Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Addition to Honey Dos and Frustration

I did learn something new today while at coffee with the boys...a new homemade Ice Cream Recipe:

6 cans of orange soda
2 cans of Borden's sweetened premium condensed milk
1 can of crushed pineapple.

Supposed to make a GREAT ICE CREAM.....

I dug my IC maker out of the garage. As soon as I get it cleaned up, I'm going to give this a try.

Honey Do's and Frustration

It's been a couple of days since my first post. Fortunately, been able to keep busy most of the time. Get up, go to the YMCA for an hour or so, coffee with the boys..then in the pm - projects.

Yesterday I extended my sprinkler system to the end of the yard so that I can eventually build a corner garden/flower area with a watering system built in. This afternoon, spent almost the entire afternoon trying to find a Collegiate Stone with Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes engraved on it.............Frustration. Did accomplish setting up an inspection with Orkin and arranging for a breakfast next week with my friend "jer." ( about a once a year thing.)

Tomorrow, ?? Golf ??

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Starting Life's Next Adventure

Friday, May 22, 2009 - After 36 years as a public school teacher [6 at Smith Center, Ks and 30 at Southeast of Saline], my retirement became official. I am now one of the vast unwashed, unemployed retirees collecting my pension and my social security.

The question I've been asked over and over again: "What's Next? What are your plans?" To which I respond: "Hell, I don't know. For the first time in my life, I'm doing something with no definate plans, and it sounds like fun."

The last couple of months have been hectic leading up to retirement. As Senior Class sponsor, I've been working to get Commencement ready for them (with mine always in the back of my mind). Then, just a month ago, my father died at age 92. At this point, I don't think I can even come close to describing the feelings that came along with his death and funeral. Anyway, every week there has been something going on...............and then then next thing I knew, school was over, my friends hosted a party in celebration of the end of the school year and my retirement, and my new phase of life had begun.

In the two days since, I have put together a glider-rocker for my wife and traveled out to Hoxie, Kansas to help my mother decorate graves.

This is the first time I've sat down and started putting keystrokes to the story. I hope to use this as something of a diary - at least until I have completed my transition into this next phase of my life. More next time.....