Cooking the NYTimes and Other Assorted Retirement Activities

Today is day 20 of our month long stay in Florida. It is also day 7 of having grandchildren (and their parents) stay with us. Ah, the chaos of young children. A brief list of things I had conveniently forgotten about a 24-7 stay with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Your day starts early.  Good news--you will get to see the sun rise. Your day ends (relatively) early.  You watch the sunset at the beach, go home, have a snack, take a bath, read stories...you know the drill.  Bad news--you miss all those network television shows you follow.  Good news--this will force you to learn how to download the apps so you can stream them and watch them later. Noise, the ever lovely chatter of children, is a continual background stream.  Good news--there is no reason to turn on the television, so you can blissfully live without knowing what our President has done to make you not so proud to be an American (paid political comment). Your once pristine rental townhou...

A compendium of random thoughts 10 days into the month long winter break... Wednesday was the first day since we've been here that I didn't wake up with that deliciously frantic feeling you often have when on vacation.  The one where you are somewhat anxious about getting going with the day because after all, you're on limited time.  Each day you are here brings you closer to returning home and back to work.  You have to squeeze the most out of each lovely moment of vacation release. Sooner or later we do have to go home, but I don't have to go back to work.  What a concept!  What a feeling! I think I'll be able to get used to this. Some days the sky is so beautifully, clarified blue that it's almost painful to look at it. So far there really isn't a routine or pattern to the days.  We were blessed with company last week, our friends Jeanie and Bill.  My sister and brother-in-law come tomorrow, my niece Sondra on Thursday (they are staying wi...

We're in Florida. I'll admit to being somewhat apprehensive about a 3 day, 1064 mile road trip with spouse and beagle, more so for the spouse than the beagle.  Hank travels very well.  Put his blanket on the back seat, he settles in and does precisely what he does all day at home.  Sleep. Dan-o and I have predominantly traveled with others--children, relatives, friends.  This past fall we spent a few days on the road together and were both pleased to see that we 1) enjoyed each other's company and 1) enjoyed each other's company.  The same held true for this southern sojourn.  The first leg, Minnetonka to Arlington Heights, IL where we overnighted with my sister, is one we have done so frequently we probably could have driven with our eyes closed and not missed any toll booths or exits.  Once we got through the flatlands of Illinois and Indiana, we liked going through Kentucky and Tennessee.  Had Hank not been along, we would have been tempted...