So far, in retirement, we’ve averaged one trip a month, with a couple of weekend excursions and house guests:

  • January – stuck at home in the ice and snow
  • February – Florida and Arizona
  • March – Indiana
  • April – California and Hawaii
  • May – France
  • June – Illinois and Indiana
  • July – Florida and Iowa (just my wife)
  • August – California and Washington
  • September – Washington D.C. and/or New York and California (just my wife)
  • October – New York, Illinois, and Indiana
  • November – California
  • December – Indiana
  • January – Someplace warm
  • February – Arizona
  • March – Amsterdam and Greece

I list all the additional business trips for my wife, because I always have the option of joining her, or if I stay “Home Alone,” my routine definitely changes.  I might have a beer with the boys, eat more junk food, go to a movie that my wife doesn’t want to see, or take the dogs to visit their friends on the coast.  We made the mistake by failing to get away this January, but we won’t make the same error in 2018.  The weather was horrible in Portland, with a significant accumulation of snow to go with all the rain.  If I want to see the sun, we’ll have to go somewhere warm next January, most likely Florida to visit my grandchildren.  We won’t get to see them again over the Christmas holiday, since we’ve already committed to visit my wife’s family back in Indiana.

I was noticing today, as I was folding our laundry, that I’m repeatedly washing and drying the same clothing each week. (see post #150 Retirement Uniform).  This was the first clear sign of establishing a retirement routine.  One of my biggest worries in making the transition from career to retirement, was this very factor.  I did not want to settle-in to a boring Senior routine.  Sure, I had my weekly routine when I was working that included  picking out clothing the night before, getting up at the same time to run, Diet Cokes from McDonald’s, shining shoes, driving to and from work, veggie subs on meatless Mondays, dog duties, wings on Fridays, call sheets, expense reports, meetings, Happy Hours, and Game Day Thursdays,  However, I didn’t really think of it is a routine for some reason.   Naturally, some of these routines, like getting up at the same time to  run, dog duties, Diet Cokes from McDonald’s, wings on Friday, and Happy Hours (although all of my hours now tend to be happy), have continued into retirement.  Boldly, I have added a couple of beers to the wings on Friday to celebrate my cubical freedom.

We still schedule “Meatless Mondays” on the calendar, but I usually eat peanut butter and jelly for lunch instead of a veggie sub from Subway.  We continue to celebrate “Date Night” on Wednesdays, eat take-out on Fridays, and always go to a movie on Saturday night.  These long-standing traditions will probably never change.  Although, “Meatless Monday” is quickly evolving into a “Fasting Day.”  I’ve also tried to avoid identifying the days of the week by their traditional titles.”  (See post #66).  This is my unique way of redefining freedom from the workforce, by showing that every day for me  is now the same.   There are no countdowns to the weekends or holidays that were part of the employment routine.  I only know that the week is just beginning when I have to take out the trash, and see my neighbors doing the same thing.

There is a certain comfort in establishing a routine, and I’m not afraid of it any more.  I’m aware that I get up at the same time every morning to run, wear the same uniform nearly every day, wash the same clothes over-and-over, walk the dogs to Starbucks in the morning,  eat a fried egg,  chew two vitamin D-3 tablets, cook dinner on Tuesdays,  tie my right shoe first, clean the kitty litter box, check the mailbox, and write on the computer.  Plus, I never fail to shower, shave, or brush my teeth, although it can be much later in the day now.  Oh, and don’t forget to take your medication and prune juice!  It’s also comforting to know that I can easily change the daily routine whenever I want.  Maybe skip a shower or not shave!

Traveling often disrupts the routine, so I’m always glad to get back home.  I want to see the world, but sometimes the world is so much easier to see at home.  The Travel channels, documentaries, internet searches, books, magazines, and movies bring the world into your living room.  Travel is difficult with strict transportation schedules to follow, time changes, reservations, car rentals, unplanned credit card charges, and weather delays.  What could go wrong?  Let me count the ways!  It’s available at any level of frequency to break-up any boring routine – if you want to!  There’s no place like home (and a comfortable routine)!