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When I am on vacation, having an adventure as I like to call it, it is RARE that I look forward to coming home. (Sidebar: in years past as soon as I saw the traffic and lights of the city I would silently cry dreading the day-to-day grind that awaited me – so sad that my “bliss” was over.) My feelings of “home sweet home” are short lived. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great home and a loving family. I just like to be out and about. I love to explore and meet people. I love to “literally” stop and smell the roses. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. I always have. Travel is the thing that makes me the happiest; to be out, to wander, to explore and not know what tomorrow will bring or where I will be or who I may meet. What new sunrise will I be blessed to see or what magnificent sunset will grace our evening skys? That is my never ending question. That is my idea of HAPPINESS AND BLISS.

Could I live full time on the road??? That is a big, I THINK SO, I’d like to give it a go! Our first trip was 20 days, perhaps next time a month, then two, then three, then 6 months, then a year….I’m pretty sure I could do it….Craig? HUM???? I don’t know, but then again he surprises me!

We’ve been home for 10 days now. The first week home was full of what I call “adulting.” The not so fun stuff that has to be done to keep the household and life in order. Our first week back we did the typical stuff; unpacked, laundry, sorted thru the mail, paid bills, and did some grocery shopping; the typical grown up responsible stuff that needs to be done; adulting. Also, since securing our RV we had to get that registered in our home state of California. So rather than go to the DMV and wait in line a half-day, we opted to go to AAA and take care of our business there. After completing some paperwork, getting the vehicle ‘smog checked’ (to ensure that it complies with the California emmission standards), and paid a (not so pretty) State fee, we received our new California Licenses Plates (so shiny and new) and our temporary registration form.

Now that the majority of the “adulting” has been caugh up we are getting back to our daily routine of morning walks, Thursday yoga and date day. Friday is our date day, and has been for years. We typically go for a beach walk, catch a movie and go out to eat, in no particular order. On occasion, when the weather is really nice, we take a hike or go for a bike ride, nothing spectacular; just concentrated time with each other. We have learned that it’s not really what we do, but what we do together is what matters. Our children and grandchildren are at the age where everyone is pretty independent, so we have plenty of time for each other.

Since I retired in December, we will have a lot of “togetherness time.” I thank GOD that Craig is such an easy going, calm, level-headed individual, with loads of patience. He has been retired for 11 years now, and me the brand new retiree is getting used to being at home. I still wake up early, with no particular place to go, but I get up and stretch, read, pray and enjoy the morning quiet. Craig has his routine and has graciously let me fall into his morning walk and Thursday yoga routine until I figure out my own. I have been kind of tagging along with him when he runs errands. Conversation is easy, quiet is comfortable, we know each other well and laugh at each other’s silly jokes. We really do enjoy each others company!

I do have a list of “things to do” and hobbies I want to take up – I’m just taking my time getting to them. Afterall, what’s the rush, right? I am really enjoying my new found freedom. I’ve only been retired for a little over a month and I still get that feeling that I have to be somewhere and on a schedule. Craig tells me that it may take about a year until I feel really “chill” and “retired.” So, for now, I am really enjoying this time catching up on sleep, watching movies, reading, sitting in my lounge chair daydreaming and just doing absolutley nothing. Intro to retirement was a 15-day Panama Canal cruise in December and a 20-day cross country RV trip in January LOL, yea, I am feeling pretty chill!

Guess I’ll watch a movie now…