Becoming a Retired Senior: How Life Has Changed

The thing about working is that really, there are certain weekly purchases that you never think about. Groceries. Gas for your vehicle. Dog or cat food. 

So, now, as a retiree, everything has changed.

Canada is not much of a coupon paradise! Before I quit work, I used to imagine retirement. In my mind's eye, I saw myself and Bob (my darling husband) sauntering over to the local Starbucks and relaxing over a cappuccino and reveling in the beautiful West Coast scenery. Added to that scenario, I saw myself searching online for the best bargains at various grocery stores and grabbing coupons--online or from other various sources--and wandering purposefully down the grocery aisles in a coupon stupor of bliss. 

WRONG!

Sadly, my first scenario was quashed by the vagaries of illness and death. I still plan on spending some quality mornings by myself, over at Starbucks, but just...not...yet. Maybe in the Summer when mornings are sunny and hot. I'm an unabashed Morning Person. 

Secondly, the retirement-couponeer scenario has also yet to come to pass. I don't know where those elusive coupons are hiding but the ones I see delivered to my computer are not really the ones I want or need. I have become an obligate vegan now and all I ever see are coupons for meats! My monthly Gardein(R) vegetarian food coupons won't even print on my printer! (Nice company: they are sending them via snail mail.) [btw, it's only their coupons that won't print, thankfully. Others will.]

That leads me to the most touching problem. Money. Lack thereof. Instead of making the rounds of grocery chains, I make the rounds of dollar stores to find cheap brands of products such as freezer bags, handiwipes for counters and the like. Even gardening supplies now come from the dollar store. I don't know why, but I find this situation distasteful. I just wish I could buy the usual namebrand freezer bags at the usual, conveniently-close grocery store and be done with it. 

Last week I had to limit the number of times I went out for lunch with friends and family, simply because I budget a certain amount for gas and for entertainment (and it's like once per week). I don't usually give excuses but it does hurt me to say "Sorry, I can't" even to my family. 

Wonder if there's anything else around here that I could sell on Craigslist? LOL

I Met A Nice Young Man Yesterday!

You need to know that I'm having a little drywalling done. Unfinished basement will now be useable space (yay--it's only been 9 years and counting). Such is life: you turn around one day and you've been living here a decade. Where did those years go? So, lately, there have been a few tradespeople on the premises to give quotes for the job.

As far as drywalling goes, this job is fairly straightforward. One small bedroom, a laundry room and a hall cupboard. Ceilings. Some pot lights. A couple of bulkheads. I have been thoroughly impressed with the professionalism of each company that I have dealt with so far.

But yesterday, I met a nice young man. He was here to represent his drywall company and to give a quote.

That man has no idea that he may have changed my life from now on.

Of course he was professional. He was gentle. He was kind. He was respectful towards me. More than that, he spoke of his parents with Olde Worlde admiration and respect.

He'll never know that he got the job because he's a dutiful son. He'll never know that I admire his attitude in a life where adult kids do their own thing and try to "fit in" visits with their parents when it is convenient for all parties. He'll never know just how impressed I am with his family ethic. He'll never know.

I might add that I have not yet received his quote for the job but when I do, I am awarding the contract to him. My own dear Son #1 says, "Mom, you don't know if you really like him until you get the price." Except that I do.