The New Puppy Arrives and Life Changes

Here is a picture of Max.  He's a four month old miniature black and tan short haired dachshund.  It has been 5 days now and there is no question that having a puppy enter your life is a pretty dramatic change.  Our puppy has bonded strongly with me since I get up early in the morning with him, feed him, praise him, talk to him, play with him, take him outside, etc. etc.  He particularly likes my lap.  Trouble is there is a lot you can't get done when you've got a dog on your lap!

I've never had a puppy or a baby and really didn't know what it would be like. Because he is so young, it is going to take lots of patience and time to ensure that he becomes a well behaved, relaxed and friendly dog.

There is research that demonstrates that having a dog (or some other kind of pet) can be a very positive and rewarding experience for people as they age and move into the later years of their lives.  They cite benefits such as:  the strong emotional attachment that occurs, the requirement to get out and get some exercise with your dog, and the practice you get caring about a creature other than yourself.  

Gone and Done It!

Finally, a decision made and a commitment taken on - we are going to be picking up our new puppy later this week!  How exciting and frightening all at the same time.  We went to a pet store yesterday in order to acquire at least the basic stuff we will need including a cage, food, a collar and a leash.  In some ways, I'm glad that we have no idea what we are in for.  Over the course of my life, I've often made changes on that basis because if I did know what to expect, I'd never take any chances or make any big changes.  All in all that approach has worked just fine and it sure reduces the worrying.

If you've taken on a puppy as one of your retirement "projects", I'd love to have your advice.

Different Visions

I haven't touched on what happens in a marriage when retirement time arrives.  It has become more complicated than it used to be.  Up until about 1990, statistics show that husbands and wives retired together (at the same time) and that most often the husband retired from a career whereas the wife retired from a job.  His decision to retire seemed to trigger her decision.

How the world has changed since that time.  Staggered retirement is becoming the norm for today's couples.  Men and women have careers and women are more likely than ever before to have pensions to consider in terms of the timing of their retirement.  Baby boomer couples are heading into retirement quite differently than their parents did as a result.  Most often now, one person retires, goes through their own adjustment while their partner continues to work.  Then at some point later, the other person retires.

Some studies have shown that retiring together actually makes for less conflict at the time of retirement.  However, there hasn't been all that much research on the boomers on this issue yet so I think we'll have to wait and see what the impact of staggered retirement is.  I do know that the divorce rate around the time of retirement is quite low, although here in Canada it has been on the increase lately.

However you and your partner (if you have one) plan to approach this issue, keeping the lines of communication open at all times is the best approach.  I've got lots of ideas about this issue so come back and visit my blog - there'll be more posts on this issue over the next little while.

Losing Your Edge

I am semi-retired, as I've noted before.  This means I spend half the day (usually the morning) in work mode and the rest of the day, including the evening, in retirement mode.  What I've started to notice is that it is becoming harder to gear up for work.  And my ability to work for 3 or 4 hours at a stretch is being sorely tested.  If you are thinking of working in retirement, be aware that this phenomenon may affect you as well.  I find it intriguing because I very much enjoy working on all of my retirement related work.  It is not a chore to me.  Once I am in my office, I am able to get right to it.  Once I'm deeply into the work of the day, I find the time flies by.

For a few years I rented an office outside my home and I must say that once I was there, I could work all day with little break and with a good deal of focus.  Working out of a home office does offer greater distractions.  At the moment the fresh spring air is wafting in my open office window, the sun is shining, and my garden beckons.  This does make it a little more difficult to buckle down and just get the work done.

Don't get my wrong.  I love being semi-retired and I believe that it is a viable option for anyone who is not ready to give up work.  Just wanted those of you who plan to work part time at home in retirement to be aware that the more you retire, the more you may lose your edge.

Morning Ritual

My mornings almost always begin with a good strong cup of coffee.  We get two newspapers, the Globe for my husband to read, and the local paper for me.  I enjoy sitting at the island in my beautiful kitchen, with this cup of coffee and my paper, reading it slowly all the way through.  Once I'm done and have eaten some breakfast, I normally get washed and dressed and then head into my home office, where I work on my business agenda until lunch time.  Then, the rest of the day is mine to do with as I please.  Oh the joys of semi-retirement!

I've noticed that when my schedule for the day precludes this highly civilized beginning to my day, it really annoys me.  I don't want to feel rushed, and I certainly don't want to have to leave the paper half read.  Usually this happens because I have a work commitment that requires me to cut short the ritual.  It surprises me how much I resent this.  I puzzle over why this morning ritual is so pleasurable.  From talking with others, I understand that this ritual is shared by many.  Why does it have such power to please?  And why do I resent it being cut short?  I'm still working on the answer. 

Investing in Relationships

With aging comes the loss of important people in our lives.  Once people leave work, many find that they no longer have much contact with work friends.  Parents and elderly relatives pass away.  And we even experience the loss of  people who are around our age, or perhaps even younger. 

Our social network in retirement is critical to our sense of well being.  Maintaining it and building upon it is pretty important.   This weekend we took the time to visit one of our nieces who lives a good day's drive away.  We recognize that, since we have no children of our own, it is important to enhance our relationships with members of the next generation within our family.  These relationships don't just happen.  While they obviously have to be built upon mutual interests and regard, there is no time like the present to make this a priority.

How can you ensure, as you move into your 70s and 80s,  that you have a strong and supportive social network?  Are there family members that you could become closer to, especially in the next generation?  Family plays a critical role in our lives; nurturing and building up our relationships with family, can only be of mutual benefit as time passes on.