A RETIREMENT PARK

RETIREMENT?  BY THE END OF THIS SUMMER WE WILL HAVE SPENT SIX WEEKS AT OUR PARK MODEL IN A RETIREMENT PARK. 

RETIREMENT? YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO WORK HARD ALL YOUR LIFE AND THEN YAHOO !!! YOU RETIRE AND NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK. BUT WHAT DO YOU DO?

RETIREMENT? WHAT DO YOU DO? THAT’S THE QUESTION THAT’S BEEN ON MY MIND AS I TURN 65 NEXT JANUARY.

WE TRY A FEW THINGS:

ON TUESDAY MORNING AT 8:00 AM SHARP YOU SHOW UP AT THE CLUB HOUSE FOR COFFEE AND DONUTS. THERE ARE 80 – 100 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. YOU STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, SOMEBODY READS AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY, YOU GET A HEALTH REPORT ON YOUR SICK NEIGHBORS, DIFFERENT LEADERS REPORT ON THEIR PROJECTS, LIKE THE ART AND CRAFT SHOW IN TWO WEEKS, THE SIDEWALK CAFE, THE PARK WIDE GARAGE SALE AND SWAP MEET, NEXT WEEK-ENDS SPUD AND SALAD LUNCHEON, AND SIGN UP HERE FOR THIS AND VOLUNTEER THERE FOR THAT…….

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT I GO DOWN TO THE CLUB HOUSE TO CHECK OUT THE WEEKLY POKER GAME.  THERE ARE SIX GUYS SITTING AROND THE TABLE AND THEY ARE PLAYING WHAT I CALL CHICAGO POKER.-, WILD CARDS, COMMON CARDS, USE THREE FROM THE BOARD AND TWO IN YOUR HAND, ETC.  IT WOULD TAKE ME TWO YEARS TO LEARN ALL THE RULES TO THESE DEALER CHOICE GAMES. I WAS HOPING FOR CASINO POKER, LIKE TEXAS HOLD’EM.

SATURDAY WE ATTEND THE SPUD AND SALAD LUNCH.  I DON’T KNOW IF STANDING IN LINE WITH 112 PEOPLE FOR A BAKED POTATO, WITH TOPPINGS, AND SALAD IS MY IDEA OF A GOOD TIME OR NOT?

I SAW MARY HEAD DOWN TO A M-W-F EXERCIZE CLASS A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT I SEE SHE’S HUNG UP HER MAT FOR NOW.  SHE HASN’T QUIT EXERCIZING ….SHE JUST ISN’T THE GROUP ACTIVITY TYPE.

MARY HAS CERTAINLY ENJOYED HER HOURS IN THE WOOD SHOP AND HAS DECIDED THAT A DRILL PRESS IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL, THAT AND A REAL COOL SANDING MACHINE.

THE RED SOLO CUP HOUR IS HELD EACH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FROM 4PM TO 5PM.  THERE IS A RED STAND MADE OUT OF RED SOLO CUPS AND YOU SIT OUT FRONT OF WHOMEVER’S HOUSE IT’S IN FRONT OF. YOU TAKE YOUR OWN LAWN CHAIR AND YOUR OWN COCKTAIL IN A RED SOLO CUP, OF COURSE. KINDA COOL WHEN 50 –60 OF YOUR NEIGHBORS DRAG A LAWN CHAIR OVER AND SIT OUT FRONT OF YOUR TRAILER FOR A COCKTAIL.

THINGS WE HAVEN’T TRIED:

GOLF SCRAMBLE

FIVE CROWN (CARD GAME?)

GIN RUMMY

PONYTAIL CANASTA

PINOCHLE

BISON GOLF

BINGO

QUILTING

HIKING AND WALKING

HAND AND FOOT

COMPUTER GROUP

THE MARKET

LAST YEAR IT WAS A BUYER’S MARKET FOR USED TRAILERS AND WE SAVED $5,000.00 OFF THE ASKING PRICE.  THIS YEAR USED TRAILERS ARE SELLING LIKE HOT CAKES. WE’RE GLAD WE SAVED THE $5,000.00 AND ARE USING IT TO REPLACE THE FRONT DOOR AND STOOP.  IN THE FALL WE’RE CONSIDERING A NEW FOAM ROOF.  ALL IN ALL WE ARE STILL HAPPY WITH OUR PURCHASE AND LOOK FORWARD TO MANY SUMMERS ON “THE MOUNTAIN”, AND WHO KNOWS WE MAY FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO IN OUR RETIREMENT.