Tag: joy

February 20th – Another Week of Retirement

by annemariedemyen, posted in Updates - February 2022

I never get tired of appreciating my relatively recent retirement. It has been almost two years now but I don’t think it will ever get old! A year ago I was celebrating my first year of retirement, when I wrote this blog post…

https://seclusion101withannemarie.com/2021/03/04/another-week-of-retirement/

Amazingly, there is still not a day that I am not thrilled to be reminded (several times) how fortunate I am to be retired.

  • When I get up in the morning, pour my first cup of coffee, I am reminded that I have nowhere to be but home. 😊
  • When I look out the window and see the snow and ice. “Sorry all you people heading to work!” Not me. 😊
  • When I turn on my computer, go to Facebook and see on Messenger that my ‘workmate’ is signed on – at work. “Have a good day, Kori!”. I will not be in the office today – or ever. 😊
  • When I vacuum or dust or do the laundry or clean the kitchen or the bathroom. Yay! So nice to have the time and energy to keep our home neat and tidy. 😊
  • When I get up feeling sick or exhausted because I had a tough night with little sleep. Yay! I do not have to drag my weary old butt to work. 😊
  • When my husband has days off – on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. YAY I am home to spend time with him. 😊
  • When I make a special meal or bake cookies or a cake. Yay! I have time to be a homemaker. 😊
  • When I have an appointment to see my doctor or dentist or hairdresser or Kat’s vet. Yay! I have time to take care of myself (and my little dog) 😊.
  • When I am getting ready for bed. Yay! I do not have to get up in the morning to go to work. I can just look forward to another day of retirement. 😊

I have so many reasons to be grateful, and it comes so easily! That is one of the best things for me in retirement. I have the time and the mindset to appreciate all of the blessings in my life – versus being crushed by all of the responsibilities and stresses and drama of being gainfully employed. (I loved the work that I did. I just didn’t love everything it took out of me – especially for the last couple of years that I worked.)

Spending time with Kat – today and everyday 💞😊💞

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day!

Changing Seasons

by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

The struggle is real. Moving from summer to autumn, in Saskatchewan, just doesn’t work for me.

Trading the summer heat for the autumn chill does not work. Trading bright sunny skies for dull, overcast ones does not work. Trading green grass, thick lush trees and colorful summer flowers for the depressing dying plant life of autumn definitely does not work!

This morning Kat and I headed out for our morning walk. We took a route that we do not usually follow. We trod along four or five kilometres of city sidewalks. It was ok. The weather was warmish. The people we crossed paths with were friendly.

Finally we reached our neighbourhood park. I started to take more notice of the nature around us.

The grass was pretty sad looking.
Some of the trees were looking downright depressing.

And then I saw IT!

A perfect golden leafed tree framed by brilliant blue sky.

It is amazing how one can find so much peace and joy and hope and beauty in one glance. I could have been looking in the wrong direction and missed it. I could have been shuffling along staring at the ground and feeling miserable and I could have missed it. But there I was, walking through my favourite little park, looking for peace and hope and joy and beauty and BAM there it was.

Wishing all a great day – or at least one perfect moment. 🤗