Hello World. Nice to see you again.
It has been an interesting 7 months since my retirement from the high school classroom. I’d love to relay great stories and insights, but these months have been mostly uneventful and relaxing. There is little stress when one has nothing to do and no deadline to not do it. This has resulted in my becoming a day sleeper. I sleep 8 hours at a time, but cannot fall asleep until the early morning hours. The most ironic situation was during a week when I fell asleep at 7 AM (the time I used to set my alarm to get up for school) and woke up at 3 PM (the time that school gets out)!!!!
My planned retirement exercise routine to lose weight has not happened (yet). I laughed nearing retirement that if I had nothing to do except get up in the morning and go to sleep in the evening, then not exercising and eating well would be because I’m an A-hole. Well, time will tell.
Some big events are coming up in the next couple of months:
1) A solo trip, with a single carry-on bag, to the Philippines. Why? 7000 islands, culture shock, friendly people who speak English, snorkeling, swimming with Whale Sharks, Thresher Sharks, enjoying San Miguel beer on beautiful beaches, and visiting a Tarsier Sanctuary (small little primates with giant eyes). Also, moving WAY outside my comfort zone.
2) Completing my van conversion by putting up solar panels. My 2003 Chevy Astro Van has a bed, internal batteries, a DC refrigerator / freezer, portapotty, plenty of storage, and my fishing gear. One plan is to head to Yellowstone this summer with a side trip to see my daughter at the University of Utah. Another is to drive the AlCan highway, stopping at least every 5 miles to fish the streams and rivers so abundant along the road.
3) Completing repairs at my “cabin” at Lewiston Lake. Perhaps it will become my permanent residence..cheap rent, world class fishing, and one hour from I-5 to venture forth north and south along the western US.
No adventures yet…..but the next 6 months I’ll complete items 1 and 2 and have a dent in item 3. With cats and home and kids visited in the future,,,,,,,life is great.