I’m definitely in a world of my own, no longer bound to the 8 to 5 challenges of a traditional work day.  I start each day the same as when I was working, up at 6 a.m. with a three-mile run and breakfast with my wife before she heads to the office.  Running has been the one consistent aspect of my daily schedule, dating back for 3,202 days.  I haven’t missed a day yet, and hope to extend this streak for many years to come.  I try to come up with a reason not to do it every morning, but it’s the very core of my existence.  Running is the only thing I must do everyday, and often the only thing on my retirement schedule.

It’s now cold and dark again in the morning, but I get to watch the sun come up.  The Northwest rains will start again soon, so I relish every moment I can see the sun.  As I run through the local neighborhoods, I observe the kids off to school and their parents off to work.  It reminds me of the past 60 years of life, when school or work filled my days and I looked forward to the weekends.  Now, every day is the same and activities alone dictate my schedule.  Today is no longer Wednesday or Hump Day – it’s “Date Night” Day, designed specifically for my wife and I to spend time together.  She’ll chose the restaurant, we’ll try to put aside our phones, and plan our future together.  Last night, I made dinner, but not one of my better efforts.  The “Nashville Hot Fried Hens” did not look like the picture in the recipe book.  They had a good flavor, once I finally got them to cook properly in the frying pan, but clearly showed my need for more experience in the kitchen.  Tomorrow night, she’ll once again show me how easy and flavorful cooking should be, and I will try again next week.

I’m reading Bill O’Reilly’s book Killing England  and finishing the final few chapters of Paul Dickson’s hardback, Bill Veeck:  Baseball’s Greatest Maverick.  I typically have an indoor and outdoor book on my desk, choosing between my I-Pad or an actual book depending on whether the sun in shining.  The I-Pad overheats outside and its surface is not anti-glare, so I use it only on cloudy days and for bedtime reading.  Since I’m not currently involved in any work or life conflicts at this time of my life, I seem to enjoy reading about the struggles of others.  War history has become a recent interest, starting with my trip to Normandy and Omaha Beach earlier this year.  The Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary was both fascinating and emotional, knowing that it affected many people of my generation.  Now, as I read about the Revolutionary War, I find myself even more appreciative of the sacrifices that my forefathers made to give me this comfortable life of retirement.  I have so much to be thankful for!

I’m now a chef in training, historian, husband, father, grandfather, poet, and blog writer.  Try to get all that on a business card.  I was glad to hear from another old pal yesterday.   We worked together at the American Cities Business Journals, but he was in Dallas, while I was in Austin.  We spoke on the phone frequently about the newspaper business in general, and common challenges that we faced in selling advertising space.  He was kind enough to send me a note, so I gave him a call this morning.  I told him of my concern about my former boss, who recently lost a son in a tragic automobile accident.  After our conversation today, maybe I’ll finally get some answers through his business network.  I’m appreciative that he cared enough to contact me.  It’s another re-connection, this time only about five years removed, that has been a pleasant, reoccurring thread this first year of retirement. (See Posts #232, #212, #175, and #61).  I hope these “blasts from the past” continue to keep me connected to the many wonderful people I’ve met through the years.