Retiring Tina

Well this has been an exciting week! Amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, my daughter booked one of those jewelry parties to help her friend get more jewelry for free.

It’s almost that time of the year again, and I’m not referring to Christmas. I am thinking of the beginning of another year, when we come up with several grand ideas of what we want to implement or change in our lives …New Year’s resolution time!

The sound of bells ringing in the air and little red kettles ... Marines in uniform asking for donations of toys … It’s the season of giving!

My presents are all wrapped and under the tree, a chore I am proud to say that I accomplished before Christmas Eve. Of course my friend Marci always has her shopping and wrapping done early, but for me this is a first!

Hubby and I have just returned from our annual Christmas shopping venture, one of the few times we actually go shopping together for a day. My feet are killing me, but his don’t seem to be bothering him. I guess that may be because he enjoys sitting on a bench and “people-watching” while I rummage through racks and displays and wait in lines to pay!

I hear it all the time, “When I retire I am moving to Florida or Arizona”! Friends show me brightly colored brochures with pictures of swaying palm trees and blue water as far as you can see.

When we retired, we thought, Aaaahh! FINALLY! No more rushing around, no more racing with the clock, no more feeling like we are meeting ourselves coming and going! We will be able to relax and do the things we want in a leisurely fashion now!

The holidays are right around the corner! Which means I will have a house full of guests; family from far and near, and maybe even a few long lost friends. Although our children all live in our area, many of our friends have children scattered across the country, so for them, the holidays are a time when everyone comes “home”.