Retirement?

Well, Elaine and I survived our first week of medically forced retirement It wasn’t easy. Thank God, this retirement is not intended to be permanent. If that’s the case we might need to buy separate houses.

Elaine works from home three days a week. That may change to five days a week, depending on the latest beervirus mask mandates.

I have no place to go, and no way to get there. Slightly more than two years ago, I was negotiating compensation for the job that I am now on medical leave. After salaries, insurance, holidays, and vacations were settled, a company vehicle was discussed. The company provided a newer pickup for all employees. I suggested in lieu of a company pickup, I would prefer compensation for using my pickup truck. My idea was rejected by management. It seems management thought advertising from door signs outweighed the benefits of allowing me to use my truck. I can’t verify advertising benefits, but I do know having the company name painted on the door will make you think twice before taking road rage to the next level. Not to mention it helps the state police track you down, should you ever be involved in a rather unfortunate broken windshield incident. That could happen!

While on medical leave (or any kind of leave) insurance company's rules forbid me from driving a company vehicle. This would not have been a problem two years ago before I gave my pickup to a sixteen-year-old Girl Twin. I am vehicle-less.

I don’t really have anywhere to go, and that makes me want to go all the more. Elaine is quite content working from home, entertaining herself playing with her loom and spinning wheels. For me, well there is only so much Food-tv a person can watch.

Me: How much longer are you going to work? Elaine: Maybe two hours, why? Me: I’m thinking we need to go to town. Elaine: Why do we need to go to town? Me: We’re out of milk. Elaine: We have a fresh gallon in the fridge. Go read a book. Me: I’ve tried, it makes me want to go to town.

Being stuck at home with Elaine has made me understand her job a little more. She spends most of the day, telephoning and emailing engineers for information to add to digital drawings that were due three months ago. She makes minute changes to drawings that, coming from a construction background, no one gives a (construction language) what the title block looks like.

I’m not saying I expect retirement is always going to be like this, but so far this is it. Elaine working three days a week, me watching Elaine working three days a week. Me, staring outside, where my pickup previously sat. I spend a lot of time on the internet reading about lost freedoms. The founding fathers couldn’t have known how much freedom you lose when you give a grandchild your pickup. Oh, I could buy another pickup, but does that make sense, (cents)? Get it?

I’m really looking forward to my second week of retirement. The electrical co-op sent an email stating they would be shutting off power to the neighborhood from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Wednesday. they had earlier thought the backout would take place last week.

For people working from home, blackouts are a problem, a big problem. No computers, no emails, no phone calls, no lights, and no television. Now here’s the problem with country blackouts, no water. Water is pumped from wells underground. It takes electricity to operate pumps. Toilets are not functional, no bathing, no dishwashing.

I will be able to fill orders for Your Daily Fiber. We have solar lights in the storage containers. Buy yarn!

Our crazy lives!

Monner