Retirement is coming, and it’s gonna be a ball.
Not the kind of ball Cinderella went to, or the Marine Corps Ball my parents went to when I was a kid. Not a volleyball that I really enjoyed in college, but it might hurt my hands now, unless they have Nerf volleyball for seniors.
Wait a minute. I’m not really a senior. Am I? I don’t feel like a senior. Okay, I am 60, and I am tired more than I used to be… Oh, let’s not go there.
Let’s go back to the ball! For me, having a ball is going to be writing, painting (both art and walls of my little urban cottage) puttering around the yard as I sculpt mother nature just a tad, and naps! I love naps. That would have sounded boring to me 30 or 40 years ago, before I had kids, but ever since I had kids, I love naps – even though the kids are grown – maybe because I don’t get a lot of naps.
I also want to do some swimming. I miss swimming so much this time of year, before the water is warm enough, which now is in June. When I was 18, I went into the ocean in March. Yikes! But I still love to swim. Maybe I’ll join a club where I can swim year round.
So the ball of retirement is coming one step at a time. It will be process, but the ball is rolling! I’m taking vacation time, and in about two months, I’ll be cutting down to working one day a week at the agency where I do counseling. I want to keep doing my stress management group, cause I always need reminders about that. But some day, I’ll be a full time artist and writer and putterer – puttering around my back yard.
I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do love snow globes, and I have a plan- a plan to have a ball as I slide down the water slide, a slow but not that slow water slide – faster than a lazy river anyway – into the lovely pool of retirement, which for me, will be full of creativity and service work without all the paperwork, and puttering, and naps – naps on the beach!
I think I need some practice!

Photo by JoAnne Silvia
I bet you can guess today’s Stream of Consciousness prompt. If you’d like to have a ball, visit Linda at :
http://lindaghill.com/2016/03/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-1216/
Here are the rules:
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.
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8. Have fun!
March 12, 2016 at 7:09 pm
Reblogged this on Loving Me, Too and commented:
Getting ready for the next big step in loving me, too.
March 12, 2016 at 7:50 pm
Naps on the beach, I love those too!
March 13, 2016 at 12:03 am
They have been some of my best naps. I think it’s the sound of the waves.
March 12, 2016 at 9:46 pm
This is great! I love the photo! Swimming sounds great, and creating and puttering. I’ve never been a napper, but then I don’t have kids. Congratulations!!! When I left agency work (counseling), I did not miss the paperwork one little tiny bit! It just got so humongous toward the end…insurance and legal paper paper paper and new computer programs to learn. So glad that’s over for me. You will love retirement! Yay!! You may have to buy some new jeans for the ball!
Peace
Mary
March 13, 2016 at 12:09 am
Jeans and yoga pants. 🙂 I can tell you understand about the paperwork. It is definitely humongous. What’s funny is that I first read that word as “humorous.” I must want it to be humorous instead of overwhelming. I’m going to cultivate some humor. Thanks for the encouragement, Mary!
March 13, 2016 at 4:19 am
Best wishes as you roll into retirement!
March 13, 2016 at 7:59 am
Thanks, Joanne! It still seems like a dream.
March 13, 2016 at 7:01 am
Oh I’m so happy for your JoAnna. You are going to love it as much as we did! Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤
March 13, 2016 at 8:00 am
Thank you, Natalie! ❤ 🙂 It feel sort of like Christmas coming when I was a kid.
March 13, 2016 at 9:08 am
Beautiful photo!
March 13, 2016 at 10:02 pm
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
March 13, 2016 at 10:48 pm
You’re welcome!
March 14, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Bonjour JOANNA
Le Bonheur est une plume
La plus légère qui soit
Jamais assez belle pour toi
Ma Plume je la partage avec toi
Le Bonheur se cueille comme une fleur
Il faut prendre soin avec précaution
Il faut attention que celui-ci ne se fane pas
Par ces petits mots de Bonheur
Passe une agréable journée
Prends bien soin de toi
Bises , Bernard belle semaine
Je t’offre un petit café ou tisane
March 15, 2016 at 8:12 am
Thank you, Bernard. I’ll enjoy the tea. I hope you have a good week, also!