Retired

It is official I am retired as of 5pm tonight!!!!

My sweet husband gave me a retirement party at a local restaurant with family and friends. He kept it a surprise until he showed up at work pacing waiting for me to be done all dressed up ????

He was a wreck and so funny. I am so lucky to have some who loves me enough to get that all together.  And he did a great job too!

This afternoon the skies opened up and the hail and rain just poured down. They are replacing water pipes all over Main Street, they blocked the street drains, so we had water lapping against the building! yikes! 

My replacement cut her leg very badly and she cannot work so I worked alone the past two days, no training. I get a phone call from the office asking me to work just one more week. I said no. Then one of the managers came in to supposedly to wish me well today. She says, "So you are working tomorrow, right?" No this is it. I never got a call from my other manager, and we have known each other since I started 19 years ago. Never got a call or an email from the director of the agency. I stood in that store after the lights were out thinking I have spent the better part of 19 years here and unless I was willing to give more, they had no interest in talking to me. I left dry eyed and thankful I am now free of them. I know it has been only a few hours, but I feel like a weight has been lifted. 

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On another note, I was asked if the lady slippers were in my yard yes there are 4 in my front yard but some on my walk also. I have a busy week ahead a dance recital and then some time with my sweet hooker friends at the beach and then time with my dear best friend. It is starting with a bang!!! Have a great weekend!

Easy living

Not much to show you but it has been a busy week.

So, I will show you my walk this morning.

The weather this weekend could not have been better. 

I worked my last Saturday and yesterday I spent the biggest part of the day on my porch reading a crazy silly book that made me laugh out loud. I just could not get out of my own way yesterday. I did get a few things done but nothing earth shattering. 

Today we headed to my brother in law's for a BBQ

and lobster rolls. Most of the family was there and I got to see the newest family member baby Wilder. There is nothing like snuggling a baby and sending them back to mom lol. 

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I have agreed to work 3 extra days to train my replacement.

I feel like it is the right thing to do, and I hope to give her a good start. So Friday June 2nd will be my last day. 

Have a wonderful week!

Be Happy

I finally got to go out to dinner with my sweet friend. Her birthday was in March and because of schedules etc etc we never got together. Well last night was the night. I got to treat her to dinner, and we had a chance to talk and laugh and catch up. I am so looking forward to more time with her this summer! She gifted me this apron for my retirement. I truly am happy when I am in the kitchen great gift. 

One of my clients Dad came in the with a dozen red roses and a lovely letter telling me just how much I mean to them. Such a thoughtful gift and so beautiful. 

And speaking of flowers my spring flowers here continue to bloom.

This is lily of the valley. I love it and I have memories of it when I was a child but where I planted it is taking over! We are going to try to transplant some where it can go as wild as it wants. 

And my all-time favorite wild lady slippers. 

I swear it grew over night! Right in our front yard too! I found 3 more on my walk the next day. They are such a treasure.

Oh, and speaking of treasure I went to the dump and low and behold Christmas treasure. This is one of the two boxes I took I could not believe they would stack it up among old tins and sports equipment. 

But I was happy to snag it not that I needed it, but I was not leaving it there to get broken. 

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We had a bit of rain today I am hoping it helps husband with his allergies. We have family plans for a cookout on Monday it looks like the weather is going to be summer like. 

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. 

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The tree in my header is blooming in all its glory!

It makes the whole yard smell and look amazing!

Our lilacs are in bloom too one of my favorites.

Johnny Jump Ups tend to jump up everywhere! 

And the begonia my daughter gave me last year wintered over and is blooming again. 

Remember I told you husband brought home a jewelry box full of junk and broken jeweler? Well, this was in it and have been looking at it not sure if it is crystal, but it reflects the light so wonderfully, I just love it. I looked at it and thought it is so out of date, but I am wearing it anyway who cares!? I had sparkles of light all around me all day made me smile. Something I don't do much at work anymore ugg.

A friend who I worked with retired several years ago. Then she moved to Maine. We have stayed in contact over the years. She sent me a retirement gift! A very big gift certificate to king Arthur Flour and this serving dish made by a well-known potter in her area! First, I was speechless and then I sat down and had a good cry. Not totally sure why but work has been extremely stressful, and it was nice to be remembered. First, they were shocked I was leaving and now they are downright mad about it. I think they are more than shocked about the workload. I just did it and if I tried to get help there was always an excuse, so if I needed it done I did it. And they have no one lined up to take my job! They are in huge trouble, and they know it. We support developmentally handicapped adults in the job, so it is not just a bookstore. And I have complained about this way too much! Last time I promise! 

I spent the week with horrid back pain. I walked bent over like a question mark most of the week. I have had back pain before but nothing that lasts, and I always usually know what caused it this time I don't know? Stress, I guess. 

 

I am done my challenge stitching project I will show it when we all gather at Donna's for our "Summer Camp" at the beach in June. A few days at the beach with girlfriends and wine! Who could ask for more?  

I am almost done the 2nd block I was stitching so now to cut out and get going on #3. 

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Husband and I had dinner with Pam Bartlett and her husband this week she hosts the ATHA rug camp I am going to in October so it got me excited and thinking about what I will work on. I have Michelle Palmer for a teacher. I have never had her before and I am very excited to meet her and get hooking. I have lots of fun things to look forward to my grand is moving up to middle school. Not sure how that happened? And she has a dance recital with her toe shoes this year all very exciting.  

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Have a wonderful week!

Stitching Time

I spent the day cleaning my porch getting it ready for the summer. We have a lot of pollen so I am sure I will have to do this all again, but I got the winter layer off. 

I found a potted Hosta that I forgot I had covered it up for the winter and completely forgot about it. But a plant has gotta grow I guess so it is in the sunshine for a while so I that it can get its color and continue to grow.

On my walk today I walked by the farm. The owner of this farm just died he was only a few years older than my husband and it was a quick illness. I wonder if his cattle miss him. His Children are taking over for now not sure long term what will happen, but I feel so incredibly sad about it all. He always seemed so healthy and always in the fields or the barn. 

I haven't done much in the past week but clean and garden so tonight I am back at stitching, and it feels pretty good. 

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My husband is feeling much better after having Pneumonia. Tonight, he is off to a friend's house to play a little pool tonight for a while. It will be good for his spirits. 

Not many days of work left they did offer me a bonus to work the month of June I said "no" I walked into my little bookstore and the woman who owns the ice cream store that we share a space with said I will give you a 1000.00 to stay the month of June! I just laughed she said not enough name your price! LoL she was kidding of course (or was she???) If nothing else, it was an ego boost that I did make an impact just running a little bookstore with handicapped adults.  

Have a great week!

B.R.E.A.T.H.E.

Starting on Saturday the beautiful weather came in and it has been glorious. I got some walks in, and some yard work done. I could smell spring in the air! 

I found some true may flowers. The scent is amazing for such a small flower. 

My gardens are just starting. 

I think I appreciate spring all the more because she was so slow in making her appearance.

It was vintage fair weekend a busy fun weekend and just before it started husband started coming down with a cold. Very long story short husband just got out of the hospital with pneumonia. He is responding well to the drugs and hopefully he will rest and not push himself to get to yard work to soon. 

So, for now we both just need to Breathe. 

Who's Counting?

Week 3 and the germaniums are coming right along. 

We have had so much cold and rain, but good weather is on the way!

I hope to get them outside at some point.

We have had lots of flooding from the rain. This is the Pemigewasset River it is over its banks. (It is behind where I work) Which happens with long periods of rain.

I now have a head cold! Trying to stay out of my husband's way he and his brother are selling at the vintage fair this weekend. His brother and wife will stay with us Friday and Saturday. It is always a busy fun weekend. They are supposed to have wonderful weather after all this rain. So, I hope they sell sell sell!

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I called Social Security on Monday to find out why I haven't heard about my application for part B. They never got it! So, I quickly get work to sign the paperwork saying I have full insurance (again) as I am over the open enrollment period. And I drove that paperwork right up to the office. She was able to do it right then and there so all signed up! Now to get the other parts. Work was very generous and said I could continue to work as long as I need to. I thanked them but I need to get on with this retirement thing! Lately there have been a few deaths not in our close circle of friends but people we know that are not that much older than we are. Boy would I be mad if I dropped dead before I got to enjoy retirement! 15 more working days but who's is counting?