Since announcing my retirement in January people at the hospital and in the community have been so kind. In some ways it's been sort of like being able to attend your own funeral, which is really kind of cool. As you know, a funeral is where even those who didn't necessarily like them will manage to say nice things about the one who has departed. I've appreciated the kind words while I remain somewhat in an upright position and am going to believe they came from the hearts of those who have said them. Other than family who may not necessarily "get us" but have come to "understand us" the conversations about retiring and future plans have with most people been eerily similar.
They go something like this:
Nice Person: "So I hear you're retiring?"
Me: "Yep, it's been a great career but it's time to call it a day and turn it over to someone younger and smarter than me"
Nice Person: "You're way to young to retire!" (No one has mentioned the "smart" thing)
Me: "Stand back and watch".
This is where I also try to convince them that I'm way older than I look and they could have enjoyed looking much younger than they really are if they had only lived a good clean lifestyle like I have.............take as long as you need to recompose yourself here before continuing.
Nice Person: "So what are you going to do once you retire?"
Me: "Beth and I are looking forward to a few things. Helping take care of her mother, yes the one who named us the "Traveling Idiots:". Spending time with Ben, Sarah, Joey and in July welcoming "Sweet Baby James". We also love to travel and are looking forward to discovering new places and revisiting some of our favorites around the world."
Nice Person: "So you're buying an RV?" If you're thinking that right now please go back and slowly read the underlined section before continuing.
Me the first hundred times I was asked about buying an RV: "No, we're going to enjoy travel around the US and overseas."
Me now that I've been asked this a couple of hundred times: "Yep, found one with pontoons that will allow us to float to New Zealand in the fall."
These are great people many of whom were my friends until reading this and realizing they had had that conversation with me. There is nothing wrong with an RV other than it limits where you can go, unless you fit it with pontoons. Our plans will include planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships and who knows what else to get us around.
Our plans are a little out of the norm. Sarah has said we're going to be gypsies. Our friends Ed and Judy Laue have a term they use for themselves that we like to borrow and that's "hobo's with a credit card!"
I believe Beth was born with a passion for travel that is almost unmatched by anyone on the planet. I had this passion buried a little deeper and thankfully she brought it out of me. We've seen so many amazing things and places. I hope to give you a little insight as we go along but more than that if you're saying to yourself "I'd like to do what they're doing" my prayer is that we run into you somewhere out there.
