Retire In Style Blog Too

I did love my roller skates back in the day when roller skates had four metal wheels and a key. My new saddle oxfords were always scuffed from the clamps that fit around the toe. I learned to ride them inside our house, ruining the linoleum in the process. Then my parents moved to a house with a real sidewalk and the roller skates moved outside. My ankles were chafed from the leather strap that was buckled in the very last hole and my calves burned from riding as far from home as I possibly could and still see the chimney of our fireplace. Young girl in Roller-skates, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, 1921. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The skates would expand so I wore them for many years, even after a big big bike appeared for my seventh birthday. It had been ordered from the Sears Roebuck catalogue just like the skates. It seemed that wheels made my life bigger and finer. I think I was the only child on the block that owned either one. Time passed, the skates were packed away and then in th...

The very fact that you can talk to your computer or your smart phone is an amazing. Really, if you had told me that the idea Steve Jobs had all those years ago would ever really  work, I would have doubted it. Somethings were simply impossible back all those years ago. But now we walk around texting to friends while we are walking down the street and never touch the screen of our phone. Honestly, if you are not amazed your have lost your innocence. There is a learning curve though. Remembering that sometimes we leave a voice message and sometimes we are texting can be a problem. Leaving a voice message with your doctor that sounds like this: Hello, This is Barbara T. period I would like to make an appointment for March comma  13th at 1:00 in the afternoon period...  ...leaves the listener laughing and wonder what planet we are from. I don't know about you but I don't preview my messages. I just hang up after I am done. But sometimes I pay attention AND the bad thing abou...

Being a snowbird requires a bit of magical thinking. The meaning for "home" has to be modified to fit where you are, not where your house is. In fact, my first blog's name was Always at Home  because in my younger days I would begin redecorating if I lived in a motel for more than one day. I don't do that anymore. It was wearing me out. However, I still am a nester that can make a home out of a packing crate. It is a gift I think. Easter in Oregon When the major holidays roll around, especially those religious holidays like Easter and Christmas, finding peace while not near our family is a little hard. We miss that part of home that involves grandchildren and children. Easter in Arizona What we have discovered is that we can celebrate with friends and share their family traditions and stories with them. It eases that home-sickness that seems to seep into those special days. In a way we are like children again leaving home for the first time and making new traditions o...

You know that I am on Facebook...not a lot but I am definitely lurking around in the shadows. I like to keep it that way. I don't like stalkers. Even though about the only thing I post are stories from this blog and those things that are related, I am always surprised when people I don't think are watching me are. Take this last week when my daughter had a retirement party to end all retirement parties. I had a video taken of me drinking a shot of straight tequila and it was put up on Facebook by a son. Up to today it has been watched 325 times. Yikes! The thing about pictures and words is that they never really tell the WHOLE story. Usually there is a lot more to be said that cannot be captured in a Facebook post. Like everyone one these day I have a pseudo-bucket list. It is not a conscious thing. But, it seems that there are things I have always wanted to do but didn't think it was lady like or appropriate. One of those thing was drinking a shot of tequila in the correct...

My daughter retired last week. She is 49. I am just blown away that she and her husband can do this. But funny things are happening to her already. Retirement can be written all over you face I suppose. She sent me a text message this morning. It went like this: Mom, it has happened to me...they offered to carry my groceries to the car this morning. I have never had that happen before. I think it was because I looked extra beautiful. My response was: I think you should go with that explanation dear. I love you! Retirement at such a young age is truly wonderful. She is just hitting her stride and will start a new job next Monday. Life is good! b+