Retirement officially began for me August 1st, and each second and fourth Friday, I’ve begun reflecting on the first year of retirement in two-week windows and what it’s like in this new chapter of life. At the beginning of my first week off, I used a green spiral notebook to make a list of all the things I wanted to do — something enjoyable each week, blending in some new hobbies and routines as well. Friends and family who are still working seemed genuinely curious about what I would do with each day, and that’s what gave me the idea to plan and reflect on the course of my days and adventures. I remember my late father’s words, on retirement: You don’t retire FROM something, you retire TO something, and you’ll be busier than you’ve ever been. He was right, but the busy part is optional, like wearing real clothes on most days instead of my preferred loungewear. And I like having that choice.
Here are some things I’ve enjoyed in my first official eight weeks of retirement, with each being described in detail in previous posts :
1. Mahjong 101
2. Rag Quilting
3. Morning Walking
4. Yoga
5. Friends of the Library Book Fair –
6. Local Bookstore Book Club
7. Summer Reading Poetry Book Club
8. Postcard Poetry Fest
9. Wayfaring to FDR for camping
10. Wayfaring to Margaritaville for a concert
11. Mahjong 102 and Free Play
12. Zinnia Arrangement
13. Fabric Postcards
14. Porch Sitting
15. Lounge Pants Spree
16. Novel Writing with Nick –
17. Kindred Spirits Book Club –
18. Barnes and Noble Virtual Book Club
19. Re-vamping the Reading Room
20. Office Cleanout
21. Monthly Small Postcard Group
22. Watercolor Postcards
23. Labor Day Camping at F. D. Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, Georgia
24. Dolly Parton Tribute at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee
25. Stafford Challenge Small Group Zoom Meetings
26. Stafford Challenge Writing Workshop
27. Mahjongg Group Formation
28. Almost-Birthday Pedicures with my Sister-In Law
29. Lunch with Friends
Here are the the most recent things I’ve added to my list of 100 Things I’m Enjoying in Retirement:
30. Camping at Vogel State Park – We camped in the North Georgia mountains near Neel Gap along the Appalachian Trail. We managed to avoid the “problem bear” that had been frequenting site 52. Whew! We enjoyed sitting outside in the cooler temperatures and listening to the stream that ran behind our campsite.
31. Hiking the Appalachian Trail – I attempted this one, but took it off the list after setting out thinking that if Grandma Gatewood could do it, so could I. After a mere 36 seconds, I realized I was wrong. Even our recent hike to check in when we went to F. D. Roosevelt State Park took it out of me when I tried hiking mountainous terrain. I like flat, home-based, safe treadmill hiking best.
32. Daytripping for Lunch and Small Town Adventuring – My husband and I experienced Blairsville like locals by visiting the county library to ask where to eat and what to see.
33. Mahjong in Blairsville, Georgia – After realizing it would be challenging to go for days without playing Mahjong with a group, I reached out to a group leader in Blairsville for information on their open group play and joined them for a few hands, even Mahjonging with a consecutive run and getting to pick a trinket (a tiny seal) from their treasure box.
34. Kindred Spirits September Book Club – We read The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy as our September selection and set a date for a January getaway to a cabin for some girl time pajama reading.
35. Hosting Open Write – One writing community that sustains me is the Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com. I enjoy writing with them monthly and also hosting a couple of times a year as well. I hosted one day during the month of September and will host again in 2027 during April. My reading and writing communities mean so very much to me.
36. Fall Baking – I was having the ladies over to play Mahjong on the first day of fall, so to welcome autumn, we celebrated with fall foods. I baked pumpkin bread and banana walnut bread, and I even wore my favorite fall apron! The whole house smelled of cinnamon and spice, and the vibe was that kind you wish you could keep all year long. I’ve always wanted a slow-paced fall baking day just to call a baking day.
I’m freezing some of the pumpkin bread to take with us to a cabin in the North Georgia Mountains. We’re leaving on Saturday, and we’re going on a special excursion that I’ll share on the next Retirement Adventure countdown……
At the end of the second month, I’m more than a third of the way through my list of 100 Things.
Does this mean I need
to slow down?Heck, no. Not this
girl! Full steam ahead!
