curiousity...

This week is my 76th birthday.  I happen to be looking on my blog to see exactly when I started blogging in place of journaling on a website.  I found the following... which I believe was my first post back in 2012:

"It is Monday, June 18, 2012.  Having just googled my old post to see what came up... I decided that the title "For Better or For Worse, but not for lunch" was apparently too popular.  So I've now changed it to "Older but better...?"  But you can find my older posts there.  I probably should have googled this title also before starting to write, but as the saying goes, "coulda, shoulda, woulda.... didn't".

This was me in school around 1954 or 55.  Life was simple then.  It gradually got more complicated... and less simple.  But it was always good.  Don't mean to imply that things were always wine and roses, but my philosophy then (even if I hadn't formulated it into words back then) was "what is... is, and I can handle it". And that philosophy continues to work for me today at the grand old age of approaching 67.

I have blogged or had a website for many many years.  Previous to this I journaled by hand, but when online journaling became popular (maybe 12 or more years ago), I went with it.  Sometimes I regret it as many of my websites disappeared over the years, some can still be brought up, and there are quite a few out there... the most recent having been Cats, Coffee, and Chocolate.  But this particular site was to be devoted to the new experience and adventure into retirement. 

Hubby retired the summer of 2009 and took to it more readily than I had expected. Having retired from my career field back in 1991, I've only worked part time in recent years; however arriving at full retirement age was something I both anticipated and feared.

So many unknowns.  Would we have enough money to live on?  Would we miss the routine we had established over the years?  Would we miss our working family and friends?  Would we get bored?  Would we like being home together 24/7?  Etc. Etc. Etc.   And then there's Social Security, and Medicare, and Supplements....

Anyway, if you want to read the first posts during these awkward months, you will have to go back to "For Better or for Worse" and "Cats, Coffee, and Chocolate".  As now it is almost the first anniversary of both of us being home and retired.  August 12, 2011 was my last day at the bookstore... which is where I spent the last 5 years of mornings. Loved it!  Love books, love people who love books, write books, read books, etc.  So it was a good match.  But have to say this also.... I love being retired!

It has worked out well.  We both have our own routines.  Love being able to do what I want when I want...  (limited some by budget of course, but not by time).  Will go into more of this tomorrow.  Have to close for today. "

It's always interesting to read what one wrote years ago. Sometimes when I read old letters that I wrote to my parents or old letters my now grown kids wrote to me in their younger years, I have to laugh.  Recently I read one of these letters and had to turn to DH and ask, "Did you know this? I don't remember this." 

So... it looks like June, 2022 will be my 10th year blogging. Not sure that is pertinent, but interesting to me. The only negative thing I can think about blogging (in place of jounaling - in a journal) is that like texting (in place of writing letters), you no longer have the physical proof if your post/text is lost in cyberspace. But... blogging is a bit more interactive. It does give you not only the experience of putting down your thoughts, but also the possibility of others commenting. And I have found that some of the comments are more interesting than the post itself. 

So feel free to comment. I know my blog is not as interesting as some... and pretty mundane. But I enjoy sharing my thoughts and experiences (such as they are).  Reading or listening to what others think and feel is educational in my book.

Closing this with a hope that everyone had a nice relaxing 4th! We didn't do much... I made chocolate chip muffins and DH got us some Popeye's chicken! It was enough.  

Daughter sent me this picture of watching the rain from her porch in the hill country.  I like it... very peaceful.

Hugs (virtual),

Rian