Nine Months Later…


The end of September marks nine months of retirement. My new lifestyle is nothing like I expected. No surprise. Things rarely turn out as expected.

I ain’t gonna lie. Not working agrees with me. Taking care of the homestead, Toodles, and myself are my only obligations. Aside from the occasional medical appointment, my schedule is wide open.

Friends who have retired say they don’t see how they had time to work. I always thought they were joking. Nope. It’s true. I feel the same way.

Why so busy? Good question. My hours haven’t changed. My biological clock is permanently set to get up at 5:00 a.m. and go to bed by 10.

What do I do during my former work hours? Naps — once reserved for weekends and holidays — are now daily events. I also go for a 3- to 7- mile run/walk almost every day. The remainder of the day is devoted to chores, errands, and puttering around.

Time passes a lot faster than when I worked. The weekend rolls around and, next thing I know, it’s Thursday. My best explanation for the difference: time changed. Forget daylight saving. I’m on Standard Retirement Time (SRT).

The world of work revolves around the clock. Minutes matter. Keeping an eye on the time is more or less mandatory. Like the proverbial watched pot that never boils, a watched clock doesn’t move. Consequently, hours at work pass more slowly.

Seconds, minutes, and hours don’t apply to SRT. Clocks are more or less optional. Awareness of real time is sometimes necessary, but not nearly so much as when I worked. Instead of seconds, minutes, and hours, SRT consists of early morning, codger time, nap time, afternoon, evening, and middle-of-the night.

I run errands and shop during Codger Time. Dad introduced me to CT years ago. It’s the sweet spot between roughly 9 and 11 when traffic is light, stores are practically empty, and the world belongs to seniors. Venturing out at other times stomps my crotchety button. Between the traffic and crowded stores, everything takes longer.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed (haha), I’ve been too busy to blog. Learning more about the functions of the platforms feels too much like work. WordPress for Dummies has been sitting open on my coffee table for a couple of months, but I haven’t read more than a few pages.

Occasionally, I feel a little guilty. Old habits die hard. Maybe I should teach a class, volunteer somewhere, or (fill in the blank). Then I ask myself, “Says who?”

Doing what I want, when I want, at my own speed is immensely satisfying. My life is more enjoyable now than ever before. I’m beyond grateful.