And so, it has arrived; the end of the year 2009. Put a fork in her, she's done. Our first full year in the 'Zona is complete. And what a year it has been! After leaving teaching in the summer of 2008, we have had quite a ride through the trying times of adjustment to retirement. There have been some very exciting things for us (maybe not you).
The year started with the kids in the house. Jim and Deb lived here as did our grand dog Akkadian. We had plenty of room, we got along and the laughs were constant. When the housing market out here and everywhere was in the pot, Debi looked into buying a house and found one about a mile from us. She asked her brother to move in (and pay rent), and so they moved in the summer. The downside is, they took my grand dog who is now relegated to visits and Grandpa dogcare while Deb is at work. I'll take what I can get!
I started off the year in a position with Westwood One Radio as a newswriter, editor. I was working overnights writing stories for the East coast. It was a good job, but rather stressful and I was not happy doing it overnight. Had I been doing it during the day, I probably would have stayed. But, I left to work on a book which I should finish soon, and play homemaker.
Dorothy changed positions with her school, and is happier now. We have taken many side day trips to the area surrounding Phoenix, but our favoritie is Laughlin, NV, where we go out into the reaches of the desert and into the mountains to see various sights and ghost towns.
The Cubs disappointed me again. So did the Bears. The Diamondbacks were not much better than the Cubs, but they were not a tease. They started off bad, and stayed there. The Cardinals (football Cardinals) have given us many good Sundays and Jim and I now get together on Monday evenings for "Victory Pizza". Papa John's offers a cheese pizza with a topping for each TD the Cards score and doubles it if they WIN! Fat guys love this offer!
Another great thing about this year... I have started playing golf regularly. Don't be concerned though, I am still awful. It does give me something to do weekly and gets me out of the house. Golf here is not expensive in the summer, especially when you play in the middle of the day in the 110 degree heat. Jim and I have no one on the course to bother us, and we need the space, believe me! I get to see the entire course on some days, and on some days I actually play the middle. I have become friends with some of the people in the houses that rim the course.
As the year ends, I always try to put out new ideas for the next year. I hate to call them resolutions, because that means I have to try and keep them. But "ideas" are things that could be out there, if I so choose. So, here goes:
1.) I will lose weight. (notice I did not say how much.)
2.) I will finish the book and get it published. (By end of spring, I hope.)
3.) I will get a tan. (No problem with this one.)
4.) I will try and find a part time job. (I am running out of beer money.)
5.) I will exercise regularly. (Walking to the refrigerator will not count.)
6.) I will read my Bible more often. (Something everyone should do.)
7.) I will keep in better contact with friends. (They, in turn, will be better at contacting me.)
8.) I will love my wife more. (Is this possible?)
9.) I will cuss less.....(Allright, this is just a hope, but if I do #6, it might happen.)
10.) I will write my blog more. ( Meaning in a regular pattern.)
One final thing. I put out a call on Facebook for my friends to tell me what resolutions I should adopt. The one mentioned the most is, "Be nicer, especially to former students." Would you guys really want that? I mean, if I was any nicer, you'd think there was something wrong!
Love to all of you, and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Doughnut
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