Cooking the NYTimes and Other Assorted Retirement Activities

This past week marked the first anniversary of my retirement.  Unlike the countdown to retirement, which was an App on my phone, there had been no calculation of the days without gainful employment.  It came to me when I was teaching Fearless Aging on February 1: "You've been retired one year today." This is, obviously, an opportunity for reflection so carpe diem--I'll seize the day. Anticipated: I would enjoy getting back in a regular exercise routine. Learned:  I have.  Enormously.  It took a while to find what classes were the best fit and I've settled into twice weekly yoga and two-three times water exercise, plus the Saturday Pilates I've maintained for a few years.  When the weather is nice (for me sunny and at least mid-60s), walking and gardening get added into the days. Not Necessarily Anticipated:   I would enjoy being part of the exercise clan in these classes. Learned:   I have.  Enormously.   The yogis are an eclectic...

We've been ripping our basement apart, a retirement activity if I ever saw one.  We demolished a powder room that we stopped using a couple decades ago--fortunately, when we opened the toilet, we didn't find any dead critters in there.  We pulled down sheetrock from waist-high down, which means ripping out the insulation as well.  There was a unused bar in the basement and it's now in the dumpster.  Finally we pulled up the carpet from the basement stairs.  That night, we sank into our matching recliners in the family room.  Dan looked wearily at me and said, "We're never doing that again." Damn right. Anyhow, while demolishing, I've had a lot of time to think, too much time perhaps.  Pulling down the powder room walls, I composed the following letter to my Congressman, Erik Paulsen (R-MN).  I originally intended to send it to all members of Congress and the President.  However, as I researched doing that, it became clear that members of ...