I never imagined – back when – as I neared retirement – I would sometimes not remember what day of the week it was ! Nor – would I ever wonder – with the hours of each day – “HOW DID I EVER FIND TIME TO WORK”?
You want to stay Young ? You want to stay active ? To do that – at least I find – the way I remember – is that Monday night is put out the GARBAGE – and pick up is Tuesday ! Now – that I remember for some reason. Also – I know it is Monday – because that is the day Tammy – our daughter – closes her store up , Kids 529 Consignment shop ! So – she does not work that day – and in the school year – I do not pick up the twins from school.
Bode – Cassidy and Taylor- Tammy & Marcus little ones.
The rest of the week – each day – I go and wait in a car line to pick up the girls – and I get there early – so I am usually second in line – and the line when school is out is about 70 or more cars ! So – I am prepared – I take my water -maybe a snack- a pillow – and leave the car on – it is a Hybrid so it mostly runs on the battery. I kick the seat back and turn my favorite radio show on – 106.7 – the Sports radio show that covers the D.C. area.
Sometimes I even drift off for a power nap!
Cassidy – Bode & Taylor 8 – 4 – 8 years old.
That takes me up to Tuesday – garbage day and pick up the girls day. Wednesday is take the twins to choir day – and meet Granny -( Jennie )- Marcus mother – who picks up Bode every day from preschool.
She takes him home and when Marcus is done – he picks him up and then will come to our house and pick up the twins.
But – Wednesday is church choir and all three sing – even Bode who can not read but will memorize the words and they are good singers.
We now have covered Monday thru Wednesday . Thursday – I start preparing again for garbage day – but also recycle day – by setting everything out for pick up on Friday !
At National Harbor – Washington D.C. Sherry’s shirt says it all!
There are also days that we will journey into D.C. for special trips – taking all the grand kids – we took the two oldest – Maddy and Ella – and got off at Arlington – took in the Tomb of the Unknown soldier and then walked across the 14 th. street bridge and spent the day at all the memorials – walking the Mall and having lunch. We walked miles that day and they loved it.
So – that leaves Friday – the day the GARBAGE & RECYCLES are picked up. I count the days by that format – very seldom do I know the exact date – I can look at the top of the paper – or my phone.
On Oahu – North Shore NO CARES – NO WORRIES #livinglifetotheplus
But to be perfectly honest with you – being retired – it does not really matter – I also count down days by what we have scheduled coming up ! Yes -we PLAN- put it down in writing – search and research – add names of visitors to come – the dates and what we are going to do. Some people can not do that for whatever reason – but not us – WE DO IT! Such as so goes our life – we live life to the plus one day at a time – but we know what is ahead – after all – for us – that is part of the excitement – just like little kids – “HOW MANY SLEEPS ARE LEFT PAPA ” ?
And then the early morning comes and you head out – all part of that special time – now I look back – and I wonder – JUST HOW DID I FIND TIME TO WORK ?
RETIREMENT – YOU COUNT THE DAYS BY GARBAGE – the weekends – well they are just another day -most times you just do not care !
On our recent get together – a beer tasting in a old house with a fake library !
Try as hard as we can – life gets busy – but for over 35 years – we have stayed in touch – getting together at each others houses – every 4 or 5 months.
We are now spread out – Wilmington N.C. – Va. Beach and D.C. area – but we remain good friends.
Last Fall – our golf outing in Va. Beach – guys vs. gals.
Last Fall – we all got together – to play golf on several courses in the Va. Beach area. The format was GUYS VS. GALS – and I advocated ” NO STROKES ” as some of us have done this before and ” THE GALS” are just too darn good to give up STROKES !
Well – I was right – they had a STROKE a hole and they kicked our butts ! Even without the STROKES it was almost even ! Now we all are not PAR golfers – they ended up minus par with the strokes – and we were a little over par – but the jest of the whole thing was we had fun ! Plus I think they were nipping the FIREBALL more often than not !!!!! LOL
This was taken in Oahu – when the four of us went and played golf.
My wife Sherry – has the perfect form and swing – always straight down the middle of the fairway – can not remember the last time we had to look for her ball. Cindy – hits it a ton – going out into the fairway – neither one gets into trouble – the guys – not so much – never know WHERE my ball will go ! That is what makes them so good – straight and usually on the green or close on the second shot – depending how long the hole is.
Yep – that is me on Oahu – the valley over from where they shot Jurassic Park.
We try to play golf where ever we go – but – we also do Karaoke – well – I try to – but that is the only time I sing ! Cindy has her own Karaoke machine and all the songs – she brings it to most get together’s. Our theme songs are Desperado and Friends in low places. We get pretty involved in New York – New York. I have video’s but I promised I would not share them !
On our golf outing back home in NWPA – Sherry and Cindy .
Now I am not much of a Wine drinker nor much of a hard drinker – I stick mainly to light beer – and only on special occasions. However – I will take a nip of Fireball and as sometimes – well a lot of times when we golf together – I will join the others on birdies and sometimes long pars – with a little toast of the fireball. All in all – we do have a lot of fun.
Keeping in touch – friends – beer and fireball – living our lives to the plus.
Hope you enjoyed – keep the good health up – and keep in touch with friends
In the early years of us being in Northern Va. , a couple of things happened. First , Tammy followed us down. Then a year later Mike and Debby and our new baby grand-daughter , Madison Margo Myers , known to us as Maddy , joined us.
I often thought if I were to open a bed and breakfast or a Cafe – I would give it the name of “THE BEAR AND THE FOX!” Why, I don’t know except that it sounded cool and I could envision a picture of a Bear and a Fox having dinner together at a table with some wine!
Now I see the picture of Maddy & her Father , our little Fox being carried by her father , The Bear of the woods, as he loves to hike the Northern woods of New York State. kinda out there in left field , but that is how I see it!
Teaching the ways of life to their children and bringing in the Health & Nutrition – showing how you EXIST TO LIVE & LIVE TO EXIST – always molding a way to blend their lives into harmony with nature.
The Bear and the Fox. A little girl and her father – hiking into their lives of Existing to live – Live to Exist.
In my daily life – after I had my by – pass – I choose to eat healthy –
at least the best I could ! For those of you out there – you know just how hard this can be ! It is not easy – too many temptations ! I am giving this to you from one who struggles each and every day to maintain .
I am very fortunate to have a wife who helps me and guides me and keeps me on course. She is a Certified Health Coach from Dr. Sears courses. One of my main go to’s is a Health Drink – which is a WHOLE FOOD !
That my friends is very hard to find ! Making Healthy Breakfast Drinks – with a blender – DIY – is awesome ! Mine consists of ICE – crushed – a little water from the fridge – one half banana – one cup of Soy or Almond milk – and the main source of nutrition – a package of either DUTCH CHOCOLATE + or FRENCH VANILLA + !
This is a drink in powder form from Juice Plus called COMPLETE ! Not only does it fill me up for breakfast ( lunch also ) – but it provides a Proprietary Protein blend 13 grams. WHOLE FOOD with only 140 calories without the banana or Soy or Almond milk !
With 11 grams of sugar – 20 grams of carbohydrates – Dietary Fibers at 8 grams – Soluble Fiber 6 grams and Insoluble Fibers at 2 grams – I found this the best way to go for myself !
Plus – I actually feel filled up ! I sometimes add fruit – and a dab of peanut butter – not often ! I make it what I want and the flavors – DUTCH CHOCOLATE is my favorite !
I will provide a website for you to look over – feel free – and yes it is my wife’s ! You see – without her guidance – after my WIDOW MAKER HEART ATTACK in 2013 – I most likely would not be writing this now. I know it because I survived to live it !
http://www.sf.juiceplus.com is her official site . It contains a bundle of information. Not only do I follow it – I LIVE IT ! There is more – much more to write about – I posted a blog on this site a few years ago on my survival – if you have health issues – please read it – if you want more info – just leave a comment and I will get back to you, God Bless and HGD !
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