Routines?

I talked yesterday with friend in Illinois who is still in the rat race of education. He was telling me how full his schedule was this past week with homecoming and everything. When he asked me how I was doing, I replied, “Oh, nothing new out here. My schedule is not as full as yours is.”

After we finished and I folded my phone (no one hangs up anymore.), I began to think about my statement. Nothing new? How about turning off the airconditioning? Losing weight? Starting a walking regimen? House work daily? The book? Oh, No! I have nothing new! It's the same old routine.

I mean, it does not stack up with the excitement of grading papers, planning and teaching lessons, filling out endless meaningless piles of paperwork, dealing with uncooperative and unappreciative students and parents and administrators who are clueless. But retirement is somewhat stressful. I mean, do I use a nine iron or a wedge? That alone stresses me considerably because I don’t hit either very well. Do I eat lunch at Subway or McDonald’s? Both offer senior discounts and apparently I pass for someone over 60.

Then there is the endless housework. I have a new appreciation for women that are stay at home mom’s or even for those that work and keep a good house. I try to get the dishes done early in the day, then do floors, make beds and clean toilets. On non-golfing days, this is done by 9AM, on golfing days, it goes by the wayside. I do windows once a month and the yard weekly. How the idea of the woman sitting around all day eating bonbons got started, I will never know. I mean, this is hectic, hard work. I never have time to bake a peach pie or whip up a batch of cookies, let alone sit and watch Oprah or Dr. Phil!

My walking regimen is just getting started. By the time the housework is done, I put on my Nikes, plug in my IPod and go for a twenty minute walk through the neighborhood. All the other mothers and retirees are beginning to look for me, and we exchange greetings. I just do not have the time to stop and gossip; although I am sure I will someday.

The creative non-fiction book about my youth is stumbling. I had hoped to get it done by the end of September, but that went by. Now, I am hoping to get it finished by Christmas. Hopefully, it will be out by late next spring. I was having trouble deciding which stories to include, because there are so many stories of my youth, and the old memory is fading as I get older. That is why it is partly fiction! I can use basic events, and then enhance them. It is strange that as I reread the story, there are no villains. No villains, you ask? Nope, you’ll just have to buy it to see if you are in it!

So, the day is off to a good start. And, since it is Monday, I am off to the golf course to see how many balls I can lose. I hope your routine is well established. And remember the line from the old TV show, “Hill Street Blues” “Do it to them, before they do it to you.”

Doughnut