OT Red Letter Day here

Sharon--

Congrats to both of you for reaching this milestone! i'm sure you'll adjust...the best thing (after watching my parents) is that Dad (after being an over the road truck driver) found friends to "hang with"...something he never got to do during his work life. So, Daddy goes to "tuesday morning cowboy breakfast" "wed night poker game", you get the drift....

betsey

Congratulations!

When you get to REALLY wanting to whack him with a frying pan, send him on a 3 day fishing trip! ;)

DH always had 2 jobs. The regular 40 hour a week job, plus a PT job working with a friend who owns a lawn mower shop. He retired from the big job, but is now working 40 hr a week during the summer. He isn't working for a few days now because things are so dry in SC the grass isn't growing. This morning at breakfast he asked me what I have planned for him to do today. Barbara in SC

Its just a new adventure in your lives. Its good to have things you do together and things you do apart, I think.

The two years we had after DH retired from his job after 42+ years with the same company were some of the most wonderful of our entire marriage. The children were grown and gone, his health issues had been dealt with, we no longer had the care of our parents taking so much time and energy. We were once again "just the two of us", and loved it. We were closer again than we had been for a few years, almost like newly-weds.

DH decided, without even asking me, that he should take over some of the household tasks. He did almost all the laundry, washed up after meals, continued doing all the grocery shopping, etc. He also took on a part-time job, delivering cars for several used car dealerships. He loved to drive so that was a perfect fit for him.

We had a couple of terrific trips. Work together with your DH setting up some joint goals, and this should be a wonderful new phase of your life.

Good luck,

Beverly

Bev, I'm so glad you had those two years at least. Wish there could have been more of them for you! Thanks much for the advice, will surely take it. Sharon

Thanks to all for your expressions of congratulations and reassurance. I value all you've said and will take your advice.

It appears that DH retired just in time. Our plans to head to the shore for the week have been changed overnight. Got word that DFIL who is 94 and living in a nursing home had to be hospitalized because of difficulting in breathing and a rattling in his lungs. Dr. will keep him there 10 days - bladder infection and pneumonia. We'll be leaving later today to head up there. DFIL, a darling, generally sunny person, has been losing his humaness in the last 6 weeks. Hope he can still recognize DH and me since it's been 2 months from our last visit. DH just adores his wonderful dad and wishes we lived nearer (generally a 3 hour drive).

The Penn State football crowd should be off the highway by now, so shouldn't take us too long to drive. Sharon

Dear Sharon, I'm so sorry to hear that you DFIL is ill. It's not the easiest way to start out your new adventure in life. It's is an adventure. DH and I retired within 2 months of each other, he finished his employment first. We always had a good working relationship before he retired and it improved with time. We cook, clean, shop together. He does most of the cleaning I do most of the cooking. The only issue we have ever had is laundry. I don't like the way he does it but we've made that work as well. If I want something done a certain way I tell him I'll do the laundry if he carries it down stairs. We both made sure we had something of our own to do and that makes things go very smooth. I sew, he plays golf and walks with his friends. Just about everything else is done as a couple. When we were watching our 3 granddaughters last week, DH went out for a walk and took our shared cell phone with him, The 5 yo was very surprised to see that we have just 1 phone. I explained to her that since we do so much together there is no need for a second phone. Her comment was that it was nice we could do that. She said that her daddy works a lot and needs his phone and mommy has to do so many errand she needs a phone, she also said maybe I'll tell daddy to stay home like poppa then we'll only need 1 cell phone like you and poppa. Juno

5-YO's never miss a thing, do they, Juno? When you see her again, give her a hug from your online sewing buddies. Emily

I've already told her all about you and how you sew for your GD. So don't be surprised if this adorable blond child figures out a way to adopt you. She wants a skirt in pink camo, my least favorite fabric print. I ordered some from Denver fabric. I think I'll make hers with a ruffle at the hem. That will make grandma happy. She loves frills but she also loves that camo stuff. Juno

Thanks, I am very grateful for the special time we had together after DH retired. I urge folks to play together NOW, you just never know....

Beverly