Retirement 101

Lisa Graff's essays have appeared in Woman's World Magazine and the Washington Post. She resides in Lewes, Delaware. Contact her at lgraff1979@gmail.com. Follow her facebook page for more retirement tips.

Seniors in September

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
September will always feel like the beginning of a new year to me. Since I was a classroom teacher...

Single in retirement? Join the club!

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
I was newly retired when my husband accepted a six-month consulting job. He was walled off upstairs...

Are you getting enough ZZZs?

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
How do you define a good night's sleep? I need at least eight hours to feel rested, while my...

Calendars in sync: piano lesson or book festival?

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
Lots of people weighed in about my last column, Can retirement be boring? (July 20, 2018). Most of...

Can retirement be boring?

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
I'm having one of those retirement days when I want to search for a part-time job. Sometimes I...

Banding of the osprey

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
Recently, I watched Captain Steve put a ladder up to an osprey's nest. With one swift hand, he...

Some surprises for retirees

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
Today marks the 10th anniversary of my retirement. I realize now that I had a few misconceptions. I...

Art is all around us

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
Reaching the beach can include delighting in attending one of the many art shows and galleries...

Beach bound – here we come!

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
At last, the weekend before Memorial Day. Of course you are ready to go to the beach, but do you...

Come and listen to the chorus!

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
What's a retiree to do if they want to sing somewhere besides their own shower? They join the CAMP...

He hasn't heard a word I’ve said

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
My husband doesn't speak to me for much of the morning. He drinks coffee and pens the Washington...

It’s a dog’s life in Delaware

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
The invitation read: "Puppy Shower and you're invited! Joyce's new joy is an adorable Shih Tzu...

Would you rather retire abroad?

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
Lately, it seems that the United States of America does not feel like a happy place to live. A...

Be grateful for retirement

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
When I first retired, I met a lovely woman whose face emanated happiness. She personified gratitude...

Is your will up to date?

Lisa Graff
6 years ago
I’m thinking most retirees have wills, but is your will up to date and signed? Where do you keep...

Living independently in Lewes

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
While I am able to enjoy my independent living now, I know I will eventually need help. About seven...

Canines and chicks for the cure

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Although I'm familiar with Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, I had never heard...

Surviving the bomb cyclone – and each other

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Before I retired from teaching school, I prayed for snow. I was delirious with joy at being trapped...

Homelessness affects young adults

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
When the Immanuel Shelter opened its doors to the homeless in 2010, when it was housed at Epworth...

Tunnell Cancer Center welcomes volunteers

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
At Beebe Healthcare, the mission of the Robert & Eolyne Tunnell Cancer Center is to provide...

‘Tis the season to be exhausted

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Now that you are retired, you get to truly relax and enjoy the holidays, right? My friend Diane...

What to cherish?

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Uncle Ed has taken possession of a new home in Johnson City, Tenn., in an assisted living facility...

Just for today - words to live by

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Today a friend told me she was turning off the computer to take a mental health day. People who are...

Working part time may be the best job

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Over and over I hear stories about couples who frequently vacationed at the beach and plotted to...

Celebrating books, history and the joy of reading

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
We have ample time to read now that we are retired. But joining a book club pulls us out of our...

Retain your strength at the Sussex Academy pool

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Many retirees search for an exercise routine they enjoy, one that fits their lifestyle. Also, they...

Delaware Hospice helps thousands

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
We all need support throughout our lives when times get difficult. Lately, a growing number of...

A solar eclipse and a monkey at large

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
I enjoy reading local newspapers whenever I travel, as I learn a great deal about other local...

Do you have a white elephant?

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
One of my favorite pastimes has always been antiquing and finding items to place in my home. Now,...

Cape Henlopen State Park is a place for all

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
August has arrived, and by now many of us are getting a bit weary of having to wait through...

Wild birds and wisdom

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
One of my pastimes is observing the bird life in lower slower Delaware. A great egret hides in the...

As the saying goes, charity begins at home

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
One of our children wants to buy a home and needs help with the down payment. What’s a parent to do...

Consider feeding the positive dog

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
A man goes to the village to visit the wise man and he says to the wise man, “I feel like there are...

Grownups need to play, too!

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
The importance of play for children is well documented, but “Why it’s good for grown-ups to go play...

‘Ten hobbies for retirees’ list may need some revising

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
Yoga teaches us to quiet the mind. This saying preoccupies my thoughts. At the end of class,...

Some people should never retire

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
My friend Rico, who has owned a hair salon in Maryland for more than 40 years, told me that he...

Lewes voted among top beach towns in America!

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
According to the website www.retirementandgoodliving.com , 10 cities represent a selection of the...

Keep setting goals for yourself

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
A friend of mine recently boasted that her 14-year-old daughter was setting goals for herself. “She...

Aging in your own home brings challenges

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
My aunt and uncle are determined to live out their lives in their own home in Johnson City, Tenn...

How many states have you visited?

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
In the travel section of the Feb. 26 Washington Post, in an article titled ‘50 states of being,’...

Traveling and living the high life

Lisa Graff
7 years ago
My daughter says I pay too much for taxis abroad and that I should rely on the bus system which is...

Newly retired? My advice for you

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Recently I was reminded of why I write this column. I have had several conversations with new...

Escape reality, visit a gallery

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Many retirees flock south for the winter much like the snow geese who gather in our barren fields...

Delving into family history can bring surprises

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Do you want to know about your ancestry? Standing in line at Staples last week, I noticed two blue...

To the best that is in you

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Once the holidays are over, we shelve the gifts and recycle the boxes. Did you open the gift you...

Santa’s woodshop a winner!

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Some folks don’t waste energy thinking about what they will do with their free time when they...

’Tis the season to be holly

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Having some trouble getting into the holiday spirit, are you? Longing for the era of carolers...

What the world needs now

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Now that the election is over, I am searching for serenity. Walking or riding a bike in Cape...

Where will you live happily ever after?

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Where will you live happily ever after? There are many variables to consider when choosing your...

On the road to visit family

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Plumb tuckered out from traveling 1,300 miles through seven states to see old family and new. At...

Yard Sales: Are they worth the cost?

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Retirement is about new beginnings and getting rid of old stuff as evidenced in my community a few...

Thoughts on living an independent life

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
People ask, "How is it living at Cadbury?" I sense the question often carries loaded messages: “I...

Live long and prosper in a Blue Zone

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Many in the world of medical science believe that only 20 percent of your longevity is determined...

Beyond the Bay Bridge: home!

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
As I crawl up Route 1 on my way to Rehoboth from Lewes, I count the Delaware license plates. Three...

Summer guests - a hot topic continued

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Several readers have responded to my last column, “Guests are here to stay - Watch out!” Kevin...

Summertime guests are here to stay - watch out!

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
I was eavesdropping on a conversation between two women in line at the grocery store who were...

When traveling in Europe, enjoy the experience

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
You think Rehoboth is busy in July? The first time I heard a travel agent speak about European...

Decorating with Enlightened Lime

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Retirement often involves moving to a new home and decorating a new space. In my college days I was...
Retirement 101

Great fathers strengthen communities

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Father’s Day was celebrated last weekend, but it’s not about one day of appreciation, is it? I...
RETIREMENT 101

What do women talk about?

Lisa Graff
8 years ago
Retired people have loads of time to talk to other retired people. I don’t know what men talk about...