Thinking about retirement?

I started my day by dropping a parcel off in Shelburne at the house of the person who’s job I took a year ago yesterday. Her son was heading to the city so was going to be the courier. I told her that she must get up every morning and smile and say “gee I’m glad I dodged that bullet eh?” She was obviously glad not to be me as I outlined how the situation was unfolding and then headed off to face the music.

Today my boss forwarded along a bulletin from the employer group we belong to which was entitled If You Are Thinking about Retirement Here Are Some Things to Consider . . . . . Are You Thinking About Retirement? For a moment I guiltily thought she had read my mind, then I realized it was a bulk email. Am I THINKING about retirement - no obsessed with it would be a better term. Especially the way it’s been going lately. The most exciting part of my day was learning how to scan a document on the multifunction unit (MFU) and email it to myself so I could order MMR vaccine. I think I’ll start calling myself a MFU as I certainly am expected to multi task. Head lice (no not me) but enough said!

Last night when I was on the return trip from walking the dog I stopped at the old place to check it out as I do daily. As I walked across the veranda day dreaming about our time there, the dog sauntered along on the ground with the retractable leash slack in my hands. The next thing I knew I wasn’t vertical but crouched forward on my knees - the dog had spied a rabbit and bolted taking me right off my feet and it‘s not like I didn‘t have any ballast to hold me down. I felt my right shoulder had been pulled sharply, my right hand pinned under the leash handle with my ring finger swollen and bruised, both knees scraped and my right hip jammed against the railing with what will likely be a good sized bruise. It was a good enough excuse to not do my exercises last night and today I’m really feeling the effects. Walking is such good exercise eh?

The big moment arrived this evening when the man of the house got to cross a task off his to-do list. The list which has been steadily growing (not shrinking) since last fall. We finally (started in August) got a new microwave with exhaust fan from the appliance store to replace the original one which never worked properly. It was noisy and the fan only partially worked and there was no light at all making the counter top dark. That’s the good news. The bad news is that this unit is built in over the range top (customized by himself) and taking the old out, fitting in the new, replacing the copper plating and polishing it all took 2.5 hrs. There was a lot of grunting and muttering on his part while standing on the counter or stool , and handing of tools while cleaning up after on my part. I felt like a scrub nurse in the OR as he held out his hand and barked “hammer” or some such instrument. I encouraged him to cross ‘microwave’ off the extensive list and then I see him adding something - on the 2007 list he makes it 2007-8, oh that helps a lot.

He didn’t have the gall to scratch off the ‘dig out the flower bed’ which the young fellow down the road did last week. This guy takes requests very literally. Tonight at about 8 pm on a drizzly foggy evening I called him to see if he wanted to mow the lawn at the old place (I meant this yr.) and he says “yes” then he asks “tonight?” I reassure him that anytime over the next week will be fine. Talk about taking things literally.

Tomorrow is Friday and I had a voice mail message from the cleaning lady saying she’ll be here in the morning. Can it get any better than that? Hard to imagine it could. And as this is Nurses Week, I'll close with a quote

When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours. ~Author Unknown