Getting off the grid
What does retirement mean to you?
I have observed that there are just about as many responses to the idea of retirement as there are people. Many count the days to retirement. They see it as complete freedom, and can’t wait!
Others fear that kind of freedom. They are convinced that they need to be contributing at all times, and feel driven to continue for reasons of self-esteem and/or legacy.
I believe this has a lot to do with early brainwashing. If your parents are driven to contribute, than you may also have that driving spirit. If your parents look forward to retirement as reward for a job well done, you may too.
My family is the hard-driving type, and my siblings also feel that they have no purpose if they cannot work.
My new husband at age 50 saw things differently. Because of serious health issues, he wasn’t able to hold down a 40+ hour a week job past age 60.
When I first met Mike ten years ago I was still quite driven. I launched myself into my new writing career with my usual enthusiasm and stubbornness, convinced that I could make it big as a blogger and author.
Over the past ten years my attitudes have changed dramatically. Mike has convinced me that being hard on myself and driven does not lead to contentment or even a happy life. It just leads to frustration with myself and others.
At what point is it OK to give yourself a break and say, “You are fine just the way you are.”
I have given much thought to my feelings about myself when I die. I do not believe that I will feel any better about myself then, if I produce more books or make any more money.
My time now is mine, and I plan to spend it doing whatever I choose, not feeling driven by my fears or my ego.
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A Good Morning in Retirement
Honestly, I cannot believe what a shutter-bug I have become since moving away from the city!
First thing I noticed this morning, as soon as I woke up, was the beautiful sunrise to the east of our home. We can thank the fires out west for the brilliant red hue, but this truly is a beauty!
Then I took a walk down below our home through a Pinyon-Juniper forest. Below is a large horse ranch. Those horses have no idea how good they have it! Or maybe they do….
Looking back up the hill I got a great view of our new home. Did you notice the wires running above the roof? That’s our new lightning protection system. Can’t be too careful up here!
Did you notice the snow up on the West Spanish Peak? Yesterday we had our first good snow storm up on the Sangre de Cristos…
And when the clouds cleared, we saw this!
How did I end up here, feeling so fortunate?
It’s a long story, one I can now share with you in my new memoir!
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October in Southern Colorado
This morning we woke up to heavy fog and 44 degrees outside.
But, per usual, the fog burned off to reveal a great view of the Spanish Peaks and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range.
Up high the leaves are changing quickly and falling down, but at 7,000 feet it is still cool and beautiful.
In the small town of La Veta, the first Saturday in October is reserved for Octoberfest! The whole town shuts down with Main Street closed to cars, so vendors from everywhere can sell their wares…
….to the tune of a German band, the smell of freshly roasted bratwurst…
….and a darn good antique car show!
What’s not to like about that?
Looking forward to another amazing light show tonight, like the sunset we had here a few nights ago.
To learn more about how we ended up here, living in a solar home in the Colorado outback, check out: A Memoir of Retirement: From Suburbia to Solar in Southern Colorado… Also, please follow me on Twitter!
The Aspens are Golden This Time of Year!
I had just been up to Cripple Creek on Friday, so I knew the aspens would be perfect up at Cordova Pass yesterday. It’s south of here, off the Highway of Legends.
At 11,248 feet (3,428 m)), Cordova Pass lies on the western shoulder of the West Spanish Peak. The drive up there was gorgeous and made so much better with the fact that so few people are ever on that road.
And when we got there… WOW!
I didn’t know this is also a wonderful place to view wildflowers in mid-June. We also stopped off in the tiny town of Cucharas (altitude 8,468 feet), and made a reservation at the Timbers for Mike’s upcoming birthday.
Then we came home to see the Broncos win again, observe another gorgeous sunset over the Spanish Peaks, and then a beauty of a lunar eclipse!
“I just want to live happily ever after every now and then…” — Jimmy Buffet
Adventures of the NEW??? Old Farts 
