Successful retiree with a great attitude too!

by Ellen
(PA)

It still seems like yesterday when I was 20 years old and hardly starting my career as a makeup artist.

I was one of the most beautiful girl's at the Macy's makeup counter department in our local mall. I had only a little bit of experience and a huge love for makeup, and to my surprise the manager actually hired me after waiting for more than a month. It was the start of my whole new life.

Before that I had always done small jobs such as waitress, walking dogs and even cleaning houses. Although I am retired today, I'm still considered a makeup artist and occasionally help out close friends and relatives with makeup for special occasions.

I'm not as quite busy as I used to be obviously, my husband is also retired so we spend a lot more time together and I have to admit it's what I had wanted for a long time.

Our grandchildren who are teenagers visit us often and we take them out to different places, volunteer at animal centers (I love being around animals and children) and sometimes go on vacation.

Some of my close co-workers unfortunately passed away, so when we eventually do get together with the ones who are still alive, we remember everyone with joy and reminisce the hard and successful years we spent as being professional makeup artists.

I have always been an active, sociable and talkative person but I realized a while ago that I don't like to socialize that much anymore as I feel it takes up too much energy, what can I say I am pretty old!

But I never think that just because I am a retiree there is nothing else for me to do.

Painting is something I adore and is one of my most favorite hobbies and whenever I feel I need to relax, I just grab the paintbrush and paint away.

My husband is quite passive, he naps a lot and usually watches TV or spends time with our children and grandchildren - going out for walks, to the movies or dinner and he doesn't really socialize with anyone else.

Since I have more free time at home, I dedicate a lot of it to cooking which is a relief since we usually ate out when we were younger. Sometimes my granddaughter comes and helps me bake
chocolate chip cookies or carrot cake which we devour with green tea.

Every day is a new day for us and we live each one with joy and appreciation that we are senior, yet successful citizens who have had hard-working lives.