Even in retirement, Friday always puts a little more zip in my step, but my energy levels are relative and too often hard to find. I’ll need to get off my butt tonight to enjoy “Date Night,” with a reservation at The Point in Osprey – also known as Evie’s. Apparently, I’ve been there with the Borrego Boyz but don’t remember. I looked it up in my diary, and sure enough, it was nearly two years ago. The entry reminded me that Curse of Oak Island, Season 11, will soon premiere, since it was also recorded on my daily log back then. Oh, the things I sometimes look forward to in life! I haven’t been watching much TV lately, although a set is always usually on somewhere in our house. My wife and I finally finished Designated Survivor last night and quickly moved on to Season 5 of Virgin River. I sit on the couch next to her as we both play video games or interact with friends on our phones. Neither of these shows has deserved our full attention. It’s just background noise. 

Our typical nightly routine includes dinner, a golf cart ride to tend our garden, and couch potato time. She’s at her tap class right now, while I just dried off from a little pool activity, something that I haven’t done in some time. Lately, I’ve gone directly from my daily run to digging in our flower beds. I can’t remember the last time in life when I spent as much time working in the yard as of late. In the past, I’ve relied solely on the HOA and my wife to tend to any yard work. Is this clearly a sign of boredom?

I wish I could find something to be passionate about. My wife has her cooking, recipe collecting, book club, tap classes, water aerobics, bridge, and dog activities. She’s even thinking about some part-time substitute teaching. For me, baseball card collecting has become too expensive, as has TV streaming. Yard work is not the answer and travel will become less and less a factor in keeping me busy. Sports is still my main interest, but I’ve yet to find an affordable way to make it a productive aspect of my retirement life.

I don’t have much zip in my step anymore! I seem to lag behind everyone else when I’m running or walking. Afternoon naps have become more common, and a hermit-like lifestyle seems more and more comfortable every day. My wife’s numerologist and spiritual advisor claims that I’m 1/3 hermit, 1/3 royalty, and 1/3 businessman, but I need to make more out of the business side of me. Where’s the zip and what should I do? Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah!