Last Wednesday I did my last cooking shift at the church. I prepared pasta, salad, garlic bread, and cantaloupe chunks for the clergy and office staff. The associate priest made his special family recipe for dessert-a four layer chocolate cake with alternate layers filled with marshmallow cream/chocolate chips and chocolate frosting/peanut butter cups, frosted with more chocolate frosting.
After I cleaned up the kitchen I stopped by the parish office and turned in my keys and grocery store payment cards. Both the business manager and his assistant are close to my age, and they both said they were envious of my new freedom.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday flowed as they always did. On Sunday morning, instead of scanning the newspaper before scooting out the door to get to the grocery store before heading to the church to have breakfast ready for the clergy at 10 am I thoroughly read the entire newspaper while enjoying a second cup of coffee. Hubby Tony and I took a mid-morning walk, which freed up the afternoon for time to do nothing.
Today would have been another work shift. Tony and I had our monthly Sunday collection money counting shift. Normally, after that's over I have to hustle to get back home and collect my things before heading back out for the church. Today I had no commitments, and all the time in the world. Tony and I ran errands, then went to a nearby park before heading back home. This afternoon I actually had time to read, work through a crossword puzzle, and tackle a project.
Wednesday morning I'm scheduled to do an exercise class at the Y right in the middle of what would be my lunch-cooking shift. I'm hopeful there will be more time during the day to do whatever I want.
And the good news is that I can repeat this pattern this week, and next week, and the week after that.....
Aww I’m glad you’re enjoying your free time to do whatever you want!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteWelcome to retirement! Yes, it's a pretty sweet gig.
ReplyDeleteI've stopped working a couple of times, but in the past I've quickly found something to substitute.
DeleteHappy retirement!! Enjoy yourself!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I plan to.
DeleteSounds like retirement. Savor every moment.
ReplyDeleteIt's now Day Two, and I am.
DeleteSavour that feeling of freedom - it's such a relief.
ReplyDeleteFreedom is a good way to describe it.
DeleteEnjoy yourself. Have some chocolate too.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Yes, sir :-)
DeleteYou sound so happy! Yay for retirement.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy doing what you want when you want! It is a pretty nice feeling. My weekly have to do appointment is get the pool water tested at the pool store on Mondays. Exhausting schedule!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I can make it to your level of non-commitment, but it will be nice to try.
DeleteWell, you put in you time and now you earned the well deserved freedom. Enjoy
ReplyDeleteRetirement sounds wonderful. I am edging toward it myself. I have been working for so long I think I have forgotten what not working actually is.😄
ReplyDeleteIn quarantine for the first time I had free time,
ReplyDeleteas I worked in my business 14 hours every day plus Sundays and holidays from 7 hours.
I didn't understand the time and during the quarantine I decided to do something about it and that's how I changed my profession!!
Time is the most precious!!
Enjoy every moment of your free time Kathy!!
Thank you. It's interesting to hear about your realization.
Delete