I’ve been asked several times since announcing I was resigning from my job, if I was retiring and have been asked several times in the last two weeks if I am enjoying retirement. So, once again, I say, I’m not retiring!! Boy, I wish I could but that would put an unbearable strain on Linda, one which she doesn’t deserve. No, I’ve reached what we may call an interregnum; a period of time between finishing being employed and starting somewhere anew. And I must say I haven’t looked back!
I haven’t missed my old chums at all. Well, that’s not exactly true. I have missed certain people and if you read this I hope you know who you are but the motion of going to work and performing duties required has not been missed. Man, what a hole! As my former work life retreats in the rear view mirror of my life I can say with some certainty already that it is the best decision I could have made. Yes, I’m a fraction perturbed about what lies ahead but I have said before and say again-I will survive.
Getting use to this new stage of my life was an interesting feeling. I, like many of you I’m sure, spent Monday to Friday watching the clock, planning out my day, making sure I was where I was supposed to be when the clock struck a certain note. A couple of hours in the morning recovering from the previous night’s work, a certain amount of productivity produced at home from around 10.30am. Prepare for lunch at 11.45am. Shower at 1pm and away to work at 1.30pm. Of course it didn’t stop there. At work I lived from break to break. Barcode sorter from 2.00pm. Perhaps a drive on the forklift at 3.30pm. First break at 4.00pm then back to the grind fifteen minutes later and a fairly comfortable ride until our dinner break at 5.55pm. Of course 35 minutes is barely enough because at 6.30pm we arrive at the main game-our peak period for the day. Two hours of back breaking sorting of mail lead to last smoko at 8.30pm, a break I rarely took. I would work through and dispatch the product I had moved heaven and earth to process and then break from about 9.00pm. I had gotten into a bad habit over the last 18 months or so of not returning to the work floor. I would sit and watch television until home time at 9.45pm-and hey, I wasn’t the only one!
But now that’s all behind me and the stresses of world have melted away like the winter snow and I can say, even after this short amount of time that life is better. It did feel for a few days like someone was about to tap me on the shoulder and order me back to work but that feeling has passed. I am truly down the path of this new era in my life-and wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’ve been pottering around the yard, making slow progress but progress nonetheless. I have a lot of work I can do which will keep me busy for weeks to come. I’ve been riding my bike everyday, albeit in very short bursts which is a luxury which I haven’t been able to enjoy for a couple of years.
So, life is good. I hope to be able to embark on some future adventures which will keep you all enthralled much better than this puff piece has but I wanted to check in and keep up to date. My last post, announcing my future plans was my most well read production ever! Hoping to keep a few residual people tuned in to my blog as a result.
The path only moves forward, the dark clouds have evaporated and sunshine beckons. Keep moving and have a great day.
Strange Notations From a Laborious Life 