When I retire...

15 years ago

I'm going to get up every morning and take a walk around the garden with my coffee in my hand and enjoy it even in the winter. Unlike now when I make the coffee in the microwave and take it to the bathroom with me and drink it while I dry my hair and dress for work.

I'm going to sit on the porch swing and listen to the birds sing every day, and on rainy days just watch the rain fall. Unlike now when I rush to work, sit on the computer for hours and hop whenever someone needs something, answer the phone, answer the e-mails, read the instructions and write the reports.

I'm going to keep my house clean (well, cleaner than it is now) and take a nap in the afternoons. Then I'm going to walk in the garden again and tidy up an area every day, making it look the way it was intended to look when I first built it. Unlike now when I spend a significant amount of time every day filing stuff and have to tidy up my desk just to find some things. And I have a cup of coffee in the afternoons so I can stay awake through all the boring meetings.

I'm going to enjoy my home and gardens that I have spent years arranging just the way I want them, and I'm never going to think about this cubby-hole of an office again. I'm going to see the daylight every day and I will never spend another 8-hour day in a room with no windows for the rest of my life.

Cheryl

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Comments (8)

carrie751
15 years ago
You go, girl --- I can attest that it is wonderful !!!!
bossjim1
15 years ago
I'll second that! Although I must admit, after being retired for 8 years, I still prioritize and schedule and usually put in a full day, whether it's in the garden or the shop. I spray on Monday, fertilize on Friday, and find myself becoming upset if my routine is disrupted. I do go out just after daylight, with my coffee, and walk all the beds, checking every plant, then sit on the patio, with my coffee and plan what chores to do. I guess lifetime habits are hard to break, but it's still so much better than going to a job.
Jim.
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carrie751
15 years ago
Hey, Jim, our "office" is not so far to go to, and we can go in our nightwear if we want.... I am loving every hard working minute of it.
denisew
15 years ago
What a wonderful way to look forward to the future . . . It certainly is a positive thing. Since my dad retired a few years ago, he has been more interested in gardening again this past couple years. On my last visit to see him he was complaining that his wife never gets out to help in the garden and felt she should be helping him. I told him that she probably doesn't like to garden and if he wants a garden to look good, he shouldn't worry about the fact that she doesn't enjoy it and get out there to do it himself. He agreed and I think he is enjoying his gardening efforts more now. He has the porch and the swing where he can go out and sit with his coffee every morning - in his underwear if he wanted since he is so far out in the country, he really doesn't have to worry about anyone seeing him!
bossjim1
15 years ago
Denise, it's the same here, but I am a firm believer in doing what you want to do when you retire. My wife isn't a gardener, and seldom goes out in the yard, unless I tell her that something is blooming that she should see. But that's OK, she has other interests.
Jim
ltcollins1949
15 years ago
Having been retired for the past 12 years or so, I find that yes, coffee in the morning looking over my beds is wonderful. And yes, I do it in my P.J.'s. But what I have found is that I still do lots of work, i.e. volunteer work that is. In fact, sometimes I think "Why am I doing all of this work when I'm retired?" And then I answer my question, "Oh yea, . . .it's because it all has to do with gardening. I'm an active master gardener, president of our local herb group and on the board of directors for the botanical gardens."

So all in all, even though I'm working, it is for something that I love, i.e. GARDENING!
mikeandbarb
15 years ago
It is wonderful to sit out back with a cup of coffee and see all the beautiful flowers in bloom. I take many walks around the yard looking at what is doing good what isn't and what needs weeding or maybe redesign the bed a bit hoping the plants will fill it in more.
I have two places that I like to sit at and hoping to have a third someday. My main sitting area in on the patio in the morning and then I'll sit under the tree when the sun comes over the house reaching the back yard. My dream sitting area is an arbor with benches.

My DH was not a fan of mine when I started working on the yard putting in gardens all around. Then one day to my surprise he made a commit at how nice it was looking. His main complaint was having to mow around the beds, he'd like straight lines but I do as much mowing as I can, not cause I have to but because he does work and I don't so I hate leaving him with so much work on his days off, I can't weedeat anymore so that he has to do for me. I wish I could weedeat though cause he trims the grass all the way down to the dirt so he doesn't have to do it so often :(

You will enjoy it and it gives you something to look forward to when you retire :)
beachplant
15 years ago
I sit out on my front porch roof and watch the sun rise. Then I wander around the garden doing chores. I'm not going to want to go back to work but have years to go before I can retire.
Tally HO!

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carrie751

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