January Goals

Every year my January goal is to eat less and move more, because, let's face it, the previous two months are killer on being healthy. By January, I need to remind myself to get back to sensible living. Also, it's cold here---really cold. So daily walks outside are not possible. At least not for me!

The eating less/healthy part is easier to get back into. The cookies are gone (thanks to the grandkids), the candy is almost gone. I did hide a few pieces or it would be gone too. But a piece of chocolate a day is mentally healthy, so I'm OK with there being some around. There are now greens and vegetables and fruit in the fridge. My husband is on board with finding some healthy recipes, so we're good there.

It's the moving more that is my downfall in the winter. Being retired means I can sit in my chair with a blanket drinking coffee as long as I want in the morning.  Before I know it, it's 11:00am and I still haven't gotten dressed or moved at all except to get another cup of coffee. 

My plan for moving is getting outside with Chloe for fifteen minutes every day (well, once we don't have dangerous windchills) and playing. We'll walk if it's warm enough. We'll run up and down the stairs if not. I brought our old Wii downstairs and am going to hook it up to our TV. I can get back on the Wii fit program--yoga, running, golf and bowling will get me out of my chair.

My last goal is to WRITE. It's the one thing I felt missing from my life when I retired. I don't know why I quit writing-- I didn't quit breathing just because I retired. Writing is something I have always done. It's part of me. But I just quit--or as Terje says, I paused.  I like that better.

I paused.

But I'm back writing now. Even if it's just a list in my notebook. I'm writing. And I'm going to do it every day.

2018: A Year to Appreciate

I started a list this morning of the things I am looking forward to in the coming year:

• Traveling: I don't know where we'll go, but I know we will start planning some trips soon
• The Eagles concert in March. Although we've seen them before, this is a group I could see a million times.
• Lake time, of course (Only 100 more days until we can open the cabin)
• I don't have to worry about snow/cold days anymore!
• Which means I don't have to worry about making up snow and cold days anymore!
• A midwinter trip somewhere

And then I realized that what I'm really looking forward to is the 

that being retired brings me. I now have the freedom to:

• sleep in or get up early
• work or not work
• read all day or be productive
• scrapbook or write
• travel or enjoy my home
• clean my house or close my eyes

I'm loving this life of no schedules--the ability to take off on vacation or a shopping day in the middle of the week is awesome. I love choosing when and if and how much I work. Subbing in our little district is great because no matter what classroom I am in, I feel at home because those are still my kids. 

I guess you could say I have eased into retirement well. I'm learning to APPRECIATE this new time in my life.

I Quit. And Then I Started Again.

"I WANT TO WRITE, BUT MORE THAN THAT, I WANT TO BRING OUT ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT LIE BURIED DEEP IN MY HEART.
~ ANNE FRANK ~

I retired.

I quit writing.

Actually, I quit writing before I retired. I'd think about blog posts. I'd try to get started. But that inner critic kept telling me that others had written it before, my thoughts weren't relevant, I had nothing to add to the conversation. And when I did retire in May, it was easy to tell myself that no one would want to read the thoughts of a teacher no longer in the classroom.

I'm not sure what is motivating me now, but I know I've spent the last couple of months preparing to start again.

• I've started a Pinterest board for Blogging and Journaling.
• I've dabbled a couple of times
• I've pulled out a new notebook
• I've scheduled my writing time in my calendar
• I've removed blank pages from my notebook

Yes. You read that last one correctly. I removed blank pages. Well, maybe remove isn't the right word. You know how we all hate the blank page? Well, I dated a week's worth of pages and wrote a writing prompt on them. That way when I sit down to write in the morning, the page isn't blank and I have a prompt to start from. 

I've found that I tend to list things at first, but when I sit down to really write, I have plenty to say. This post started from a list of all the reasons I wanted to start my blog up again:

• I need to write again
• I think about blog posts all the time--why don't I write them?
• It makes me feel good to write
• I need to write to sort things out
• I miss it
• I miss connecting with my blogging friends
• "Write like it matters and it will." Libba Bray

What I really forgot when I quit was my very first blog post, written on another site, was that I wanted a place for me to write, and Coffee With Chloe is that place.

One Little Word

Each year I wait, and each year it happens. A word comes along that I know will guide me through the coming year. And, usually, it comes through a phrase that I use as a mantra throughout the year.

2013: Nothing Without JOY
2014: Live ALOHA
2015: Life is about BALANCE
2016: Concentrate the mind on the present MOMENT
2017: DISCOVER

I was playing around with words throughout December. Created a Pinterest board. Read quotes I had earlier pinned. No word, no phrase really jumped out at me.

But I was patient.

For a while, I thought my word would be enjoy. But the word never really settled in my soul. I want to enjoy my life now, the people in it, the fun things we are doing. But still, it seemed a little frivolous.

But I was patient and kept looking.

And then this meme came across my Facebook timeline:

And one word jumped out at me:  APPRECIATE

And, as always, I looked up the word:

To recognize worth, to understand situations, to enjoy, give thanks, to acknowledge, to be grateful...

These were things I wanted to bring to my life in 2018.

Oh. And I did find a quote

OLW2017: A Reflection

By last January, I knew that I was headed for retirement. And while I was excited and fairly ready for it, I also wondered who I would be if not Mrs. Day. What would I do? How would I fill my days? I used my One Little Word for 2017,  DISCOVER, as a way to figure out the next chapter of my life.

At times, I didn't think I was really discovering much of anything, but when I sat down to think about it, there were a few discoveries along the way:

• Love comes back to you when you put it out in the world.
• Remembering is fun, but appreciating the moment is important and gives me more memories to look back on.
• There is life beyond teaching, although I am a teacher at heart.
• Sunday nights are a lovely time to watch movies, read a book or doze in the chair under a cozy blanket.
• Tuesday at 11:00am is a great time to go grocery shopping!
• There are books I haven't read in this great place called a library. They let me take home books for free (as long as I bring them back)
• Summer lasts through September. And September is a beautiful time at the lake.
• It's easier to keep your house clean when you don't work every day.
• I have hoarder tendencies.
• There is JOY in getting rid of clutter.
• Subbing is a great way to see my friends, do what I love, and not have homework every night.
• My friends at school still value my advice. 
• It's great to feel like a rock start when I walk into school and see students.
• Traveling at times other than June, July and August is possible.

And now, as we head into 2018, I'm ready to start appreciating this time of my life....

Discover

Earlier today I thought to myself, "I haven't DISCOVERed anything new lately."  I've felt lost, not sure of who I am anymore.

But this afternoon, as I devour an ARC of Ruth's new book (AMAZING, BTW), I was motivated to write, and in thinking about writing and telling stories, I looked back at our summer. And I DISCOVERed something...

I've called this summer the "Old Dudes' Concert Tour 2017". My husband and I have seen Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Paul McCartney and Jerry Jeff Walker in concert this summer. And you know what they all have in common? They are in their 70's and still rocking. I'm not kidding. All played for two and a half to three hours--no opening acts, no intermissions, no holding back.  They have not given up their passions, their interests, their lives just because of their age.

So who am I to think I have nothing left to give, nothing left to share?

And then a phone call happened. The new teacher who is going to be teaching many of my old classes called with a few questions. And it felt so good to talk to her, to answer her questions.  So maybe I won't be in the classroom, maybe I won't have a hundred kids to take care of, but I can mentor those who ask, those who want it and still be happy.

And I can write.

It Finally Hit Me

Today.
It hit.

I'm not going to be starting school this month. 

For the first time in 55 years, I don't need

• new school clothes
• a book bag
• new shoes
• cool pens
• notebooks
• chocolate and peanut butter for my desk drawer
• a schedule

I don't need to

• plan my last Sunday's at the lake
• work on my sleep schedule
• make bulletin boards
• arrange my room
• think about the first five days
• make lesson plans
• update anything

I went to school and met with the teacher who is going to be teaching my Creative Writing classes. MY Creative Writing classes. 

But not anymore. 

Throughout last year, I created binders for all the classes I taught and made day by day plans. Added all the directions, handouts, etc that I used. I knew that I wouldn't be back and wanted to leave a guide as to what I did. Trust me. I know that each new teacher will make these classes their own, but at least they have a place to start planning.

Today, I met with the new Creative Writing teacher. 

And I shared all I had.