I Now Have Retired People Problems

In the course of less than 3 months, I have gone from having high stress "working people problems" to no stress "retired people problems."  As a former teacher/union President, my former problems consisted of raising test scores for students, writing contract language, negotiating salaries/working conditions for teachers, and problem solving/handling disputes between teachers and administrators on a daily basis. What an immediate change my "problems" have gone through!  The decisions I used to make were high impact - life changing - for other people, needless to say, quite stressful.  On the 1st day of the retired chapter of my life, I immediately went into retirement mode.  Except for my role as a consultant with my teachers' union and a friendly breakfast with the new President and VP once a week, I have separated myself from my former working life.  So far, I'm loving it!  

So what types of problems do retired people have?  What types of decisions do we have to make?  For a couple of years, the talk around the family was that we wanted to revisit the beach vacations we used to take in Rodanthe, North Carolina.  Before our lives got busy with weddings, we used to stay at a beach house and spend the entire week playing in the ocean, engaging in water sports and connecting through activities such as campfires, making S'mores, ghost crabbing and telling ghost stories.  Since the kids are expecting their first babies this winter, I thought next summer would be a great time to go to the beach and spend a week together - start a family tradition.   Since I have cleared the desired week with the kids, it was time to get the beach house booked.  How close to the beach do we want to be?  Shall we get a house with a private pool?  What realty company shall we use?  Retired people problems!  As I harvest cucumbers and tomatoes from my garden and pears and apples from my trees, I have yet more decisions looming over me - what type of pickles shall I make from my cucumbers and shall I can pickles first then make the pear butter?  Which should be picked first - the apples or the pears?  More retired people problems!  

Remember when your kids were young and they would come home from school with their devastating, life impacting problems?  Their best friend wouldn't talk to them at lunch, they can't find the Beanie Baby they are looking for, you forgot to give them ice cream before bed last night!  No matter what their "problems" were, if they were important to our kids, the problems were important to us.  We listened intently, helped them find a solution or talk it out, then moved on to our own personal "real problems!"   As we retire, the tables turn.  Our kids tolerate our "problems" while juggling their own life impacting decisions - which house should we buy, what should we name our baby, what nanny should we hire?  When making the decision on the beach house, I sent the kids emails and links of beach houses to look at.  Although they politely read my emails and called/texted with feedback, I am sure they moved on and addressed their grown up problems after appeasing me! 

I kind of like my "retired people problems!"  

Life Long Learning

When we retire, we almost always have a list of things we want to do, but how many of us have a list of things we want to learn?   A lot of retirees are put off by the word "learn."  Yet we are all constantly learning.  Whether it be learning how to work your new cell phone, watching the cooking channel to learn a new recipe or actually taking a class to learn a hobby, we are in a constant state of edification.  

There are dozens of ways to learn new things.  Although I don't have an aversion to sitting in on an instructional class, many cringe at the thought.  For me, it depends on what it is you want to learn.  When I started sewing, I enrolled in a couple of classes.  I felt like there would be a strong likelihood that I would need to ask questions in addition to build a strong rapport with the instructor for future brain-picking.  I was freshening up my basic sewing skills as well as learning the art of quilting so I knew that I would need to have an opportunity for discussion.  It definitely helped.  I had a great teacher and felt extremely confident creating my first projects.  

One of my favorite ways to learn something new is YouTube.  It's quite possible that people in my generation shy away from the video-sharing website.  We remember how YouTube was used when it was first introduced over 10 years ago.   A lot of YouTube videos were sensationalized or distasteful and people of our generation have little to no interest in that.  As a parent, I was always telling my young children that they weren't allowed to be on YouTube.  Now, the website contains hundreds of tutorial videos on anything and everything.  My son has learned anywhere from tying a tie to replacing a bulb in an LCD TV.  Recently, I learned how to put border and binding on a quilt via YouTube.  When I was teaching, I used to direct students to YouTube for technology tutorials.  I think retirees would be surprised at how much they can learn from the video-sharing website.  

Another way we learn is through printed media.  Have you ever tried a new golf swing or strategy you learned by reading a golf magazine?  Ever been inspired to redecorate your house based on something you read in a house decorating publication?  Every time you talk to a friend and pick their brain about something they have done that you would like to try or try something you see on a website you are learning.  

Now that I have sewing checked off my list, I am inspired to try out other potential hobbies and interests such as piano, advanced photography and home decor.  It's never too late to learn new things!  

Let The Sunshine In!

Today I started washing my windows inside and out for the fall cleaning.  This is not going to be a post about washing windows, but about the benefits of sunshine.  I wouldn't say I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder), but I can positively say that sunshine makes me feel happy.  While washing the windows on the west side of the house, I felt the warmth of the sun as it beamed through my windows later in the afternoon.  I adjusted my pleated shades to take full advantage of the natural light coming into the house.  

Sunshine can be therapeutic, not only for our PMA (positive mental attitude) but also for the health benefits of Vitamin D.  Vitamin D occurs naturally in very few foods.  Your body makes Vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun.  Vitamin D helps protect against Alzheimer's and brain aging, strengthens your bones and teeth, helps fight cancer, is good for losing excess fat and supports the immune system.  Additionally, check out these benefits:

• Lowers cholesterol
• Lowers blood pressure
• Increases the oxygen level in your blood
• Helps with depression

Exposure to the sun should be done slowly and in small doses.  Over exposure can lead to sunburn, skin cancer and aging of the skin so be careful not to overdo it!  For those of you (like me) who live in a state with 4 seasons, it's important to make an effort to go outside when you can and expose your skin to the sun throughout the year.  Here are some ways you can take advantage of the marvelous sunshine all year:  

• Exercise outside like bicycling and walking.
• Take mini trips that include outside activities like leaf peeping and beachcombing.
• Sit outside when the sun is overhead and polish off a few chapters of whatever book you are currently reading.
• Take a trip (or two) to a sunny place during the sunless winter.  
• Plant a vegetable or flower garden and try gardening - start small and see how you like it.  

You can be sure that I will be taking whatever opportunity I can this winter to travel to Arizona for sunshine.  The sun re-energizes me during the sunless months, just when I need it!    

What's So Cool About Retirement?

June 4, 2016 was Day 1 of the new chapter in my life, "Retirement" and I hit the ground running. With almost 3 months into my retirement, I have come up with the Top 10 Coolest Things About Retirement (so far).  

1.  You Get to Write a New Story
When you retire, you have an opportunity to re-create yourself.  Always wanted to exercise more?  Now you can.  You want to be a traveler? Do it.  You want to be a full time homemaker and cook, make window dressings and decorate your house?  Now you can.  The opportunities are endless.  Take a class, learn a hobby.  Create the person you want to be! 

2.  You Get to Spoil Your Family and Friends
It's so difficult to give your loved ones the attention you want to give them when you are working a full time job.  Some ways I am spoiling my family and friends are:  shopping with my daughter, visiting my dad more often, visiting my ill friend and cooking for her family, planning mini trips with my friends and family, traveling to help my son and daughter-in-law when they move into their new house and finding fun things to do with my friends.    

3.  Comfy Clothes
Whenever I came home from work, the first thing I did (unless I stopped at the health club on the way home) was to put on my comfy clothes for the evening.  Now I get to put on my comfy clothes first thing in the morning, which just happens to be my exercise attire.  

4.  You.Can.Do.It.Tomorrow.
I almost always put more activities on my agenda than I have time for.  Between my personal and school projects, there were always deadlines looming over my head.  Unfinished projects give me stress.  Now that I can focus on just one project at a time, and I don't seem to be faced with any immediate deadlines, my life is definitely less stressful.

5.  Car Mileage, Maintenance, Gas
While I was working, I filled up my car every 4-5 days, put an extraordinary amount of miles on it, and was always taking it in for maintenance (oil changes).  Since retirement, I fill up my car once every couple of weeks and the mileage and maintenance have slowed way down.  

6.  Having Time for Myself
Having an opportunity to do things for myself is incredible.  Among my favorites:  sewing, cooking, gardening, traveling, shopping, reading, exercising.  On the horizon:  decorating my home and maybe some remodeling.

7.  Having An Open Schedule
When you are working full time, it's extremely difficult to schedule doctor appointments, hair appointments, and even find time to grocery shop and perform household duties.  When you retire, arranging your schedule is less stressful.  The best part of having an open schedule is that when I want to spend time with my grand babies (expected in January), I can!  

8. Late Night TV 
My favorites:  Late Show With Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show With James Corden.  So funny.

9.  Becoming More Interesting
If your career takes up a considerable amount of your time (like mine did) you become very limited in what you are exposed to and in turn, what you can talk about with other people.  Only being able to talk about your career or topics related to your career and nothing else makes you very uninteresting.  I now have more time to read, watch and listen to world and local news and develop and participate in hobbies and interests that I can share with other people.  


10.  Flexible Travel Dates
I spend a lot of time in Arizona.  As a teacher, I was only able to travel during weekends, holidays and summer - the most expensive time to fly.  Travel dates were not flexible.  I have found marvelous air fare to Arizona since I can travel on flexible dates.  Definitely an advantage of being retired!  

Creating Memory Books

I have a beautiful refurbished antique barrel back trunk that my parents gave me several years ago and it's full of pictures.  One of the items on my retirement "to do" list is to organize these pictures into photo albums.  These photos are all that I have collected before the digital years.  Remember when we snapped pictures then had the film developed into prints?  Last year when I was asked by my daughter's future brother-in-law for pictures of her to put into a wedding rehearsal slide show, I organized them by year from birth to college before handing them over.  It was then that I decided it would be a good idea to organize all of the family pictures into photo albums while I still had the ability to recall which pictures belong to which decade.  

Twenty months ago when my mother passed away and everyone was gathered at my family's home, my kids and their cousins sat together on the living room floor pouring over old pictures for several hours.  It was the first time during that long sad week that I heard them laughing, reminiscing and having a good time together.  It was easy to pull out old photo albums and give everyone an album to comb through.  Now our pictures are all on a flash drive, SD card, phone or computer.  Digital files of pictures are great, but nothing beats looking at photo albums with family members - photo albums that you can pick up off the shelf and relish while sitting on the floor - photo albums that tell a story.  How many times have we taken beautiful pictures of a vacation or family event, never to see them again, never to share them with family or friends?  

In addition to arranging our family prints into photo albums, which I call memory books, I use the digital pictures from trips and events to put together memory books which I create online.  I create a book for each trip with images and text that tell a story and gift a memory book to each "tripmate."  Each year for Christmas, each one of my kids (and spouses) gets a family yearbook with pictures taken during the year.  I use pictures snapped by me and by the kids to create a memory book and order a hard copy.  It's therapeutic putting them together and they love these memory books.    My barrel back trunk will soon contain photo albums organized by decade and trip! 

So I Have a Vegetable Garden...Now What?

When I planted my vegetable garden last spring, I had two goals in mind - healthy eating and canning.  Healthy eating is nothing new for me, but the canning?  I've never canned before.  I used to watch my mother can green beans, pickles, etc. and it always seemed like a huge undertaking when she canned.  Needless to say, I was slightly intimidating myself with my intent to can.  People ask me, "Why do you want to can food when you can go to the store and buy it?"  There are a multitude of reasons people choose to can food ranging from health reasons to financial ones.  For me, the reasons are sentimentality and connection.  I like creating recipes that my family and friends will enjoy, I love giving personal and handmade gifts,  but most of all, it gives me a connection to my past - my family and heritage.  

So now it's August and I have a garden full of ripening vegetables that were planted with the intent of making and canning salsa - tomatoes, jalapeños, poblano and bell peppers, cilantro.  How hard can this be?  I'm an educated woman, I have a Master's Degree, I know how to use Google, I think I should be able to find a good salsa recipe, put it in some jars and be good to go! Right?

After harvesting a nice big basket full of tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeños, poblanos and cilantro, I took a look at the salsa recipes that I have been saving to my Pinterest board.  Unfortunately, I didn't see one in particular that I really loved.  So I decided to create my own with my favorite ingredients:

3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 jalapeño
1/2 poblano pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red onion
3 green tail onions
1/2 cup cilantro
2-3 T lime juice
cumin, salt, pepper, sugar to taste (I like mine sweet with just a little kick.)
Note - since this was just an experimental recipe, I only made a small amount.  

I chopped everything in the food processor, brought it to a boil in a stock pot, then added the salt, pepper, cumin and sugar to taste while it was simmering.  I simmered the salsa for about 20 minutes.  
I like mine chunky and on the sweet side so I turned on the processor just long enough to get it nice and chopped up but still chunky.  I kept adding a little sugar at a time until I got it to just the right sweetness.  

Now that I am happy with a recipe and I have made my first batch, it's time to put it in the jars.  I sterilized my jars in the dishwasher and my lids and rings in boiling water on top of the stove.  Each jar was filled, leaving about a 1/2 inch at the top.  I placed the lids on and screwed the rings tightly.  

The last step went as planned - I immersed the jars in boiling water for 10-15 minutes and they sealed nicely.  (By all means, use the proper equipment - my experience with an improper jar lifter was not pretty.)   I saved a small amount to chill and taste with chips for the final inspection.  The only change I would make is to make it chunkier and thicker.  The taste was good. 

I picked up some Calhoun Peaches near Calhoun County in Southern Illinois on a recent visit to my dad's.  Calhoun peaches are some of the sweetest tasting peaches I have ever tasted.  I secured about 21 lbs, enough to slice and top with simple syrup for 12 pints of peaches and cut up and mix with my favorite salsa ingredients for 14 half pints of peach salsa.  When creating the peach salsa, I did not use the food processor to chop, which made the salsa nice and chunky, the way I like it.  I can't wait to give my creations to friends and family with the suggestion of topping off a nice bowl of ice cream with some Calhoun peaches.  (My version of Peaches 'n Cream!)  Last but not least, I created labels for my jars using Avery Print-to-the-Edge Oval Labels.  

 Next - Homemade Pasta Sauce! 
        

Things To Do On Your "Day Off"

Today I took a "day off."  Most people would say, "I thought when you were retired, every day was a day off."  For the most part it is, but everything is relative.  For a scheduled person like me, a day where there is nothing scheduled is a day off.  For me, a day off means I didn't go for a workout, I didn't meet with friends, run errands, go to a class, go to a doctor's appointment,  start or finish a project, etc...  A day off during retirement looks different for everyone.  Here are some things I did on my day off:

• Fed the plants coffee grounds

I have been saving my K cups so that I can sprinkle the coffee grounds in my plants and on my garden.  Coffee grounds improve the nitrogen level of the soil and are good for acid-loving plants like tomatoes and some flowers.  My plants need all the help they can get.  It's not that I don't have a green thumb, it's that sometimes I get so busy that my plants get a little neglected.  

• Worked on invitations for my daughter's baby shower.  

Of course I can't find anything online that suits me, and creativity takes a little longer for me, so this is done in "baby steps."  Get it?

•  "Once in a while" cleaning

Pick a few things that you only need to clean once in a while.  For instance, I put the burners of my cooktop in the dishwasher, I cleaned out my refrigerator and gave my Keurig a nice cleaning.  Don't pick too many things - just a couple.  

• Caught up on some reading.  

I know some people like to curl up with a good book on rainy days, but I like to take a few minutes on a nice sunny day and read outside while making a little bit of Vitamin D.  When it's a nice warm sunny day in Chicago, I take full advantage.  Don't forget to review your book on Goodreads when finished!  

• Made some tea in my Teavana Perfectea Maker.  

Get a nice blend of teas (I like fruity ones) from Teavana and treat yourself once in a while.                                                                                                             

• Made dinner for the family of a very ill friend.  

When people used to ask me what I was going to do when I retire and I responded with, "wherever God takes me," this is what I meant.  I love my days off just as much as my busy days!  

                                                                                                                       

                                        

The Best Part of the Day

I have only been retired for a little over 2.5 months, so I remember all too well the morning routine before leaving for work.  Up by 6 AM, I usually started my day answering phone calls and text messages from colleagues while getting ready for the day.  Forget watching the morning news - there was no time to see what was going on in the rest of the world.  On the way out the door, I would either make a quick cup of coffee to drink on the way to work, or take a few minutes to stop at the local Starbucks.  Breakfast?  Not usually - no time.  When I was working, the best part of the day was never the stressful morning, it was after work when I could relax, reflect on my day and get in a good workout.

Now a retiree, the best part of the day is definitely the morning.  I love to watch "CBS This Morning" with Gayle King, Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell while I'm getting dressed for the day.  It's interesting and informative without a lot of fluff.  I leisurely drink a cup of Lavazza coffee in my favorite cup and have an egg to get my protein.  After digesting the news and my egg, I read a daily devotional then get organized for my daily activities before heading to the gym.  

Since I retired, I love starting out my day at a slower, more relaxed pace.  I love beginning each day on a positive note after reading a daily devotional and knowing what's going on outside of my work place.  I also love not playing phone tag with my daughter in the morning as we try and communicate through our busy schedules.    I especially like getting my workout done in the morning - it gives me energy and makes me feel healthy all day.  

The best part of the day is definitely the "Get Up."  

What Are You Cooking Today?

The Sunday routine with my dad in my hometown is that after church we eat Sunday dinner at Tink's.  Tink's is the restaurant in town - the only restaurant in town.  When I was growing up, Tink's was called The Main Café and it was owned by Morris "Tink" Kempher.  Tink was a Chicago Cubs fan and I was a St. Louis Cardinals fan.  You can imagine how he razzed me whenever the Cubs were ahead in the standings or any time they beat the Cardinals.  Any time there was a basketball game, Tink would open up the restaurant after the game,  and within minutes, the café was full of basketball players, cheerleaders and fans ordering burgers, fries and of course cherry cokes.  Tink's would be loud with laughter and silly kids - just Tink and all the kids.  He loved kids.  We were having fun with our friends, our parents knew where to pick us up, and we were all safe.  

After Tink became ill, a family in town bought The Main Café and re-named it Tink's, which is what we always called it anyway.  When I go back home now, my dad and I go to church together on Sundays, then we go to Tink's for Sunday dinner.  I always see the Kreps family

there with the family Patriarch, Don (his daughter is the owner of Tink's).  I also regularly see my kindergarten teacher with her husband as well.  She's 93 going on 53.  Amazing!  A majority of the people in the restaurant are still friendly faces.   

Although I am sure there is a menu, you don't ask for one.  (I did once and my dad looked at me with such disappointment that I never did it again.)  On Sundays you order The Special.  The Special is similar to the comforting meal your mom would have cooked - meatloaf, chicken fried steak, etc. and always a potato, vegetable, roll and light dessert.  On Tuesdays, you go for fried chicken and on Friday nights, catfish.  Any other time, you can order the daily special or maybe a tenderloin or even a burger.  Once a week, my dad might go up to Tink's for a biscuits and gravy breakfast (although I don't think it's on his heart healthy diet).  

An adorable waitress named Carrie always waits on my dad.  She already knows that he doesn't take a roll, prefers mashed potatoes (with lots of butter) over a baked potato, and has a glass of water with his coffee.  It's the type of restaurant where the green beans are fresh with little bits of ham - real comfort food.  It's the type of restaurant where instead of looking at a menu, you ask, "What are you cooking today?"  Throwback, retro, vintage, whatever you want to call it, Tink's has not changed since I left the area 34 years ago - except for Tink.  Unfortunately, he passed away in his young 70's.  Sometimes I wonder if he knows how much his restaurant meant to all of us in that town.  It is truly the heart of the town.  

Changing Gears is Liberating

It's the middle of August and by now I would be in full teacher mode.  I would have attended numerous meetings on new ideas and programs that were sure to start the school year off heading in the right direction.  I would have made the 35 minute drive to school and stopped at the teachers' store several times.  By now, the countdown to the 1st day of school would have already begun as educators approached the starting gate for the annual 180 day race (which always seemed more like a long-distance sprint).   When I retired in June, I was already stressing about missing my old life when school starts in August.  Am I going to be bored?  Am I going to feel less important?  Am I going to be missed?  Will life go on just fine without me?  What is my worth going to be?

I accompanied my dad today to a lunch with Donna, his cousin from Florida.  Donna asked me, "What have you been doing since you retired?"  My response was, "gardening, canning, sewing classes, working out, mini-trips, organizing, meeting up with friends, writing, cooking and helping family."  I guess the answer to my question about being bored would be, "No.  I'm not bored."  Veteran retirees tell me that if you are bored in retirement it's your fault.  There is no truer statement than that.  My ban.dō planner shows a pretty busy schedule for me through October, and I am currently booking up November!  (I love organizing my ban.dō planner with Washi tape and stickers.)  Don't get me wrong, I didn't purposely  go out and start booking events with my friends so that I was sure not to get bored.  I just let it happen organically.  If someone asks me to do something I want to do, I say yes.  If I see that one of my kids might need some assistance, I volunteer.  If I find great airfare to Phoenix, I book a trip.  Don't be afraid to say yes to people.  If you love helping out your kids, make sure they feel comfortable asking you for help.

The drive to lunch, 1.5 hours from my dad's house, was beautiful.  We traveled through several small towns, looked at beautiful scenery, and had a wonderful conversation.  My dad knew the history behind practically every farm and had an interesting story about someone from every town we passed on the 77 mile trip.  We saw wild turkeys, drove past the Teddy Bear Junction and saw the Farmington Music Theater, aka the Princess Theater, a place where Mom and Dad used to see plays.  Dad talked about the coal mining that used to go on in the area, the Spoon River levy that broke and flooded the road and all of the farmland, and Jim Thome, the former Chicago White Sox baseball player that owns a farm in the community.

As I drove my father through all of the quaint towns, admired the scenery and listened intently to his stories, I felt liberated.  I felt free to enjoy my family, friends and interests.  I felt free to take a day out of my schedule to drive with my dad through the country, listening to his wonderful stories.  For years I educated children and mentored other educators.  My worth as an educator will live on in the work that they will continue.  My importance or my worth now looks different.  I am still a wife, daughter, mother and soon to be grandmother.  My worth is obvious.  I will no longer question that.  There is no "old life" and "new life."  There is just one life with many chapters and you get to help write those chapters.

Beautiful scenic Spoon River Valley


     





  

Continuing Family Traditions

My mother began a family tradition in August of 1991,  the month my daughter started kindergarten.  Each August, my children and I would meet my parents in Springfield, IL for back-to-school shopping and lunch.  The kids and I would drive from Chicago to Springfield and meet their grandparents at the mall.  Kristina and Michael would browse their favorite stores and each select their 1st Day of School outfit.  After purchasing  the outfits, Mom and Dad would take us to lunch at the Olive Garden - always soup/salad and breadsticks.  This event occurred very single August - you could count on it.  More important to the kids than the excitement of picking out their outfits for the 1st day of school was the yearly tradition of spending the day with Mamaw and Papaw.  Although our children spent time with their grandparents on a regular basis, back-to-school shopping was a special day they always looked forward to.  Starting back to school each year was always regarded as a monumental event by my mother with her children and grandchildren.  It was the day that started the countdown to returning to school in the fall - new outfit, new school supplies, new teacher, new grade, new classmates!      

After many years of this tradition and Kristina and Michael graduated college, we no longer continued with the tradition that my mother had started so many years ago.  Kristina was now a teacher instead of a student so we definitely wanted to carry on the shopping ritual,  but mom's Parkinson's had started to get worse and it was difficult for her to sustain that level of activity.  We didn't want to go without her, it was not the same.  

It's been about 6 years since we went back-to-school shopping with my mom and 19 months since she passed away.  We miss kicking off the beginning of the school year with such a favorite day for us. We miss celebrating my mom's traditions with my mom.  We miss my mom.  Today Kristina and I resumed the tradition that was so precious to my mother, to my kids and to me.  Kristina selected a few outfits that she will wear to school this year.  Lunch was at my mom's favorite restaurant, The Olive Garden, and we said a few words in memory of her.  Mom would have loved that we were resuming her tradition.  This day was really her thing.     

A great thing about retirement is that you have time to focus on the little things that still mean a lot to your family.  For me, carrying on the family traditions important to my mother is a healthy way to remember her and keep that memory of her alive.  Both my kids are expecting their first babies in January.  When their kids start school, I will take them back to school shopping for their 1st Day of School outfits.  I will make a big deal out of school and along with their parents, instill a deep respect for education and a thrilling anticipation of the 1st Day of School just like my mom did.  

I look forward to spending this precious time with my grandchildren in my retirement.  

                                      My mom with the kids and some family members.

Stairs Anyone?

Almost 6 years ago, a misstep taken while walking down a flight of stairs ended in a trip to the ER and a hospital stay with surgery.  I took a dive down a half of a flight of stairs and when I landed, my left ankle was fractured, my right ankle was shattered and both ankles were dislocated.  Ouch!  Needless to say, when my friend Tonya asked me to meet her at the Swallow Cliff Stairs for a workout, I was slightly apprehensive.  After my injury 6 years ago, I acquired a new found respect for  (and slight fear of) staircases.

The Swallow Cliff Stairs used to be known as the Swallow Cliff Toboggan Slides.  Located only 15 minutes from home, my children used to trek up the 125 stairs to the top of the 100 ft. high bluff and a set of 6 toboggan runs to go from 0 to 60 on a toboggan in just a few seconds.  In 2004, the toboggan slides closed due to a funding decision by the Cook County Forest Preserve and Swallow Cliff became a popular exercise destination for both fitness buffs and casual walkers.  There are now two sets of stairs - 125 steps and 175 steps.  The two sets of stairs both reach the top of the 100 ft. bluff.  The 125 steps are steeper, so they are a little tougher than the 175 steps.  Additionally, Swallow Cliff has walking and hiking trails, a pavilion and a cafe.  It's a great place to enjoy nature and get a great workout in Palos Park, southwest of Chicago.

Always up for a challenge, I agreed to meet my friends Tonya and Tiffanie along with two other fitness enthusiasts, Christine and Kim, for an early morning stair climbing workout at Swallow Cliff.  I first started going to Swallow Cliff for stair climbing workouts about a year after my injury.  At first, I had a lot of anxiety going up and down all of those stairs unless I was hanging on to the railing.  Before this week, I had not been back to the stairs in almost 3 years.  So far this week I have been there twice and I am scheduled to return in a couple of days.  I still like to be close to the handrail, but I try not to depend on it too much.  It's not so much an aide for me as it is a security blanket.

Climbing stairs is regarded as one of the most efficient and effective cardio and strength building workouts you can do.  In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, stair climbing also tones your thighs and calves.  Don't forget, after age 35, we start losing muscle tone.  The loss of muscle tone speeds up even more after age 45.  Although I faithfully go to the gym for cardio and strength training several times a week, my legs were sore for several days after climbing the stairs - a sure sign I was waking up some muscles that have obviously been asleep.  This is why you should change up your workout and stimulate different muscles.  Stair climbing outside is not only free, but it also gives you a better workout than a stair climbing machine.  And don't forget - being outside increases your Positive Mental Attitude!  I met Tonya and her group at 6:15 A.M. at Swallow Cliff and we climbed the tougher 125 stairs going up and the 175 stairs going down several times.  Although I was unable to climb the stairs as many times as the other ladies, I didn't do too bad for a 50-something retiree (they were all youngsters).  I listened to my body, stopped when it told me, "too much," and will try and increase the number of times I climb the stairs as my fitness level increases and my heart and lungs become more efficient.

It's important to listen to your body.  Stair climbing is great for your heart, but in order to benefit your heart, it must push your heart to make it work harder.  As you get older, you have to make sure you put enough stress on your heart to increase your fitness level without causing too much stress.  Listen to your body.

Swallow Cliff Stairs

Card Night With Friends

My husband and I have been playing cards with the same friends for years.  I'm not sure when or how we started, but I think it's safe to say that we have been getting together for at least 15 years.  Some of our favorites include Tripoley (Hearts, Poker, Michigan Rummy), Three Thirteen (also called Pay Me, another Rummy game) and Mexican Train (Dominioes).  We meet to play about once every 4-6 weeks at either our home or the home of one of the other couples.  The customary practice for Card Night is that we start off the evening noshing on appetizers or a light dinner while engaging in interesting and funny conversation, then we play cards or a game and later have some dessert.  We like to talk about politics (we all like the same party so conversations don't get heated), we talk about what the kids are doing and four of us are teachers so education is always a big topic.  While we are playing cards, conversation gets a whole lot lighter with a lot of banter and laughter.  It's always a relaxing and fun evening.  I love Card Night.

My parents have belonged to a card group for 50 years and counting.  When my mom was sick, my dad went on hiatus from the group.  His loyalty and dedication to my mother kept him from attending his Card Night.  He could not leave her alone and he wouldn't have been able to enjoy himself knowing that she was suffering.  After she passed away, he re-joined the group.  I accompany him once in a while - we are even co-hosting a Card Night next week at his home.  Many of the members of my dad's group have changed, due to deaths or people retiring out of state.  They play Pitch, earn points throughout the evening and prizes at the end.  Once the card playing starts, things get a whole lot more serious with that group.

Card Night is always a great time to try out new recipes I find on Pinterest.  Among the new recipes I tried out during our last Card Night were Antipasto Skewers, Beer Cheese Dip with veggies and pretzels and BBQ Pineapple Meatballs.  The biggest hit of the evening was the Nutella Banana Bread that I served with Cinnamon Honey Butter.  It was amazing!  Not everything we ate was high calorie though - I always serve fresh fruit and my friend brought her amazing cucumber open-face cocktail sandwiches and delicious cracked pepper smoked salmon!  Drinks are always served, among the favorites is homemade Sangria.  We use various recipes.

 

Although it is possible that our group could make the 50 year mark (yikes!), my hope is that we are as close as my parents' card group when we get to be Octogenarians.  If we are as active and mentally acute as they are, I will be happy!

Remember - staying intellectually and socially active help us to age gracefully.  Card Night is a great activity to stay in touch with friends, try new foods and keep the mind active.

Check out my Pinterest page, "Loving Retirement," Favorite Recipes Board for the link to these recipes.

Just Like the Farmer in the Dell

Planting my first large vegetable garden was slightly intimidating.  Many years ago, I planted a couple of pots of cherry tomato plants but other than that, my vegetable garden experience is non-existent.  In Illinois, harvest season for vegetable gardens is mainly August.  As a teacher, August has always been a busy month for me getting ready for school to start.  I never felt that I had the time to truly dedicate myself to caring for the harvest of a vegetable garden.  Even the pear and apple trees we have on our property were slightly ignored except for the friends and relatives who came by to help themselves.  I have always wanted to plant a garden, but knew I couldn't do it justice.  So in May I dived right into my Retirement To-Do List and planted a large vegetable garden.

A lot of the plants I chose to put in my garden were ingredients I need to make salsa.  I planted various types of tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and added broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, corn and green beans.  I used websites for information on harvesting, preserving, and any other information I needed.  This summer, I have enjoyed several salads with fresh lettuce, cucumber and tomato.  I'm expecting a second round of broccoli and I'm looking forward to cooking fresh green beans with new potatoes and a little bit of bacon, just like my mother and grandmother used to.

I have enjoyed everything about my garden this summer - the planting, the weeding, the harvesting and of course, the eating.  Hopefully, I will like the canning.  If canning salsa is successful, and most importantly enjoyable for me,  I will expand my garden next summer with more tomatoes.  More green beans, sweet corn, lettuce and broccoli next year are a definite.  I don't know if it is a result of the marigolds I planted around the perimeter or my cute little scarecrow, but fortunately, the deer and bunnies have left my garden alone.  Moving forward, I do believe I will put a pebble walkway down the middle of the garden to provide easier access.

As I was cleaning out my dad's kitchen cabinets, I ran across some old mason jars that my mother used for canning pickles and green beans.  I remember Mom soaking cucumbers in lime-water in a large ceramic jar.  I also remember my brothers and I sneaking lime pickles and green beans off of the shelf in the cool basement where Mom kept all of the vegetables she had canned over the summer.  So good!  I brought the mason jars home with me in hopes that they will work the same magic for me as they did for my mom.


Harvesting tomatoes, green beans and peppers from my garden

Hometown Friendships and Memories

My recent visit "home" to check on my dad was paired with the annual memorial golf outing sponsored by my high school.  By "home" I mean my hometown - a small farming community approximately 3.25 hours southwest of the Chicago area.   I lived in my hometown from the age of 5 until I went to college.  Soon after graduation, I took a teaching position in a suburb of Chicago.  My hometown is a peaceful community filled with beautiful people.  A small town of less than 1000 people, some of the points of interest include Main Street, a café, town vet, mini-mart, post office, a huge park in the center of town with a pagoda, a veteran's memorial park, a few businesses, a couple of churches and a golf course.  But the main point of interest is it's people.  Although it could be very irritating at times (especially as a teenager) to have everyone in town "know your business," it was also very comforting to know that whenever you needed anything, there was an entire town willing and ready to help.  When my mother passed away on a Thursday evening around 11:30 P.M.,  the townspeople had already started dropping by my parents' home with food and comforting words early the next morning.  It was incredible.

Although I do get back to my hometown quite often these days to make sure my dad is getting along okay, I only get to catch up with my childhood friends a few times a year.  One of those times is during the annual Northwestern Memorial Golf Tournament.  The purpose of this golf outing is to remember classmates who have passed away and to raise money for the high school and less fortunate students who attend the school.   I play with other family members as a team each year and my family's business sponsors a hole in memory of my brother who lost his life at the age of 19.  Several of my high school classmates/friends play in this best ball tournament as well.  After the golf outing, we meet at the local pub for drinks, food, music, sometimes karaoke or a few games of Cornhole, but most importantly - great conversation, reminiscing and a whole lot of laughs!

Who says high school friendships don't last?  The friendships you make during your childhood are with people you have known for decades.  I attended the same school district for 13 years.  During a 13 year timespan, I accumulated an incredible amount of memories and experiences with the same people.  The ride from childhood to adulthood is taken with the friends you make during your school-age and high school years.  The busyness of a career and raising a family will most likely take you away from high school chums for years at a time, especially if you no longer live near your hometown.  But once you choose to revive those friendships after so many years, it doesn't take long to reconnect with those friends who were so much a part of your life for so many years.

We like to use the golf outing as a great excuse to get together each year.  One friend is from Georgia, two of us are from the Chicago area and a majority of the other classmates are local.  Our lives have taken us in many different directions - different career paths, different family experiences and different interests.  But at the end of the day, we were all raised with basically the same values and we love to reminisce and celebrate fond memories.

Part of the week long visit with my dad took me to Springfield, IL, also the state capital, to the Prairie  Heart Institute to see the cardiologist.  Of course we had to stop in Beardstown, IL to grab some watermelon, muskmelon and Calhoun peaches!  Dad loved stopping at all of the farm stands with me.  We enjoyed fresh treats of melon, peaches and cream, and fresh blackberries from my dad's farm.

As my friends and I sat around the table at the pub the other night speculating that some day in the near future we could possibly do a "Girls Vacay" - maybe a trip to an island or a cruise - I realized that it didn't matter where we reconnected.  It's not the hometown that brings us together.  It's all of the fond memories that hold us together.  It doesn't matter how much time has elapsed between visits.  Every time we see each other it's like it was just yesterday that we were walking the halls of Northwestern High School.