I'm Retired! - Monday, May 28, 2018

Yes, you heard me right, I'm retired from working as of April 26, 2018. The first thing I did was spend 2-1/2 weeks in Oregon with my mom. She was in an acute rehab center and we needed to find an apartment for her to move into for assisted living. She has moved into a one-bedroom apartment at Marquis Assisted Living in Tualatin. It's a beautiful place with activities, medication management, pain management, laundry service, housekeeping once per week, and other benefits.

My Mom, sister, brother, and I have been going through Mom's house to remove items she (or we) want to keep. The remaining items will be sold in an estate sale June 16-17. Once the house is empty, we will put it on the market. 

I was home from Oregon for two weeks. During that time, I did a number of Volksmarches and spent time with Bob and friends. 

The main thing I wanted to accomplish was to sign up for Social Security benefits, which I did. My first check will be in June. I am so happy that after all the years of work, I can finally collect the money that I've been putting away.

Today, my friend Susan and I drove from San Antonio, Texas, to Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico. We are here for a Volksmarching weekend which starts on Thursday. 

Walking weekend brochure

Tomorrow, Susan and I will be out on the trails marking one of the walks. I will mark the 5k walk and she will mark the 14k walk. On Wednesday and Thursday, we will mark the other trails. 

Any time May 30 to June 3, attendees can walk the Cedar Creek Recreation Trails which start behind the Smokey Bear Ranger Station. Altitude: 7,500' (so temperatures will be lovely as we walk through the pine forests).

Thursday night, May 31, there will be a Meet-n-Greet in the hotel lobby. 

Friday, June 1, the walk is in Cloudcroft on a Rails to Trails path which passes through pine forest and meadows, and Friday night we will go to a chuckwagon dinner with entertainment. Altitude: 8,500'.

Saturday, June 2, we will do the Mescalero Fitness Path on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. The trail has hills and wooded areas. Altitude: 7,000'. Saturday night we will have dinner at the Cattle Baron Restaurant. 

Sunday will be another walk at Ft. Stanton State Monument. Trails are on a sparsely wooded area of rolling hills. The Fort is one of the most intact historic posts in New Mexico, and served for over 150 years, including its being a POW camp during WW II. Altitude: 6,500'.

After the walks, Susan and I will pick up all the markings we placed on the trails, except Ft. Stanton. Someone else will pick those up so we can drive home on Monday, June 4.

I will be home until June 6, then Bob and I fly to Portland. Bob will be in Portland until Saturday afternoon. I will stay in Portland until June 20. 

Whoever said retirement meant staying home and cogitating? So far, that has not been my experience. My life has been non-stop, going hither and yon taking care of things. 

More trips are planned this summer. We'll be on a cruise to Alaska in August, and a West Texas Volksmarch walking weekend in early October. Stay tuned!