I’d mentioned in a couple of earlier posts that I was closing in on retirement. That date (last Thursday) has come and gone, but passed barely noticed in the context of my son’s serious injury.
Nate update: his condition has been upgraded from Critical to Serious and he’s been moved from the Intensive Care Unit to a Trauma Unit (which has three levels of severity, he started in their “most severe” wing, but may be moved again, to a “somewhat less severe” wing if he continues to improve). The bandages have been removed from his head revealing what will eventually be a wicked-looking scar. With the dried blood and 65-70 staples that are currently holding the scalp together, he looks like he just stepped off the set of a dystopian science fiction movie. He seemed fairly “with it” when speaking. But when I later stopped by his apartment to pick up his mail, his roommate mentioned that when he asked Nate yesterday what his freelance business was, Nate answered painting. My boy is not a painter. This may be a long road.
So Thursday was my last day at work. Cake and handshakes and hugs. Then out the building, dropping off my badge with a security guard at the exit.
I have some definite plans, and some nebulous ones. Plan Number One is to be a househusband. I’ll be doing many more of the household chores, having dinner ready for my wife when she gets home from work (she’s several years younger than me and plans on remaining in the workforce), and puttering around the yard more. Expanding our garden next spring. More reading, and hopefully more writing.
I still hope to be able to make it to Steemfest4 but as there are so many unknowns with my son, that it’s a bit of a question mark. Depending on how his cognitive testing and rehabilitation go, there’s the possibility that he’ll need to move in with us for care, a home office could potentially be converted into another bedroom.
And there are many thing that I want to study and learn, either independently or in classes. Story structure (most of my fiction has no framework), maybe some programming skills (starting with JavaScript to help build out the Steem blockchain?), possibly sailing lessons next summer, music theory and practice, maybe some time at folk schools learning old-time skills. I really can’t understand people who are bored in retirement and can’t find things to do with their time.
And I’ve no longer got the excuse that I can’t find the time to exercise. My son’s a big fan of LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio. I’ve mapped out a 4.2 mile route that I’m planning to do tomorrow morning, so I should have a good step-count for an Actifit post tomorrow. ;-)
The coffee house where I’m writing this from posed a chalkboard question. Guess which response is mine:
The meme may be by the prolific wag Anonymous. It was texted to me on my last day of work by a friend who might have found it on Reddit?
