Holiday interlude of sorts
Yesterday the GG helped our our mouse finish her 2025 100 miles of hiking on the North Country Trail. I think they did a lot of road walking because I have seen this boot before and I think it is on a roadside. I hate road walks but whatever it takes. They had to walk out to this boot and back.
They had lunch in Albion on the way home. Fun fact: my Uncle Don did undergrad at Albion College (and then med school at uMich). My daughters could have actually gotten some kind of discounted tuition at Albion because their great uncle went to school there in the Jurassic Age (go figger). They chose Kalamazoo College instead. It’s okay, With financial aid, we could afford it and it was a great college. So is Albion.
I had a slow day. I am having a slow bit of time. People seem to be worried about me but as a “Finnelson” I will phoenix outta this. It’s what Finnelsons do and I have done it a few times before. I’m just reorganizing myself. I need time and space. Please please please give that to me. It’s much less to do with job loss (a blip with a shit ton of severance pay) than friend loss (Sari). And it’s a goddamn dark fugly time of year.
One thing I am NOT gonna do is jump off the Mackinac Bridge. For the second time in a week or so, the bridge closed today because a suicidal person parked their car and stepped over the rail. Thank the gods, this person was encouraged to step back across the rail onto the bridge and was taken to safety. I cannot actually imagine jumping off the Big Mac but apparently it happens quite frequently and most people don’t hear about it.
But I am okay and cooked turkey “tetrahedron” while kitchen dancing to whatever was on the radio and then we watched Svengoolie, who was playing a nutso vintage movie about robots and the GG fell asleep during that and I sent a pic of that to the beach urchins but will not post it here. I wasn’t sure if he would wake up in a reasonable time for bed but then I heard P-ing noises coming from the bathroom. I was told that was TMI and maybe it is.
December 28th, 2025 at 9:10 am
Since I’m about 7 years ahead of you in this thing called Life, I can relate to your feelings about transitioning into a new phase: Post-work and beginning to see friends and peers leave this dimension (with the knowledge that I’ll be leaving soon too). All the previous Life transitions — and there are many — seem to occur without me noticing at the time. Guess I was too busy during those phases to reflect and observe. But I’m very aware and present and in-the-moment for this transition, one of my last I assume. And maybe even wiser, as the cliches say. That should make it easier but I’m not sure it does. I have to fight depression about it all and I succeed most of the time. But just most. You’ll find your path because that’s your nature. I’ll be here (until I’m not) to watch your progress. Carry on Kayak Woman!
December 28th, 2025 at 5:23 pm
My first year or two after retirement (which was my choice) were rough. Everyone thinks that not working is the be all and end all of existence, but I was used to a schedule and feeling useful. It took me longer than may people expected to adjust and determine my daily/weekly routines. Take your time. This is a season of the year–so many depressed people and suicides. 🙁 Cold, gloomy, rainy, snowy, stressful and sometimes disappointing holidays, etc.