My Actual Birthday

It's today! I can't believe how old I am. Or rather, I can't believe how young being 66 seems. I remember at 16 thinking 33 was old. Ha!

Anyway, here is an update on what being old is like:

Every day, something new aches. Right now it's the tendon I bruised during the snow storm and also my spine. ("My spiiiine!" I cry often.) A week ago it was my hip, after I slept on it a little too long one night. Sleeping! Sleeping gives me injuries now.

I wake up early now. Not at five a.m. as I was when we first moved here, but I'm up and dressed by 7:30 most days. Partly this is the dog, who begins demanding his walk around 7:00. But also it's because I'm in bed by 9:30 or ten most nights. Me! Who seldom managed to sleep before 3:00 or 4:00 a.m.!

I'm eating a lot more cake than I used to. I'm sure this isn't good for me, but on the other hand, who's going to stop me?

I spend a lot of time in doctor's offices. Mostly this is for Dr Skull's appointments, but some are also for me.

I take exercises as seriously as I did when I was 30, when I ran a couple miles every day and also took my dog for a three mile walk most days. Some of my aches arise from this, but most are because I'm ooooold.

I love being retired. Day after day with nothing planned. I lie on the couch and read books. I take the dog for at least two walks a day. I go to the library. I write whenever and as much as I like. I never have to teach composition again. There's plenty of time to do laundry and the dishes. (It's amazing how much less annoying dishes and the laundry are when you aren't exhausted and also you have plenty of time.)

I am extremely glad I don't have to depend solely on my social security. Medicare, on the other hand, is wonderful. I got a lengthy statement in the mail yesterday for all of Dr Skull's home health care, and the big news was on page one: "Amount you may owe: $0.00."

Granted, this is only because we can afford to pay for Part B and Part G, but still.

I'm liking being 66 a lot, I guess is the conclusion here. May it long continue.

He just wants to sit in my lap all day long, is that so much to ask?

How Do I Like Being Retired?

So much.

Technically I've been retired just over two months, since May 13, and if I hadn't retired not much would have changed on the surface, since I'd be on summer break now. 

But in fact just knowing I'm done with teaching has changed so much. I had no idea how much of my mental space the university was taking up until it was gone. I do still find myself making notes about how to teach this or that, or what reading list I might use for a given class, and then saying, well, wait.

I'm doing what I always planned to do with my retirement -- writing a lot, reading a lot, taking lots of walks. I am much busier than I expected to be, what with medical appointments, taking the kid shopping, and dealing with the dog.

Do any of you remember how in adolescence, and even young adulthood, we were so bored for so much of the time? Just endless hours to fill, and nothing to fill them with? Remember television? I remember lying on the couch in the living room watching tennis matches. That's how bored I was.

I was expecting retirement to be a bit like that. Not so far.