Dogs, Cats and Guitars

Imagine my surprise when I updated WordPress, and realized that my last post was made four years ago. I really am still alive and kicking – five full years after retirement. Maybe this will mark a return to me writing regularly here. Then again, maybe not.

When I announced my plan to retire, a lot of people predicted that I would go crazy in retirement. I’ve always needed “things to do” and even without teaching, I’ve still been busy. Dogs have always been a big part of my life, and in addition to the three rescues we have, I’ve regularly volunteered with a local rescue. Until my retirement, I always described myself as a “dog person”. Then, unexpectedly, the Cat Distribution System struck, and Socks the Cat arrived on our front porch and worked her way into being a permanent indoor addition to our zoo. Early in the pandemic, the Cat Distribution System struck a second time when my daughter brought home a tiny, emaciated kitten. We nursed Simba back to health, and now he pretty much runs the house. My German Shepherd is frightened of him.

Though I will never be mistaken for a professional musician, I enjoy playing guitar and banjo. I took my first guitar lessons from my sister when I was in the sixth grade. I quit after two weeks. Then, at age twenty-four, I got re-started on guitar, and it stuck. Though the guitar often sat unused for long periods during my teaching career, it has been a mainstay of retirement. My favorite guitar is this little mahogany Martin 000-15 S.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the last five years working around the house and yard. I’ve always enjoyed gardening, but it became a chore when everything had to be crammed into a weekend. Lately, I’ve been making big changes – primarily with the goal of making the yard easier to care for as I get older. I’ve removed some big, messy trees and planted a lot of colorful, drought tolerant plants.

I’m not bored, and I am loving retirement. I miss being around students. I don’t miss grading papers. I will never miss going to meetings. There is life after work, even if some of what I do looks like work.