Back to School Flyers

Has anyone else noticed that the 'Back to School' sales seem to be starting earlier and earlier? I swear I walked into Staples near the beginning of July and they had all the school supplies laid out. I can understand that people may want to plan ahead but it makes a teacher's (even a recently retired one's) heart do a little flip, and not for joy either.

Now that it's just a week before school starts I notice all sorts of things affect me differently than they did when I was teaching. I saw some yellow leaves on the road today when returning home with groceries. Normally that would give me a little stab of anxiety. Not today.

At the Co-op on a Monday there were a whole lot of people with grey hair. I thought to myself that this is the retired set that I'm now part of. Every other summer I've made no attempt to get into the habit of shopping during the day on a weekday because I knew that it would be short lived. I'm thinking that Monday afternoon might not be such a bad time besides with all that grey hair around the carts seem to move more slowly so it's easier to zip in and out of traffic. Well not really traffic exactly, but not so dead you could shoot a cannon down the aisles either.

It's a strange transition. I don't feel like one of them. I also don't feel old enough to have an account with Elderhostel but, man, do they have some cool trips. In addition to shopping on Monday, or Tuesday or whatever day I want, I'm starting to think that three holidays a year would be good. Something pretty in the fall, something warm in the winter, and something in the summer if whatever it is isn't offered at another time.

Although most of the time I don't doubt my mother's wisdom I'm beginning to wonder about her assertion that once you're retired you don't need to spend as much. That may be true when it comes to 'need' but 'want' is something entirely different.

So, what am I looking forward to?

Going to bed and sleeping until I wake up.
Sitting in my PJ's with a cup of tea looking up whether Celestial Seasonings still makes the cool brew ice tea.
Hanging out in my shop making boxes and firewood.
Going for a walk in the middle of the day.
Taking my bike out and pedalling to the zoo to take pictures.
Riding the bus around the whole loop.
Going to a movie in the middle of the afternoon.
Having coffee with friends.
Having lunch with friends, the same ones or different ones.
Taking courses perhaps in watercolour painting, or djembe.
Thinking up projects to build and then building them.
Being able to make appointments during the day without having to call a sub.
Lying on the couch and reading a book all day if I feel like it.
Actually watching TV, although it is so far off my radar I'll have to make a point of it.
Touring around the city taking pictures of the fall colours.
Having to actually pay attention to school zones.
Getting back into the gym habit so I can run some more half marathons.
Eating when I'm hungry instead of trying to fuel up for four or five hours.
Being able to go to the bathroom without having to do a safety assessment first. (Is anyone likely to punch anyone while I'm gone? What if the principal phones when I'm out? What if there's a lockdown?)
Relative silence well as silent as it can be with two budgies and a cockatiel. Getting in the car and making a trip to see my aunt in Drumheller.

I'm sure there are a bunch more things I haven't even thought of but that will do for a start. Of course there will be days when things don't go right and I get grumpy and I'm sure there will be things about teaching that I'll miss, just not yet.