The Official Activities List--So Far December 11, 2012

The Official Activities List--So Far

 

December 11, 2012

 

     Thank you to everyone who has read some or all of my posts since I began this blog in early November.

 

     I just viewed each post, around 30, and now you can see the activities I believe may keep my attention after I officially retire next year.

 

     I am adding a Number 15:  writing more thank you notes to people who make my life happier and more enjoyable by the little things they do.

 

 

Official List of Retirement Activities December 11, 2012

1. Treasure hunting with a metal detector

2. Bowling

3. Bus trip with others to visit Mt. Dora, Florida

4. Take ballet classes

5. Joining in activities at my local Senior Citizens Center

6. Getting a job, part-time--Cancelled

6a. Helping the homeless, in a small way

7. Reopening my business, "Set The Table--Vintage Tableware and Linens," on eBay

8. Meet and greet the dolphins at Sea World--Cancelled

9. Bike riding in the greenway/park, having a picnic--tried it and it was wonderful!

10. Bagging and redistributing 40 bags of clutter in my home. (Tried it; too depressing)

11. Having laughter-filled meals with friends or family

11a. Go somewhere on a train

12. Visit a kennel where greyhounds are born and raised.

13. Go fishing in a river at the greenway/park

14. Accept all invitations for social events

15. Send more written thank you notes

     There you have it:  the list.

     May I be perfectly clear in saying this is not a bucket list!

     If I keep this up, let me do the math, I will have approximately 150+ additional possible retirement activities in the next 10 months. 

     Now it's time to go do some laundry before I go to work. 

Click here to get to my pinterest site. That's where I spend way too much time now.

 

 

Eleven Months From Today Until Retirement

The Official Retirement List Coming Soon

 

 

December 6, 2012

 

 

     Reading the titles of all of my posts made me realize I have eliminated lots of activities, rather than adding them.

 

     So, tonight, when I am settled at my desk with a cup of tea, a bowl of fried rice from Panda Express, and a bottle of water, I will publish the official list, based on all of my posts.

 

www.pandaexpress.com

 

     Please come back tonight to see the list and tell me how I'm doing.  I need some help here.

 

     Yes, I'll be heading back this weekend to Winn Dixie to shop for food for the Coalition of the Homeless Orlando, for their food pantry.

 

www.winndixie.com

 

www.coalitionforthehomeless.com

 

     Thanks!  And if you are already on pinterest.com, you can now click on this blog from the top of my pinterest page.  I've been verified!

 

www.pinterest.com/mimihylton

 

 

 

 



Sushi--Not On My Activities List Ever

December 1, 2012

 

      First of all, my little goal of having a meal with a friend or with friends each week is going well.  However, Friday evening I met a good friend at a sushi restaurant.  She loves sushi.

 

 

     Personally, I would not choose such a restaurant willingly, but I was invited, and I like my friend, so...   It was so foreign, none of the items on the menu made any sense to me.  I don't eat raw food or food wrapped in brown plastic, and I don't like to think of how long the food preparer had handled the food just to get it to get it into those origami sausage shapes.

 

     My friend and I had a rather in-depth discussion of why I was averse to new foods.  The result was she found the one thing on the menu I might actually eat...tempura vegetable appetizer.

 

     There was a counter and seats where people were engrossed in watching grotesque things being prepared. It was supposed to be entertaining, the waiter explained patiently. 

 

 

       We became very involved in our conversation and our individual career trials and tribulations.  It was lovely.  When  the food appeared I found it hard to even look at her huge rectangular plate of make-believe food.  I know she could see it all over my face.   I'm never shy about blurting out my opinions.   May I just say that I had to request a fork, as if that was asking for a trained seal to be brought to the table.   Don't misunderstand; the waiter was excellent.  They just don't put forks on the table. 

 

     My plate was the size of a bread plate and contained five items, each one a "vegetable," if you can call one long string bean as one of the five items.  There was a slice of a sweet potato, something green, something maybe yellow, and a definite onion ring, and something else.   And I ate all of it. 

 

     Thank goodness the tempura coating was familiar in flavor. But wait, there is more.  By the time I drank 2 full teapots of tea, and we gathered our things to leave, this place was packed with every person in Baldwin park, including children eating this stuff.

 

     Outside, the sidewalk tables were just as packed except the family dogs were all sitting near the tables as well.  I am definitely living in my own little world.   My friend repeatedly asked why I wasn't excited to try new foods.  Let me say that this is never going on my retirement activities list. 

 

     I adore my friend, I adored our conversation, I definitely did not adore my meal.  As soon as I got home, I got ill, enough said.  Who invented this kind of restaurant, and why are people paying these prices for mystery food with mysterious ingredients and names?  It is obviously one of the most popular restaurants in the area. 

 

     If my good friend reads this, I hope she understands me well enough to know that I loved every minute of the meal, except the food.  

 

Note:  I am not criticizing the restaurant in any way. 

 

 

www.pinterest.com/mimihylton