The Liars Club and Skype

One of the fun things about being retired is watching the "old" men solve the problems of the world. Whether it is the Romeo Club, retired old men eating out, or the Liars Club as our group at McDonald's calls themselves, you can go in any restaurant for breakfast and see them! Our bunch averages 8-20 each morning including both men and women arriving and leaving at different times. Woody and I are in the late bunch that arrives about 9:30AM...we don't like to get up early! I can remember my dad taking Woody to his club at Gigi's in Jackson...girls weren't allowed!! While there are multiple social outlets for seniors, a breakfast bunch is more engaged with each other. When one gets sick or has problems, the group rallies around and helps. It's almost like an office without the work...but yes, there are still tiffs and politics just like in any work or social setting. I tend to observe more than participate...not sure why, but I think it reminds me a little too much of high school plus I still have to work a day or two here and there so I'm not consistent with attendance.  Ed, Woody, Bill and Ron are the core of my main men...not sure who the gentleman in the back is! This 4-some runs and plays when the wives let them...exciting trips to the tool store, the KFC buffet, and to buy tomato plants on Dickerson Road...wink, wink...inside joke!

The nice thing about retirement is you can sit and chat without time constraints and really engage with your friends who are also retired...Jane and I debrief when we both show up at the same time! We send the boys off to their own table and then we talk about them. The bad thing about retirement is that your friends who aren't retired yet don't have as much time to just talk. You need to make an effort in this time of email and instant messaging to talk. We get so busy that we don't just sit down and chat about everything and nothing. This is what our grandparents used to do on the porch with a glass of tea as the neighbors stopped by...now we do good to connect via facebook and email. Our generation is losing connections that our parents and grandparents took for granted. HOWEVER...thank goodness for Skype.

I finally had to break down and buy a new computer and I made sure that it had a built-in webcam.  Then I signed up for Skype and was able to chat with my kiddos and grandkiddo while seeing them. For grandparents with grandchildren out of town, it is absolutely wonderful. And of course, it is free! You can also add a web camera to your existing computer set up. The one thing I haven't quite figured out is just how good I have to look before I accept a call! You can also schedule time to chat but that takes away the spontaneous "look at my new whatever Mimi"! I guess our kids love us regardless of no makeup and flat hair. It is so easy to Skype, but my friends at the Geek Squad can help you if you need it!

And for those of you complaining that I don't update enough...just deal with it! I have a life outside the box! Retired and loving it! Have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend...and your assignment? Talk to someone for longer than a nanosecond! Hugs!

Tap Shoes and Birthday Parties!

I don't know where to start! We've been home since the 20th of February and have been so busy that I've neglected my dear diary of retirement! My most fun things are too numerous to mention, but you know me! I'll try to recapture them for you. I am getting a pool, which you saw previously so we've spent hours working in the yard destroying my beautiful rose garden...hopefully it will arise a bit further back in the yard behind the pool!

Then...tahdah! I had three birthday parties! and I got presents!! and you know how I love parties and presents!!! My first party was with a huge (try full sheet!) cake decorated in Notre Dame colors and presented to me at McDonalds by my favorite husband. The fire marshall wouldn't let them put 60 candles...yes, I'm 60...so they had to use the little 6 and 0 candles...thank goodness or I would have singed my hair trying to blow out 60 candles. We fed everyone, including the wonderful staff at Mickey D's who take care of us so well every morning! My loving daughter came for lunch and brought me Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies!! A personal favorite. She does know her mommy. My next party was at Long Hollow Jamboree. Hence the tap shoes from my dear friends Bill and Jane. You must have tap shoes...you even see taps on cowboy boots!! We've started going to the Jamboree every Friday night to have dinner and dance..or try to dance. The cheeseburgers are devine and Woody loves the always gourmet "half pound of ground round"...he feels so cosmopolitan! Shades of Clinton in the 50's! Ask him about that! We've learned the two step and watch the cowboy cha cha but we're not quite ready to tackle that yet! I do the electric slide with Jane, which for those of you who don't know...it's an old line dance from the disco era countrified.

My third birthday party was with my cohorts in crime..our dinner club...three of the girls are turning 60 this year! Cindy in April, Donna in July and Holly in about 12 or 15 or 18 years! She lies about her age so we really don't know when she'll get around to 60...we do know she's much younger so we keep her around to bring us chocolate when we hit the nursing home! She's promised to visit. We had a wonderful dinner at Macaroni Grill, and then back to Donna and Mike's for cake and ice cream. We had a bonfire in the fire pit and watched Roy play with psycho cat! Psycho cat used to be really sweet until Emily left it too often with Mike! I think he did something to the cat! I got flamingo beach towels for the pool, a wonderful book and chocolates and great accessories for my guest bath! The only problem...I gave up chocolate candy for Lent so it's sitting and waiting for me to open on Easter. The older I get the more compliant with Lent I think I need to be...so I'll just wait on the candy!

Hugs to all of you! I'll try to do better with keeping you updated on the exciting life of Woody and Pat at home...rare though it is!