Keep On


(Mink Creek Falls, near Marathon, Ontario)

A friend of mine keeps telling me this. Keep on, he signs off. Makes me smile. I think he is mostly referring to the start I've made in getting set for retirement. Already retired, he's bugging me with all the freedom and fun things he has time to do. Bum.
So this phrase is also an inspiration for me and the process has surely begun. I've informed the workplace and the transition of rock-licking power has begun. I haven't set a date yet, but will try to soon, mostly for their peace of mind. Phew! They will exclaim. And they can start searching for that geezly ball cap I'll get on my last day.
I am starting to clear things out of my office, little by little. I want to be able to waltz out on the last day, and maybe even do some cartwheels. Yeah right. At least in my mind.
At home I am getting my communications systems ready for mobility and a more spartan lifestyle. Of course at camp I have no power or internet, so there could be frenzied drives down the logging road, staring at my new Blackberry screen, waiting for little bars to appear.
And I am trying to figure out what stuff I need as I go forward. Funny, but the things I want to keep, no, the things I will keep, are those deemed by most to be least vital to day to day life. My art collection, my books, my CD collection, and mountains of wool. At least I can dive into the mountain to stay warm.
I'm tying up a bunch of loose ends with various commitments I have on the go. Feels good to be reaching the end of some good projects.
Home renovations are back on again recently, with the aim to complete shortly and then be able to list the house for sale. Yup. I finally get the fancy house and fancy whirlpool, and I'm going to dump it all. Is my head coming loose?
I don't think so. Why not retire at 49 instead of fifty as I've been planning for awhile now? Then, at snooty cocktail parties, (god, I hope there's not too many of those),...I can say, "why yes, I retired in my forties, my Dear" as I stare vacantly off to the side. Plus I can get the work part done (selling the house, moving stuff to camp, notifications) before the summer sets in.
It's all good. If anyone has some good tips for this final stage of my career, I'd love to hear them.
Keep On.....

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