Write,
paddle board and travel: a new life chapter begins on Monday
As I’ve mentioned, I retired January 30, after owning
and operating Tutor and Spunky’s Deli in Dana Point for 26 years, a job that
kept me very busy.
People ask, “Now that you’ve sold the deli, won’t you
get bored? What will you do with all of your free time?”
If the first two months of retirement are an
indication, boredom is the least of my concerns. I’ve been busier than a
cranberry at Thanksgiving.
When a small business is sold, there are a myriad of
things that must be done. Usually, the seller agrees to train the buyer for a
period of time. In my case, I spent 120 hours working with the new owners.
And
then there were tax returns that had to be prepared and filed. The federal
government requires that business financial records must kept for up to seven
years. So, those records must be packed and stored in case the government asks
for them in the future.
Some people who are already retired told me that I will
wonder where the time goes. I fall into that group. No boredom yet.
Newly retired people are asked: “What will you do with
your time?” My answer is pretty simple: Write, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, and Travel.
As far as writing, I plan to continue with this
complimentary Life and Love after 50 newsletter and my newspaper columns as
well. My first published article on love after 50 was published on July 4,
1994--almost 21 years ago--in a local Dana Point, California newspaper. The
situation hasn’t changed much for older singles, other than Internet dating,
which didn’t exist back then. The most-asked question I hear remains the same:
“Where are the men?”
This week, a Champ wrote, “I am retired and would love
to meet an available, honest, adventurous man. Where is he? I am fun, smart, spiritual,
good looking and healthy. I love my family, friends, animals, and ENJOY my
life. I am so ready to meet him. I am 70 years young, please pass this message
on.”
I replied, “I wish I had an easy answer for your question. Finding a good
quality mate after 50, 60, 70, and beyond is difficult, for both men and women.
But it does happen.
“I tell older singles that they need to get out and about and
meet new friends. But where to go?
“One example, here in Orange County is on the last Thursday of
each month, Tutor and Spunky's Deli, 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point,
92629, hosts a Meet and Greet for singles 50+. Anywhere from 25 to 75 people
attend, depending on the weather, what's going on in the world, and other
things.
“You could attend and check that out. Making new women friends
is essential and that is a good place to do it.
“Also, dating online is certainly a mixed bag; there are jerks
and scammers out there. But, there are also nice people and that might be one
of the tools you try. Just proceed with caution.
“Attend as many social events as possible. Go to them to enjoy
and not expecting to meet a man. It sounds like you have great credentials. Get
out there and show the world you are a confident and positive woman.”
Regarding stand up paddle
boarding (SUP),
one of the most important things for retired people is exercise. In
anticipation of retirement, in October I decided to give paddle boarding a try.
In Dana Point, where I live, we have a protected harbor that is home to more than
3,000 yachts and sail boats. Unless the wind kicks up, the water is quite calm
and paddling is a pleasure.
Three
times a week, at least, I launch from a place called Baby Beach. Sea lions and
birds enrich the experience. And except for the board and the paddle, the sport
is free. For people who don’t want to paddle, walking around our harbor is
great exercise.
This week I was thinking I had become a pretty good
paddler; I hadn’t fallen into the chilly waters in a couple of months, although
it seemed others were faster than I. Then, an old-timer paddled by and said,
“You’re dragging your leash (which is secured to your leg) in the water; it’s
slowing you down.”
Yup, he was right. Adding to the drag was a large clump
of seaweed. I placed the leash on top of my board and wow, I noticed a
difference right away. In retirement, there is a lot to learn.
As
far as travel, when I met my life partner Greta 17 years
ago, one of the characteristics we had in common was a love of travel. True,
when I owned the deli, we were able to get away on several trips. But, as those
of you who own or owned a small business know, you aren’t totally free when you
travel because you think about whether the business has enough money, or
whether a refrigerator breaks down, or any number of possible problems.
Now, I won’t have to worry about deli issues. Our plan
is to travel as much as we can as long as we are able to. Our first trip begins
Monday. We are off to Austria and Central Europe for seven weeks, which
concludes with a two-week river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. If I hear of
any romance-after-50 stories on our travels, I will share them with you.
At the least, I will be posting details of the trip on
my travel website blog. So, I will be mixing two of my retirement activities,
writing and travel, while we’re gone.
As far as stand up paddle boarding, I doubt if that will be possible
on the Danube or Rhine rivers. I guess we will be doing a lot of walking
instead.
Here is a link to the website. On the home page, click
on the travel blog tab. I hope you
will follow us and email your comments. www.TravelAfter55.com.
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