One more day

Finally, it's here.  Today is the last day of work for me.  Well, actually I am officially "working" on Monday at the office in Connecticut, but that's the day I turn in my computer, monitor, printer, shredder, etc., go out to lunch with my group and attend a "happy hour" to say good bye to co-workers.  So really, today is the last day of  "work."

In my home office I have print outs of monthly calendars that began in August 2014.  That's when I began marking off every day of work at day's end.  In the beginning, I printed calendars for August 2014 through February 2015, with the goal of making it to mid-February when my employer pays the 401K matching contribution.  Then in February I printed calendars for March through July.  That's 12 months of calendars, 12 months of counting off days of work one by one.  Somehow that act made me more conscious of time, the passage of time.  At my age one doesn't want time to "fly" - there's little enough of it left - but this was a year I did want to get past, while still living every day of it.  Mission accomplished.

In the meantime, I had my 65th birthday, and it may have been the best, or certainly one of the best, ever.  Lovely calls from both children, a long talk with my older grandson, calls from my dear friends Helen and Susan F, wishes from many friends at work, great presents from all, and a wonderful dinner cooked by David!

David's been a fiend of efficiency.  He has completed the work on all the "pieces" to my little boat - mast, boom, sprit spar, dagger board and rudder.  He has applied another coat of epoxy and sanded the outside hull, and now has applied 2 coats of primer followed by 2 coats of paint - 1 more to go.  All that is left is the inside.  He built a set of stairs for entry to our basement bulkhead (we had a bulkhead entrance to the basement but without stairs).  Those will be needed in a couple weeks when our new furnace is installed.  David is setting a hard example for my retirement - I can't imagine being so efficient.  But maybe I can permit myself some weeks or even months of rest and relaxation before beginning to beat myself up.  In any event, I am very proud and grateful for everything David is doing - to finish the boat and around the house.

Well, it's almost time to go to work.  May be the last time I ever write that - although I can conceive of "working" again in the future, but not in the way of these last 15, no make that 40 years.  It's going to be an adventure.  Stay tuned.

Here is a photo taken on a recent morning walk of the perennial garden of a home I pass every day.  Leaving aside the "Gart" (Garden "Art"), it is truly beautiful and an inspiration for me as I have more time to spend on my own garden.

Peace.