New Year, New Way of Life

The holiday season has come and gone so people are back to asking me how things are now that my hubby has retired. This is when I have to confess that it's more like I'm the one that retired.

It used to be that I worked through the week at housework while he was out making a living. There were times when I truly felt overwhelmed at how much there was to do and how little time there was to do it all in. I had a schedule. There were certain things to do every day, or once a week or once a month. There was always a running list of chores and at certain times of the year they piled up because of extra seasonal things that got added in. Spring cleaning tends to start in January around here as tax season comes along soon afterwards and I do taxes for everyone in my family. Then its gardening season and apple season. It['s a lot of work just picking up the windfalls and making something out of them every day. Then comes baking for Christmas, which usually starts just after Halloween. Those pumpkins need to be used up you know. Christmas shopping, decorating and doing the cards rounds out the year. It doesn't help when I decide to get in on International card exchanges where I'm expected to design, draw and hand paint the cards myself.

Some people think I'm on the computer a lot but it's really only a moment here and there while I catch my breath with a spot of tea. And while I'm on there I'm doing my banking, paying bills, catching up on my business accounts, dealing with the martial arts federation and the school board as well as inquiries from students and would be students. I'm a pretty busy girl running a house and a karate club at the same time.

Normally.

The thing is, I never did any work when my hubby was home on weekends. He was off, so I was off and we were free to do whatever we chose to do with those weekends. But now he's home all day, everyday and I seem to be in weekend mode all the time. I've apparently retired too.

I didn't want him bored so I've included him in my social outings. That's good as he's making new friends. He's not one to sit idle so he has cleaned up his work area in the basement and now has a place to create things out of metal or wood. We had part of a huge tree taken down, so he's been busy cleaning up the mess made by that operation. If he has a spare moment, I catch him doing dishes or laundry or dust-moping under the couch. It's nice that he's willing to help me, but I must admit it makes me feel guilty. I'm not keeping up with my chores these days. In fact, I'm not on track at all. I really have to get back to my schedule. I'm already two weeks behind on the spring cleaning as all I've done so far is clean out a couple of kitchen shelves and done some of filing. As things stand I'm sure my hubby is now convinced I have never done anything around here all those years he let me stay home.

I'm not even getting my daily exercise as he keeps wanting to drive me everywhere I normally walk. But yet he goes for a brisk walk everyday. Between not moving as much around the house and not getting out for my walk while I do my downtown chores, I'm likely to gain weight, or stiffen up with age, or both.

Okay, so it's Spring Cleaning time.  Let's start with the light fixtures.  He can climb up to take them down one by one. I can wash them and he can put them back up. He likes to work so maybe I can get him to work for me. Maybe between the two of us we can get things done in half the time and still have time for us both to be retired at least part of each day.  We can walk down for the mail together, and then he can take off at a clip in whatever direction he wants and I can meet him at home. I like that plan. I never thought I could retire too.