Retirement: A bottle of single malt and a puppy
by Kaylee
(Ontario)
What do these have in common? The first was a gift at my farewell lunch, which proves that my co-workers knew me well. The second was a gift to myself after my farewell lunch - no, the single malt was not a factor.
I am now in week 3 of not commuting in the dark and minus temperatures and can't say I am missing that at all.
I do have some concerns as I have always been very career focused and never pretended to have any work life balance. I am still thinking of this time as a hiatus rather than retirement.
But I love sitting with my morning coffee looking out at the snow and letting my mind think about all the activities I can now enjoy, as well as the less fun ones I have been putting off for 20 years as I "did not have enough time" - clean out the basement, garage, etc.
Now, the puppy. I have always had and still have dogs. I did have some negative thoughts about getting a puppy, such as whether I would die before the dog but decided that I am going to be a centenarian so dismissed that thought pretty quickly.
For me, the puppy has been a great decision as I am thoroughly entertained and she is teaching me how to play. Who knew you could have so much fun with a squeaky toy or a rope and ball? Of course there is the whole training, teething side. Little does she know about the great plans I have for her future - obedience, agility, service dog training.
I look forward to participating in this community and finding some new friends. It is a great site and the articles thought provoking as well as entertaining.
