Rainy Day

Cool and rainy in the Lou this morning -

and I have lots to do today -

working out at the gym 

(for the 3rd time this week, no less!), 

using new moisturizer,

finishing up a presentation for Adult Ed on the Camino,

a meeting about possibilities

and...

well, that's it!

Don't envy me my busy life!

But, this afternoon, I may just color;

found THIS online

and it's too good not to share.

May have to print off some of these sheets for Art Camp!

 Grab your Crayolas and join me - 

You know you want to!

Retirement update

Its not that I can't fill up the hours:

I'm reading.

I'm facilitating outreach projects for the parish and the Diocese.

I chair the Missions committee.

I Co-chair the Stewardship Campaign.

I joined the Rec Center and am working out x3/wk.

I read.

I'm working on projects around the house.

I've reclaimed all of the yard I care to tame.

I've met friends for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, Happy Hour and tapas.

I meet friends for movies.

I've traveled to contiguous states to visit family and friends.

I swim.

I walk.

I write.

I've caught up on the all the popular media I care to.

My blood pressure rarely gets raised.

I don't obsess about the state of the country - or the world.

Retirement is nice;

it's as if I've found a 'Mute" button and have set it as my default.

And that's the problem.

I miss living with passion.

I miss having a job that takes all of who I am. 

I miss feeling consumed by what I'm doing.

I miss feeling passionate about how I spend my days.

I don't want a job or new career that depletes me;

I don't want to go back to that.

I don't want to place myself last.

But living a muted, nice life isn't who I am.

It's not what I want.

I have NEVER worked 'just for pay'.
I won't start now.

Even on the days I hated, I loved my job.

I knew I was making a difference

I'm still looking for work that has meaning
and that completes me.

Other than that,
things are fine.

Too bad that's a huge piece that's still missing!

Off the Radar...

although I'm not sure why!

If you're looking for a wonderful 'feel good' movie -

one that makes an amusing point about social media

while reminding you how important it is 

to know what's important in your life -

your passion, your family and your work -

you MUST see 'Chef'!

It's a gem!

Summer

What a glorious summer this has been!

Moderate weather

with cool spells leading to the AC being off 

and windows being open;

NO WORK;

lots of small catch up tasks around the house, 

volunteer projects

and

road trips to see some of my favorite people 

while discovering new places.

This past weekend included
yoga on a beach with a niece

before traveling on to her sisters home in an adjacent state -

 with accommodations that surpassed any B&B

 because it was filled with beloved creatures

 and people!

A recent trip to Grand Rapids, MI took me to 

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park;

walking around a 132 acre park, 

filled with beauty,

was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

(A kids area that made us all sad we didn't have small children anymore 
so we could play in the water feature and sand pit - without drawing suspicion!)

I LOVED the Queen Bee -

 
 but realize I was only ever a worker bee!

For all my Camino friends!

I especially loved hillsides covered with wild flowers...

It was wonderful!

Add in a delightful restaurant for brunch

and you have the recipe for a near perfect summer weekend!

Life is good, my friends!


"You do get to a certain point in life where you have to realistically, I think, 
understand that the days are getting shorter, 
and you can't put things off thinking you'll get to them someday. 
If you really want to do them, you better do them. 
There are simply too many people getting sick, 
and sooner or later you will too. 
So I'm very much a believer in knowing what it is that you love doing 
so you can do a great deal of it."
Nora Ephron