Retirement Has It's Challenges...

How does one stay organized after Retirement?  I really wanna know!

I admit, I have been very undisciplined and disorganized for some time now.  Last year's frequent, monthly or bi-monthly trips to California really took a toll on pretty much everything in our lives....especially our household, yard work, de-cluttering, production and keeping in touch with friends.

Before that, I had strained my right forearm/elbow and then twisted my ankle, so long periods at the computer came to a quick halt.  I could not stay on the computer as long as I had in the past.  My ankle was so sore I had to elevate it and ice it and despite trying to balance my laptop upon my lap, I was not successful...

Since the beginning of the year I decided to dive into my painting and see if I can make some extra money.  I have going back and forth between my writing (blogging) and my art and my writing has always been the priority, until my girls started having so many kids...

I went from three grand sons to four and now my youngest daughter is having my first grand daughter this April, which will make my fifth grand child!  My husband has six grand kids, so together, we will have ELEVEN!  He has six grown children and I have my two daughters, so again, together, we have EIGHT kids.

I would LOVE to move back to California...but I would have to drag my husband kicking and screaming.  Each trip, he is a non-stop complainer with the traffic getting from one home to the next.  I am grateful it is only a three and a half hour drive; and I am also grateful for Face Time and Skype to visit with the kids when we are here in Nevada...but it is not how I envisioned my life to be with our close family...

I have also promised myself this year to lose weight and I am happy to report I have lost ten pounds.  I am also volunteering one day a week at St. Jude's Thrift Store and joined the Women's Auxiliary.  Getting myself back on a schedule is the key...but it has been so very challenging.  Much more so than I figured.

My Mom's back has really been bothering her and I am very concerned.  I have been doing my best to convince her to come stay with us for awhile, but she insists she has too much to do.

She makes counted cross stitch Christmas stockings for all the great grand kids and her poor arthritic hands are moving as fast as she can to keep up.  Not only my two girls had children, but my brother's daughter and son in Ohio are each having one too.  If she did consent to come stay with us, I would have to bring her big magnifying mirror and all her cross stitch stuff too!

I have so many projects on my list and it seems the list keeps growing rather than getting shorter.

My long range goal is to find a way to incorporate my art, my blogging, my yard work, housework, and visits to California to see our children and grand children and still have time to have a life and spend time with my neighbors and friends.  It's not easy...

Is there anybody else out there having the same challenges?  Anyone have any suggestions?

New Beginnings...

Today I received my blood test results on my cholesterol.  I have genetically high cholesterol and have finally found a good primary care doctor who will listen to me and work with me so I don't have to take medication.  My cholesterol and triglycerides zoomed up past the 300 mark, so we decided to put me back on the medication, only this time, a lower dose.  It is working.  I also take triple strength fish oil,  1000mg  twice a day with EPA @ 540mg twice a day and DHA @ 170mg twice a day.

My numbers improved: cholesterol from 267 to 198, triglycerides from 307 to 220, LDL from 149 to 101, HDL from 57 to 53 and my ratio from 4.68 to 3.74.  Imagine how good my numbers would be if I lost weight???  My doctor told me once I lose my weight, there is a good possibility I can go back off the medication.  That is my goal!!!

My husband is bionic.  He is borderline diabetic. He has the same good doctor I have, working with him on his diet so he does not have to take medication.  He has dropped another point on his glucose, lost 5 pounds and his cholesterol is 142! The rest of his numbers are better than mine and he is eight years older than I!
I found the 5 pounds he lost.  I am heavier now than when I was pregnant with my first child, when I gained 80 pounds!!!

We are going to start working out at the gym in our community center.  I HATE GYMS...and I HATE WORKING OUT.  I would much rather dance.  So we are going to compromise.  If I go to the gym with my hubby, he will go dancing with me.  Wish me luck.... I get totally grossed out by other people's sweat on the machines...even if they disinfect it after use, like they are suppose to.  It still G-R-O-S-S-E-S me out!!!

I was informed this month my current health plan (Pacificare) will no longer have a contract with Nevada in 2011.  I have to choose another health plan.  The only health plan where I can keep my current primary care physician, is an HMO called Health Plan of Nevada.  Everyone says how terrible it is.  I called today and the people who work the phones and answer questions for the coverage, could not have been nicer or more helpful.  The premiums are a good $20 per month cheaper and the co-pays are $5 less for seeing my primary care doctor and for prescriptions.  It is $10 less to see a specialist.

The big problem is, I will have to find a new GYN, dermatologist, and eye doctor.  I am still researching and seeking advice from a woman we know who helps my husband with his Humana Gold Plus Medicare supplement plan.  He has awesome coverage!!  I have to decide before end of December.

My husband was approved and has received two unemployment checks.  We are meeting with our financial advisor again to finish getting our financial ducks in a row...hoping it will be enough to live on without having to get a job right away... We are having several conversations on planning on what we will do with our time, so we are not sitting in front of the TV or the computer all the time...

The one thing we have agreed on is, we do not want to get into a routine or have any kind of a schedule....except we might start eating our biggest meal of the day at mid day.  I always wanted us to do this but never could when he worked, because he got home so late.

I accompanied my husband to his doctor appointment today.  When we told him my husband finally retired, he was as happy as we were!!  He told us he was envious.  He asked what our plans were and then went into a litany of fun things for us to do.  "Whatever you do, don't sit home on the couch!" he told my husband...

He summed it up perfectly by telling us, it is our new beginning...