Heart of Palm

I'm crocheting this little blanket for Quinn in a cotton/acrylic blend yarn.  Sometimes, just sometimes, I get a feel and sound in my fingers that is just like the feel and sound I get in my head when I eat heart of palm.  Weird ...

Retirement time

My brother retired about a year ago.

It takes time to adjust to retirement: time to find meaning to your life outside of paid work; time to adjust to a lack of scheduling; time to stop worrying about the money that's not coming in every month; time to find the new you.

My brother is there.

A couple of days ago, there was a piece in the paper about the upcoming Beer Week in Victoria.  So we sent him an email with the link and asked, When shall we meet the plane?  A few minutes later, we got a phone call.  I'm on my way! he said.

Yep, he's there.

Busy, busy

I've been trying all week to fit lunch with a friend into my busy schedule.  In the process, I learned that busy, to a retired person (well, this one anyway), means something different from what it used to mean. 

First, two appointments in a single day is busy.  If it is absolutely necessary to have two appointments in a single day, they must be separated by a minimum of three hours.  Walking and busing do not lend themselves to quick turnarounds.  Don't want to have to rush!

Secondly, more than four appointments in a week is busy.  Because, as we all know, there are things that happen in daily life that never make it to the calendar - laundry, grocery shopping, church, paying the bills, etc, etc.  Besides, you have to leave empty spaces in the calendar for those unexpected plans - you know the ones:  Let's go to Beacon Drive in for ice cream! - or - I'm enjoying working on this project - or -  It's too wet to go out, we'll do it tomorrow  - or -  I have to finish this book - or - It's a goofing off (!) day.

Thirdly, unscheduled time means ...relax ... no pressure ... you're retired ... 

So, call me, I'd be glad to meet you for lunch!  Just let me check my schedule ...