Joining the Y

I came to exercise late in life. In fact, I had never really done any sport, or had any active hobbies until I was about 48.

What do you do at a sports club? What is in the back pack or sport bag that everyone carries? What is the protocol for the locker room? Showering with other people around---Not me!

Well, I did join the new Fredericton YMCA. I went with my friend, Janice. It was easy to follow along, but I had scouted the place out the week before, while she was away. I didn't want to show how dependent I was and frighten my only friend away!

The great thing about the Y, is that you have a meeting with someone who shows you around. And, just like the Running Room, there are people of all ages, sizes, shapes and fitness levels. There is something for everyone!

I discovered I love Aquafit! Me---who avoids getting my face or hair wet! But, the pool is warm, and once you get in, which I do immediately, you warm up pretty fast! Especially in Ashley's classes.

I have tried out the equipment, but am saving that for another time. There are some yoga classes that I tried out, and will go back to.

Best of all, I signed up for Fitness for Newbies. Joan put us through our paces, and upped the fitness level a little at a time. She prepared us for the types of steps we would encounter in Group Active and Group Power classes, so that we would feel confident.

And confidence is what it is all about. I have met another Janice, and we are becoming friends, with walking and talking visits. I try different classes and try to go to the Y four or five times a week.

And, the locker room, showers and even the steam room is just fine! I come out of the Y with a smile on my face, and a spring in my step. You can teach an old dog new tricks!

6 Months of Retirement

Well, we did it! We have made it through six months of retirement, and we are still smiling at each other! In fact, it has been quite delightful to have time to ourselves, and Tod and I have found that after 32 years of marriage, we still have the romance, friendship, and interest in each other.

Because, this has been a test. We moved here without knowing anyone. Luckily, our first tenants decided the location was so perfect that they bought the lot beside us. So, while they lived in our house, their house was being built. Being close to hand meant, that when they needed landfill, they called us up and we were able to benefit with a lower price, as well. A great basis for friendship.

But, our neighbors have turned in to more than sharing a few truckloads of earth. We watch out for each other, share the snow cleaning, pick up fly away garbage cans on windy days, and share in the making of a batch of wine! Good friends, indeed!

But still, not wanting to impose on the only people we know on a daily basis, meant that Tod and I have spent a inordinate time together--and it works! We both like to read, share duties in the kitchen, work on the landscaping and do a little exploring in our new province.

We also have time to do our own thing: Tod likes to train for half-marathons. I go to the Y. Tod does some engineering for a local company, and I work on the blogs, knit, and sew, and bake.

We keep in touch by email, phone and text messaging with friends and family, and have returned for one visit in November.

Our most exciting news is that our daughter and son-in-law are expecting their first child, so we now have a new role as Grandparents to be!

I am going to resume this blog, now that I figured out my username and password! Being retired is great--lots of time to figure things out!

Retired and Moved 1600 kms in one day!

Well, if you're going to make a change, may as well make it big! I finished work on Friday and left my house of 30 years on the same day. Surprisingly, I was not overly emotional. My partner thought that perhaps I would be too upset to drive, but as I headed down the highway, I kept smiling at the thought of arriving at my new home in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

That is not to say that it was easy leaving a group of wonderful friends. But, in this day and age of social networking, instant communication I have more contact than ever with family and friends. I know--not the same thing as dropping in for a cup of tea. But, pretty darn close! In fact, I often did not drop in, because we were so busy with work, that I never wanted to leave the house once I finally did get home.

I see what my nieces and nephews are doing, and I hadn't seen them for years before the main life events of the past year: my father-in-law's passing, and my daughter's wedding.

So, we are here. I already met a gardener on the Tran-Canada path, and after complimenting her garden, she told me to come back to share some plants. I will get real soil, first. But, in the meantime, perhaps she wouldn't mind some willing hands to weed in her garden, while I pick her brains!

It is a good life transition.

Paperwork . . . GRRR!

It seems that official paperwork causes headaches. I hate looking through documents that I should have filed logically. I suppose logic is causing the problem, as is organization. What seemed logical at the time, has become illogical. It's a moving target. So, I have procrastinated. Where did that marriage license go? Luckily, Service Ontario is pretty quick and it came today. However, the scanner has decided to go to the dark side. Maybe, snail mail is the way to go.

So much for becoming a techie. Every time I try something new, I seem to find it takes longer. I am starting a list of what to work on in Retirement: this blog, filing logically, organizing paperwork in one place, and keeping a list of where everything is in a separate, logical, place and telling my Type A family member and friend where it is, so when I panic, they will remind me where everything is!

Oh dear . . . how did I ever manage to do my current job so well? I was organized for everyone else, I think!!!!

Autism Awareness Day - April 2

Today is Autism Awareness Day. Check out some of the buildings in the world who are lit up with a blue light to help spread the word about the need for more awareness of this developmental disability.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means that there are a wide range of abilities and disabilities.  Each person with autism is unique, and can present with mild, barely discernible impairments to severe language and behavioral delays.

Families, and those who work with children on the spectrum need lots of support. They need research, advice on best practices, sensory needs, and language development. Behavior needs to be shaped to help each person develop his or her full potential. And families need the support to meet the needs of everyone in the family. Some of the people I admire who work with children with autism are Educational Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Case Managers, Doctors, Therapists, Speech Therapists and Speech Pathologists, and teachers and principals and school secretaries.

There are many unanswered questions about autism: What causes it? What are the interventions? How can you get supports? What is the best way to treat it? How do I support someone or a family with Autism?

For more information, or if you can donate toward autism research, check out the links below.

Links:

Autism Canada | Autism Speaks | Autism Ontario | Autism Canada Society | Geneva Center

Books:

List and short Description | More books |  Carly's Voice |

Ending and Beginning

My father-in-law passed away this week. Our large families met to mourn his death and celebrate his life. His very good friend, Father Tom Mohan, Father Higgins, and Father Doug said mass for him. Our own priest, Father Frank McDevitt once said that saying the funeral mass for people is the last gift we can give the person.

Well, Bob DeCourcy's funeral mass was uplifting, touching, inspirational, and beautiful. Father Tom spoke about the goodness of Bob and how God wanted us to take the lessons of Bob's goodness and use them in our own life.

I will miss Bob, as I have missed losing him to Alzheimer's Disease. He was a wonderful father-in-law, with funny, silly stories, words of wisdom, and he was an example of how to react to most of life's challenges. He was not always right, and nor are we. Bob could change his opinions eventually, when he should. He loved his family. He loved his wife. He loved his friend, and he loved his God.

We loved him.
As Bob's life came to an end, my daughter Kyla is marrying Ryan McNeill. The wedding will be April 14th, 2012. What a wonderful celebration of publicly acknowledging their life, together as a family. Generously, they are hosting their wedding for family and friends. All cousins and aunts and uncles will be attending, so let the dancing begin! Her Grandad, Peter Baxter, and Grandparents Jane and Bob DeCourcy, and Ryan's Grandmother will be with us in spirit, encouraging the Circle of Life to continue.
Best wishes, my beautiful daughter! Welcome, Ryan! You will be very happy, together.

Clearing the Head Space

I am practising a non-schedule. It is harder than I thought. There have been a few moments of panic when I woke up and realized I had no schedule. . . rather, I hadn't made a schedule to follow. This does not mean that I have spent my life writing up what I have to do. In fact, I hear my friends chuckling because I am not that organized and often have to ask what day it is. But, in the life of working person, your day is limited by what you HAVE to do, not always what you want to do.

So, the lesson this week has been to realize that I can do what I want, when I want, or when I feel like a change. I eat when I feel hungry. I cook because I like to cook. I knit because I want to, and it is going well. I give myself a break when it is not.

I could get used to this.

Writing: Slice of Life

As you may have noticed, I did not keep up the blog on Life Long Transitions, nor did I ever complete the letter to hand in my notice of retirement. All is well, and I am now preparing that letter for the appropriate time.

That time, is June 29th 2012. That's it! The right date. I tried for this past December, but for me the end of the year is always June. The time of ending. The chance to reflect and prepare for the next year. The gift of having another chance to be a better teacher, to learn from more children. I will miss it.

But, life always produces new challenges and provides gifts of learning through new people. I look forward to continuing my life with Tod. We have taken January to June as a chance for him to make the transition to Fredericton, and for me to join him at the end of the school year. Visits between now and then confirm the love we have for each other. It also confirms that we are persons in our own right, not just a married couple. We bring each other gifts of friends, interests, and solutions to problems.

Tod has a chance to set up his own routines, and develop himself without the stresses of working full time. He has a time to explore our new city, and take advantage of what it has to offer to him. This individual time apart has brought us an awareness of what is important to us.