Everyone told me that retirement would be the death of me. I almost believed them. Except the day I walked away from the 40 years of my laborious career, was the day I rediscovered myself. I found out, I am a great cook but without enough mouths to feed. A gardener that plants where ever I put it giving little attention to its needs of light and water. My former excursions to the mall have been revised to take advantage of my local surroundings. With the abundance of auto repair shops (some though look abandoned) , I can always get my car fixed. And of course, I will never be out of apples.

In truth, I am where I belong. I live my days planning for travels and finding new adventures in a retirement community that meets my craving for friendships and activities that suit me perfectly. I am emancipated – work doesn’t need me anymore and I don’t need it.

I forgot so many things that I am now brought back to. I forgot that I can help family or close friends without feeling that they are intruding on my time. I realize how good it feels that all those holidays and late nights of work and corporate policies has rewarded me with the comfort of a new home in a new neighborhood amongst people just like me. I remember now how it feels to be part of a community and support my local shopkeepers by buying non-GMO meats, eggs and produce from the farmers who are are my neighbors and add to the local color of my village.

Many times, I’m asked “what do you do with your time”. Stock answer – “anything I want”. Sometimes that means staring at the TV in the middle of the afternoon or surfing the web (which by the way is done quite often in the work place as well).

My thought with this blog is to publish my experiences in travel and adventure, life in the Hudson Valley and provide inspiration to those who may want to come on the ride with me. Life in the garden of retirement.