Friday, October 19, 2012

Surprise!

I'm two months further into retirement with no further progress on this blog.  What happened?  I lost my blog, and I've just found it again after many frustrating searches .  Actually, I found it mid-morning, wrote and posted a second entry, and managed to wipe the post out!  Grrr!

So what have I learned about retirement so far?

My battle with technology continues!
Enough said.

My husband is a happier guy!
I am no longer that stressed-out, exhausted, and unhealthy third grade teacher who was really tough to live with.  My husband is loving having me retired.  He thinks it was the best decision we have ever made!

My health has improved substantially!
Three days into retirement I started walking daily.  132 walks later I'm healthier, stronger, and fitter.  I've decided to go to AAA Colorado for a TripTik and plot my progress toward St. Anthony at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland,  Canada.  I'm 226.6 miles into my LOONNNGGGG walk and somewhere along I-70 east in Kansas.  The photo below is me when I crossed St. Anthony off my Bucket List on July 15, 2011.  The next photo of me in front of this sign will show a healthier, stronger, and fitter me - and I plan to physically walk those last few miles into St. Anthony.



I don't have as much time as I thought!
By now I thought I'd be bikini-skinny, my home would be organized down to an empty crawl space, and I'd be deeply immersed in writing and photography.  Ha!  
I think I need to develop a more realistic timeline.  Do you think?!
  
I'm loving the simple things!
Who knew I'd discover the Cryptoquip in the Denver Post and learn I'm good at solving those puzzles?  Who knew I'd actually enjoy ironing and washing dishes?  Who knew I could actually sit down and laugh myself silly watching Big Bang Theory?  I'm happier than I've been in decades.  I'll get to all those things I want to accomplish.  I have the gift of time!

The Bucket List is growing!
My Bucket List is growing, and my future is expanding with possibilities.  

Fundy Blue   

16 comments:

  1. HI HO Louise-O!
    SO HAPPY that you are blogging....I kinda/sorta sensed this was you as I started reading. This blogging thing takes a wee bit of time to get started and finding followers. But with followers like me and Sophie we can start the ball rolling! Retirement, your retirement is well deserved and with all the walking that you are doing, obviously you are raring to go. I hope you keep this blog going and remember anything is of interest to us nosy peeps out there. Kiddin'!
    Ron and Sophie Doodle!

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    1. Hi Ron! You have been so supportive since I started this. I intend to keep blogging. It's a great creative outlet, and posting actual blogs ups everything to a higher level! Thanks for introducing me to Jim's Ocean Breezes that I'm enjoying very much.

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  2. I was told that I had better check out this new blog......you how husbands can be at times!! lol

    Louise, it is good to meet you and welcome to this wonderful world of blogging!

    Just wait until you don't know, and frankly couldn't care, what day it is.....oh retirement!
    And a grade three teacher!!! Bless you! Welcome back!
    Jim

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  3. Thank you, thank you for the wonderful welcome! I think I replied to your comment on gmail which is where I found it. I've been working with layout and other things, and now I'm going back and checking each entry. So I thought I should thank you for all the help and encouragement you have given me on my actual blog!

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    1. Anytime girl....love the new blue outlines and larger print for us over-60 yr olds!

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  4. Thanks! I just figured out how to do it today!

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    1. That header picture is so serene and calm...Bay of Fundy?!

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  5. Absolutely! I was heading out of Westport, Briar Island, to go whale watching with Mariner Cruises. It was a warm, calm, summer day. That day on the water had a dreamlike quality I'll never forget. I've lived on the Islands, and the Bay of Fundy rarely looks like this! I've used "Fundy Blue" as a "name" for at least a decade.

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    1. OK...what do you mean by the last comment re: Fundy Blue for decade? Do you have a stage name per chance that we don't know about?

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    2. I DO know what you man about the Fundy feeling like that...because as a child my family spent many Sundays on the B of F shore on a beach called Black Hole near Baxter's Harbour north of Wolfville. I used to sit on the outcrop of rocks on calm, still, serene days and feel as one with the water, land and sky. Nothing better, Louise...thanks so much for this memory reboost!

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  6. Black Hole! Been there in my childhood. I like to sit on rocks too and do the exact same things. My favorite spot is Beautiful Cove on Long Island, and a second favorite is Point Prim near Digby. Both spots have amazing cliffs of basalt that you can spend days on.

    I'll be writing about those rocks in Heart of Pangea, another new post topic that YOU put in my head.

    As for FB, it's a user name, a gmail identity. Way back before gmail, hotmail, and all the .coms for cybermail - there was AOL. You needed a "name," like Major Tom. I didn't want a name with a number like 3918MajorTom. And not only that, I wanted to get my name the first time I entered my proposed screen identity. It's a Louise thing! And, of course, it had to capture the essence of me!

    I spent a whole weekend housecleaning while I thought of the perfect name (because I had to be productive - another Louise thing). And suddenly, into my mind it hopped, Fundy Blue. I raced to my computer, typed it in, and, Voilà, I became Fundy Blue!

    By the way, Briar Island is Brier Island - like the wild sweet brier rose. That island suckers me every time, and I couldn't go back and edit the reply, very distressing to a writer/teacher!

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    1. I understand the perfect name thingie...but I couldn't wait that long...so I chose Sophie...^5 (as in high 5) because she used to do that to me...a hopper and slapping my hand with her paw! PS...I've been to Point Prim in 1972 summer of Digby Pines....whoohoo the stories!

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    2. My brother could tell you some whoohoo stories about the Digby Pines. He worked there two summers! Glad to know you made it to Point Prim. That was the summer I was in St. Lawrence, Newfoundland, one of my favorite summers ever.

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  7. I've been wondering about that "Sophie...^5." I love it! I can just picture Sophie high 5in' you. I thought it was some obscure blogger thing that I hadn't figured out yet. And I was going to email you about it!

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  8. i agree that when one is home after long run life is good with many positive changes :)

    walk helped you with feeling better yes it does to me same
    i don't know when i will retire or i will or not ever but still dreaming about time when i will be able to do what i have thought to do for my inner self is good :) i can give life but giving up hope is death of soul and i don't like it at all :)
    i am happy for you and proud of you yes !

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.