went shopping-  well I did none of those- but the "possibility" was there for me to have done any of those things.  I chose to wash down the cabinets and bathe the dog, but at the end of the day I felt good about my choice of how to spend the day.  So here's to more days of "possibilities opening up".

So my question to you is------ do you have days of "possibilities" that open up for you?-- and if you do- do you feel good about your choice of how you spent it?  I hope so!!

Well until next time- thanks for stopping by.



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FRIENDS FROM LONG AGO

Well I was going to call this post "OLD FRIENDS",  but I did not want anyone to mistake the use of the word "OLD"

Mary and I decided that were were not old today over lunch!!  You see Mary and I have been friends since the 4th grade--- that was just a few years ago!!  She lived down the street from me or I lived down the street from her (which ever), but we did everything together--we were the bestest of friends-- I guess today we would call ourselves BFFs.  We discovered lots of things together-- and we thought that we were wild and daring creatures- in today terms we were pretty calm I suppose- but we thought we were living on the edge!!

We were both born 15 days apart in the same month and the same year!!  We discovered boys together, spent summers going to the skating rink on Lexington, summer sock hops at Sundeen Jr. High, bought a mouton coat together (okay so this is a funny story)  we neither one had the money to buy a mouton coat quite the rage when we were in Jr. Hi (how many of you remember mouton coats?)  anyway in Jr. Hi School girl mind the solution to that was to buy one coat and share it-- never occurred to us exactly how we would share this coat when we went absolutely every where together and living in Corpus it probably would only be cold enough to wear this coat only 2-3 times a year-- but the truth is I do not remember every having a fight over the coat and we neither one can remember what happened to this prized coat. 

We got our first job together (the Dairy Queen on Gollihar), spent our first all night out together, dated sailors together, spent hours flirting and sun bathing on the Tee Heads where we danced the evening away to Paul Revere and the Raiders  and told our parents we were at the library!!  I supposed they probably never believed us -- as our grades probably never reflected the numerous hours at the library that we supposedly spent--  We gave birth to our first child (boys) her on September 5, 1968 and me on September 19, 1968-- See I told you we did everything together !!

Well as life would have it-- she  had met a wonderful man named Hank- he was in the Navy at the time and he was from Ohio and when he got out they headed to Ohio to live (they still live there).  I stayed in Texas with a move later to Mississippi  !!   I would love to be able to tell you that we kept in touch- but alas that did not happen.  Life took over and she went on to have one more child- a precious daughter and we kind of drifted apart.

But somehow (probably because of Mary's diligence, shame on me) she found me in Mississippi-- we started keeping in touch - usually once a year with Christmas cards- then one day she called!!  Said she was coming to visit!!  Woo Hoo!!   We laughed till our faces hurt that visit- like we had never been apart!!

I have to say that Mary has been a rock- she has seen me through 3 husbands, two more children,  a move back to Corpus, and lots of ups and downs in my life- she has been my friend since the 4th grade and it still feels like she lives down the street from me-- Thank you Mary for your effort !!

Well Mary is in town this week (she has a sister who still lives in Corpus) and we had lunch today!!  It felt like home!!

So two big events today in my life- lunch with Mary and------ Today I have been married to the most wonderful man for two years!!    We like to say that we have  been through lots of life lessons getting ready for each other- lots of trial and errors- but we made it! 

So My Sweet Man here is to many, many more years!!   I love you !! xoxoxox

GRACE

Adjustments, changes, rolling with the punches-- I am usually pretty good at doing that- seems like that is a big part of retirement- guess really it is a big part of life-- it has been for me!!

I have reinvented myself before-but in the beginning it is always a little scary for me or maybe unsettling is more the word!!  

I had to totally figure out who I was at the age of  50-- At that time of my life I lost my identity or at least I thought I had- was no longer a wife (after many years), all of my children were grown and leaving home (yes like they are supposed to), I was quitting a job I had had for 12 years,  and I was getting ready to make  a move geographically (back to the city where I had grown up) alone.  Yikes!! 

And then, and then wonderful doors began to open -- My youngest son decided to move with me and go to college in the town where I was moving, my job offered me the opportunity to do exactly what I was doing for them in the office from my new home, and my family, my family stepped up and provided me with - well how do I put this- because help is not a big enough word-- provided me with a home of my own, money,  a truck for the move, and themselves in person to help me load up, drive 400 miles, and unload into my new home!!  First lesson I learned was the meaning  grace. "Something I could never earn"  

So how can I apply this first lesson learned 14 years ago to what I am going through today ?  Hmmm- I have really been mulling this through in my mind as I was doing my cardio at the gym this morning-- how can I apply that lesson while adjusting to this change(you know the retirement thing)?   Grace-  Well once again- as I noted in my first post -- a  part time job plopped in my lap( actually met all the requirements I had set in my mind as to what it should look like)-- hmm,  my wonderful husband told me don't worry about money, and encourages me everyday and reminds me that " I can do this"-- hmm, my family tells me regularly how much they love me and how proud they are of me hmm-  once again the lesson of grace "Something I could never earn"  

So question to you-- where has grace shown up in your life!!  Where have you been given something that you could never earn?  Just curious? 

Well today is a non-work day for me.  Been to the gym for my 3 month evaluation to check for improvement- lost 12 pounds (whoo-hoo) this was not grace I think I earned this one and was given a rating of "superb" on my cardio fitness evaluation -- Goodness I have never been superb at anything- guess there is always a first time.   But just like a second grader I brought this piece of paper home and stuck it straight to the refrigerator door!  SUPERB !!   

Tomorrow at my new JOB-- I open at 6- with a smile and new appreciation of how hard those ladies that wait on you at the convenience stores work-- Be sure and tell the next one that waits on you - Thank You!!

So maybe my next post will be about the second lesson that I learned when I had to reinvent myself in my next blog post -- or who knows something remarkably spectacular may happen and I may have to post about that - come back and see !!

WOO HOO - PAYDAY

Today , well actually yesterday, was payday  and I am  like Scrooge McDuck and counting my money in the vault-- well not exactly---

So how do I spend this fortune?  Perhaps on 

or perhaps

Well maybe I need to rethink this-- since it was not quite that much-

You know when I decided to retire I never knew there would be so many things that I needed to do to actually retire--  week before last I filed for my  Social Security, Yikes that sounds so

old 

but heck I did file a little early say 6 months or so-  and then  I found out that 3 months after this I get to learn how to maneuver around in the Medicare/ secondary insurance/ prescription plan jungle--and need to find a new dental plan--  this old age stuff certainly can be confusing!!

My new JOB - I was reminded at work today that today was actually my one month anniversary of working at my new job!    I opened today had to be at the store at about 5:45 (yes that is AM) so that I can be ready for the door to open at 6.  I rather prefer early morning-- I used to get up early for my old job so my eyes pop open anyway!!  I always have people to wait on exactly at 6, usually wanting shrimp or gas- this morning it was both.  

My  my sweet Husband walks me across the street on both my early morning shifts and then comes over to walk me home when I work the evening shift on Sunday from 2 until 10- what a sweet man!!   Today was his birthday and so I plan to take him to dinner- with my first paycheck from my new JOB!! 

Well my feet are tired and I smell a little shrimpish so off to the shower!! 

Thanks for checking in on me!!

Retirement don't we all look forward to that??  Well as of four weeks ago I am retired after many, many years of working.  Much deserved don't you think?    Well okay?  What do I do now?

I know, I know we all say the same thing, I will travel, read more books, take naps in the afternoon, volunteer, clean out those closets, spend more time with my girlfriends, finish that art work I started two years ago, work in the garden, finish those projects I started around the house that I never have time for, cook more, go to the gym regularly---- I hear you-- cause we all think yes, yes that is what I will do.

Well, here I sit three weeks later frozen-- I have talked to some of my friends who have retired and they all say the same thing--  "this feeling will pass"  "I felt just like that"-  okay still waiting-- still waiting for the feeling of --- I am playing hooky from work and will get caught--  to pass.  

Now don't get me wrong I am not complaining-- okay maybe I am a little---  (in case you cannot tell I love dashes).

I did decide that my retirement money would not be enough for me to have very much spending money  - so my first thought was - "I will find a part-time job-  Yes that is what I will do".  Just two or three days a week for my "spend however I like money".    So thought process was-- I want to do something different-- SO  into my lap plops this job-- across the street from my house(the commute is brutal :-) -- okay it is not something that I have ever done before- so meets the first of my requirements for something different-- second requirement two or three days a week-- well they need me three days a week, okay second requirement met-- third requirement extra money for my spend however I like money(yes and above minimum wage)-- Yep meets that one also-- So I say with a smile- "yes" to the job!!  I am now a part time employee of a small community convenience store.  What we sell mostly are the essentials needed to live on Baffin Bay (which is where I live)--BAIT, BEER, CIGARETTES, AND GAS!!

So as usual first day jitters were in full swing as I am traversing the long commute - about a 2 minute walk across the street-  "will I be able to do this"  "can I really learn something new after doing the same thing for at least 25 years?"

As I making the journey back home on the afternoon of my first day at work-- my mind is saying "oh my goodness I am not so sure I can do this",  "I must be an idiot", "I will never be able to learn everything that I need to know",  and the big one  "I made so many mistakes today that there will be no need for me to show up on Thursday (my next day scheduled to work".  Not to mention the thought that had I told anyone that I had worked with today that my old job was typing important medical records for sick people in the hospital - they would have all laughed at me in disbelief.

But I go no phone calls telling me to not bother to show up on Thursday- so I was a little encouraged by that- and the ladies that I work with were all wonderful and tried to reassure me that "you did just fine"- we all have been there - don't worry- you will get it"  What a great bunch of ladies- thanks girls, but obviously at 64 1/2 you are untrainable!!

Well I am now three weeks out from my first day at work- still no phone call telling me not to come back- I have even been working alone for 2 1/2 weeks- opening and closing by myself- coming home proudly after a hard day at work smelling like bait and proud of it!!   Wahoo!!  I am retrainable!!

Thanks to you all for visiting my blog- check back as the saga of retirement really? what do I do now? continues.