Retirement Life

 

We had a birthday bash for hubby.  He wanted hamburgers cooked in the green egg.  So that's what we had.  The kids came over, and brought some food too.  Yum-yum!

He's been cleaning out the outbuilding for the last two days.  We generated quite a bit of trash for the trash man today, but some of it was appealing to our neighbors, so the trash man didn't have so much to haul off.  It's all gone now.

 

Our middle daughter ask me how retirement was going, and I can't quite put it into words. I'm adjusting to a different life.  My hubby's cousin's wife (whose hubby is retired) told me that if I needed to get away, to come see her, but I've only had a panicky run away feeling once.  Hubby is pretty good company most of the time, but it's different because it's like I'm on call---'Jerri, come here, I need your help", and "are you ready to go?".  I will be glad when we find a routine.  I'm still feeling kind of lost like I don't know what's going on.  It's like handing the driving over to your teenager--a little bit out of your hands.  I don't feel the freedom to start a project.  I am enjoying his retirement, but I'm lost in the shuffle.  I think he's enjoying not going to work, but I think he feels a little lost too--not sure what to do.  We'll figure this out somehow--it's only been 3 and 1/2 weeks.

Pot-luck At Alice's House

 

We had a pot-luck at my sister's house Friday night.  Here are all the living siblings and spouses.  We have lost a brother, a sister, and a brother-in-law. 

I had a busy day helping my sister and forgot to put on make-up--Oh, well.

 

 

Next pic is of our kids and spouses;12 of them, with 15 not present.

 

 

And finally, 18 of the grand kids, with 20 missing.

It was such a pleasant evening with everyone getting along--at least with the siblings, and kids.  (Not too sure how the grand kids did, but I didn't hear of anything outrageous going on).  It's so nice to have a potluck with loving family members, and no one trying to jockey for position or one-up someone else.  My (our) sweet mother would be so proud.  And our daddy would have had a ball telling stories.  I miss them!  Won't heaven be great.

 



Bush Wackers

 

 

What a day we had yesterday.  A while back I removed one of our three big bushes out front, and injured my arm in the process.  Yesterday we removed the other two---well, cut them back (it was like a removal because they were so huge).

 

I trimmed back the ivy growing on the brick also.

 

Here is the view from the porch.

 

 

And the view now---what a difference. 

Hubby got out the chain saw and had them babies cut back in no time.  My job was loading the truck with the trimmings.  I'm surprised we got both bush trimmings in the pick-up bed, but we did with lots of tie downs.

They look pretty pitiful now, but next summer they will grow.

 

My sister called when we were leaving for the leaf dump, and needed us to pick up some bales of straw, so I volunteered my hubby to cut down her half dead apple tree and haul it off.  We also cleared her back fence of vines and weed trees, and her side fence also.  We worked a very long time, and today I can hardly move.  Tomorrow we get to mow two or three yards.  Hubby being retired is a lot of work for me, but I love it.  Yard work I love.



Life Is A Changing For Us

 

Hubby is retiring, he's on vacation right now, but no more work for him.  I snapped his picture as he was leaving work for the last time following his retirement party.  He said he laughed all the way home.  He does look pretty happy.  He's enjoying it so far.

 

 

This was his cake.  You can't tell it but it was huge.

We are trying to work out all the details of retirement right now.  Stressful for me.

 

On another note see our sweet potato vine--it's taking over the back terrace.

This retirement will be an adjustment for me, but I believe it will be good.