Well, “no” may be an exaggeration – but generally, yes, that’s what I love most about retirement. I could have a very busy schedule if I wanted to. There are so many wonderful things to do in Washington, D.C., and I have lots of friends, many of them also retired, with whom I promise to make plans “soon.” But truth be told, I love my leisurely life just as it is – at least for now.

My schedule is pretty simple because my weekday mornings are all promised. Unless other activities intervene, I take Chewey to the dog park and then go to the gym around 9 or 9:30 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Thursdays Chewey and I go to “dog school” for obedience and rally classes offered at Capital Dog Training Club, of which I am a lazy (non-competing) member. On gym days, I generally read emails and check out a couple of websites before going upstairs to shower and dress. After lunch, I spend some time at the computer. Then I read or pull a few weeds before Chewey and I go to the park for our late-day walk.

Sometimes other activities displace some of the regulars. Right now, for example, I head to the West End of D.C. for physical therapy twice a week, which is really cutting into my computer time – one reason for the dearth of posts to this blog during June. (The pain and numbness in my right hand are improving, and I only expect to need therapy for another month or two.) Other nuisance health care issues also take some time, though I’m glad to report nothing serious is going on with any of them.

My normal activities also get disrupted by travel, and happily I expect that to continue through the summer. In addition to our recent trip to New Orleans (see previous posts), we went to New York for Robert’s sister Sandy’s wedding and I spent a few days in Florida with my mother. Both of those trips included special time with Allison and Gabriel – what a treat! Now we are putting the finishing touches on a trip north for about 10 days and one to the West (Yellowstone, YES!) for two weeks at the end of the summer.

But the travel and PT don’t really explain my absence from blogging this month. I’ve written lots of posts in my head, and I’ve researched some melanoma topics that I really want to write about. I’ve thought through some Drupal 6-7 challenges to write about but not put anything into words. Most of my unrecorded blog posts have been of a personal nature, as I have continued working through my thoughts about what’s important to me at this phase of my life. That’s part of the leisure I’ve been enjoying.

I’m not holding this up as a model retirement for everyone. Some people need more of a schedule, and some folks need a greater sense of accomplishment in their lives – they need to have something to “show” for their time. Maybe I’ll get there again someday, but for now this is good for me. I have time to give attention to my family when they need it without shortchanging myself.

I know how fortunate I am. Not only do I have the love of family and friends as well as enough financial resources to live the way I want to without worrying about the future, but I can enjoy them without the pressure of too much to do and not enough time.

Lucky me!