This is the first of monthly blogs about our experiences during retirement. Happy, sad, and challenging, I hope you will enjoy them and add comments as you read along with our adventures in the trimester of our lives.
Chapter One
Guy retired in 1997, when he was 62. He was burned out with too many responsibilities, and wanted to be able to enjoy his life. He only took two two week vacations during his entire forty year career, and he was tired.
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So, we sold our home, bought a summer/Christmas season condominium in Mequon, and moved our residency to Scottsdale, Arizona. We knew several couples who lived there and loved it, so we didn't have to begin as strangers.
We took up golf, played bridge, went to dinner parties, and symphonies, movies and art shows.
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We went on tours of the desert, learning the history and the superstitions. An Indian drove us around, dressed in his native costume, and he was fascinating.
We spent evenings outdoors, gazing at the clear sky and all the stars, watching the airplanes fly from one end of our view to another.
We took hot air balloon rides at sunrise, viewing the gorgeous landscape of mountains,
The family came to visit, as did Milwaukee friends, so we stayed in touch.
It was a wonderful time. Four years.
When we left for Mequon in the summer of 2001, we knew someone wouldn't be back. We never dreamed it would be us. Guy found out he had cancer at the end of that summer.