Like so many of you out there in the various stages of ‘winding down’ gracefully, I have been actively semi-retired for close to 10 years, and for the most part I am enjoying every precious moment of this new senior adventure.
With my freelance writing for the Ponoka News I am still able to keep the thought-waves bouncing, but the very best part of this casual freedom is that my wife and I have been able to find lots of time for visiting with family and old and new friends.
The joys of retirement
After tossing out the daily time cards and looking forward to sleeping in and collecting the pension cheques I have joined a Golden Age Bowling League, do lots of slow walking, and really look forward to the gathering of our weekly ‘coffee groupies.’
No matter what shape we may hop or hobble out of the bed each morning, sitting down with all of our occasionally rowdy but relaxed group of ‘good old guys and gals’ is an amazing and up-beat experience, where the rambling conversation includes everything from sports, to politics, to grandchildren, to partners, and from aches and pains to medical miracles with just a little bit of BS thrown in for good measure and fun. So sadly we have and will always lose some our buddies, but we must always cherish their memories and carry on with the same keen spirit of fun, friendship, smiles and chuckles that they always shared with everyone else around the table.
As most of us have discovered along the way ‘true-blue friends’ are for life, and we will always be there for each other, no matter what the circumstances or how far away they are or how long we have known each other. It should always be an honour and a blessing to possess true-blue friends and to in turn be a long and loyal friend, and to vow that we will always have each other’s back and will never resort to being like those selfish individuals who turn their backs on and hurt their friends or anyone else in order to gain power and position.
Like so many of you I have had the great joy of staying in touch and running into so many good friends and acquaintances, some as far back as school/team/ and work mates as well as the super chums and characters that I hung out with while growing up along Riverside Drive and on the grounds of the Alberta Hospital. Along the way I have received countless letters, emails, photos, phone calls, as well as some unique business cards and ‘sweet’ jokes that I love passing on to everyone in this column.
• We are retired, and we try to celebrate every day as a weekend off, will always be available for parties at no charge, and we are now blessed and happy with no business, no job, no prospects, no ambition, no worries, and no money. When we have the urge to work we will lie down for a nap until the urge passes, and if we don’t answer the front door just look for us in the old dog house out back. If we get too grumpy or noisy you are urged to just turn off your hearing aid or flip on those really wild songs on the radio and we will just go home.
• Someone asked me the other day what our parents did when they were bored with no Internet or television? I asked my 10 brothers and sisters and they didn’t know either.
• As we get older we may think that we are getting lazy, but that is not so, as we are just trying to be more energy efficient. I told my grandchildren the other day that if they didn’t behave in the fast food drive-thru line that they would be getting a sad-meal.
• It is a fact that behind every great man is a woman who is rolling her eyes, and that is why home computers are the perfect gift for ladies who don’t feel that their men provide them with enough frustration.
Whatever the case always choose your friends and favourite activities as you wish and at your pace, and then always be proud to express the fact that ‘I did it my way.’ Have a great week, all of you.