Monday Monday

 

So in 50 years of working, one thing has never changed, no matter where I’ve ever been employed.

I don’t enjoy Sundays, I’m a bundle of nerves Sunday night, and I never wake up feeling well on Monday mornings.

As I sit here queasily sipping my coffee, thinking of all the work I have to knock out today, I suddenly realized this is it, this is my last Monday feeling like this.

Next Monday and Tuesday our office is closed for the Jewish holiday.

The following Monday, May 24, is my last week working in this lifetime.  If I wake up worried and nauseous that day, there’s no hope for me to ever relax, huh.  😂

On Friday I worked a ten hour day.

WHO DOES THAT AT MY AGE AFTER GIVING SIX WEEKS NOTICE?

A crazy person, that’s who.

And other than my boss, no one even cares or will acknowledge it.

Oh well.  That’s life.

I’m also nutz today because I finally have an eye doctor appointment after literally being blind all year after my prescription expired and I ran out of disposable contacts during the pandemic. Because I am me, I can never schedule an appointment with any doctor without first thinking they’re going to find something fatal.

Naturally I think my blurry vision is something ominous other than the Mr. Magoo nearsighted eyesight I’ve had since age 11.

You know, because I’m retiring and about to enjoy myself?

Gah!

In case anyone is wondering, I’m still a nervous wreck about this country, too.  Holy fuck people here are mean and stupid.  

Really stupid.

As in Trump and Trump supporter stupid.

Anyway...

Don’t be like me today, be normal.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

Happy Mother’s Day

 

Yeah, that’s right, that’s my mom, and now you know where Julie, Eric and I get our star power.  Happy Mother’s Day 😎

Slowly returning to normal...

 ...whatever that is.

Eric came for a visit, and we went to the beach.  And it was excellent.

Good morning

 My husband baked fresh blueberry almond biscuits this morning and I have already had six. 

Today...

 ...was the best day ever.  Official retirement isn’t until May 28 but I am feeling the joy.  ❤️

Shy and retiring 😎

 

Friday afternoon news drop.

I did it.

I told my boss I’m retiring.

My last day is May 28.

I’m not gonna say “It’s the summer of Robin” because we all know how well that worked for George Costanza, but still.

The first week of June I’m on a plane to Nashville for a few days and then onward to Seattle for an epic hang with Julie til whenever.

Inspired by this year’s Top Chef, we’re gonna Amtrak it to Portland for a few days and do some massive eating.

I see you, Portland friends. I’ll be hitting you up 😎

So yeah, retiring.  I actually retired twice before, but this time it’s legit, with money saved and social security just like a real adult.

Feh.  Adulthood.  The pandemic really brought that...and death...to my forefront.

I’m so fucking over both.

LET’S PARTY.

I couldn’t sleep last night because I knew I was calling my boss at 8:00so I signed on to work at 5:00 a.m. and now I’m collapsed on the sofa, wasted.

I’m euphoric but I’m also kind of sad.  I loved the writing aspect of my job and I really like my boss and my coworkers. It’s not going to be easy walking away this time.

But hell yeah I’m walking.

Gary and I have all kinds of plans.

Or, we may just hang out here and watch birds and listen to John Lee Hooker The Healer and eat raspberries like we’re doing now.

Oh, did I mention Eric is coming for a visit next week?

YESSSSSSSS.

Have an awesome weekend.

Day whatever, quarantine

 We’re still quarantined though fully vaxxed.  In the meantime, this goes on in our yard every day and yesterday Gary was able to capture it.

April 4, 2021

 Easter, 2021.  A tale of three Presidents.

Day whatever

 Mood, Jake and I sitting outside Trader Joe waiting for Gary to senior shop, year 2 of the pandemic, 4/3/21.  

Day 365

 

Day 365, self quarantine 

Erm...happy anniversary?

How was the worst year of my life also the best year of my life?

I loved slowing down and shutting myself off from the rest of the world, I’m a loner.

March 13, 2020 was the last day Gary and I worked.  We giddily agreed to use two weeks of our vacation time to do our part to “flatten the curve.”

We were actually kinda excited about a totally unplanned holiday where we’d stock up on all kinds of great food and weed and hide out from the world while it fixed itself.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

How ironic that today, on our one year anniversary of quarantine, Gary and I both got vaccination #2.

In two weeks, after literally a year in the house except for stealth runs at dawn for groceries and dog walks, we’re free.

Free!

But...free to do what, exactly.

The kids aren’t vaccinated yet so even though Gary and I are losing our minds missing them, we have to wait.

I’m not ready to be around people yet anyway.

Let me put it like this.  I no longer want to be around people I don’t love.

I’m old, I no longer have to, it’s one of the perks.

So I’m not going to ever put myself in that position again.

Omg I’ve changed so much this year and so has Gary...it’s unbelievable.

Gary...where do I start?

Gary has long hair and a beard and always talks the liberal hippie talk but honestly, I felt like I suffered through four years of Donald alone.  Gary watched sports on television 24/7, he’d watch sumo wrestling over MSNBC.

He got angry at me if I brought up politics and/or Donald.

“He’s not getting re-elected,” he’d say, blowing me off.

I’d grit my teeth in anger.  I was beyond worried we were stuck with him forever. If you will recall, I predicted the insurrection.

Anyway...

Sometime during the pandemic, that all changed.

Yesterday, Gary and I had a spirited discussion about how much we like Nicole Wallace and Joy Reid, Chuck Todd not so much.

I never in a million years could have dreamed of this conversation a year ago.

It’s nuts!  I fucking love it!

Not working agrees with Gary.  He’s basically stress free these days and almost always in a good head. He’s out in the yard feeding and talking to the birds every day, and if not for missing the kids and the virus, his life is pretty damn swell.

In my world, I’ve become acutely aware of how fragile life is. One second you’re here...and then you’re not, and there are devastated people weeping at the loss. 

And yeah I know that thinking about all this when I’m shut in the house with a deadly virus outside the door is insane but it’s hard to stop.

Twelve people I knew and interacted with closely died last year.

My brain still can’t wrap around it.

I look at Gary.  We’re together fifty years. We’ve been through so much unbelievable bad shit it’s a miracle we’re together.

And now?

I wonder how I could possibly go on without him.

And yet, I know people who do it every day.

This year, man.

Mind boggling.  Life changing.

I am going to make sure those changes are positive.

And really, what a great time to do that, huh. I’m at the beginning of my golden years, dammit, time to get started.

But first...disclaimer.

This post is not what I intended.

I was going to do an epic wrap up and recap the entire year.

And then I thought, ew, who the fuck wants to relive that.

I just wanted to write what I’m feeling today, with so much that has changed, and so much about to change for me personally.

I will write more about that in the coming days after I get certain people to take their fingers out of their ears and stop singing la la la every time I bring up the retirement word but yeah yeah yeah my paper clip haggling days are over.

This summer is gonna be 🔥🔥🔥