Where do the days go?

March 15, 2024

I remember before we retired, many people would comment about being busier once retired than they were while working. I’m here to confirm – it is true!

The difference is, you’re busy doing all the activities you did not have time for while employed. In my case, reconnecting with old friends, writing letters the old-fashioned way – with pen and paper, making cards, creating a craft/sewing room, installing a murphy bed to free up space for daily workouts, cooking, taking up new hobbies, and always, always dreaming and planning the next adventure. Today I even had time to meet my daughter at the mall and get my nails done, all while Chris skied in two feet of fresh powder.

With my father gone (passed in June 2023), I’ve wanted to spend quality time creating memories for my mom. For Christmas, we gave her a trip to our condo in Hawaii. It wasn’t just any trip. We wanted her to feel special so we booked her first-class tickets from Cleveland (you can’t fly first class out of Akron-Canton) to Denver, gave her a day to relax and visit her granddaughter, and then we all flew first-class direct to Kona. While business or first-class tickets internationally do provide some nice amenities, domestically (at least on United Airlines), was underwhelming, and they lost of our luggage.

Still, we enjoyed seven days of warm weather and ocean breezes, a nice treat regardless of where you call home. My mom was struck by the diversity of the Big Island, from volcanoes to rain forests, to black lava beaches, to sandy resorts and everything in between. It was a good reminder to post my Hawaii trip from last fall when Chris and I spent three weeks as tourists at our island home. (See OUR ADVENTURES: Hawaii Nov 28-Dec 18, 2023).