Monday, January 7, 2008

Retirement - Day 1


I set a good many goals for my retirement. So today - my first official day of being retired since the weekend really didn't count - I jumped in with both feet. And now I'm exhausted! I can't remember when I last worked this hard.

After I got up I had a couple cups of coffee while I read my email and caught up on some blogs. Then I headed upstairs to the exercise cycle for some riding. I lasted 10 minutes - what a wimp! I need to work into a half hour at least as quickly as I can. Then I came down to the kitchen for breakfast - cereal and fat free half and half. I logged into my online Weight Watchers account and dutifully logged what I ate - haven't done that in months. (And the scale certainly verifies that fact!)

I stripped the bed and tackled laundry next - right now the third load is in the dryer.

Next I went to the garage to the freezer to take something out for dinner. Cleaned out the freezer while I was there. Tossed several plastic bags of questionable contents. I think two or three of them were turkey carcasses, plus a ham bone or two. All suffering badly from freezer burn. I think they've probably been in there for years and years. Then I tossed the rest of the ice cream bars that had melted and refrozen when the door got left open a tad. I sorted all the frozen vegetables into like kinds and lined them up in the basket drawers. Then I arranged the rest. Not much there - that's for sure! Time to plan some menus and get to the store.

Next I attacked the closet in the computer room. That's where I keep the clothes I'm currently wearing. This house is almost 40 years old and has VERY small closets. My clothes are spread throughout all the closets except for the one in our bedroom - that's Fred's. I pulled out all of my work clothes, folded them and started packing them in garbage bags. After the computer room closet came the longarm closet for all my off season work clothes. Many of these things are hardly worn, since I replaced my entire work wardrobe three years ago and then gained so much weight that I wore them all only one season. By the time I was finished I'd filled ten kitchen size garbage bags! As you can see I've packed them all into the back of the CRV, ready to take to the YWCA for women who need clothes and can't afford to buy them. I saved a few things - blouses I might wear once I slim down and some wool suits that I'll shrink and felt for quilting. Now all my clothes fit in one closet and my dresser in the bedroom. Isn't it nice to know I'll spend most of the rest of my life in jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts and shorts!

But what in the world will I do with this pile of hangers!

17 comments:

Vicki W said...

Congratulations on retirment! I'm pea green with envy! If you take those hangers to the local laundromat they will be gone in no time.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your retirement, Patti!

Those pant hangers with the 'squeeze to open' thingys on each end are great for hanging flimsies I found out this weekend (although I used the toddler variety).

Karen (Misiz C) said...

Wow... you got a lot done on day one! Yay.

There must be something in the air. I've got a big pile for the thrift shop, a big box of books for the friends of the library and my curbside trash carts are nearly full...the recycle one too. I'm normally not this motivated. *grin*

Pam said...

Uh, hey, Patti...remember all that whining I did in my last couple of emails? I take it all back...retirement sounds like TOO much work!!!

Hand on to your pants/skirt hangers...good for hanging flimsies, backings and yardage after ironing.

Pam@
www.pamgwillim.com

Debi said...

Happy retirement...I don't think I will ever get to retire! I am also on WW, keep up the good work!

Cher said...

way to jump in on your first day of retirement! I think all that bag stuffing counts as a huge workout!

Kristie said...

Wow! I am amazed at all that you accomplished today. Now that really makes me feel lazy! It seems like I never get anything done.
Kristie

Mary Johnson said...

Good for you! I need to go through my clothes and get rid of the old/worn out ones and donate the stuff I don't wear anymore but I'd rather be quilting.....

Lucy said...

Congratulations on your retirement!!Hope you enjoy a lot of coming years in happiness and health and with a lot of quilting.

Clare said...

You are supposed to be retired! YO ucan do all those things one at a time. Not all in one day! Do the recycling people take clothes hangers?

Gail said...

I'm exhausted just reading about all that you have done. Good job, getting this all out of the way and organized so you can get down to enjoying your retirement.

KC Quilter said...

Okay, I can see we're going to have to have a little talk about this retirement gig!!! What's with all this work and goal-setting??? Way too anti-retirement LOL! Don't worry, you'll grow into it.

Laurie Ann said...

Wow, good job!! How exciting to get all that stuff organized and cleaned out. Sounds like a great "first day of the rest of your life." :)

Pam said...

Holy smokes that sounds like a lot of work!! Maybe you should go back to work part time for a bit of a rest -LOL

Linda C said...

I am worn out just reading all this and this is only the first official day of retirement? Pace yourself, girl!

Good for you donating the clothes you will have no intention of needing. I bet that the thrift stores will take the hangers too.

Quilts And Pieces said...

ok, I take my earlier comment back - if I have to work this hard when I retire, I'll stay working!!!! :)

Helen in the UK said...

Gosh, you've really been on a blitz following your retirement!! Great news about your DGD to be as well :)