I was Right!! (for Once!!)

I have had nothing but questions about Tomorrow.
It will be a scary day for me.
But, NOTHING, like what next Monday morning will bring.
I'm inundated with questions about a subject which I now almost wish I had kept to myself. Friends are concerned they have missed the "big day". People I'm not sure I even know seem to have a vested stake in whether I actually make it to "my last day". Conversation seems to come back to the subject. All have an opinion. (Some even valid!!) It has taken on a life of it's own, it seems.
I guess I carry a lot of hopes into Tomorrow. I hope I'm worthy.

They are Fascinated

As retirement rushes closer all the time, I find I am fielding questions from everyone about it.
 "have any plans?"
 "going to travel?"
 "what next?"
 "what are you going to do all day?'
 "how many more days?"
 "will your money hold out?"
I try to answer all these good naturedly (a stretch for me!) but I find that they all are fascinated by the idea of retirement itself, as much as with mine. I think that is because the very idea of retiring is so far off for most. And, all those nay-sayers who claim Social Security will be broke before any of today's young people reach it. Fiscal reality is important, but can't they just shut up for a while?
 Everyone seems happy for me. They all call me lucky, and I guess I am. I'm happy for me too. Also scared as hell. What am I going to do all day?

Practice Retirement

Just what a guy who has 24 1/2 work days left needs. A Vacation! After a flurry of early morning chores, I ran smack into the problem I will face for real in the first part of July. What do I do now?
I've worked my whole life and now find myself "a man of leisure". I know I can keep busy this summer, what with yard work, and other "honey-do list" projects. Cleaning out a house we've lived in for 30 years that has 40 years worth of junk in it, well that's a worthy start. Paperwork, financial records, and stuff of that sort is another Herculean task.
I know there's a tree out front that needs attention. My garden is a disgrace. Weeds run rampant in every corner. The only problem I don't have: gophers.
Now that I've worried my blood pressure up about 10 points, maybe I better just get back to that Vacation that I started complaining about at the start of this whole thing.

Why?

Did anyone notice Bob Newhart's appearance last night on The Big Bang Theory? His low key delivery was absolutely perfect counterpoint for the manic comedy that is today's television. His shot at "second banana" status was remarked upon only because of his age, not his innate comedic ability, or the fact that he was a "STAR" long before his co-stars birth.
Why does the same media that vilified the present administration for political shortsightedness show almost reverence toward a memorial service held today, for Benghazi victims of one year ago, attended by the Vice President and Secretary of State?
How will the press react to Tim  Tebow now that he is out of a job?
Why does my local newspaper have a story in Thursday's edition that was on the Sunday news?
I can't answer any of these questions. I can't even begin to conceive of a more perfect world. I don't have time. I have to catch the headlines online on my phone. Or laptop. Or reader.
Oh, I have a text....... Later dudes.

Not an April Fool

This blog may be a lot of things, but an April Fool isn't one of them.
I felt April Fooled when looking at a paycheck with all the deductions, deletions, and other insidious removal of monies for various and sundry. Whether paid monthly or not, what is left in the envelope never seems worth the struggle of the previous pay period.
Especially when politicians talk of "only about several million". Budget cuts argued about as almost insignificant are more money than I, or my family, will make in a lifetime.
It's not only politicians. Sports figures hold out to make sure they are the highest paid at their position. Their obscene salaries put most organized sporting events beyond the purse of all but the Corporations that use the  suites as a tax write off, and often give away the tickets; if they are used at all.
What all this has to do with April Fool I'm not sure. It made me feel better to say it, though.

A Doctors Waiting Room

While sitting waiting impatiently for a routine doctor visit recently I watched the world go by. A distraught lady wanted a pay phone because she had lost her cell. A non-English speaker was led around by a translator, and did all his personal business through him, while also managing his children. An ambulance was on the way for an undisclosed person out of our sight. Extra hands were recruited from all stations to help with that. Someone else waited for an X-ray. Another fumed because he had arrived 5 minutes too late to check in for his appointment.
All this made my 10 minute wait seem like a little thing.
As I left I ran into a poor man whose keys were locked in his car. I guess my life isn't so bad after all, I thought.

Spring Once More

The flowers knew about two weeks ago. The birds and all the trees are getting with the program. My lawn must have been the one to cue the flowers in, as it has been going strong for about a month.
In the weeks after Christmas, when it was dark and rainy, we longed for this Season. Now that it is here we see all the work it has brought back to us. Mowing, pruning, and other assorted chores are now the norm until almost Halloween.
However, a Summer here in Portland is a glorious thing. Some days there isn't a cloud in the sky, and the mountains seem close enough to touch. We sit in the evenings and dream of the tomatoes, or peppers in our garden, and wonder if we'll ever get any nuts off the tree before we are robbed by the local squirrels.
But the sitting and thinking part is still a long way off. It's back to the chores, at least for now.

writers block

How can I possibly have writers block? I don't even regularly write anything. Aren't you supposed to do this as a regular job? Have deadlines and editors, like Lou Grant, grumping about your low output? I guess I'll have to be anguisghed, and tortured, and so forth. Long hours staring at an empty page.
How did Mark Twain produce so much? Where did Shakespeare get all those snappy one liners? How can James Paterson write 17 books in two years? I know I can't rhyme as well as Dr Seuss, although I did eat some green ham not too long ago.
Just another dilemma for me to ponder between the games of March Madness.

a humble beginning for the return

Today I am consumed with the fact that a "young person" that I work with was unable to check the oil in his vehicle. This mundane task is required of all of us who are drivers. Actually, any adult, ( he is over 21 yrs,) should be able to accomplish this chore. It was beyond him.
When I was his age we were thinking about lofty things like a future on Mars, cold fusion, or life in a bubble under the sea. Also, we thought about beer, girls, and escaping the draft.
I'm still waiting for the first three; of the second three, well... my wife may read this.
It seems almost impossible to span the chasm between our age groups. He smiles at me and nods, as one might at an old fool that had recently lost touch with reality.
I don't know whether I'm more sad for him or for me.

I'm Back?

Due to circumstances beyond my control crazy people demanded that I return.
I retired this blog as a favor to humanity in general, and thought that was the end of it. Wrong Again. It seems you are to be tortured further by the inane babbling I post.
Since it took great effort, (OK, it was about 2 minutes) to re-open this, I'll let you off easy today.
Tomorrow, though......