Hello on Tuesday Morning

Dear Friends,



In a little over an hour, I will be heading off to Retro Fitness. I decided to return to the earlier time since there are fewer distractions. This doesn’t bode well for Linda’s sleeping as I open and close the garage door. No, I am not going to park the car outside in the driveway. Getting into a cold care with frosted windows is very appealing especially if it snows on the night that I decide to leave it outside.



Yesterday turned into a very pleasant day. I was at Walmart poking in the ice-fishing gear department just before picking up those artificial logs for our fireplace when Linda called. Linda talked her girlfriend, and they made arrangements (with their husbands) to see a noontime showing of the Sherlock Holmes movie. The movie had a lot of action compared to the Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce black and white Sherlock Holmes movies that were on television when we baby boomers were growing up. I can see where film makers would have to create more action in a movie to attract the younger generation. The movie was very good, and it ended so that a sequel must be on the horizon.

The fun and merriment did continue right across the street form the theater in downtown Pittsfield. We went to a Japanese restaurant which has south county roots, but decided to be part of the Pittsfield downtown revival. The food was very good, and the movie had ended so that we were still in time for their lunch time menu.



Today, Linda has her usual Mah Iongg session from 11:30 AM until 4:30 PM. I was all set to go ice-fishing while she was doing her thing, but the weather is not ideal for me.

The weather channel says that we are starting off around 22 degrees, and the temperatures will be heading for the teens by noon and beyond. There will also be a 10 to 20 mile an hour wind.

I would have to go to a place where I can sit in my car while waiting for a flag to go up, or I would have to find a lake where I can drive my car on the ice.

I think that I can find enough chores to do around the house to keep me busy today.



We are out together this evening. We have an Irish Sister City meeting at 6 PM at the Pittsfield Public Library. I have to drop off my car at the local repair shop by 5 PM today since they have to finish what they started to repair on my Subaru last week.



There is some great ice-fishing weather coming up for several days’ right into the weekend. The nice weather starts to tomorrow, but I won’t have my car to haul my gear. The Queen thought that Wednesday would be a good time to deal with removing most of the internal Christmas decorations since we have one less car in our garage. The bucket brigade will begin on Wednesday after Linda gets through reading the local newspaper, and after she has one cup of coffee.



Observation – I met two friends yesterday who are nearing retirement age. Both friends had operations before Christmas. Both friends had to spend time staying home recovering from their operations. One has been back to work for a couple of weeks, and the other is going back to work at the end of January. Being in a semi retired state has changed their attitude about work. The one who went back to work does not love what he has been doing for years. The other friend, who hasn’t gone back to work, has started him thinking about his retirement options even more than before. The freedom to do what you want, and when you want to do it, is starting to look mighty attractive for both of these gentlemen.

Of course, my observation doesn’t apply to my readers who haven’t spent much time in the work force. These guys are in the 30 + years of working at a particular job.

You will know when it is time to retire! Linda and I did, and this is why we are currently enjoying life to the fullest during our retirement years. We love going to a noontime matinee. We love the flexibility of baby sitting a grandchild in Boston when the need arises. The ability to get on an airplane to visit our other grandchild in Kansas a couple times a year during non holiday (school vacation time which we were locked into) is another plus. If I want to go ice-fishing, I don’t have to wait until the weekend. To have the ability to play golf during the week sure beats playing golf on the usual busy weekends.



Well, I have to end this e-mail, and get to the gym.

Have a great Tuesday,

Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad