C.E.O. of My Retirement

by Phyllis
(Shelby, Michigan)

Wendy's Subtitle:

New Widow Goes on
Remodeling Rampage!

I worked for 37 and a half yrs. with one company and then retired.

I graduated from high School I worked for private company for 3 yrs. I also worked for 2 and a half yrs. part time in my girl friends Fathers' Pharmacy during my high school. Do I need to tell you that I always 'loved' to work?

I was married for 61 and a half yrs.--why all of the half yrs.? Because every moment was precious to me--and still is in retrospect. I am now a widow - it will be 1 yr. this week (Oct. 27). Do you see where I am going with this story?

I think our lives are made up of chapters - if you will - mine was high school, formal employment (during which I attended college at night), marriage, and eventually retirement with my husband. Now I have experienced 1 yr. as a 'widow' (I still can't get used to that title).

Well, during this year I made several decisions, I decided to get on with life so I jumped into re-doing my house. It started out very small and subtle - I was going to get my carpet cleaned (it wasn't really dirty), then I thought - maybe just get different counter tops for my kitchen (they were really ok also).

I then decided after consulting with a kitchen remodeling expert to get the whole ball of wax - new kitchen cupboards. Well, they tore out my cupboards, then I had them take out my flooring (white carpets), of course the laundry room needed to be re-done also. Of course, by this time the ceiling and lights needed to go. Well darn if the hallway didn't need to be redone and of course that led into the extra bathroom.

Well that should be it!!! But no, sadly enough - the dining room cadenza didn't 'match ' the new cupboards which were now open because the whole room had been done over. Well the new kitchen granite tops looked so nice that the bathroom needed doing also. Now that takes me back to the dining room -- oh well nothing to do but go for it - new cupboards and granite top there also.

Whew!!! That should take care of everything and besides I had now gotten thru about half of my first year of being a 'widow'.

Did I tell you that I also needed to get brand new appliances for my new kitchen? This was all because a shelf in my fridge broke (just a tiny peg that sticks out of the fridge wall broke off). But that's another story!!!!

Well - when I would go to my master bathroom I need to tell you it looked like it was forgotten. (not really - it was very nice) It had the 'old' cupboards and no granite counter. So--ok call Bob (that's the name of my carpenter). He was very nice about all of this added work - he was just wondering if that would be all. I said well, I was just looking at the family room and guess what? The cupboards are the old oak, and the desk top needs updating. He didn't faint - just said he needed a little time to get a few other jobs finished - but he would be back. I asked him to look for a very nice 'large' TV to put over my fireplace, and -oh, by the way - do they have something to put over the screen so it doesn't look like a TV when you aren't watching it? I have never been a big fan of TV -- there are more interesting things to do--read, play the piano, play the organ--etc.

Bob returned after a month or so and finished the family room - new recessed lighting (with dimmer switches), new cupboards and a beautiful black starlit - granite top for the desk. Oh yes, I have a new 46 inch TV (with everything) and also my gas log for the fireplace - I can now have my fireplace on whenever I wish. He also did the master bath - you guessed it, new cupboards , new lighting and new granite counter tops.

I recently attended an auction for a lighting store that was going out of business - it is really loads of fun - you go through the store and make notes of the fixtures you like then later make bids on them online - then you wonder just what the heck you might have purchased!!! Oh well - that might be another story.!!!

All of this brings me to the one year anniversary of the day I became a 'widow' (still not used to the title). Today I hear hammering on my roof, did I tell you - today I am getting a new roof - they told me I really needed it.

So now I have a new kitchen, laundry room, 2 new bathrooms new tile flooring, new family room, and dining room and new lighting. I am not sure what I will attempt next.

What I started out telling you is that you do not need to get bored. Just be aware that you can choose the 'chapters' of your life. They can be productive or whatever you make of them.

It looks like I will need to sell the house to pay for all of the changes - anyone want to buy a recently updated house? Just kidding.

Oh wait--there is a message from the lighting company regarding the bids----I what???????

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