Moved into New Retirement, with Challenges

by diane
(british columbia canada)

This website has been very helpful in my retirement. It took me from panic to being able to plan and actually retire at the end of may this year.

I moved to another town to be closer to one of my daughters and my grandchildren. So it has been a busy summer but one thing that I am noticing and no one seems to have mentioned this is that I have to relearn a number of things.

In my work life (I am single) I would come home from a stressful day flop on the couch and watch tv. and begin again the same the next day. to tired to do much of anything. Social life, minimal, was weekends was chores and seeing family when they were available. I lived in an apartment so no yard work.

NOW...bought a semi detached home in a retirement community and find I have to learn how to manage a house - how do you set air conditioning? what do I do with a furnace? and yard work - what does a weed look like compared to a flower?

Oh boy, how many years since I cooked for anyone? I want to invite my daughter and her family to dinner....

So retirement for me becomes a real learning experience...hopefully I am capable of it and by the way I don't miss work even a little bit....

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Wendy: I love this -- you found a new challenge in retirement and you will figure it all out, little by little. Its a whole new lifestyle in retirement and it always requires re-inventing yourself a bit -- new routines, new time frames, new entertainment, whatever!

As for dinner, there are so many great frozen products today. At the worst, you can always still "do dinner" in a very simple manner and yet giving them a night out! Just think -- even if it burns, its a great family memory -- and someone runs out for a quick pizza!

Very happy for you! Go Girl Go!

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