View from the other side

My life has been a bit tumultuous these past few weeks and the blog has suffered accordingly.  I am hoping that my newly freed up schedule will allow me to be a better caretaker.  Hang in there with me please. Friday June 21 was my last day of work after 34 years at Harpursville.  I was 22 years old when they took a chance on me in September 1979.  I don't know what your experience has been lately, but our district no longer hires 22 year olds.  We hire "experienced" adults: teachers laid off from other districts or second career professionals.  I didn't know anything.  Unlike some young adults, I knew very well that I didn't know anything.  I knew that well enough to pay attention, work hard and learn along the way.  And, boy, did I learn!!!

When I woke up on Saturday June 22, it was a brand new world.  It truly felt different--as though I'd stepped over some crevice that wouldn't allow stepping back.  I did not expect that.  Everyone assured me enthusiastically that I would LOVE retirement and they were right (a whole 3 days into it now).  It's hard to describe unless you've experienced it.  It's a little bit like becoming a parent.  Everyone says it changes you and that you can't know until you experience it.  It's like that.  Without spit-up.

As I was contemplating this blog post, it occurred to me that the feeling was a little bit like Nik Wallenda's recent walk over the Grand Canyon on a tightrope.  Highly publicized, lots of people watching and praying, questionable outcome. He commented afterward that the winds were a little stronger than expected and he had to readjust.  So on this journey in recent months toward retirement, it was a lot like that.  The buffeting winds were stronger than anticipated which called for adjustments.  But I am successfully on the other side now. 

The retirement party was EPIC.  I felt very fortunate to be alone in the spotlight for those few hours.  It was noted that there were more retirees in attendance than active teachers --they seemed surprised but I wasn't.  In nearly every circle of friends, I am the youngest.  I loved it back in the day but it came to bite me in the *ss a little bit as each of them retired and I found myself kind of alone and adrift.   It felt just right to have many of them in attendance that night along with 2 of my sisters, Ryan and James.

 The evening's entertainment included the Tin Man, pieces of a tombstone, and a tissue wave send off!

 The Tin Man was describing one ReadAloud event where we held a Wizard of Oz murder mystery.  He wore the Tin Man costume the guy brought but it was MUCH too small, especially the pants.  And Paul here was terribly afraid this costume malfunction would cost him his job. 

The tissue wave send off replicates a tradition I started many years ago.  Outside the second story library window is the top of the music room.  We'd invite teachers to step out onto my "deck" on the last day to wave good by to the elementary students leaving in the busses to start their summer vacations.  The elementary teachers wave tissues on one side of the street and we wave from above.  Kids love it. It was great to see this from the other side and a very touching addition to the evening.


The table decorations at the party were a series of caricatures depicting some of my activities throughout the years.

 This shows "Old Paint"--it's a wooden book truck that was in the library when I started way back in the last century.  One of the English teachers would ride him like a horse and called him Old Paint.  He's badly in need of varnishing and touch up but I like his character just the way he was.  He's used every year to hold the diplomas as graduation so I wasn't able to ride him out of the school on the last day as I wanted to because he was already laden with diplomas.  It's probably the only thing left in that library older than my time there.  And I expect he's being reconditioned this very minute.  Poor thing.

But I feel as though I'm being reconditioned every day as I consider taking a nap--checking the clock to see if it's too late for a nap--then realizing IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TIME IT IS.  Or when I'm thinking about dinner and realizing: yes, I do have time to prepare that.  Or when I'm grocery shopping and don't have to buy things that can go easily into a lunch box.  You get the idea.  It's the little changes so far that have seemed so very sweet to me this week.  My first week on the other side. 

Thanks for all your well-wishes.  It has meant a great deal to me.