GrowingOlderHopeWiser

I am six months into my retirement, and so far, I have had only one relapse. I needed to return to work. Nevertheless, I realized my wish for freedom from punching the time clock was greater than my wish for money. After just two twelve-hour shifts, I quit!

What does this freedom translate to? Well, it is still a work in progress. I am an introvert and not very into group activities, so the Condo clubhouse activities do not interest me. I prefer to relate one-on-one. I have a roommate, and I think older folks should have some companionship and not live alone. With that being said, I have made progress in keeping myself busy by myself as much as possible. My activities include drawing, painting, writing, cooking, and baking.

I did join a few Facebook groups: NeuroClub – for NeuroGraphica and Art lovers, Linocutting|carving|printing|making|art, and BLACK CATS. These groups keep me busy. I contribute little drawings and printmaking. I also dabble in photography. I chase my cat around with the iPhone to take pictures.

From the back of my closet, I pulled out the old easel. I grabbed the acrylic paints and brushes. Then, I did my first post-retirement painting of the tattooed frog. I am pretty rusty, but I had fun.

My activities include writing poetry, writing for this blog, and writing in my journal. So far, close to 35 posts have evolved into a memoir and random thoughts blog. This niche is different from others I have seen.

My roommate reaps the benefits of my cooking. Like my Aunt Mary, I love to cook gourmet meals. My cooking is international, ranging from Latin to Italian to Indian. For example, I visited Puerto Rico in my kitchen on New Year’s Eve. I started by making Coquito drinks. I used a can of condensed milk, a can of evaporated milk, and a can of coconut milk. Then, I added a cup and a half of rum and a cup of vodka. I poured this mixture into a 50 ml empty water bottle and chilled it. Next, I made a “Pernil” pork shoulder. It was roasted with a Puerto Rican marinade. The marinade included olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, and white vinegar. I also added garlic, oregano, cumin, and paprika. Finally, it had adobo seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Blend in a blender, pour over the pork shoulder, and let it marinate overnight. The finishing touches of our modest meal for two were white rice, black beans, Puerto Rican-style, and fried sweet plantains.

I have also been baking; I recently made Amish-style Cinnamon Bread that turned out tasty. I’ve baked Cuban, Italian, and Brazilian Pan de Bono. I even made Pretzels!

Retirement has not been easy. It is still a struggle to balance energy and creativity with being an introvert. I will share more of this journey. Hopefully, you will give me a like and share any comments or ideas for retirement with me.