Final Week

Retirement

Well that last week is finally here and I can now look forward to coffee on the patio each and every morning for the rest of my life!  Well maybe not every day -- but most days.  I really love sitting outside on my patio while it's cool listening to the birds tweet reading a book.  I have a lot of clean-up to do and some beautification to do so most of my days will be spent doing that but I don't have to rush into it.   A little bit at a time and it will get done.

Have applied for a job or two but not sure I want something full-time.  Really think part-time might be a good idea for a while if I can find something I might like.  Also thinking about taking some culinary classes with the thought of opening a coffee shop/crafting shop when I get moved back to Iowa.  Which is about a year or so out.  We'll see how the retirement thing goes.  Definitely a little homesick right now.  Home was stable and this retirement thing is making me feel a little unstable right now.

Guess we'll take it one day at a time -- and those days can be filled by whatever I want, whenever I want.  Haven't had that kind of freedom --- well, ever!

Retirement party at Work

Aw, yes, one more milestone completing my journey to be done working at Sacramento City Unified in preparation for my next steps into new adventure.  The staff party was really fun.  One of our little group was missing -- those dratted doctors appointments that retirees seem to end up with a long line of started early for her.  The staff set up stations and then roasted the retirees at each stop.  It was really fun and there was food galore!  Maria made a fabulous cake -- completely homemade.  It was so good.  Gonna have to get her number for future parties!!!

I'll probably do a birthday party which is my official last day and then let the retirement begin!

Retirement

Boy, what a dilemma this is.  Decisions, decisions. 
That is the first thing one encounters.  Am I really done working?  Is that what this really means?  Or am I just done working at doing what I have done for 27 years and now I get to try something else on for size?  I'm thinking it will be the latter.  I have put many things on hold while working and going to school and working and going to school and so on and so on.  Now is the time I can do those things that I have been putting off -- if I can just remember what all those things were!  Hence we get to the real reason for the bucket list!  We have to have a written list or we'll forget what we wanted to do!!

I know I have two bookcases filled with books that I have been putting off reading and therefore putting off disposing of until after I have read them.  Maybe I'll start there so I can start downsizing and eliminating stuff I really don't need anymore or have made use of and won't be using again.

Or what about the cupboard in the garage filled with art supplies -- painting with Donna Dewberry?  Should I start there or will I find the paints all dried up from having sat in the hot cupboard so long waiting for me to get to it?

Or what about the closet filled with yarn from when my mother passed away 20 years ago?  Will I find that still crochet-able or will the mice have found it to be a nice home?  If the latter is so, then the decision of what to do with that will be made pretty quickly with a handy trash can.

Or my sewing machine?  Does that still work?  Last time I used it, I made curtains for my new home -- which I have been in for 14 years now.  Hmmmm?  Someone from the church wants me to help make lap blankets for wounded warriors.  Guess I'll pull it out and see if it's willing to do a little work!

Or what about the painting I wanted to do in the house when I moved in?  It's way overdue.  I need new carpets as well --- Hmmmm, paint first then have carpets installed?

And what about those morning walks I have never been able to take because I hate getting up early so I can do that before I go to work?  Now I can take those walks even in the summer right up to ten o'clock before it gets to be too hot.  Mischa (my little gal pal) will love it!

Oh, and the gardening I've wanted to do!  My yard is a disaster area.  I can get that shaped up and plant a couple of trees in the backyard for some really nice shade.  Oh, and that patio outside my bedroom can finally happen!!  I have a slider put in when I moved in so I could have a patio there and -- well, you know the rest of the story -- work, school, work, school . . .I can plant some pretty flowers in the front flower beds that I will actually have time to care for that might live because they'll get the attention they need.

And what about those retired friends who have already paved the way?  They're always wanting me to go do something with them during the week and I haven't been able to because I've been working.  Workshops, garden shows, matinees, women's group at church (meets on Tuesday mornings) -- the list is endless and since I haven't done a bucket list, I can't remember half of the fun stuff they've wanted me to do that I haven't had time to do.

And what about a little part-time job?  I always thought that would be selling Avon but I'm not sure I like that door to door thing.  I'm going to let God do His work at presenting me with an answer for that dilemma.  He has always been good about sending ideas my way.  I've like the idea of working in a coffee shop or a craft store part-time.  Or maybe opening my own coffee shop or crafting workshop/store in Iowa!  I can see a need . . .

Also what about starting a whole new career?  I've had some offers and some openings that are coming up for which I would be highly qualified and might find interesting to do.  Do I really want to work again at a full-time job in a field that I am just a little bit tired of after 27 years?  Maybe I'll take a year and think about it and then consider applying or not??!!  My life pattern has been to stay in one area for about ten years -- court reporting 12 years, office occupations 10 years, the remainder in administration with a little of that included in the other two areas.

Then the decision becomes do I want to remain in California?  There are many good things about California like the mild weather and my really good friends and family.  But it  also comes with an unpaid home mortgage, home repairs, bills and rising cost of living here while on a very fixed much lower income.  My home in Iowa is paid for so no mortgage payment, still have the bills and home repairs that need doing but the cost of living is a lot lower than California already.  I have family in Iowa as well but most of my friends from high school are no longer there so I will have to start over with re-integrating into the home community again.  Which I do know how to do now much better than when I moved to California where I only knew my big brother.  Volunteering and church groups make it pretty quick and easy to get re-acquainted.

Well that's enough reflection for one day.  Oh, that's another thing I'll now have time for -- keeping up my personal blog!  Like anyone really cares what I'm up to but you never know!!!!!

Future So Bright-We Gotta Wear Shades!

Okay, so it's been while since I've given us all an update.  I believe my wishes have been heard, however, things don't always turn out quite as planned.  We are still working hard in adult ed. to keep things rolling along and looks like we've got a couple year reprieve to figure it out. good news being there shouldn't be any layoffs in that time unless enrollment really drops.

That being said the future is much brighter than it was.  We're hopeful to exist still with K-12 through the Community College system in some form or another.  That will all discussed during the next two years so that when the time comes we are all ready to proceed.

Life at home is great.  Getting closer to retirement.  Hopefully sometime in the next couple of years unless I'm really having way too much fun working!! :-)  House in Iowa is looking good.  Needs paint next.  Roof got finished this year.  Hopefully we'll do the paint next year then it will look nice anyway!

Plan for the next year -- come back a little more often and update as we go.  Way to much to put in this one make-up post so I'll dribble it out as the year unfolds!

Long time, no see!

Oh, boy, it's been a long time since I've been here and a bunch has happened.  I, of course, did get my layoff rescinded -- well actually I got a new job and had to interview in July of 2011.  I am not in charge the school I used to teach in.  It was a strange transition to be the boss of the people I used to be in the lunch room with on a regular basis.  There was a ton of clean up work that needed doing and with all the layoffs, etc., it was a mess.  Still is a mess because we had to lay off even more this year.  I sure hope we are done with that for a while.  People are way overworked and are getting very grumpy.  Several have looked for and found other jobs.  It is not a good working environment.  This year's layoffs are just now showing their impact.  None of the work the laid off people did went away -- as a matter of fact, additional work was filed on.  This site now contains all the GED/ABE/ESL classes in the school district as well as a tiny high school completion program.  We will be serving over 1000 students with two front office staff, one accounting person, one financial aid person, one office supervisor, one administrator, one data tech and . . .  Oh, ya, that's it.  Wonder how soon the scientists can perfect cloning.  I need them to hurry up.  (That is one of my wishes.)  I also pray with all the might there can be that this budget stuff stops it's downward spiral so we can  at least maintain some sanity and start moving back up (that is wish number two).  Our school was especially impacted because we had a large ADA bucket which meant we had a sizable apportionment for the district to sweep.  And they did.  Other districts with smaller apportionment had only small impact or none because they didn't have much to begin with.  We did have one advantage since we were already approved to have financial aid for our students.  But then again that was good news/bad news.  The guidelines have been tightened up which requires more reporting and we have fewer people to do that reporting.  If we can survive this year, I believe we can survive! (that is wish number three -- give us the strength and fortitude to survive!).

What a beautiful time of year it is! The weather is changing from winter to spring -- slowly! My favorite time of year next to fall. Layoff notices are all out and the final see ya, coming in the middle of May. Sounds like the same story as last year. Last year I stressed out. This year I have taken the attitude of it is what it is. I can't change it, I'll just have to deal with it. Could be viewing spring in Iowa next year at this time. Hmmm, still snowing there I hear. Things will work out in the end.

Went to a great conference Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in San Francisco. Way too much information to take in in three days. The world keeps moving faster and faster but I think I'm getting slower. Lots of new technology which will be great tools for the younger students but will have a long learning curve for the older ones. In order for the older students to be competitive in the job market, they will have to learn or plan on being WalMart greeters.

Oh, boy, isn't life a roller coaster ride sometimes! I'm happy to have a great job and sincerely hope to have the same or a similar one next year. But it wouldn't be the end of the world for me to end up back in the classroom. Being away from the classroom for a year has helped me step back and take a look at what's wrong with the job I was doing as well as what was right. The intentions were all good but everything could be tweaked a little to make the job easier on me and more direct for the students. Some of the other programs could use an infusion and a shake up as well. It's going to be an interesting year year.