JustOlder

The Guilty Side of Retirement

Today I felt a teensy bit guilty about being retired. I was watching other people drive to work and noticed that most of them looked pretty annoyed. I, on the other hand, was smiling and singing a Golden Oldie, on my way to Starbuck’s. As soon as the guilt hit I had to quickly remind myself that it took me close to forty years to reach this point and I really should try to enjoy it.

They're Better Left in the Closet

I was trying on clothes, getting ready to go to dinner, when I remarked to my husband that I had nothing to wear. The sweater didn’t seem quite right with the pants, a blouse didn’t look good either, and finding the correct shoes was hopeless. I said nothing was working and, when he asked what didn’t match, I sputtered, "Me. Nothing matches me!"

A Special Place at Night

Sometimes at night I sit in our back yard, when the neighborhood is very quiet. If it is cool no air conditioners are roaring, and the sounds of children at play have long been translated into their deep sighs of slumber. A full moon provides simpler, more reverent light, and my cat slowly winds his way around my legs, occasionally leaning on me long enough to reassure himself that I am still there, to cater to his whims.

Grandmas are no Grande Dames of Fashion

I sat quietly in the bookstore, drinking my tea and minding my own business, as least as much as I am ever able, when I was subtly drawn to a rack of women’s magazines. It was that same sensation you get when you can "feel" someone staring at you from across the room. You can’t help but slowly turn and look, even though it gives you cold chills to do so. That’s exactly how it felt, and that’s exactly what I did.

With Age you get Brain Blanks

 At my age, life has become one big game of Charades. When I can’t think of a term, I’m reduced to ridiculous pantomimes, right in the middle of a sentence. Conversations take intriguing turns when, for instance, my sister says she needs to ‘broom’ the floor." All of this is said while swishing her arms in a parody of furious sweeping, because she wants me to know what she means, but she can’t put a word to it. She knew that word, ten years ago.

A Garage that's out of Hand

All garages have definite personalities, and I don’t think it’s tied to how many cars they can hold. Some are very focused, others are prissy, and a lot of them simply don’t know how to behave. Ours falls into the last category, which makes it extremely unpleasant to be around. It is also bursting its seams because it has an insatiable appetite for "junk." It can’t seem to get enough and I suspect it has figured a way to collect even more when we’re out of town.

Reunions Get Older, Too

We’re heading into summer, which means it will soon be time for class reunions. Alumni will spend a few hours together, trying to condense the years into snippets of information that are succinct enough to actually catch up.

For some vain reason, our physical appearance really matters on these occasions, at least while we’re still in our twenties and thirties. Seven days before the event we desperately need to lose 15 pounds and we can’t find a thing to wear that looks half-way decent.

85 Years of Experience and Energy

Lew has been working since he started selling newspapers at age 6 and hasn't stopped since then.  He flew B-17's during WW II, was a home builder in California for 35 years, traveled the world, and he's still going at 85.  If something needs doing, he puts all that experience to work, and gets it done! 

Activity keeps him young.  He doesn't define himself by the number of years he's lived, but by how much he's learned and how he can still use it.

Do you have a caption for this photo?

Are men different from women when it comes to eating popcorn?  One technique is to simply put your face into the bowl.  Some dig in like a back hoe at full throttle.  What's your technique?

Leave a comment with your caption for this photo!

Grabbing the Brass Ring

What's your brass ring?  Did you ever manage to grab it?  If you missed it, there's always the next go-round.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe next week.