Blessed to find each other
Barbara retired and moved to Lewes from New York, where she enjoyed an exciting career as a private investigator.
“I love researching and joined ancestry.com to fill in the blanks about my heritage, as I left home at 18 and was estranged from my family. In my search, I discovered my sister had died at age 52 in 2008. I was crushed. This led me to seek out my youngest sister Lisa, whom I really did not know, as she was born when I was 22. Found her on Facebook and am thrilled we found each other. Retirement brought me a blessing of a sister I never knew and a connection to family, so tell your readers not to be shy…no one will know you if you are shy.” Your story is inspiring! Read more about their amazing journey on their recipe/memoir blog called peaceloveandpolenta.com.
Another reader, Kathleen, retired in late October, having worked 40-plus years in two large New York City service agencies which help children and families struggling with poverty, trauma and violence. “Social work was right for me then; retirement is right for me now. My partner and I came down in 2002 for vacations having heard that the area is gay friendly. Now we can attest to that! I am in a winding-down mode right now, not interested in volunteering. I enjoy walks in the state park, in-person and phone conversations with family and friends, Midway movies, no watch or alarm clock, lunch out, and time to read and take a writing class. I look forward to your column - it helps to hear what others are doing, thinking and feeling. Thanks for the bridge you are creating via the Gazette.” You are most welcome - I love being a bridge!
I also heard from Chris in Milton, who after reading my column, was reminded that she was given the book “Simple Abundance” as a birthday gift from her sister Paula. “I pulled it off the shelf, and it was loaded with notes, cards and a photo with my dog, Ruby, who lived 17 years.” Chris plans to use quotes from the book in a meditation in her yoga classes. I am reminded now how much I miss my Rudi, who lived 16 years and died in 2011. She found us at a shelter and guarded our front stoop with her life. I ran across this quote By Robert Brault recently: “Ever wonder where you’d end up if you took your dog for a walk and never once pulled back on the leash?”
One reader asked me if my husband was out playing golf in the snow last week. No, he painted the kitchen a soft yellow! He did a super job, too. He looked at paint samples on websites for 16 hours before selecting two he liked: Lantern Light and Lemon Chiffon. Once he got to Ace Hardware there was a can sitting on the shelf - someone’s reject marked $8, and since there was a pale yellow smudge on the lid, he thought it would work as well. I waited until he finished two coats before I said “It looks like Lemon Chiffon!” Score one for my hubby. I will make him a lemon cake and see if the polenta girls have a recipe online.
