Sharing retirement secrets!
Congratulations to Lewes resident Bette who will join the ranks of retirees on January 31! Bette writes, “I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts, others' thoughts and experiences as this is new and exciting, but somewhat scary!”
Bette shared her concern about finding grocery stores with quality produce, but someone tipped her off about Hattie’s Garden for which she is very grateful. Me too! How would I survive the winter without her locally grown greens for my salads! For those of you who delight in the Saturday summer farmers market in Lewes, Hattie keeps most of the whole show available on-line at hattie@hattiesgarden.com. From October to May you can order anything from yogurt (last week’s blueberry was the best!) or beeswax lip balm to fresh bread, radishes, mushrooms or pork chops! I order my lettuce by Wednesday noon of each week and pick up my order every Saturday. Hattie also delivers for a $5 fee. I tried purple turnips for the first time and stuffed them in my turkey this year. Let’s keep sharing our secrets and make the transition for Bette’s retirement life better!
Speaking of a better life…I am happy to report that my husband Ray just completed his first fall season of golf with the Indian River Senior League. He loved having the opportunity to play a variety of respected courses from Lighthouse Sound, Rum Pointe and Rookery North and South to Dover Air Force Base and Mapledale! With four divisions and about 60 golfers in each division, he met a lot of new people and improved his game and so plans to tee off again in the spring. He said I can’t tell you his score, but he did really well!
Ray and I do not share the same interest in this popular sport. I salute to him as he pulls out of the driveway, happy to hear only the hum of the refrigerator. Then I put on a very loud CD, preferably something Motown, and dance like Ellen DeGeneres. One Christmas we wandered into the House of Welsh in Fenwick and took to the floor under a silver tinsel ball. There was actually a live band, and as I recall the fish and chips were delicious also! Hey, that’s what this retirement community needs! Can anyone suggest a dance place for retirees? If I had money I would open up a dance hall. A place to polka one night and country line dance another. Swing on Thursday nights. Maybe some rock and roll? Retirees need to move our muscles and dancing is the fun way!
A lovely reader Peggy from Long Neck emailed me to say she retired from teaching many years ago and then convinced her husband Jim that he would benefit by volunteering to teach ESL (English as a second language) right beside her. They call their students “delightful adults” at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, where once a week they help Spanish speakers learn English while daycare is provided for their children.
Jim says, "giving back in this way is not only worthwhile, but heartwarming to help others.” Both also conduct a Bible study once a week at Harbor Healthcare and have gotten to know the class members well. Peggy explains, “We both have great respect for our students at ESL and residents at Harbor. Whenever we interact with either group, we do so both professionally and with the highest regard.”
So this is the debut of column number five and here’s your chance to tell us about your retirement story in column number six. Retirement 101 comes out every two weeks on a Friday. Write to me at lgraff@capegazette.com and tell me and our loyal followers (teehee) how you are wallowing away your work and/or spare time in Lower Slower Delaware.
