Now what?

It has been almost 2 weeks since I wrote my last blog.  Since then, I have done a few things from the list such as, made some really yummy soups, had 4 wonderful days with Sara, visited with many friends, gone on hikes and bike rides, read, gardened and enjoyed the good weather.  Today it is raining.  I have many projects to do in the house but am procrastinating.  This is challenging!  I am feeling a little useless and not earning money is hard.  Seems a bit crazy that I feel healthy and fairly energetic and not contributing to society or the household.  I do feel like I still have earning power so don't want to do volunteering yet.  My intuitive self says, "give it time, have a long rest, get into it, relax and enjoy for a while.  Be open to the opportunities that will arise." 
What I am loving is not having to get up in the mornings, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with Gerry on the back deck, reading and having the freedom to do what I want.  On thursday I will go to the annual meeting of the SGB Community Health centre where I remain a member of the board for another year.  I am sure there will be a few things that I will get involved with but again, not a big committent.  I have no need to get back to the job I did before.  I figure that I would like to do something totaly new, away from young children and families, something useful but not so intense and that is fun.  I realize I am all over the place with this and I would love to hear any comments. 
On Monday I will sign up for Tia Chi.  Looking forward to that.  Till next time!

Forgot!

How could I have forgotten the Giant Redwoods in California!  They were spectacular!  Love the trees.  This is one place that Gerry and I would go back to for sure!  Could not see the top of the trees.  The tops have there own eco system.  Most of the trees are 1000 years old!  Thanks to John D Rockefeller JR for saving these trees for all to enjoy!

Home

We made it home on Friday after a very long three days of driving.  The weekend was made up of unpacking and getting settled in.  People have been asking me what the highlights of the trip have been.  There have been very many.  My best ones are  (in no particular order)

• Spending time with Gerry. Which is the point of my retirement. We had a GREAT time together!
• Being able to spend my 60th birthday with Dan.  It is so rare that we see each other on special occasions so this was extra special.  The camping trip with Dan and Carina was fabulous.  We got them all to ourselves for three days!
• The Italian food we had on my Birthday in a LA restaurant.  The best ever!
• The Thai food in LA.  The best ever!
• The Japenese noodle dish.  The best ever!
• Carina's English breakfast.  Beans and poached egg on toast.
• Camping food.  Kraft dinner with Broccoli, french toast with dark chocolate almond butter.
• California wine.
• Swimming in a Mountain fed lake in Custer Park on a HOT day.
• Riding a bike from Santa Monica to Venice Beach.
• Crazy Horse
•  Wild life.  The elephant seals, deer, eagles, whales and all the diffent types of squirrels and chipmunks.  Buffalo, elk..and many many more.
• The scenery while driving.  Spectacular!
• Crazy Horse
• Grand Canyon and of course, the Arches
• The Rocky Mountains in Colarado..

 

Yesterday while I was with my good friend Pat, she asked me what I was going to do now that I was retired.  She suggested I write a book.  Ha ha I said.  What would I write about?  Her words stuck with me and I decided that I would keep on with this blog.  Retirement is a whole new life.  I have no deadlines to meet, no special time to get up in the morning, and no pay check!  For the next couple of weeks I plan to be quiet, spending time at home and hopefully visiting with my daughter and good friends.  I have started a list for September.  I plan on joining Tia Chi again, do all the walks of hope for Sept., hit a few golf balls, learn how to get my pics organized, read, walk, ride my bike, make soup, and garden.  Other than that I would like to go camping somewhere close during the good weather.  My challenge will be to NOT to take on any committments for a few months so I can get to know who I am without my career.  After that, I will be able to lead a more balanced life and be able to give of myself again.  The door is wide open to see where I will go with it.  My other challenge will be to live more simply.  I see that as a positive challenge because I worry about money all the time.
 I thought that this blog might be a sign of being self absorbed but I will use it as a tool for myself and if anyone has any suggestions for me than I would appreciate it.  Look at what has happened to some people who wrote blogs.  Maybe someone will want to publish this as a book and/or make a movie!  That would take care of my money worries!!!

Playtirement has a new beginning of today!

Today in Colorado!

It was great to get on the road and out of the desert.  The change in scenery is such a short drive was incredible and mind boggling.  Also the temperature.  We went from red rock and sand to lush mountain meadows and much cooler temperature in a period of about 6 hours!  It is great to be in a motel room for two nights also.  We definitely loved camping but have had enough of it.  The heat got to us.  The days and nights were HOT in Utah. Thank God we were smart enought to bring a fan.  As I write I am looking out the window at snow capped moutains.  Here are some pics from Dillion Colarado near Breckinridge and Vale.

And to top it off....we did not go on too many shopping trips but this one ended it all!  Our motel is right across the road from those wonderful outlet malls they have down here in the States.  We did some great shopping at Columbia. 

We have booked motel rooms for Wed and Thursday.  Plan to be home by Friday evening.  I can't imagine what the scenery will be like through Nebraska and Iowa.  I know that Illinois and Michigan will not be exciting.  Looking forward to coming home. ( I think.) 

OOPS! More of the Arches!

WOW!  This blog thing it tricky!  Please be patient with me.  Here is some more great photos.  We have so many of our time here it is hard to choose!

The Story.

Windows

There are so many more!

We also did a drive down the Columbia River.  I learned that Gerry loves rivers.  This particular one was most facinating because we also viewed it from the Grand Canyon.  It found it's way through all this rock.
Here is some fun photos of the drive.

Off to Colorado!

The Arches National Park, Utah

The drive here from the Grand Canyon was only 6 hours and the scenery was spectacular!  We felt like we were on a whole different planet.  The elevation is high but it was a desert!  It was very HOT!  The day we had the blowout was 108!  Still worth the experience.  It was like being in a Museum of Nature.  Not one thing man made but made by Mother Nature.  A very spiritual place.  Both Gerry and I had very strang dreams while we were there.  This place is where many of the Indiana Jones movies were made.
The town of Moab where the Arches is located is also very different.  Since it is a tourist area, people are very friendly and efficient.  I have never seen anything like it!  On Monday morning when we got our tire fixed, it took all of half an hour.
The trick to being in a desert we learned was to drink a gallon of water every day.  You have to drink before you feel thirsty or you can dehydrate very quickly.  As you will see from a few of the pics I added, it is very beautiful.

The balanced rock!  (How did this last pic get on here twice?  That is Gerry waiting for the rock to fall on his head!)

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

We left LA and drove through the Mojave Desert past Les Vegas and into Utah.  Nice drive but the HOTTEST yet!  Went up to Utah and drove through Zion National Park and then to camp in Jacobs Lake which is just a few miles from Grand Canyon National Park, North rim.  We had met a woman in Half Moon Bay that said that it was not that hot at the North Rim so we decided to do the trip.  The days were hot but manageable and the nights were cool for sleeping.  This experience was spectacular.  We both are so glad we went although the drive was very long!  Spent two days visiting the Grand Canyon.  The first day our legs were very wobbly.  In many parts you cannot see the bottom!  The second day we were a bit braver.  We visited many view points.  People that we spoke to said that the North rim was less crowded and less touristy than the South Rim.  We had a mavelous experience!

On to Arches National Park in Utah!