March 15th, Retirement Day--not mine

We surprised him with a small get together of close friends. I knew he wouldn't want me to fuss like I did for his 40th birthday, but it is a big day. A day to celebrate. He earned it. He has worked hard, out in the elements of the Arizona desert, under several changes of department directors, not all of them delightful. I sent him to pick up the pizzas while the guests arrived. I missed the look on his face as they all yelled, "Surprise!". I get to see his face every day. I watched him struggle through the overwhelming stack of papers to file. I listened, frustrated, as he went through scenario after scenario in case of his or my demise. Cried with him, thinking about the fact that we are entering that time of our life when, like it or not, we must think about these things. Like most people these days, we are uncertain how we will survive on a limited income. We struggled through, raising our two children, on adequate salaries that left little room for a retirement savings. There was always something that came along to claim the little extra money we managed to save. And then we, or rather I, became determined to enjoy life "while we are healthy and making a good living". My dad went downhill after he retired. Rheumatoid arthritis, "Uncle Arthur" as he called it, slowed him down until he couldn't move any more. He always enjoyed life. I am determined to do the same.