One Year Retired

One year ago today was my last day at Tri-County Suburban REALTORS, my employer for almost 27 years. One year into it, I can say that I recommend retirement if you can afford it. 27 years ago I didn't think I'd be able to retire. A little luck, a lot of privilege, careful spending and purposeful saving made it happen. 

Being able to afford it though was only part of the transition. My job was who I was. I was good at it. I know I made a difference there. Leaving meant figuring out what to do with myself besides reading and doing jigsaw puzzles. I've done a lot of both this year because I really enjoy both activities but for me, that's not enough. 

One year in, I don't feel like I've found the "enough" to matter yet. However, a lot of thinking about it - and if you know me you know that means likely too much thinking about it -  has helped me realize I don't need to figure it all out in one year. On one hand, at my age, there is the realization that I don't have forever to figure things out anymore. On the other hand, also at my age, is the realization that it's silly to waste time thinking about the finite amount of time. I just need to keep smiling and keep moving and "enough" will show itself when it's ready. Probably when I least expect it. 

So what HAVE I done, besides the reading and puzzles already mentioned? 

I committed to purposeful exercise every day. I'm pleased to report I kept that promise to myself. Since November 23, 2024, I've missed very few days. Even on vacation. I've walked or hiked 754 miles, spent 44 hours swimming and  22 hours in yoga. My osteoporosis doctor says I need to spend more time in yoga for bone health so I will endeavor to do so in year 2. 

I joined the American Red Cross as a volunteer Blood Donor Ambassador and Blood Transportation Specialist. I enjoy both opportunities a lot. I have committed to at least one Donor Ambassador shift each week. Each shift is 5 hours and I really enjoy the interaction with donors and red cross staff. It's just enough to get me out of my own head but not enough to exhaust my introvert personality. Dave has joined me in transportation. Once a week we take boxes of blood out to Hershey Medical Center. On occasion we combine those trips with stops at Lancaster General Hospital and/or St Josephs (in Reading). 

I haven't hiked as much as I thought I might and it's ok. I've hiked when time (and blood donations allow). During my time in the workforce, hiking was an escape. I still enjoy hiking a lot, but I don't have the decompression need that I had when I was working 40+ hours a week. The commitment to daily exercise has done wonders for my state of mind. I have been able to share walking with one of my sisters almost weekly in Spring, Fall and Winter and every other month with my sister-in-law. So while hiking less, I've found joy in those activities with others. I do miss some of the folks I used to hike with. IN retirement, when we do hike, Dave and I have hiked during the week but that doesn't work for everyone. Perhaps, purposely mixing in some weekend opportunities with others can be something for year 2. 

I've attempted two volunteer opportunities that didn't work out for me. That was hard. Giving those up feels like failure and I'm not good at accepting failure in myself. I'm trying to consider volunteering like the library. If you check out a book and decide you don't enjoy it, you give it back. Life is too short to force yourself to finish the book. It's not quite the same, but I'm working on accepting giving up on the volunteer opportunities. If I don't enjoy the opportunity I'm going to find it hard to give it my full effort and that's not good either. Right? Ok, still working on that one. 

Something I have stuck with is learning Spanish. Wanting to learn another language has been on my long term to-do list for years. After the last election, I moved it up on my list. In early February 2024 I started Duolingo for Spanish. I've done a lesson every day since except on our cruise because we did not have Internet access on the ship. So I did my morning walks on the ship but not my Spanish. I'm perfectly ok with that. 

I wanted to do mediation in retirement. I organized the program at Tri-County when I was there. Upon leaving I joined their mediator roster. I've mediated three cases this year. I like it and hope to do more in year 2. 

One year in, I've found peace in doing nothing when nothing presented itself I am not made to do too much nothing though. So it's on to year 2, now, and taking in what's next. One day, one stop, one smile at a time. 

Thanks for reading, 

Keep Smiling and Keep Moving. 

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly About My Recent Section Hike on the Horse Shoe Trail

Now that I've had time to wrap my head around it, it's time to come clean about last Friday's hike. It's not that I didn't want to tell what happened, it's that when I first tried (the day it happened) all I could think about was the Ugly and the post I started to write felt like a whiny mess. I'm better now so here it is... 

The Good - I finished 7 miles

The Bad - I had planned 10 miles

The Ugly - the reason for coming up short is something I should have figured out BEFORE I attempted the hike. It was a bonehead move to attempt a this hike 4 days after a blood donation. My red blood cells were nowhere near replenished in such a short time. I was fine for 5 miles. Then I started to struggle. Physically I felt fine but breathing was becoming more labored and I felt a tad dizzy at times. So when I reached the road crossing at the 7 mile mark I knew it was time to quit. I called Dave who was waiting for me at the 10 mile mark. As I waited for him to circle back to me, I assessed how I was feeling and that's when I realized what I'd done. 

I'm lucky to have Dave out there on the trail with me for these hikes. I get great company for the early miles and a pick up at the end. Or in this case, an emergency pick up before the end. 

In the end there are more good things than bad about this hike. First, I did finish 7 miles and that's 7 more miles on my way to completing the trail. I've completed just over 75 miles now. I'm past the halfway mark!! 💖Barely but I'm past it. 

Also, I really did feel great for 5 miles and except for having trouble catching my breath at mile 7, the rest of me felt good enough to keep going. 

We've reserved a date in May on our calendar (far enough out to be recovered) to attempt another 8-10 miles. Stay tuned. 

Meanwhile, please keep smiling and keep moving. 

-Paula 

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Today I learned two new things. Well, one of them I learned a few days ago, but I learned it because of what we were doing today. 

Thing #1 - Ridley Park has a lake. We calculated today that I've lived in Delaware County all but 5 years of my life. Yet, I did not know that Ridley Park has a lake. I am a tad embarrassed. This feels like something I should have known. 😞

I discovered this due to our blood donation today. We had appointments at Ridley Park Presbyterian Church. Hiking was off the table then so I went looking for a route to take a post donation walk instead. I located the church on Google maps and there it was -- Ridley Park Lake. Who knew? As already established I did not. 

The lake was built with the founding of Ridley Park in the 1870s. The borough was the brainchild of Isaac Hinkley, president of the  Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. Mr. Hinckley hired architect Robert Morris Copeland to design the town. The design included the 20 acre man made lake. 

There is a walking path around the lake. On the path you'll pass two original buildings, a pumphouse built in 1890 and a boathouse built in 1935. There are lots of benches including what appears to be original ones made of stone. Similar to many of the towns built on or near rail lines in this area, Ridley Park was a summer resort destination for wealthy Philadelphia. 

If you'd like to learn more here is the Wikipedia entry and a history page from the borough. 

BTW, in case you are wondering (we were), the creek that feeds the lake is Crum Creek not Ridley Creek. 

On our walk, we encountered people walking, fishing and meeting in the park. It was lovely. 

Thing #2 - Veins have valves. My donation experience was going very well. Michelle, the phlebotomist was pleasant and kind. The needle stick was amazing. I felt nothing beyond the initial prick and there was no pressure while it was in. Strangely though I could feel vibration in the tube which was draped over my forearm. I never felt that before. It felt funny but not concerning. Michelle, however was concerned. 

The  blood flow was very slow. In fact, as she watched she was confused that it would flow fine one second and slow down the next. She calmly called for help. I wasn't worried. I just chalked it up to my notoriously low blood pressure. Every time I donate, the check in person asks "Is it always this low?"

The senior phlebotomist looked everything over and said, "I'd like to move the needle a little bit. Ok?" I reluctantly said ok. The last time they tried to move a needle while I was donating, it hurt A LOT. But I figured it was either let her move it or the donation attempt would likely be stopped short. Fortunately, she was equally good with a needle. Although I braced for pain I didn't feel a thing. And with the move, the vibration stopped and the flow returned to steadily normal. 

That's when I learned that veins have valves. The original placement of the needle was too close to a valve. As best as I could understand the opening and closing of the valve was causing the blood to flow over the needle. This caused the vibration and the blood to miss the needle opening off and on. Senior blood taker said she could feel the vibration in the tube and that's how she knew. 

And in case you were wondering (I was) the valves keep the blood flowing in the right direction. Makes perfect sense. I just never had reason to think about it before. 

So there you have it. Thing 1 and Thing 2. 

Lessons in Patience

Shortly after the injury I tried to resign myself to considering the recovery time as a lesson in patience and staying in the here and now. 

Truthfully it's not so much a lesson as a ''you-have-no-choice" state of being. I have always had the luxury of deciding I want to go and just going. In the past 8 weeks, however, many steps have had to be carefully planned. 

As I weaned myself out of the boot, I had to think about each outing with regard to needing the boot or not. Answer: I wore it in high traffic areas or in situations where I needed to move a lot or quickly. In situations where I shed the boot (mostly at home and around the office) I adopted a crossing the street mentality when leaving a room. At the doorway, I'd stop and look both ways before stepping out to avoid running into anyone and risk getting stepped on. 

I've had lots of time to think about how privileged I was (and will be again) to just move when and where I want to. 

On Monday (6-24), the doc removed all restrictions on the use off my foot. She warned me that it would be slow going to return to my previous distances. I'm supposed to build back slowly and let pain be my guide. I know she's right even if I don't want her to be. 

Today (Friday), I walked to and back from the dentist and then to and back from the library. Total for both walks 2.4 miles. My foot is achy and my ankle - inside and outside - is sore. 

However, the dentist did not find any cavities and I did find a book I wanted at the library so life is good. 

Tomorrow we are heading back to an unpaved surface for the first time in 8 weeks. I'm hoping that hiking poles and an ankle wrap will get me through to 3 miles. For now I'll put my foot up and check in to my books. I'm going to leave this post in draft mode until after tomorrow's outing. See you then. 

Hello again. 3.06 miles total out and back on the River Trail from Pawlings Road. 

I think the compression sleeve on the ankle helped serve as a reminder that's it's ok (and time) to put my weight on all of my foot. At the end my ankle was not nearly as sore as it had been after yesterday's walk. Some of the relief could have been the softer surface too. 

In other good news, while it was obvious at the end that 3 was enough, 30 minutes off the foot for the car ride home did bring a lot of relief. It's only mildly stiff and cranky right now. 

I do think I'll have to shorten this year's Freedom Walk. It's doubtful I'll be ready for 6 pavement miles in just 5 days. And that's ok. 

Keep Smiling and Keep Moving

-Paula 

Hike Interrupted

So this happened..... 

I stepped on a snake. To be clear it was not on purpose. I didn't see it. Regardless of my intention, the snake was not happy about that and wriggled to get free at about the same time that my hiking partner said "Snake". I spooked. I jumped to get out of the way and came down hard on my right foot. 

With Dave's help, I hobbled the half mile back to our car. A couple, younger than us but not by a lot, commented "You guys are doing great!!" I'm sure they did not intend it as it sounded to me. But when they passed us again on their way back, I made sure to tell them why I was moving so slowly. 

I twist and sprain my ankles a lot. Especially the right. So first we went home and I kept it elevated and iced. But by the next morning I knew it was more than an ankle sprain. So off we went to Urgent Care.  

Diagnosis, non displaced fracture of the 5th metarsal. The non displaced part is key because it means no surgery. But I will be off the trail for awhile. I'll know more after I visit the ortho doc on Friday but estimate from the Urgent Care doc is 6-8 weeks to heal. Never having broken a bone, let alone one in the foot, I don't know what kind of rehab might be needed after the boot comes off. I hope the Ortho Doc is prepared. I have LOTS of questions. 

I am concerned about losing my momentun on the trail. I will likely have to work back up to 8-10 miles. It's frustrating. I'm trying hard to take this as a lesson in patience and staying in the here and now. I can't do anything until the ordeal is over so there is no use worrying about it. Right? If you know me, that's easier said than done. 

Keep Smling and Keep Moving.

-Paula