The Retiring Sort

To Keep or Not to Keep? The Trials of Downsizing a Household

Posted on April 18, 2013 by The Retiring Sort

OK, fellow boomers – let’s say you’ve been living in your house (or carrying stuff with you from house to house) for thirty, forty, or fifty years. You probably have things stored in the attic or basement that you haven’t seen for years. Could be like Christmas opening the boxes you find there – all kinds of surprises!

If you’re particularly sentimental, or you’re a little indulgent, you may also be “storing” some items for one or more of your kids. Things like a piece or two of furniture, souvenirs, artwork, musical instruments, sports equipment, or (let’s just say it) forgotten junk. And because the baby-boomers are also the sandwich generation, many of us have ended up with an accumulation of assorted important stuff from our parents’ or grandparents’ homes.

When our grandmother passed away, our grandfather had died just a few months earlier. Mom was just not up to cleaning out their retirement apartment, but we had only a short time before another month’s rent would be due. So, my sister and I shared our first experience with sifting through a lifetime of memories. We found some wonderful treasures, each took some household items and mementos, set some aside a number of things for our Mom, and then donated the clothing and remaining items to Goodwill.

When my father-in-law moved out of his house to a smaller condo – and again later from the condo to an assisted living facility – he wanted to find homes for all of his precious belongings. And so each of his sons (who already all had fully furnished homes) ended up with some lovely little watercolor paintings, nice furnishings, and then some other things they really didn’t need but couldn’t bear to see thrown away. When my Dad passed away, I inherited a similar bounty from his house.

It’s been nine months since my Mom passed away. My sister and I have been gradually going through her things, donating some things, setting others aside for our children or grandchildren, and then deciding what things each of us would like to keep. Now, my sister has decided to leave the larger house she’s been in, for a much cozier and more practical place. So beside deciding about the last of Mom’s stuff, we’re working through my sister’s things as well…

… and all of this has made me keenly, painfully aware that I’m next.

I will have to go through 45 years of memorabilia, my dad’s certificates and papers, souvenirs of about twenty vacations, tons of CDs, videotapes, and DVDs, clothes in two or three sizes (for me and my beloved), and knicknacks from our parents’ homes. Then there are the camping, sports, and exercise equipment, tools in our wood shop, and many, many books, And my kids’ toy box full of games.

This isn’t a task I’m looking forward to. It’s time to hand off some things to my children. Some things will be easy to toss or donate. Others represent wonderful memories of people and places I have loved.

One consolation is that this is the last household I will have to deconstruct, another is that I don’t have to do it in a week or two. Still, this part of our evolution into full retirement is going to be emotionally draining and a reminder of all the things that are behind us. Thankfully, we have a wealth of happy memories to take with us, and the promise of many more to come.

Posted in Retirement itself, Ruminations | Tagged change, choices, lifestyle, moving on, Parents | 13 Comments

Travel Theme: Benches

Posted on April 12, 2013 by The Retiring Sort

Benches are one of those things you find all over the world. Some are just simple and useful, while others have a charming character all their own.

Benches in Princes Street Gardens on a rainy day in Edinburgh.

Left: From the Walter Scott monument, Right: Along the path.

In Stratford, Ontario, there are a number along the Avon River walk. Most of them contain oval markers in memory or in honor of loved ones of the sponsors of the benches. They are lovely tributes, and provide pleasant seats to view the boats and wildlife on the river.

Stratford Memorial Benches

Closer to home, two of our favorite recreational areas have benches along them. On the Air Line Trail where we often walk, there are occasional resting places. And on the Lieutenant River, there’s a bench we just love. It sits at the water’s edge on a private lot, looking out at a narrow part of the river. We only see it from the water, and have never seen it occupied. I love to imagine a grandfather and child fishing here, or a loving couple snuggled up watching the egrets hunt, or soaking in a golden sunset from this cozy spot.

Airline Trail, Lieutenant River Benches

Benches for so many purposes – waiting, resting,meeting, reflection. Each perfectly placed to perform its task.

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This post was in response to a challenge from Ailsa at WheresMyBackpack. This week’s Travel theme is Benches. To see her challenge and how other bloggers have responded, click here!

Posted in Photo Challenges, Retirement itself | Tagged Benches, photography, recreation, Travel, Weekly Travel Theme | 30 Comments

Future Challenge – Staying Physically Active

Posted on April 11, 2013 by The Retiring Sort

Challenge #18

Along with a healthy diet, exercise helps to keep our hearts, lungs, and brains working properly, although too many of us neglect it. We all know how important it is to exercise. Hopefully, we’re all doing something, even if it’s just walking.

As we age, our joints may complain, but it’s more important than ever to keep active, or take a chance on losing flexibility, strength, and range of motion.

So, as you get older, what will you do to keep your body in shape? Will you continue whatever you’re doing now, or will you try something new?

As part of my retirement theme, I offer this weekly Thursday “Future Challenge” to get people of all ages thinking in general about their futures and/or retirement. Each challenge goes with a post of my own on the same general topic. Hopefully we’ll start some interesting discussions!

If you’d like to share what you think, or post on it, that’s great – and I’d love it if you’d share those thoughts in a post or comment (please tag posts TRS Future Challenge and link to this post) so others can also see them.

If you choose not to share them, that’s fine too – but with any luck, you’ll still gain some insight on where you’re headed (or would like to be), and how you can get the most out of your own journey.

For my own take on this week’s challenge, see my post

Weather Forecast – Time to Play Outdoors!

Posted in Future Challenges, Health Issues | Tagged aging, lifestyle, Physical exercise, recreation, Senior Health | 12 Comments

Weather Forecast – Time to Play Outdoors!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by The Retiring Sort

The Eastern seaboard of the U.S. has waited a long time for Spring weather to arrive this year. We’re still getting occasional cold showers out there, but it’s starting to warm up, and we’re getting ready to head back outdoors.

It’s time to put the patio furniture back on the deck, get the kayak racks up on the car, put away the winter boots and pull out the walking shoes! This weekend we’re heading to Boston with friends, and if the weather holds up, maybe we’ll get to do some walking in one of our favorite places!

Lifting weights, riding a stationary bike, and working with resistance bands are all good for us, but soooo repetitive and tedious, even with the TV on. I know I need to exercise now more than ever, to keep arthritis at bay and to keep my heart and lungs strong. I know it makes me sleep better, and helps with brain function, but indoor exercise is one of my least favorite things, and I hate the cold. So, in the winter, physical fitness is a bit of a struggle.

We have a couple of busy weekends after this one, but by the end of the month, we plan to be regularly walking the Air Line Trail, and kayaking local lakes and rivers. Although we appreciate the exercise equipment in our basement, my beloved and I will be delighted to abandon it for the great outdoors for the time being.

So, come on, Mother Nature, bring on that lovely weather!

Posted in Health Issues, Recreation, Ruminations | Tagged arthritis, Health, lifestyle, Physical exercise, Senior Health | 3 Comments

Future Challenge – Staying Sharp

Posted on April 4, 2013 by The Retiring Sort

Challenge #17

We all know it’s important to exercise physically throughout our lives to keep our bodies healthy. Our hearts, lungs, even our minds, depend on it. But our brains need specialized workouts beyond physical movement.

As you age, what will you do to keep your mind active and sharp? Reading? Puzzles? Painting/Drawing? Performing Music? Would you use a site like Luminosity to keep you challenged? What do you do now to keep your brain active?

As part of my retirement theme, I offer this weekly Thursday “Future Challenge” to get people of all ages thinking in general about their futures and/or retirement. Each challenge goes with a post of my own on the same general topic. Hopefully we’ll start some interesting discussions!

If you’d like to share what you think, or post on it, that’s great – and I’d love it if you’d share those thoughts in a post or comment (please tag posts TRS Future Challenge and link to this post) so others can also see them.

If you choose not to share them, that’s fine too – but with any luck, you’ll still gain some insight on where you’re headed (or would like to be), and how you can get the most out of your own journey.

For my own take on this week’s challenge, see my post Employing the Little Grey Cells.

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Posted in Future Challenges, Health Issues | Tagged aging, Brain Function, lifestyle, Senior Health | 2 Comments

Employing the Little Grey Cells

Posted on April 4, 2013 by The Retiring Sort

“It is a small problem merely. But a problem that will agitate the little grey cells most adequately.” – Agatha Christie’s Poirot in The Incredible Theft

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of television commercials for the Luminosity website. Like brainHQ, BrainCurls.com, and other sites, Luminosity offers people of all ages exercises to strengthen different mental functions. The target areas include things like Memory, Attention, Flexibility, Multitasking, Speed, Problem-Solving, and more.

We’ve known for a long time that the brain is in some ways a “use it or lose it” organ, and that exercising it to keep it healthy is critical – especially as we age. As we grow older, our fear of losing mental acuity grows as well. With an expanding population of over-60 baby boomers, it’s a perfect time for a venture like Luminosity to step up and offer the tools to help us keep our minds sharp.

Wolfgang Bouc: I thought you despised computers.
Hercule Poirot: I do. They are a very poor substitute for the little grey cells, but sometimes they are surprisingly useful.

– Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express

There’s something about a crossword puzzle that always entices me. The Sunday NY Times Puzzle is always a good challenge, but also I love the considerably easier one my printer sends me every day (an available app that came with my wireless all-in-one), and I’ll always pick up a USA Today when I see it, just to do the puzzles. The crosswords are my favorite, but I try to do them all. The large Sudoku is most likely to defeat me.

Recently, I bought a children’s puzzle book for my eight year old granddaughter. We spent part of an afternoon working through it, and it was really fascinating to watch her solving and figuring out little tricks to various problems. She was tenacious. It’s important at every age to test and stretch our thinking muscles. Reading, physical exercise, playing music, working puzzles, and any number of other activities all help to keep us sharp. Hopefully we all have some ways we employ and exercise our brains each day to keep them toned.

Because exercising those little grey cells is just as important to our well-being as physical exercise, and can be just as much fun.