Preparation H (horrible)

"Plan for what it is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small." Sun Tzu, The Art of War

I woke up in a panic this morning.  What if my hubby were to become gravely ill or suddenly pass away?  Awful thoughts at 4 am just as the sun is rising, the birds are waking on another great day of adventures to come!

Hubby handles the finances.  If you knew me, like I know me, you would not let me near the money side of the relationship.  I know where everything is related to housing the finances, the legal stuff but what about those monthly pains....bill paying?

My thought was when this happens and it will, we should have a book that chronicles what we do each month to keep our lives moving forward in the orderly fashion that it does.  There are no bill collectors, no repossessions, no robbing Peter to pay Paul.  Life is smooth through the long term and excellent planning of my financially brilliant husband.  He keeps me in "loop".  I sort of pay attention.

Well now I am at attention!!!  I suggested my thoughts to hubby; that he starts recording all the transactions he does each month (mortgage, taxes, heat, light, etc) and I will contribute records of what I do each month to keep the household running....play games on my iPad!  He made light of my suggestion.  If I should fall first, he decided that he will stock up on paper plates and then just eat over the sink!  

All kidding aside....I noticed he bought a new little book today filled with blank pages!!!

Retirement........the digilent planning never stops and gets more emotional.

Those were the days my friends...

We thought they would never end.....everyone sing with me! I ran into a former colleague of mine today.  Hubby and I were going to visit our favourite Vancouver city garden - Van Dusen Gardens.  There was a home renovation show going on in the Floral Hall.  I saw a commercial vehicle with the company name of the owner that was a friend and colleague while I was working at the Better Business Bureau.  I have not seen him since May 2012!

I realized very quickly after I had my beginnings into "jubiladas" (okay, retirement), most of the friendships I had while working softly ended.  I never thought they would.  Another epiphany in life...it is important to grow, care for and harvest friendships in both worlds - Work World (WW) and Play World (PW).  Those people who forgot their family and PW friends through their career may have experienced a loneliness after leaving WW.

I still have some very important friendships that have stayed with me throughout my career.  I have friends from my Rogers/Shaw Communications days (20 years of friendships), my BC Apartment Owners and Managers Association days (13 years) and my final hurrah, my Better Business Bureau days.  WW friendships take lots of hard work because they are initially based on sharing common pains and joys of building successful businesses.  Some friendships, I found out after I retired, really did not get passed the initial phase.  We did not work hard enough to find common ground in the full scope of our lives.

I was sad at first when I realized how superficial many relationships had been.  I was a conduit to something they wanted for themselves.  

It didn't last long folks!  I have a sweet life with amazing friendships and loving family surrounding me like a warm blanket.  Stay true to your good friends and love your family to bits. Cheers!

Please don't put off what you can do today, until tomorrow....advise from best friends!

My husband Dan and I have been friends with Pat, Wayne, Terry and Dave since 1969!  We have gone through our own weddings, births of our children, the trials and joys of raising children, our children's celebrations, weddings and their own births and our retirements. The six of us have traveled together, have camped together, have played together for so many years.

There were some sad and frightening times in our relationships and unbelievable joy. No matter what happens in our lives we continue to connect.   Pat and Wayne moved to Vernon very shortly after they retired.  Terry, Dave, Dan and I continue to live in Richmond.

This morning Pat reached out to us to tell us that a close and old friend of theirs from Halifax (the rest of us know him from the past) just passed away from a terrible, painful disease....bladder and liver cancer.  Pat and Wayne knew how sick he was but did not know that he would pass away so quickly. They had just spoken to yesterday and expected another few months to "keep in touch"!

Last week, this fellow told Pat and Wayne not to put off what you can do today, until tomorrow!!!  Pat and Wayne shared that message with us this morning.  Goodbye Skip!  We are glad you are at peace.  

Hello Pat, Wayne, Terry and Dave!  Aren't we lucky we still have each other to say hello to?  As Pat ended her message this morning...keep in touch!

  

It's all fun and games.......

I started a funny hobby....it came about at my daughter's place in Calgary.  Daughter Laura's little girls call me Bama, instead of a "grandmother" moniker.  Granddaughter Lily is 8 years old and Esme is 4 years old, soon to be 5.

Laura, Lily, Esme and I were romping through fields of canola somewhere in Alberta - of course, Bamaflague had to be born!  The word was invented by my daughter who is the inventor of all things silly and willy!!  Participating in Bamaflague is voluntary but I must be present!  In this picture we have Lily and Laura who couldn't resist jumping in!

Then we took it to a whole other season, again somewhere in Alberta.  You will notice no one else is participating.  I did feel a little lonely but still quite enjoyed the game.  You will note that I blend in beautifully - even my hair.  You can see in the second picture, Laura and granddaughter Esme obviously did not follow the rules....there is no Bama in Bamaflague!  

Well folks, the game is back on!  We have a "Bama" in the game.  We have some interesting masks and Laura is following the rules of the game!  Yes, you can see our faces but because of the masks you probably are not sure who is who! Well done!

Back on home ground, Bamaflague was well played in a field of Yarrow and other wild flowers.  Some bees participated but that was about it.  I still enjoyed the game!

Twin sister Karen got caught up in the frivolity but apparently wasn't listening closely to the rules..we can see her face!

It's all fun and games, especially when you are surrounded by friends and family AND you are retired!