Saturday, May 20, 2006

Retirement's not so bad

We've (mostly Richard) been working on getting our rig ready for the road. Our icemaker sprung a leak a week or so ago. It's in the water line to the ice-maker so it's just turned off. Have no idea what it's problem is and how we'll get it fixed. He's having fun running electrical lines and other kinds to hook up a camera to the back of the truck so he can see to hook up to the trailer. We found a portable sink that holds three gallons of water to put in the truck so except for a way to heat or cool it (without running the engine) it's got everything it needs to be a not so mini-motorhome.

Dom is in boy's baseball - first year of player pitch - and they will be in the playoffs beginning the week of Memorial Day. Their current record, with one game to go, is 9/4/1. He hit a double today that ended the game as that put his team 10 pts. ahead of their opponents! Games are called for pts ahead or time or innings - usually time.

Too bad Dayna had to miss her son's great hit. She's on a five state trip this week - TN, KY, IN (Evansville - Donna), IL, and MO - about 1000 miles of driving. We gave her our old GPS program & antenna after we got a new one that works a whole lot better. She's really been glad to have it and is the only auditor with one.

She and Deidra will drive to IL next week to be in a wedding so she'll miss Dom's playoffs, too. She's missed a lot with this job.

My dad fell a couple of weeks ago and cut himself on some glass, requiring 7 stitches in his forehead and 8 in his hand. Dayna was there shortly afterward and said he had a great shiner. This week my parents and Marie all have bronchitis. I was ready to fly out again but Mom's LTC ins. has finally kicked in providing help four days a week. That, coupled with Daddy's three, means someone is there everyday to help them. Hopefully, this will be all they need for awhile.

Our niece Patricia, Greg's oldest, won first place in a state-wide chemistry exam. She just discovered last year that she really likes chemistry but isn't sure what she wants to do with it. She goes to a two-week chemistry camp this summer and could win a spot on the team that goes to Korea to represent the US.

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Retirement Lunch

The team I have worked with the last 8 years invited me to lunch today. We met at Pappadeaux Seafood in Richardson and had a nice meal. I will be on the payroll until the end of the month, but I have turned in my laptop and other stuff and have cleaned out my desk. I don't know if I will need to go in again to sign some final paperwork or not, but I am really feeling great about all this.

The guys gave me a gift card to a nice steakhouse as a going away present. Thanks guys, very much. Dianna and I will enjoy it.

I went down to Ft. Worth this afternoon to pick up a motorcycle loader I am buying from another Escapee. Unfortunately, the place he took it did not have it removed from his truck yet so I have to make another trip tomorrow afternoon. Then I have to work with a welding shop in Denton to fabricate a mount that will allow me to move it backward and forward on the truck bed. I need to move it to the rear to load, but move it all the way forward so the trailer will clear the motorcycle on a 90 degree turn.

Between physical therapy three days a week and getting ready to leave here on the 8th of June I am staying very busy. I hear that retirement is just as busy, or more so, than working a regular job. I hope not, but it sure is starting out that way!

Monday, May 1, 2006

Finally some big news!

Retirement!  I will not be returning to work.

I can't tell you how much I have looked forward to this.  I have been dreaming about it since I first started working and have grown more and more anxious over the past few years.  The time has finally come.

I had my 6 week post operative check up today and the Dr. says everything is coming along nicely, but that he still wants me to continue with physical therapy for another 4 weeks.  He signed a form that releases me to return to work on June 1st.  With that in hand I notified my manager this afternoon that my last day on the payroll will be May 31st, but that I will not be back to work.  He told me he already expected it and was happy (jealous) for me.

We plan to stay here in Denton until about June 8 when we will leave for Livingston, TX so we can get our TX drivers licenses.  I need a Class A Non-commercial license to tow our trailer with the big truck.  We will take the grandkids with us and make our way out to California to spend a little time with Dianna's parents before heading to who knows where.

So, there it is.  It feels good.