Is there life after retirement?

It's been exactly 39 days since I officially retired from a career of weekly newspaper publishing. No more being on call to run to photograph a barn burning down somewhere in the boondocks at 1 a.m., or having to split my time on a Monday night covering a city council meeting at 5:30, followed by a school board meeting at 7 – and having to then write a report from both before retiring for the night as Tuesday morning's deadline time always seemed to arrive sooner than desired.

Admittedly, it's taken every one of those 39 days to adjust to a new routine.

I didn't walk away and begin a month-long vacation, and I still covered a couple of meetings in October.  Admittedly, I feared symptoms of withdrawal had I cut myself off completely from the "never-a-dull-moment" world of journalism. Transitioning slowly to a world of fewer deadlines and more freedom was my plan.

How's that working out for me, as Dr. Phil might ask?

Enjoying being busy and always having a 'to do' list I recognized, I still need structure. I am 48, and for 28 of those years, I worked full-time with the exception of a three-month period when I transitioned from working for someone else, to becoming editor/publisher of my own newspapers. During those first nine years, I rarely took a vacation. Even my honeymoon was just an extended weekend.

Six weeks after announcing retirement, I now have a short list of personal accomplishments that have led to a much improved sense of well-being:

• I finished the book I was reading and am now 420 pages into one of Oprah's book club picks.

• At least seven or eight bags/boxes of items I no longer needed were donated to Goodwill

• I began walking/jogging and lost 10 pounds

• I finished a quilt I was able to donate to a charity auction

• I've washed 14 windows inside and out – just a few more to go!

• I varnished the sills of several windows where rain soaked the wood because a window was left open while I was at work.

• The guest bed finally has a bed skirt on the bottom to hide the box springs – even though I spent a half hour ironing the darn thing so it would hang nicely!

What I've not yet been able to accomplish is the organization of my sewing room. (See photo.) Believe me, it took a lot of courage to share just how cluttered this room has become. But by doing so, I'm hoping to shame myself enough to effect change. The goal: 30 days from now post another photo revealing an organized sewing area!! 

Hmmmm. That's just 30 days from now .... December 8 ..... and I've got Christmas shopping to do, floors to sweep and vacuum and chickens to chase after all day ....