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Rock Your Retirementhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/ Retirement isn't just about money Fri, 19 Aug 2022 19:08:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/cropped-Rock-Your-Retirement-Album-Art-2-32x32.png Rock Your Retirementhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/ 32 32 Reconnecting with Old Friendshttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/reconnecting-with-old-friends/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reconnecting-with-old-friends https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/reconnecting-with-old-friends/#respond

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 12:00:31 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9528

Say what you will about social media such as Facebook and Instagram, but for retirees, it has been a portal for us to connect with old friends. Following a class reunion, way before the pandemic took hold and many of us retired, we shared our contact information or invited each other to be friends on […]


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Say what you will about social media such as Facebook and Instagram, but for retirees, it has been a portal for us to connect with old friends. Following a class reunion, way before the pandemic took hold and many of us retired, we shared our contact information or invited each other to be friends on Facebook.


In the intervening 46 years since graduation for the Class of ‘76, it was really hard to connect or know where people landed. But through the magic of having the ability to search for Reconnecting with Old Friends in retirement“friends finding friends”, we have been able to reconnect with people that we attended elementary school, junior high, and high school together. This has been a huge source of joy for us.

We reached out to two friends that retired much earlier than we did. We set up phone dates, asked them lots of questions, took our maiden voyage in our motorhome across the mountains to their home and spent a fun weekend golfing and planning for the winter.

There is something about reconnecting with people that have a shared life experience during retirement. We were in awe that it seemed like no time had passed since we had seen each other, even though it was many, many years. We caught up on family news and retold stories from our childhood. Mainly we laughed and laughed.

They wisely left a month earlier in mid-November than we did. Pro-tip in an RV: head south before the heavy rains and snow is flying. We followed them to Arizona and they were so great about sharing their travel wisdom. When we ran into travel challenges, it was so nice to be able to text them to let them know where we were and what was happening.

When we finally arrived, we were welcomed and shown around. Recommendations on where to eat, go golfing and sightseeing made us feel like locals. It was so nice to have friends in this new city we were trying out.

We met for dinner a few times and spent time sharing about classmates we have lost during the past nearly 50 years and shared some of our own health concerns as well as plans for the future.

If you are retiring soon or are recently retired, I encourage you to reach out to old friends if you can find them now, before it is too late. While it is wonderful to make brand new friends, and you definitely will, the richness of reconnecting with old friends, who know your story, share the same dating and family experiences, and usually have a similar perspective on life has been one of the most rewarding parts of retirement. How often during your working years did you have the time or ever make the time to reconnect? Find someone today and see what happens!

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/reconnecting-with-old-friends/feed/ 0 Summer of Reconnecting: Episode 259https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/summer-of-reconnecting-episode-259/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=summer-of-reconnecting-episode-259 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/summer-of-reconnecting-episode-259/#comments

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:00:18 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9515

We are back again following Barbara Mock through her retirement journey. Barbara talks about what has been a summer of reconnecting so far. Reconnecting with Family In our last episode, Barbara was talking about cleaning up the yard in preparation for a graduation party for her niece. She has since had the party and talks […]


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We are back again following Barbara Mock through her retirement journey. Barbara talks about what has been a summer of reconnecting so far.


Reconnecting with Family

In our last episode, Barbara was talking about cleaning up the yard in preparation for a graduation party for her niece. She has since had the party and talks about how nice it was to reconnect with family. Since the beginning of COVID Barbara has had other nieces graduate but their celebrations had to be virtual. This was a treat to have everyone together in person Barbara had a wonderful time with her family and it felt good to be together. She also talks about reconnecting with one of her uncles at the party.

Connecting with New and Old friends

Barbara and her husband met new friends while they were traveling in their motorhome. They were able to get together with them recently and spent 3 days in their home. They enjoyed riding bikes, golfing, and swimming. Barbara doesn’t remember a time when she met people during her travels and then actually reconnected with them later down the road. It meant a lot to her to foster the new friendship.

She also talks about getting together with friends they have had for many years.

Reconnecting with Grandkids

With their recent RV travels, Barbara and her husband haven't been able to spend a lot of time with their grandkids. Since returning, Barbara has been able to enjoy being a grandma and spending a lot more time with them. She feels fortunate that she is able to see them more than just on Holidays as she now has the time since she is retired.

New adventures on the horizon

7 months on an RV journey! That is what Barbara will be doing as of September. They will be going to South Dakota, Wyoming, Arizona, and Colorado. And who knows where else they may wind up. We discuss the planning for the trip which has been a fun but massive undertaking. Barbara is excited to get back on the road in their RV but does mention that there can be some cons when it comes to traveling this way. You never know what the weather will bring, sometimes the views aren't as picturesque as you would imagine and the cost can be pretty significant sometimes.

I know I look forward to hearing more about their travels and it will also be interesting to see if 7 months straight with Barbara and her husband traveling together will drive them bonkers! ????

The Go-Go Years vs The Slower-Go Years

Barbra and I talk about trying to have discussions in advance on what you see for your life during your 60’s, 70’s, 80's, and beyond.

A very dear friend of mine who was in my synchronized swimming class with me said “don’t wait until you are 80 to figure out where you are going to go because if you do, you are going to wind up in a crisis. Start thinking about what you want to do. Don’t wait and figure it out. This is very good advice.

All though I think it varies for everyone The Go-Go Years are typically ages 65-75. These are the years to focus on family, travel, etc. Anything that may be on your bucket list and requires an active lifestyle.

The Slow-Go Years are typically ages age 76 to 85. They may look a little different as many people are still active but at a slower pace.

Photos and Memories

reconnecting in retirement

During the graduation party, Barbara's father came to visit and was searching for photos and scanning them into his iPad. He wants to remember things from her and her mom’s younger years. This got Barbara thinking about her own photos. So she is now tearing apart her old photo albums and getting digitized. It has been a trip through memory lane for her.

In a previous episode, Barbara talks about a gift from her daughter which was Storyworth. Her story is completed and her next project is to go through her mom's journals and create a Storyworth of her Mother's memories and photos. She passed away over 20 years ago and until now Barbara has never read these journals.

I think most of us lived in the era of disposable cameras and going to pick up our pictures at the store. Maybe you have photo albums or boxes of photos. Perhaps take the time to not only digitize your photos but turn them into something that people can look at. Work on capturing the memories for future generations to look at and read about.

Websites mentioned in the episode

Trusted Housesitters– If you use this link, you'll get 25% off your membership, and I'll get a couple of months added to mine

www.storyworth.com

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/summer-of-reconnecting-episode-259/feed/ 2 Enduring when things fall aparthttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/enduring-when-things-fall-apart/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=enduring-when-things-fall-apart https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/enduring-when-things-fall-apart/#respond

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 12:00:29 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9523

Shortly after purchasing our brand new motorhome all of our plans for touring the Oregon and California coast on our way to Arizona quickly fell apart. For 21 days we were in limbo as five different technicians worked to diagnose and fix the problem, namely that our motorhome wouldn’t start. Not even a click when […]


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Shortly after purchasing our brand new motorhome all of our plans for touring the Oregon and California coast on our way to Arizona quickly fell apart. For 21 days we were in limbo as five different technicians worked to diagnose and fix the problem, namely that our motorhome wouldn’t start. Not even a click when we turned the key in the ignition.


Enduring when things fall apart- Retirement LifestyleNever mind that it was the middle of winter in the Pacific Northwest, including ice and snow storms and relentless rain. All of our plans to start our snowbird adventure were suddenly canceled.

What I learned during this time is that in retirement, flexibility is key. Keeping a positive attitude, choosing to view challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow, and sticking together as a couple when the situation is tough helps you endure some hard days.

I also learned that it is possible to live very simply without the many creature comforts we’ve come to enjoy. While we were living in a beautiful motorhome, we were essentially “boondocking.” We had no power, water, or sewer hook-ups for seven days. We were in survival mode and resorted to getting through this time by taking it one minute, one hour, one day at a time. Focusing on how to get through the day and keep smiling was often a challenge. Meals, showers, and sleeping took more effort than we expected.

We both decided to take the high road and not take out our frustration on the people who were trying to help us. We discovered that having patience, encouraging each other when we were discouraged and feeling a little hopeless, and even laughing about our situation helped make the time go by faster.

When the problem was finally diagnosed we still had to endure. Due to weather, supply chain issues, and delivery challenges we waited five more days for our parts to arrive. During these days we looked for chances to make the best of the situation. It was fantastic that in spite of not being able to head south as planned, we were able to unhook our Jeep and went out on two local hikes when the rain stopped and the sun finally came out. A big highlight was when we decided to take two days and a quick overnight to see the Redwoods in Oregon and Northern California.Enduring when things fall apart

We were truly grateful that we were able to make the best of our situation and check off one of our bucket list National Parks. Before we knew it we were finally on the road again, heading to the sun. While we will never forget this time, we are proud that instead of turning on each other, or worse, turning on the people whose job it was to get things fixed we endured and chose forgiveness and grace. Now when we sit around the campfire at various RV resorts and share our story with other RVers we are able to laugh about it.

What makes it even better is that we have now learned that “everyone” has an RV story to share. When a house is built on top of a truck chassis and then you roll it over potholes and bumps down the Interstate and highways, things break, appliances vibrate and nuts and bolts come loose. It is just all part of the adventure. Now that we are on the road again and our first round of warranty work has been completed we are loving every minute of our retirement journey in a motorhome!

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/enduring-when-things-fall-apart/feed/ 0 Moving to Start Anew After the Loss of a Loved Onehttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/moving-to-start-anew-after-the-loss-of-a-loved-one/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=moving-to-start-anew-after-the-loss-of-a-loved-one https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/moving-to-start-anew-after-the-loss-of-a-loved-one/#respond

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 12:00:55 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9503

Losing a loved one tends to be a traumatic, life-changing event. You’re likely to be overwhelmed by grief and pain. If you shared your home with them, that makes it harder still. You’re inundated with memories of them and your time together in every room and around every corner – all this while you try […]


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Image via Unsplash

Losing a loved one tends to be a traumatic, life-changing event. You’re likely to be overwhelmed by grief and pain. If you shared your home with them, that makes it harder still. You’re inundated with memories of them and your time together in every room and around every corner – all this while you try to somehow manage your day-to-day duties and chores.

Sometimes the best option for your overall health and mental sanity is to move house and seek a fresh start elsewhere. While it probably won’t take away from your loss, it will, at the very least, help you to function better.

This article offers advice on starting somewhere else anew after the loss of your loved one, including all the critical considerations you need to make before the move:

Why moving might be a good choice 

Moving to a new environment, whether that’s a new neighborhood or a different city altogether, can be beneficial in several ways.

  • Fewer painful memories: You won’t be confronted with specific memories of your loved one anymore, whether of your time spent together at home or outside in your old haunts.
  • New connections: You will have a chance to meet new people, with different life stories and histories, who may help take your mind off your loss.
  • New experiences: A new home in a new city gives you a chance to have a new start in life, and maybe do all things you’ve always wanted to do but have been putting off.

Which of your loved one’s possessions should you keep? 

Your loved one may have left some possessions behind. These may include meaningful items and non-meaningful ones. You may want to keep the ones that they – or you – cared about as a keepsake and donate the rest. It’s impractical to keep everything, not to mention giving stuff away can help you come to terms with the loss.

If you’re having trouble letting go of some items, you can put them in storage until you can decide what to do. Some storage centers offer discounts to new customers, so it’s not always unaffordable. For instance, there are a lot of options for storage units in San Diego, CA for as low as $77 per month.

Prepare your house for a sale 

If you own a house – or your loved one did – then you will probably want to sell it before you move elsewhere. There are several steps involved with preparing the house for a sale, especially if it was owned by the deceased:

  • Check the legal status of the house.
  • Get all parties with a stake in the house to agree upon a sale.
  • Figure out your potential profit minus expenses.
  • Figure out how much tax would be owed.
  • See if maintenance and upgrades are needed.
  • List the house for sale and consider staging it.
  • Accept an offer and close.

Note that selling a house can take months. You could rent a new place in the interim if you need to move.

You can hire services to make the move easier 

Professionals can make your move simpler. For instance, a good real estate agent can sell your home and also find you a new place. Other professionals you might want to approach include cleaners, handymen, and movers. Kerb offers a moving expense checklist that should help you figure out the potential expenses involved in making the move using professional assistance.

Moving your business to a new location 

Moving a business to a new location will be a challenge, to say the least. It’s a good idea to minimize the disruption as much as possible. To this effect, some suggestions are early planning, labeling boxes carefully, setting up a remote work facility, hiring reputable movers, and having a “staggered” move – keeping your old worksite open until the new one is set up fully.

Consider your family’s safety 

You’ll be starting a new life in an unknown neighborhood, in a new city or town. You can make your family feel – and be – safer by purchasing some gadgets or items like sleepers, window guards, safety gates, home security systems, baby monitors, and safety locks. It’s always a good idea to read in-depth reviews and family care advice from unbiased sources before you make any purchase to avoid problems down the road.

Don’t forget to look after yourself

Losing a loved one is stressful, as is moving. You need to prioritize your well-being. Some suggestions are finding ways to de-stress, taking plenty of breaks, going out in nature, exercising, and asking for help. A good self-help regime will make the whole move easier and you’ll be able to settle in faster. It can also assist you in overcoming your grief.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that moving might not be the best option in all cases. Grief and Sympathy advises against it if you have physical problems or don’t have social support at the new location. Consider the pros and cons carefully before you make a final decision. If you do decide to move, make sure that you plan things out a few weeks in advance to make it as stress-free as possible.

About the Author: Sharon Wagner is the creator of SeniorFriendly.info and the author of the upcoming book, The Ultimate Guide to Senior-Friendly Workouts, Fitness Gear, Healthy Recipes, and More. With both her website and her book, she hopes to provide helpful tips, tricks, advice, and product recommendations that help seniors stay active and engaged as they age.

Looking to ensure a fantastic and healthy retirement? Subscribe to the Rock Your Retirement podcast for helpful tips!

Kathe Kline has been working with retirees for over 25 years. She discovered that retirement is not just about money and insurance, but is also about: Social & Family; Adventure & Travel; Volunteer & Philanthropy; Spirit & Soul, Sexual issues, and Sandwich Generation issues or helping your family members as they age

This site will host the podcast interviews that we will do with people who are Rocking their own Retirement, or who provide services to you so that you can Rock Your Retirement!

Rock on!

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/moving-to-start-anew-after-the-loss-of-a-loved-one/feed/ 0 Adapting in Retirement with Barbara Mockhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/adapting-in-retirement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=adapting-in-retirement https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/adapting-in-retirement/#comments

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 12:00:52 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9483

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the summer season. In this episode, Babara updates us on what is going on in her world. RV Woes Barbara talks about her RV that has been in the shop and has been having warranty work done on it for a month. Much like anything […]


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I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the summer season. In this episode, Babara updates us on what is going on in her world.

RV Woes

Barbara talks about her RV that has been in the shop and has been having warranty work done on it for a month. Much like anything post-pandemic, there is difficulty getting parts and things just take a lot longer. Her advice to the listener “if you plan to RV full-time or part-time is to be flexible”

Lessons in Patience and Resilience

During their RV travels Barbara and her husband have had to learn the new National Parks online reservation system and are finding more and more places that don’t take cash.

The use of the internet is more prevalent than ever. Barbara talks about retirees in their 70s and 80s who have struggled with our more technological society and miss things the way they used to be.

Now more than ever, it is important to make sure you are at least familiar with the internet. If you or a loved one needs help, there are classes available and many are free. You can check your local senior center or there are some resources listed below.

The world is changing and even traveling is changing. Cash is used less and less. We currently have supply chain issues and labor shortages. Inflation is rising and costs are skyrocketing. And, we are still in a pandemic with Covid cases are rising again in some areas. Having patience whether, you are in a restaurant, traveling, waiting for supplies to fix your house, or even waiting for your RV to be fixed is important.

The White Picket Fence

When Barbara just married her husband, she wanted the 2 kids, the house, and the white picket fence. Her husband built her that white picket fence when they were newly married. When they came home from their 3-month RV trip Barbara felt like she had a “new set of eyes” and some yard work needed to be done. What started out as “sprucing things up” became a full yard remodel.

One of the first things Barbara wanted to be done was that white picket fence taken down. Her husband did not. In her eyes, the fence was old and getting dilapidated. Where her husband built that fence for his wife with his own 2 hands and there was a lot of love and emotion that went into that project.

Barbara did not let up and her husband ended up taking the fence down. As the fence was being taken down, Barbara started to remember what age the kids were when it was built and the things they had gone through as a family over the years. The white picket fence had many memories attached to it. It became a symbolic thing and here she was taking it down.

Compromise and Communication 

Barbara and Kathe also talk about communicating and compromising in relationships. Barbara’s husband would rather stay home and she likes to travel. There has been a sort of tension around this in their relationship. When you retire, you may make a plan with your spouse for what your retirement will look like, but things may not feel the same for each person.

Barbara and her husband have been making sure they are trying to communicate, be willing to negotiate and bend at times, and above all, treat each other with kindness. You aren’t the same person as you were when you first got married and the routine you were both used to pre-retirement is no longer. You have to be open to change.

One of the reasons this podcast was started was because retirement can have an unanticipated impact on relationships. Both Barbara and I know of couples who end up staying married for financial reasons but live separately and even couples who end up getting divorced. We previously had a guest on our show who had moved to Costa Rica with her husband.

She fell in love with it and he hated it there. They ended up getting a divorce. She chose Costa Rica over her marriage. If you haven’t listened to the episode, you can do there here HERE

Final Thoughts

To end the conversation Barbara talks about “Grandkids week.” It wasn’t a vacation they just did life with them, and it was an amazing experience. Before she retired, she wouldn’t have had the time to spend with her children and grandchildren as she is able to now. Even though there have been some challenges she doesn’t regret retiring at all.

Do you have any questions or comments? Reach out to us at Podcast@rockyourretirement.com and we will try to answer them in the show

Resources for Senior classes

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/adapting-in-retirement/feed/ 4 Kindness Keeps Marriages Togetherhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/kindness-keeps-marriages-together/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kindness-keeps-marriages-together https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/kindness-keeps-marriages-together/#respond

Mon, 09 May 2022 21:30:39 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9469

Today we are talking about marriage. Neither Barbara nor I are mental health care professionals, so please don't take this episode as professional advice. If you are having marriage problems or considering getting married, please seek counseling from a qualified professional. These are just our experiences and what I've learned from research. If you are […]


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Today we are talking about marriage. Neither Barbara nor I are mental health care professionals, so please don't take this episode as professional advice. If you are having marriage problems or considering getting married, please seek counseling from a qualified professional. These are just our experiences and what I've learned from research.


If you are a long-term listener to this show, you know that one of the six pillars to a great retirement lifestyle is your relationship with your significant other, if you have one.

But this is not an easy thing in the United States. Here, we have been taught that marriage is something that should be entered into for life and that divorce is almost always a bad thing. But most marriages here fail. And when they do, it's usually because one or both partners were too selfish to care about their partner's needs.

And so, what can we do? How can we make our relationships better? What can we do to keep them together?

In this episode, I will share a few secrets about relationships. If you are not married, you can use this information with your friendships so keep listening!

We'll be talking about the following:

  • Be flexible – things don't always go as planned.
  • Have Adventures with each other.
  • Take time for yourself too.
  • Be kind!

Be flexible – things don't always go as planned.

If you listened to the last episode we released, you found out that things don't always go as planned. Barbara and her husband purchased a beautiful, brand new motor home, and were ready to go on a dream trip. If you haven't listened to that episode, go back and listen. Although it's not Barbara's voice you'll hear, it is her words. We used a computer voice so that we could get the episode out to you because Barbara and I have both been busy.

And I'd like to apologize to the listeners for not getting this episode out earlier. We had a few people reach out to us to determine if we were OK. Yes, we are. Barbara's been traveling, and I wasn't really ready to do solo episodes in the interim. So we went dark. Because this is an independent show with no advertisers, we were able to do that and come back.

But I'm sorry I didn't send an email or anything to let you know what was going on. We'll try to do better next time.

This really ties into the first segment. Things don't always go as planned. When you are retired or preparing for retirement, you need to be flexible.

Flexibility is something I'm working on. It's very difficult for me to change midstream. This is especially true if I'm trying to learn how to do something. I think I got a bit of a bad reputation in my synchronized swimming because of that. The choreographers have to make adjustments to the routines so that every swimmer can shine in the show. After all, we are not spring chickens, and we are not competing in the Olympics. Every one of our synchronized swimmers has a life outside of swimming.

Last year, our routine got changed several times, not only to accommodate our team members but also because we lost two of our swimmers due to Health Issues. We also had a replacement because one of our swimmers decided she'd rather do a different activity. Luckily, we could replace that swimmer, but our team kept getting smaller.

Every time our routine was changed, I would snort. I thought I was being funny, but now I realize I was causing a lot of stress to the choreographers. I learned a lot about being flexible and how that doesn't just affect me but also affects people around me. So it's something I'm working on under the subject of friendships AND significant others.

Of course, I have a lot of work to do before being considered flexible. And I'll have to do a lot to rid myself of that inflexible reputation.

Let's hear what Barbara has to say about it.

Barbara: “Well, I would call this, when things don't go as planned. Because when you have a planned trip, you have dates and times of where you need to be. And
when everything falls apart, you have to start canceling plans. And one thing I learned is RV resorts don't cancel plans for bad weather. And we were in bad weather, we were snow, we
were rain, everything was crazy. So I didn't know if we could get any of our money back. But we had a nine-day trip planned down the Oregon and California coast. So we got to Arizona.”

“But when I called them and truthfully told them our story that we had a brand new 2022 That wouldn't start, the sympathy was amazing. And with one exception, we got our refunds. And so I can't say enough about how kind people were. But when things don't go as planned, then you're winging it. And lots of people are very comfortable with that. I'm not I want to know where I'm sleeping, where I'm plugged in to where I'm hooking up, and I do exhaustive research. But at the point that it finally got started, it was go time. And we were two weeks
beyond what we'd already paid for in Arizona. And okay, it's just money, but it still felt wrong that we've paid for this, and we're not there enjoying that.”

“So, we just did a beat feet. Just start driving. One thing I've learned from lots and lots of people is that three to four hours of driving is a good, it's a good number. Get up in the morning, have your breakfast drive, have your lunch, and go check-in, you know, one or two. Well, we wanted to get there. And so we drove a lot of 5-6-7 hour days. And then you don't have anywhere to sleep because you don't know where you are.”

Kathe: “But there is one good thing about having an RV and you're driving five hours. You have a bathroom. Right?”

Barbara: “Amen, sister. And so, and I'm about to go as far as my husband can. So I know, he'd go on fine. I'm like I'm not . So yeah, having a bathroom, but also having a place to make a sandwich. Or to be able to get up and get him some chips or a drink or a cup of tea or something. And you know, it's fully functional. With or without power, you have a generator and everything and so, so that was good.

But I have to say that there's a whole world out there of Walmart and Cracker Barrels, and let you stay there. And so, while it wasn't the most restful night, because they're usually by a major highway or an airport or something like that. You can do it; you can do it. I think that was early on him driving and, you know, getting in and out of parking lots and whatever was really white knuckle for us, because we're towing a jeep. But the more he drove, the better he got at it, you know. And so, one learning I have with an RV is when things don't go as planned and you don't have anywhere to go, you're gonna be okay; you can pull over just about anywhere. And as long as you feel safe, you know, geographically safe, and there's room to put your slides out, you can go to bed, get up the next morning and head-on. So you can cover a lot more territory, more distance than I had imagined. And we really kind of let it go. We had in our mind what, we were going to see and what we were going to do. And at this point, it's like okay, just Get there.”

Have adventures with each other 

The next episode of the Rock Your Retirement Show will go over Barbara's latest Adventure. In this adventure, she and her husband helped build a house in a few days. They went to Mexico with their small church fellowship group and built a house.

I'm not going to tell you the entire story; I'll let Barbara do that in the next episode. But I can tell you that adventures can strengthen a marriage.

How can adventures strengthen a marriage?

Well, they give both partners opportunities to grow together. You see, when you're married, your partner becomes part of your identity. And when you're retired, you become more of yourself. That means you have new interests and new hobbies. Adventures allow you to explore those interests and hobbies.

They help you get to know each other better. They also give you a chance to spend quality time together.

And finally, adventures help you stay connected. If you're still doing things together after you retire, then you won't feel like you've forgotten who you are.

These can be big adventures or small adventures. If you are a long-term listener of the show, you may remember Fritz Gilbert from episodes 198 and 225. Fritz and his wife created the “Wednesday Jar”. This was where they wrote one thing down on a piece of paper that they could do for their Wednesday adventures. They filled the jar up with hundreds of these “one things”.

Then each Wednesday, they would draw something from the jar, and they would go do it. This way they got to do some fun things together, some that she wanted to do, and some that he wanted to do, and it was always something different, so they never got bored.

So, if you want to keep your marriage strong, start planning some adventures.

Take time for Yourself!

Over the last year, I've started doing things on my own more. Prior to that, Les and I always did things as a couple. But now, I'm getting more involved in some of the activities in my 55 and older community.

For example, Synchronized Swimming. You've already heard about that. But this activity takes at least six hours of my time every week.

Then there is the Art Club. I've been elected to the Board of Directors. And I recently volunteered to chair one of our committees that I'm passionate about. So this activity is just for me.

I'm also exercising almost every day in the pool, including Synchronized Swimming. I used to try to get my husband to come with me, but he really doesn't like it. So I do this on my own, and he exercises with dumbbells at home or he does something else.

But what I love most about being active on my own is the friendships I make. I meet people who share similar passions and interests. It's great to talk to them about how we can all work together.

This kind of friendship is very important because research shows that loneliness is one of the biggest threats to retirement happiness.

If you don't have friends, it's much harder to enjoy life. So, take time to build relationships with people who share your interests. You can do things without your spouse. It gives you both time to create things to talk about with each other later.

Barbara: A new friend at my back door, said, you know, I gotta tell you something. If you're bored here, there is something seriously wrong with you. Because there are so many clubs, so many opportunities to connect. And especially if you're in the pet section, you're going to meet people. But what she did say is, I'm a firm believer in time and space, or space and time. It's not good for you to be with your husband all the time. So you need to have some space, and you need to have time away from him. And at this point, I had been with him
constantly. And so she goes, that's what I love about golf. He goes away for five or six hours, and I can do whatever I want.

And it gives your spouse time away to recharge as well.

Be kind to your spouse!

According to Ty Tashiro, in his book, The Science of Happily Ever After, most marriages fail. He states that only three in ten marriages remain healthy and happy, and the rest wind up either in divorce or dysfunction.

Divorce rates started climbing in the 1970s, which prompted social scientists to study marriage.

In 1986, psychologists John Gottman and Robert Levenson set up a “Love Lab” to begin a study of married couples. They hooked the couples up to electrodes and studied how newlyweds interacted with each other.

They asked the couples to talk about their relationship, including details about a positive memory they had, a major conflict they were facing, and how they met.

As they spoke, the electrodes were measuring them. They were measuring their heart rates, their blood flow, and how much they were sweating.

Then the couples went home, and Gottman followed up with them six years later to see if they were still married.

He found two types of couples, the masters and the disasters.

The masters were still married six years later. These couples had the habit of complimenting their spouses and acknowledging their spouses in kind ways.

The disasters, on the other hand, seemed to find ways to criticize each other. In their initial interviews, they looked calm. But the electrodes told a different story. Their blood flow was fast, their heart rates were quick, and they were sweating.

These couples showed signs of being in “fight or flight mode,” as if they were constantly prepared to be verbally attacked or go on the offense with their spouse.

It's not surprising that these “disaster couples” had either divorced or had troubled marriages when Gottman followed up with them six years later.

Gottman's takeaway was that having a good marriage boils down to kindness. Do the individuals in the relationship bring kindness and generosity to the relationship, or do they bring hostility, contempt, and criticism?

When Les and I first married, we became friends with another couple. This couple had some similarities to us, which made it easy to become friends. The husband was significantly older than his wife. They didn't have children. This couple was fun to be around.

But over time, Les and I stopped spending so much time with them. The issue that I had was that the wife was constantly belittling her husband when we were alone or with other women. She didn't do it in front of him, but when I asked her about it, she said that she was just blowing off steam, I figured that I didn't want to be around such negativity since the other women in the group would also air complaints about their husbands too.

I don't really keep in touch with them, but I do know that there have been some divorces inside that social circle.

I think that the reason Barbara has such a strong marriage is because of the kindness they show to each other. Even in times of stress:

Barbara: And one of the things that I had to take away is that in any marriage, you're going to go through hard times, right? It's just a part of life. And we, we didn't turn on each other, which surprised me a little bit. Because you know, when things go wrong blaming can happen. Why did we do this, but for whatever reason we were it was like these circumstances, the weather, the situation was against us. So we actually kind of pulled together.

Now my husband's a repairman. He's a fixer. And I'm a project manager planner. And all of that was blown out of the water because he doesn't know how to fix a Freightliner chassis. That's not running, right. He, but he's still trying to problem solve. So, hours and hours and hours of talking about, what about this? What about this? It was mind-numbing. And me, I'm going oh, well, we haven't left yet. Oh, I better cancel. And so everything we'd spent months planning unraveled. I think the pandemic prepared me for that, though, right. It's like, okay, get your hopes up. And they're dashed again. But it wasn't because of the pandemic, it was because the thing wouldn't start.

And so one of the things my takeaway is, if you resolve to be kind to people together, it's hard. There were days when I wanted to take someone's head off, there were days where I just wanted to scream and cry and throw a tantrum. But on those days, he was always the one saying, wait a second. Let's be humble. We have a roof over our heads. We're not suffering. We've been studying Ephesians. And Paul in prison, and he goes, this is pretty cushy. Here. We have a great bath, and we have all the stuff we need.

And so the same happened with him when he gets frustrated go, you know, let's take the high road. Let's not do that. But we definitely realized how outside people could affect us because everyone wanted to help. But a lot of people were sending US Attorneys names. Lemon Law, you know, rip up a new one take the motorhome back.

And we realized that when next time our friends are in that situation, we're not going to do that. It's not helpful, because now you're defending your decisions. And to be honest, I was a little embarrassed Cathy, here, we bought this. Hundreds of 1000s of dollars beautiful, it's a beautiful motorhome. And I went dark I went silent. email, social media media, because it's like, really, you're complaining because it won't run.

And so my takeaway on enduring when things fall apart is to remind yourself that everything is fixable. Everything's repairable, nothing's permanent. And it to be honest with you got us to be familiar with our motorhome, because we picked it up and got in it. And now you're living in it without power, without water, without sewer.

And you really have to be thoughtful and mindful about how all these systems work or
don't work. So the home itself was fine. But my takeaway was in life, in retirement in an RV, things are gonna go wrong. And how you treat your spouse and how you treat each other is
going to, it's going to show any weaknesses in your relationship.

But it's also going to strengthen you. And so I would never wish it on anyone. But in hindsight, it was a good way for
us to start out.

Conclusion

So, listener, I hope this episode will help you with your own relationships. Also, don't forget to listen to the next show where Barbara talks about her adventure with her husband in building a house!

And if you haven't joined our mailing list yet, just send us an email at podcast@rockYourRetirement.com, and we'll add you. You can also go to the website RockYourRetirement.com and fill out the form.

Also, if you haven't already, please join the Rock Your Retirement Community! I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about how to Rock Your Retirement!!

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/kindness-keeps-marriages-together/feed/ 0 Retirement journey updates with Kathe and Barbarahttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/retirement-journey-updates-with-kathe-and-barbara/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retirement-journey-updates-with-kathe-and-barbara https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/retirement-journey-updates-with-kathe-and-barbara/#respond

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 13:00:02 +0000

https://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9351

This episode is a bit different. You will get two updates. One will be an update about my life and another update on what is going on in Barbara’s world. Only it won’t be Barbara’s voice you hear. It will be an automated voice that is reading her journal. Although I’m still working, I have […]


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This episode is a bit different. You will get two updates. One will be an update about my life and another update on what is going on in Barbara’s world. Only it won’t be Barbara’s voice you hear. It will be an automated voice that is reading her journal.


Although I’m still working, I have cut way back on my hours. I am focusing more on activities outside of work. I am currently practicing for an upcoming synchronized swimming show which I am actually quite nervous about.Retirement journey update with Kathe Kline and Barbara Mock

We also have an update on Barbara Mock’s retirement adventures. Barbara kept a journal about their first major trip in her and her husband’s brand-new Recreational Vehicle. You won’t want to miss what happened!

Lastly, if you know of someone who is retiring soon, within the next 12 months, we are looking for a new addition to the show. Our goal is to follow different retirees from about 6 months prior to retirement to about 6 months after retirement. If you know someone who might be interested in this project, please have that person contact me at Podcast@RockYourRetirement.com so we can discuss it.

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/retirement-journey-updates-with-kathe-and-barbara/feed/ 0 Getting my Colors Donehttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/getting-my-colors-done/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=getting-my-colors-done https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/getting-my-colors-done/#respond

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:00:50 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9267

Back in the 1980s, there was a thing called “Getting your colors done.” I never had an analysis formally completed but I’ve always thought with my dark hair and light pink skin I was a “Winter.” My favorite and most complimented colors were jewel tones, deep shades of blue, purple, and fuchsia and my signature […]


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Back in the 1980s, there was a thing called “Getting your colors done.” I never had an analysis formally completed but I’ve always thought with my dark hair and light pink skin I was a “Winter.” My favorite and most complimented colors were jewel tones, deep shades of blue, purple, and fuchsia and my signature color is black!


My daughter asked for her birthday gift to be a color analysis and wanted me to join her. We coupled this experience with a Mother-daughter getaway and I’m so glad we did. This was something we could do together, all while learning how to look our best in this stage of our lives. For her, working as a professional educator at a college currently from home and raising her two school-age boys and me, as a new retiree.

With my pandemic silver/gray hair and completely new activities, I’ve struggled a bit with decisions on my retirement wardrobe. When I was working, it was easy to know how to dress for staff meetings, speaking engagements, and conferences. A uniform of black pants, a black blazer, jacket, or sweater coupled with a top in my favorite colors, add some black shoes and silver earrings and I was done.

On Instagram, she found Nicole Kaczmarek at the House of Colour in Ballard, a neighborhood in Seattle not far from the University of Washington. (houseofcolour_ballard) A former pharmacist, Nicole has pivoted like many working moms to a career that gives the flexibility to spend more time with her adorable son and husband while providing a service to her customers. Her new career increases her joy, makes her happy, and gives her life! She took a risk starting a new business during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back.

I went first and was draped with countless fabric swatches as Nicole analyzed the colors that made me look my best. Once she established that I was in fact a “Winter” on the color wheel she found my best “wow” colors. We took before and after photos and the difference was striking. One takeaway is that in my zeal to have a new life and a new identity I had departed from what I learned I looked best in. I have concluded that I have started spending time and money on clothes that were in style and on-trend – but just not right for me. While I still have lots of my best colors in my wardrobe I realized that completely missing were the hot pinks, fuchsia, and a bright red. I guess I thought those colors went out of style in the ’80s and forgot about what works best for me.

Next, it was my daughter’s turn. We both had no idea where she would land on the color wheel. The fabric draping process started again and the conclusion was that she was a summer. The entire process for two people takes about two hours each for a total of four hours. The time flies by!

It was amazing as her mom to watch how her face became almost airbrushed and her eyes popped as her best colors were draped. One thing she learned is that highlighting her naturally dark brown hair with golden highlights doesn’t make her look her best. After covering her hair and seeing only her roots, Nicole recognized that she needs cooler Ash tones if she is going to highlight them. But we all concluded she would look her best to let her hair return to its natural color and fill her wardrobe with Summer colors.

In fact, during both of her pregnancies, she let her hair go back to its natural color and the clothing she chose at that time was in the Summer part of the color wheel. Her glow in those photos wasn’t only from the pregnancy, she looked her best because the colors she naturally wore at that time were her “wow” colors. This was a huge takeaway for her.

At the end of our session, we tried on three sets of lipstick that complements our natural look. One for daytime, one for evening, and that one special red for those special moments. In addition, we received a customized set of color swatches to keep on hand for the next time we are shopping or ordering clothing online.

We were both so excited to get home and go through our closets and compare to our swatches. During the entire drive, we were excitedly talking about what we learned and then when we were home we did a FaceTime call and showed each other our wardrobes. It was so easy to discard those items that were just hanging in our closets unworn. We didn’t love them because they weren’t our best colors. I have a big bag now to donate to the Thrift Store at the Senior Center.

Then it was fun to arrange our clothes in the colors of the rainbow and compare them to our before and after photos and clearly see why these items were our favorites. What I learned was many of my most recent post-retirement purchases not only weren’t my “wow” colors but they were entirely wrong for me.

I think this is a great gift idea for your wife, daughter, or friend. It is even a gift to yourself, there are lots of men that do this as well. After this experience I have concluded that as a retiree, life is short, so why wear clothes that make you look ill or washed out? Why not find your best colors and then make a few strategic purchases to round out your wardrobe? Buy the lipstick that makes you feel amazing, after the masks come off you’ll look your best.

My suggestion is to take some time in 2022 as a new or long-time retiree to really figure out your new lifestyle, your activities, and the colors of your wardrobe. I think you will be happy you did!

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/getting-my-colors-done/feed/ 0 Mother-Daughter Getawayhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/mother-daughter-getaway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mother-daughter-getaway https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/mother-daughter-getaway/#respond

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:00:46 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9261

When I ask my kids, “Do you want a “thing” or an “experience” for your birthday?” their answers these days are an experience. We are finding that in the days of online shopping, we all have so many “things” that spending intentional time together seems to win out every time. In the past, my daughter […]


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When I ask my kids, “Do you want a “thing” or an “experience” for your birthday?” their answers these days are an experience. We are finding that in the days of online shopping, we all have so many “things” that spending intentional time together seems to win out every time.


In the past, my daughter and I would take a weekend or a night for an annual “Mother-daughter” getaway. This started when she was around eight years old and we would go somewhere with her best friend and her mom. Whether it was to Canada to visit Whistler Village, Seaside, Oregon at the beach, or a play in Seattle we always enjoyed our time together. This continued for many years right up to the time they both turned 21 and wanted to go to Las Vegas with their mothers!

This year (after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic) we finally felt safe enough to explore Tacoma, Washington, and resurrect our getaway. After booking a room at the Hotel Murano on the “Black Friday Special” we arrived in a torrential downpour. We enjoyed a cup of seafood chowder and a charcuterie board of local meats and cheeses before visiting the Dale Chihuly Museum of Glass.

While the wind and the rain lashed the building, we were warm and cozy as we watched the resident artists make amazing glass art in the demonstration area. Then we leisurely strolled the exhibits and learned about the history of art glassmaking in the Pacific Northwest. Spending an entire afternoon together with no schedule and no agenda is just what we both needed.

By the time we left at closing time, it was completely dark outside and we looked at the lights and the glass of the fountains and then crossed the Chihuly Glass of Bridge back to the downtown area.

We walked and walked arm in arm, enjoying the lights of the city and the Christmas tree near the Pantages Theatre, and finally turned into a highly rated little boutique restaurant called the “Over the Moon Cafe.” My daughter is obsessed with the 1920s, Downton Abbey, Art Deco, and restaurants decorated like speakeasies. Finding the perfect place for our dinner, we were thrilled that even though we didn’t have a reservation there was one little table that was reserved for walk-ins. We felt so lucky and blessed.

We shared an entire bottle of wine, a cheesy Brussels sprouts appetizer, dined on an amazing winter squash lasagna and prawn fettuccine, and capped off our evening with the bread pudding full of bits of peaches, pecans, and a bourbon sauce for dessert. Delicious!

Returning to the Hotel Murano, we put on our Christmas pajamas and cuddled up together, and watched a Hallmark movie. The next morning we got our coffee at Starbucks, drove to Ballard for our appointment at a studio to get our colors done at House of Colours, and after an amazing four hours ended our time together at the iconic Dick’s Drive-In.

As we each drove in a different direction, my daughter south and me north, we talked on our hands-free devices and reflected on how wonderful it was to spend two days and a night together! I think during the pandemic we have all become accustomed to pausing the things we used to do. Hopefully, we will all once again be even more intentional about spending time with our kids, enjoying each other’s company, learning something new, and sharing a meal together. If you have a child you haven’t spent much time with as a result of the pandemic I hope in 2022 you will find a way to “get away”, you’ll be so glad you did!

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/mother-daughter-getaway/feed/ 0 A different kind of Thanksgivinghttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/a-different-kind-of-thanksgiving/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-different-kind-of-thanksgiving https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/a-different-kind-of-thanksgiving/#respond

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 13:00:24 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9246

Last year, with the pandemic raging, hospitals overflowing, no vaccines available, and a lack of understanding of how this virus was spreading, we chose to follow the guidance and essentially cancel our holiday. It felt really sad and bleak to be home just the two of us while many members of our extended family still […]


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Last year, with the pandemic raging, hospitals overflowing, no vaccines available, and a lack of understanding of how this virus was spreading, we chose to follow the guidance and essentially cancel our holiday. It felt really sad and bleak to be home just the two of us while many members of our extended family still gathered. Not seeing our kids or grandkids in person had us resorting to communicating via a sad little video that we sent to the grandkids telling them how grateful we were for each of them. At the end, we were both teary-eyed and prayed that 2021 would be better.


This year with all of the adults fully vaccinated and some of us already obtaining our booster, we decided to go ahead with the holiday. Washington and Oregon State all have mandatory mask mandates for any indoor activities and some counties require proof of vaccination to enter a restaurant or bar. All were careful leading up to the holiday so we decided the benefits outweighed the risks.

It was our “turn” to have all of our kids and grandkids together at our house. (We alternate years so that our in-laws also get to enjoy everyone together, so next year we will be alone again.) Planning was in earnest weeks before the day. Finding a turkey this year proved to be a challenge but I had ordered ahead and the truck came through.

Our oldest granddaughter helped with decorating the table and I made hand-painted watercolor place cards. We created a long table for fourteen people, embellished with two overflowing cornucopias and native ferns, cedar boughs, and pine cones from our backwoods. She carefully placed the cards and gave specific reasons for where she chose to seat everyone. Great-grandma near all of the great-grandkids, parents nearby and uncles, brothers, and nephews at the “taller table” so they could fit their long legs, and me near the kitchen so I could get up and get things for the meal.

On Thanksgiving morning after we prepared the sides, we all got dressed in color-coordinated outfits and braved the rain to snap some family photos. Due to the pandemic, our annual photoshoots just didn’t happen. It was shocking to realize it had been over three years since we had been altogether to snap a picture. The kids are growing up so fast and now I have gray hair!

At mealtime, my husband read the presidential proclamation declaring a national holiday and a day of thanks. Then our nine-year old granddaughter read a Thanksgiving essay that she had hand-written, edited, typed, and printed along with gorgeous crayon illustrations of a cornucopia. With emotion, she shared her Thanksgiving blessing with the large circle gathered around our kitchen island. Then we prayed as a family, thankful that a dear niece had been spared after being hospitalized for eight days with the virus, asking for a miracle for a young friend who had been diagnosed with leukemia, and finally asking for God’s blessings, health, and safety for our family and friends in the New Year.

After our delicious meal, the Nerf “war games” among the grandkids began in earnest. The teams they had established last summer during Nana Camp continued and they were chasing around the house until bedtime. Playing a modified form of paintball with soft nerf bullets instead of paint with ever-evolving rules, it was a blessing to the adults hearing their laughter, seeing their sweaty little bodies fly by, the loud pounding of their feet upstairs and down, and the shrieks and screams as they were frozen and then tagged. I had flashes of my own holidays as a kid doing the exact same thing.

I felt so thankful for the delicious meal, the precious minutes of catching up with family news, recognizing that the time we spent together was positive and free of conflict, and laughing over the card games we played. I think that had we not had the Thanksgiving of 2020 with its quiet, sadness, I might never have appreciated the raucously crazy, fun-filled Thanksgiving of 2021. I hope that you and your family had a different kind of Thanksgiving this year as well and that you are able to recognize the blessing that being together as a family will be in 2022.

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/a-different-kind-of-thanksgiving/feed/ 0 End of 2021 with Barbara Mock’s Retirement Journeyhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/end-of-2021-with-barbara-mocks-retirement-journey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=end-of-2021-with-barbara-mocks-retirement-journey https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/end-of-2021-with-barbara-mocks-retirement-journey/#respond

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 13:00:27 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9220

I hope the listeners had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We were able to enjoy a Friendsgiving and you’ll get to hear all about Barbara’s full house. In fact, she’s still finding bits of Thanksgiving activities all over her house! Barbara also updates us on her latest RV trip and her first-time digging clams. She and […]


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I hope the listeners had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We were able to enjoy a Friendsgiving and you’ll get to hear all about Barbara’s full house. In fact, she’s still finding bits of Thanksgiving activities all over her house!


Barbara also updates us on her latest RV trip and her first-time digging clams. She and her daughter went on a much-needed mother-daughter trip and had their colors done, which has caused each of them to revamp their wardrobes. They had a great experience with Nicole in Baylor, just north of Seattle. Her contact information is nicole.kaczmarek@houseofcolour.com and her Instagram is houseofcolour_ballard.

That trip ended with a pretty shocking phone call from Barbara’s husband, which has added even more excitement to their RV life!

Retirement Lifestyle in 2021

Barbara got introduced to Trusted House Sitters, a great service for anyone who might be leaving their home and any pets for an extended length of time. You can get a discount if you use my link! rockyourretirement.com/THS

Lastly, Barbara checks in with her own aspirations and goals she set in 2021 and leaves us with some parting advice.

We hope you enjoy the latest episode of Rock Your Retirement!

Websites Mentioned in this Episode:

Over the Moon Cafe in Tacoma, WA – https://overthemooncafe.net

Hotel Murano – https://www.provenancehotels.com/hotel-murano-tacoma

Chihuly Museum of Glass – https://www.museumofglass.org

Dick's Drive-in – Seattle – https://www.ddir.com

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/end-of-2021-with-barbara-mocks-retirement-journey/feed/ 0 Barbara’s RV Retirement Adventure Part 2https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/barbaras-rv-retirement-adventure-part-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=barbaras-rv-retirement-adventure-part-2 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/barbaras-rv-retirement-adventure-part-2/#respond

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 13:00:31 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9184

We’re back with another update from Barbara’s RV retirement adventure! And boy, has it proven to be adventurous! Barbara is going to tell us about the ups and downs of their most recent travels. From watching sunsets on the beach to sweating through heavy traffic in their big rig, she and her husband already have […]


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We’re back with another update from Barbara’s RV retirement adventure! And boy, has it proven to be adventurous! Barbara is going to tell us about the ups and downs of their most recent travels. From watching sunsets on the beach to sweating through heavy traffic in their big rig, she and her husband already have quite a bit of experience under their belts.


Barbara teaches us why traveling in and owning an RV is a lot like retirement – until you’re in the thick of it, you don’t really know what it’s going to be like. You may have to make some changes and try some new things, but in the end, it’s bound to work out.

For those of you thinking about trying out the RV life, Barbara has some beginner tips and tricks.Retirement Lifestyle in an RV

  • Really understand the differences in RVs and know what you’re paying for in a more or less expensive rig.
  • Everyone on board should know how to handle the working parts – water and electric hookups included.
  • On your first few trips, keep a list of things you need (or don’t need) for the next trip.
  • If you see someone setting up camp for the first time, don’t try to help unless they ask – it’s an unwritten RV rule.

And lastly…

  • When you’re on the move, make sure everything is bolted down!

Even with all the lessons along the way, Barbara and her husband have already experienced so many memorable moments with their family and friends – moments that without an RV, she would never have had.

In Kathe’s world, things are BUSY! She is right in the middle of the craziest time of year for Medicare – the Annual Election Period. That means that for now, she’s living vicariously through Barbara – as a lot of us probably are!

We hope you enjoy the latest episode of Rock Your Retirement!

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

The post Barbara’s RV Retirement Adventure Part 2 appeared first on Rock Your Retirement.

]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/barbaras-rv-retirement-adventure-part-2/feed/ 0 The RVhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/the-rv/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-rv https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/the-rv/#respond

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 22:55:21 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9164

In this episode, we’re giving you an update on the exciting things that are happening in Barbara’s life. She has had a busy month and she’s about to embark on a journey that I think many of you will be interested in following – life in an RV! We’ll dig into the work she and […]


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In this episode, we’re giving you an update on the exciting things that are happening in Barbara’s life. She has had a busy month and she’s about to embark on a journey that I think many of you will be interested in following – life in an RV!


We’ll dig into the work she and her husband have been doing to prepare for this new adventure and also give you a little insider knowledge about a well-kept secret – the Jeep wave.

During this exciting time of life, Barbara also had some tough things happen. She lost a young family member unexpectedly – a mother whose kids are now left to face life without their mom. In addition to that, her niece, who has been adamantly anti-vax, came down with a terrifying case of COVID pneumonia. She nearly lost her life but is now on the road to recovery. The silver lining is that all of her anti-vax friends witnessed the toll COVID takes on people, and they are now getting vaccinated. It was an unfortunate situation, but we’ve got to keep looking for the silver lining.

Both of these incidents led Barbara and her husband to do some serious thinking about life and how they want to spend the time they’ve got left. After much discussion, they are now the proud owners of a motorhome!

Barbara found out quickly that buying a motorhome wasn’t easy, nor was finding somewhere to park it! With everything so backed up from the pandemic, they had a hard time finding an RV to purchase. After tons of research and some test drives, they finally found the one.

Next, it was time to plan their travels. With winter quickly approaching, there are a lot of people heading south. Barbara found that many of the places they wanted to book were taken, so they won’t be able to head about until December 27th. Still, she’s got lots to do before then. Right now, she’s busy setting up their new “home” with all the furnishings. As it turns out, purchasing the RV is just the beginning of the expenses!

We end our episode with a trip Barbara recently took to Target. She met an employee there who reinforced what Barbara already knows – that she (and I) are both very lucky to be living the life we’re living.

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/the-rv/feed/ 0 The Jeep Wavehttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/the-jeep-wave/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-jeep-wave https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/the-jeep-wave/#respond

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 22:53:53 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9150

A few days after purchasing our motorhome which is allowing us to start this new chapter of our retirement life, we realized that it would be really convenient to have a towing vehicle. What we didn’t think about before we made this monumental purchasing decision is that my Ford Explorer can’t be flat towed. When […]


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A few days after purchasing our motorhome which is allowing us to start this new chapter of our retirement life, we realized that it would be really convenient to have a towing vehicle. What we didn’t think about before we made this monumental purchasing decision is that my Ford Explorer can’t be flat towed. When we found out that my husband’s F-150 could be towed, but it would need significant modifications involving welding, we took a minute to think further about it.


Some extensive research and talking with friends revealed that one of the best vehicles that can be safely towed behind a motorhome is a Jeep! We went on the search and it was almost too easy to find our Jeep and trade nearly straight across for our Ford. She has some big knobby tires and looks like she is ready for desert adventures!

In one afternoon I went from a quiet, smooth comfortable ride to the loudest, bounciest, and most uncomfortable vehicle I’ve ever driven. But I absolutely love it! I feel like I’m driving a fun toy. When I park now, I always look back as I walk away because she looks so awesome.

Driving home in our Jeep Wrangler JK after the trade was completed we were surprised that other Jeep drivers were waving at us. We looked at each other and wondered, “What is this all about? Why are people waving?”

Unknowingly, the day we bought our “toad” (towing vehicle) we also joined an international club of fellow Jeep owners. A quick Google search revealed the origin story of the Jeep Wave.

The roots of the Jeep Wave have a few different origin stories, two of which seem to stick the most. The first theory of the Jeep Wave was that the wave began during WWII as a way for U.S. soldiers to differentiate an ally from an enemy. Jeeps were often driven by soldiers during WWII and the wave was used to greet fellow soldiers when transporting supplies and carrying wounded soldiers. The second theory is similar to the first, but that it started after the war. Many civilian Jeep owners during this time were most often returning veterans and the wave was a way for citizens to acknowledge the service of veterans and for other veteran Jeep drivers to greet a fellow soldier.”

I had no idea this would be such a blast! Our Jeep has now been modified so that she can be towed and even has a hitch for our bike racks. Since we joined the world of Jeeps I’ve joined a few facebook groups for Jeep Beginners and Jeep Life and I continue to learn more about Jeep culture. I’m loving the proud photos, the stories and commentary.

Jeep owners have a unique identity. They name their Jeeps, make all kinds of modifications, help each other if there is a break down, go out of their way to park near other Jeeps, sometimes leave little yellow ducks (called “ducking”) and have clubs that go on adventures together.

What started as a convenient way to have transportation while we are “snow-birding” has turned into a learning experience that is exciting and makes me smile. I’m learning to watch for other Jeeps in my travels (something I never did before) and am perfecting my Jeep Wave!

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/the-jeep-wave/feed/ 0 Joining the Snowbird Migrationhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/joining-the-snowbird-migration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joining-the-snowbird-migration https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/joining-the-snowbird-migration/#respond

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 03:42:31 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9140

After a summer of fun following my retirement earlier in the spring, the weather has changed suddenly and Fall arrived one rainy weekend in the Pacific Northwest at the end of September. It was so sudden it caught many of us off-guard, including my husband and me. With the cool, crisp days and leaves falling […]


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After a summer of fun following my retirement earlier in the spring, the weather has changed suddenly and Fall arrived one rainy weekend in the Pacific Northwest at the end of September. It was so sudden it caught many of us off-guard, including my husband and me.


With the cool, crisp days and leaves falling on our lawn, (just now starting to go from dead grass to lush green following a record hot and dry spring and summer,) we started revisiting our many conversations about winter plans.

Many of our international, already-booked trips have been canceled, a few getting full refunds, some not. Any of our other ideas for future trips have been shelved for now and into the foreseeable future. It is too hard to keep booking adventures that never come to pass. With the Delta variant taking its toll on friends and family, canceling our plans seems like a small price to pay. 

As a couple, we are grateful for our health and the ability to retire earlier than many of our longtime but still working friends. However, we believe that life is short and for us, the time to travel is now. Every month we receive news that someone we love is suffering from a health event that will likely curtail their ability to enjoy the retirement lifestyle they have dreamed of. Or worse, classmates and even people younger than us are passing away before they are able to retire.

For the past thirteen months, we have weighed and considered what we should do this winter season. We have contacted property managers to find out about short-term rentals in warmer places, finding out we are “too late in the season” to be trying to book. Countless hours conducting searches on the internet for places to fly or drive to in the US has resulted in more frustration. It seems that travel is beginning to return to normal and the pent-up demand means that it is increasingly difficult to make arrangements.

We’ve looked at fifth-wheel trailers which require a new truck with more towing capacity. We considered a tiny trailer light enough that our existing pickup could tow but we don’t fit. A few weeks ago we spent an entire day evaluating Class C motorhomes, online. We even called some dealers but no one had 2021 on the lot and the 2022’s are experiencing supply chain issues and won’t be available until mid to late spring.

Tempted by the idea of just ordering one and flying somewhere in Texas to pick it up, a kind and honest salesman said, “Never buy a motorhome until you’ve sat in and driven it.” Great advice! We found a local dealer that had a few older used Class C motorhomes (they are on a truck chassis) and was shocked when I didn’t fit in the passenger seat. My legs were too long and it was uncomfortable. At 6’6”, my husband didn’t fit behind the wheel and his legs extended 6” past the end of the RV queen size bed.

We walked over to check out some used Class A motor homes (they look like a small bus) and it was an eye-opener. We both fit in the seats and behind the wheel. Armed with that information we went home a bit dejected because the difference in price between a Class C and a Class A is significant, especially if you choose diesel models. We continued to talk throughout the day and night. Analyzing, researching, watching YouTube videos, reading blogs. It is notable that in some states you could purchase an entire new home on a piece of property for the same price as a motorhome.

Joining the Snowbird MigrationThe entire rainy weekend we looked at brands, models, and floor plans online. We found an “Empty Nester” motorhome set up perfectly for two but also with the capacity to sleep our grandkids. We loved her on paper but sometimes reality is something entirely different. 

We analyzed our finances, knowing that an RV is never an investment. Rather it is a luxury lifestyle choice that allows you to have your own bed, bathroom, and kitchen (essentially a second home on wheels) that you can drive to state and national parks and park for a day, a week, or a month. We still weren’t sure what to do.

We continued searching and came up with nothing. Over and over again we hit dead ends. Just when we nearly gave up, suddenly we found the make, model and year we wanted at a dealer about an hour north of our home. With the idea of just going to take a look and see if we fit, we called ahead to make sure we could walk through and maybe take a test drive. 

Less than ten minutes after arriving, as we were sitting in the living/kitchen area listening to the salesman, we both looked at each other and nodded. After 41 years of marriage, we didn’t need words to communicate that we were “home.” We both got to drive her around the surrounding farmland on narrow country roads, the interstate, and the parking lot. My husband even fits in the king-size bed. We put our deposit down on our new home for the winter. When we returned home that day, we both had different reactions. My husband didn’t sleep for four nights. I slept great, dreaming of where we would go.

We have now officially joined the Snowbird migration south. We have so much to do to get ready to go but from after Christmas through the middle of April 2022 we’ll be in California, Arizona, and Utah. Let the RV adventure begin!

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/joining-the-snowbird-migration/feed/ 0 Writing a Memoirhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/writing-a-memoir/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=writing-a-memoir https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/writing-a-memoir/#respond

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:34:12 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9138

One of my favorite birthday gifts this year was the one I received about 8 months ago from my daughter. She paid for a subscription for me to something called “Storyworth.” I received an email that explained the gift I was being given and what was involved. The concept is deceptively simple but I’m finding […]


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One of my favorite birthday gifts this year was the one I received about 8 months ago from my daughter. She paid for a subscription for me to something called “Storyworth.”


I received an email that explained the gift I was being given and what was involved. The concept is deceptively simple but I’m finding the experience incredibly rich and rewarding. The idea of writing a memoir is daunting but just like any big project, this one has been broken down into bite size pieces or manageable elements. 

Each week on Monday morning I find an email in my inbox with a question. These are “story-starter” questions; they are open ended and thought provoking. The questions were chosen by my daughter so I’m finding it interesting to think about what she wants to know.  

The simplicity is that I don’t need to think or prepare or struggle. I only respond to the question with my answer and hit reply and send. Then each of my questions throughout this year are collected and at the end of 12 months a book will be published and mailed to me.

Sometimes I can write an immediate response because the question is easy and brings to mind a story or a situation I can share. Other times I’m stumped and need to think about my answer. A few times I’ve even asked my husband how he might answer the question and it seems that as we talk it through something amazing comes to me.

After I hit “send” the system automatically shares my answer with my daughter in real time. This way she can track my memoir journey with me.

What I love is that I can go back at any time and edit or rewrite my answers and there is a feature where I can add photos to make my memoir more interesting. While I haven’t done this yet, I know that if I take some time to snap some pictures stored in old dusty photo albums I can actually share them in a more meaningful format.

If you are the gift giver you can choose the questions you want to be answered by your recipient. Or if you choose to join on your own and write your own memoir you can make up your own questions or choose from the list they provide.

Some of the questions were thought provoking, others brought back fond memories, still others feel like I’m sharing our family history.

Here are a few examples of some of the questions I’ve already answered.

How did you feel when your first child was born? 

Which fads did you embrace while growing up? 

What is one of the most selfless things you have done in life? 

Describe one of your most memorable birthdays. 

At what times in your life were you the happiest, and why? 

What is one of your favorite trips that you've taken? What made it great? 

What is one of the bravest things you've ever done, and what was the outcome? 

Are you more like your father or your mother? In what ways? 

What is one of your favorite memories of your mother? 

What is some of the best advice your mother ever gave you?

Since I lost my mother to breast cancer over 25 years ago (she was only 57 years old when she died), I have been realizing that by answering these questions and publishing them in a book, she can be better remembered by my children and grandchildren. For that matter, when I pass away, future generations will have the answers to these and many more questions. 

I’m enjoying this so much that I’m finding that I don’t want it to end. How often today do we take the time to write things down? In a frantic world of social media, screen time and blaring electronics I think we have lost our ability to tell stories and share our family history. “Storyworth” has been an unexpected delight and a pleasure. How many gifts that cost so much more than $99 ultimately end up in the trash or donated to the thrift store?

This opportunity to write my memoir, during a pandemic in 2021 has been life-changing in many ways. It has caused me to slow down, think and tell my stories in a written format. I have found it relatively easy to do, because after all who doesn’t have time to write an answer to an email? 

I’m so grateful for a gift that reminds me how much my daughter loves and me and how much I love her, every single week!

Go to www.storyworth.com if are interested or wish to give an amazing gift this holiday season. I think you'll be happy you did.

 

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/writing-a-memoir/feed/ 0 Butterflies in a Windstormhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/butterflies-in-a-windstorm/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=butterflies-in-a-windstorm https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/butterflies-in-a-windstorm/#respond

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 16:44:46 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9124

A dear friend wanted to take a last minute get-away to Mexico at the end August. Since this is my year of “Yes!” I went with her. But I’m learning that traveling during a pandemic is a much different experience than previous trips. The noise, music, laughter, and crowds were all missing. Added to traveling […]


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A dear friend wanted to take a last minute get-away to Mexico at the end August. Since this is my year of “Yes!” I went with her. But I’m learning that traveling during a pandemic is a much different experience than previous trips. The noise, music, laughter, and crowds were all missing. Added to traveling continuously with a mask from airport to hotel room were questionnaires, QR codes, phone apps to complete and COVID tests.


To stay safe we chose a private shuttle with a vaccinated driver, re-sanitized our clean room, donned our masks constantly and only ate outdoors. We never left the resort, didn’t travel to town or eat at a restaurant. What was striking to me was I have never before experienced a resort at only 30% capacity. While this was required by the Mexican government guidelines, it felt strikingly empty.  

Many days we had the beach nearly to ourselves and the pools had very few people. Yes, it was relaxing and quiet for sure, but there was a sameness to each day of that week. I found it to be an almost isolating experience. 

There were no fun groups of people to watch and even the wait staff and beach vendors maintained a distance giving you a wide berth. What I missed the most was not seeing anyone smiling. Usually in Mexico the happy welcoming vibe with lots of smiles is my favorite part. Every local I saw, from construction workers, landscapers, truck drivers, to employees of the resort, they all had on a mask at all times even inside their cars. I never once saw someones full face.

Every morning I would wake up early and take a really long walk around the property. When the news said that Hurricane Nora was headed our way with a predicted direct hit in a few days, I noticed that everything was changing both at the resort and in the nearby area. I saw windows and doors boarded up on the local homes. Even piles of sandbags were placed in many areas to prevent water damage and divert the expected floods. 

At the resort, the beach chairs and chaise lounges were put away, light fixtures, ceiling fans and televisions were taken down from the open air restaurants and employees were asked to bring two days worth of clothes in a backpack, just in case they needed to stay at the resort. Even the plants and trees were tied up so they had a chance to survive.

The night before Nora was predicted to hit Cabo its trajectory shifted. For the first time in many years she made landfall in Mazatlan, but did the most damage to Puerto Vallarta. Watching the news was shocking to understand the impact on these tourist dependent communities. Less people come during a pandemic and even less want to come during a hurricane. The stress and tension I saw on the faces of our servers was evident. They want us to come back because their jobs and the local economy is heavily dependent on tourism.

Without activities of any kind, I had lots of time to lay on the beach and at the pool and read. I had worked my way through each and every book I brought within three days. I went to the place they give out towels and chose a book from the box by Jody Picoult called “The Book of Two Ways.”

https://amazon.com/s?k=the+book+of+two+ways+jodi+picoult&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

I read this huge hardback beach read in a day and a half. It is a well-written story but what I found notable is the main character is a “death doula”. Unlike a birth doula who helps a new mother with the transition from being pregnant to delivering her child, a death doula helps a terminal person with the transition of being alive to accepting they are dying.

In one part of the story she explains the Nine Contemplations of Death and how it can be used as a meditation while we are alive. It is a way for us to understand how to be more fully present for the time in our life we have left.

http://www.allbeingseverywhere.com/the-nine-contemplations-on-death/#.YU9FeS-canE

On the morning after the hurricane just a day before we were to return home I was a bit melancholy. I had just finished The Book of Two Ways, was feeling sad about the realization that I needed to cancel yet another dream trip, word that more people in my life were suffering health issues and the pandemic numbers in Washington and Oregon were distressing. That morning the wind was howling in Cabo San Lucas. The trees and plants were being whipped around with a vengeance. But I still went on my walk that morning and mediated on the Nine Contemplations.

They are:

1 Death is inevitable. No one is exempt.

Holding this thought in mind, I abide in the breath.

2 Our life span is ever-decreasing. Each breath brings us closer to death.

Holding this thought in mind, I delve deeply into its truth.

3 Death will indeed come, whether or not we are prepared.

Holding this thought in mind, I enter fully into the body of life.

4 Human life expectancy is uncertain. Death can come at any time.

Holding this thought in mind, I am attentive to each moment.

5 There are many causes of death – even habits, desires and accidents are precipitants.

Holding this thought in mind, I consider the endless possibilities.

6 The human body is fragile and vulnerable. Our life hangs by a breath.

Holding this thought in mind, I attend to my inhale and exhale.

7 At the time of death, material resources are of no use to us.

Holding this thought in mind, I invest wholeheartedly in practice.

8 Our loved ones cannot keep us from death. There is no delaying its advent.

Holding this thought in mind, I exercise non-grasping.

9 Our body cannot help us at the time of death. It too will be lost at that moment.

Holding this thought in mind, I learn to let go.

I walked and walked and walked. I saw the whirling clouds in the sky. It was as if they were in a circle around me. Leaves and branches were falling and sand from the road was flying and hit my face. For a moment I felt immense gratitude that this town and community had been spared and I began praying for those in Puerto Vallarta that were experiencing wind damage and flooding.

I clung to the idea that when I returned home I needed to focus on the positive, to embrace the life I have, to enjoy what ever time I have left on this earth and remember that nothing is guaranteed. And then it happened! 

I was walking on the entrance road near the golf course and came to a section that was filled with flowers. Purple, orange, yellow and red blooming flowers for a quarter of a mile were on both sides of the road. Swarming these flowers were hundreds, likely thousands of beautiful butterflies. Huge orange Monarchs, pale yellow medium size, little almost neon green butterflies and the strangest looking insect I’ve ever seen. It looked like a skeletal bee, but was much larger and came in and out of the flowers like a hummingbird with the colors of a butterfly.

The wind was howling but the butterflies were living their purpose. They were traveling from flower to flower and valiantly trying to hold on for a brief moment before moving to the next in the midst of a raging windstorm. It occurred to me that since butterflies only live for a few hours or a few days, what were the odds of being born the day after a hurricane? Yet they weren’t complaining, they were doing what they were created to do in spite of the raging windstorm.

I watched in awe as they fluttered around me and immediately came away with a sense of peace and happiness. I know that I have a purpose. My life has a beginning and an end. A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. In spite of the storms of life, I can choose to fully live each day completely aware that “every breath brings me closer to death.” If we only had one day to live would we live it like the butterflies?

After this unexpected trip to Mexico and my encounter with hundreds of butterflies, I have a renewed appreciation for living in the moment. I am committed to finding ways to experience a different kind of life during retirement. I want to strive to be mentally present now, instead of regretting the past or being anxious about the future. 

I’m striving to hold the image of all those butterflies in the windstorm, living for only a day, in the front of my thinking and continue to ask myself, “How do I want to live each day that I’m blessed to have?”

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/barbara-m-1-year-project/butterflies-in-a-windstorm/feed/ 0 Finding our Purpose in Life- Episode 252https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/finding-our-purpose-in-life-episode-252/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=finding-our-purpose-in-life-episode-252 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/finding-our-purpose-in-life-episode-252/#comments

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 12:00:58 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9117

Finding our Purpose in Life For this episode, I will give you an update on my retirement quest, we have a health segment on Pickleball, and Barbara will give an update on how her actual retirement is going. Six Pillars of Retirement Lifestyle Since the last episode, I've been working on my own six pillars […]


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Finding Purpose in RetirementFinding our Purpose in Life

For this episode, I will give you an update on my retirement quest, we have a health segment on Pickleball, and Barbara will give an update on how her actual retirement is going.

Six Pillars of Retirement Lifestyle

Since the last episode, I've been working on my own six pillars of retirement lifestyle.

Significant Other– Les and I took an impromptu day trip the other day. We're trying to avoid just staying at home and watching TV. Our relationship is strong. But we're both struggling right now with our lack of social activities.

Friendship-Over the last month, I've been making an effort to solidify some of the relationships that I formed over the last few years since I've moved here. In a fifty-five-plus community with a lot of clubs, it's easy to make a lot of acquaintances. But there's a difference between being friendly with someone and actually being friends with someone.

Family– On the family side I've had a disappointment. My estranged brother recently informed us that he won't be attending my father's memorial service that he helped plan last year. I’m really disappointed that my brother's not coming, although honestly, I kind of knew he wouldn't. You know, all of us have family disappointments, and mine is no different.

On a positive note, I'm trying to build my relationships with other family members. I usually don't send my siblings gifts for their birthday. But this year, to help strengthen our relationships, I sent my two sisters a gift for their birthday. I know it's a small thing, but it's what I did to help with those relationships.

Spiritual– My spiritual pillar is also indeed lacking. Part of it is because I'm really not ready to attend church again. We are currently in an uptick of COVID cases where I live. And not only that, but I know at least three people who have died. They were all fully vaccinated, and one was healthy and in her late 40s. So yeah, I'm scared. And yeah, I'm not as social as I once was because of that. But I've been working on this. And I'm trying to give thanks for what I have. I've also been meditating and praying, and I've been reading my former pastor's daily emails.

Health-On the health side, I've been doing very well. If you're a regular listener, then you already know that I lost 20 pounds during COVID. I know, totally opposite of what most people did. It's been a struggle, but worth it. Because I'm lighter now, I can do more. I'm swimming once a week, I'm doing water aerobics five days a week, and synchronized swimming twice a week. I know, you think I'm probably going to turn into a fish, at least Les thinks that. In addition to all the water activities that I'm doing, I watch what I eat. However, I'm disappointed that my cholesterol is still high.

Purpose– I struggle with this and it is one of the reasons I'm still working. If I'm not working, then what is my purpose in life going to be? Is it this show? Is it doing fun things? I mean, doing fun things isn't really a purpose, is it? I don't have grandkids, so they can't be my purpose. So, until I figure it out, I'll still work because I really do enjoy helping people.

So, tell me, help me out. What's your purpose in life? Have you figured that out yet? Send me an email, at Podcast@RockYourRetirement.com and tell me what you're doing? What is your purpose in life?

Health Segment

For this week’s Rock Your Retirement Health Segment, I have Lynn Cherry with me. She is the host of a podcast called Pickleball Fire. As you can imagine, she talks about pickleball. Lynn moved from North Texas to Connecticut and needed to find an indoor activity to do during the winter. She went to her local gym to check out what pickleball was about. She ended up playing that day and immediately loved it!Finding Purpose in Life

It's a game very popular with people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80’s

Lynn enjoyed the sport so much she ended up starting a website to grow and promote the sport. During the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, she actually started her podcast.

Among other things, Lynn talks about what pickleball is, why a lot of older people really love the sport, and how it’s played.

I asked Lynn to tell me if there was one thing that you want our listeners to learn about pickleball what would it be? She said in terms of the game if you need something to do and to get up off the couch to try pickleball. She said that it isn’t like going to the gym. It is fun, easy and she has even interviewed someone on her Podcast who lost 100 pounds by playing pickleball! So, it is definitely great exercise

If you don’t like going to the gym, or don’t have a membership to one, and would like to find a pickleball court near you, Lynn has you covered.

If you go to https://pickleballfire.com/courts you can find various places to play. And within that search feature, you can also find instructors. She said it isn’t necessary to get an instructor but if that is something you would be interested in that is another option.

Pickleball is becoming so popular that there are even restaurants that are putting in pickleball courts! You can visit https://chickennpickle.com/to check it out

What’s is going on in Barbara’s Life?

Finding Purpose in Life We talk about Barbara’s recent trip to Mexico with her friend. There was actually a hurricane coming during her trip but thankfully, they did not get a direct hit where they were staying. Then, a few days following that, there was a devastating hurricane in Louisiana.

There was one day during her trip where she was walking by herself and just kind of asking God what's going to happen now with fall approaching. With everything shutting down, she was coming to the conclusion that she needed to cancel all of her trips and just stop planning because it's just so unpredictable.

Not having plans is difficult for Barbara. Learning to live through a pandemic is not easy and like all of us, Barbara is trying to figure out how to navigate her “new normal”

We talked about Barbara trying to find her purpose. She decided she needs to just accept and lean into this fall, that it's not going to be what she planned. But she needs to be okay with it.

Final thoughts from Barbara on Finding Purpose

It's realizing that having a plan is one thing but being able to adapt that plan to the conditions that there are at the time, not getting too attached to one specific vision. Because then you can miss the butterflies. You can miss out on what's right in front of you. Something as simple as taking a dog for a walk or taking a child for a walk. There are so many things that we tie up with entertainment. Going to a place like Disneyland or going on a cruise or going to Mexico, when really right around us there is life being lived.

There are wonderful people and there are stories to be heard. And in our zeal to program our lives to book a trip, how many times are we missing out on things that are right around us? Because we're just not looking for it? Because we're so focused on this future thing. So for me, I have no regrets about retiring. I have felt so enriched this summer, I'm so grateful. It’s kind of like get over yourself. So what if you don't get all your plan. Find something else to pivot on. Take a class, learn to paint, call a friend. It's just kind of like, say yes to life, and quit worrying about the things you don't have is the lesson I've been learning this summer.

 

To get a copy of The Baby Boomer’s 30-Day Journal go to: www.RockYourRetirement.com/Journal

To join our Newsletter visit RockYourRetirement.com/Newsletter

If you want to check out Lynn's website or podcast on pickleball you can visit https://pickleballfire.com/

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/finding-our-purpose-in-life-episode-252/feed/ 1 Nana Camp – Part 2https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/nana-camp-part-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nana-camp-part-2 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/nana-camp-part-2/#respond

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 12:00:45 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9080

After two days of learning about our Viking Heritage, it was time to change it up and have a cousin's day! For Day 3 of Nana Camp, we invited my niece’s three kids to participate in a day planned just for them. All seven cousins worked on making tie-dyed T-shirts – our first time! Then […]


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Nana Camp Part 2After two days of learning about our Viking Heritage, it was time to change it up and have a cousin's day! For Day 3 of Nana Camp, we invited my niece’s three kids to participate in a day planned just for them. All seven cousins worked on making tie-dyed T-shirts – our first time! Then after they ran through the woods, we played field games and created an obstacle course we dubbed the “Front Yard Olympics”. It was hot so we set up a big table in the shade and everyone painted with watercolors and we did “art class.” It was so fun to have them all together doing things that everyone enjoyed.


For Day 4 of Nana Camp, we focused on our Pacific Northwest Native American history and talked about the people that have been here for thousands of years before us. We read them the story of the Maiden of Deception Pass the night before when we went to bed. The next morning, their Amazing Race clues directed them to pack their backpacks and we drove 90 minutes north to Rosario Beach. We planned for this day because of the low tides at the beach. Earlier in the spring, my husband and I experienced what I deemed a Perfect Day and I wrote about our day in an earlier blog post. We decided to take the grandkids back and hoped the weather would be good. The air was warm, the sky was blue and it was gorgeous.

Because we had just been there, it was easy to write the clues for this leg of the race in advance. We had them hiking and searching for the Maiden, finding rocks and shells on the beach, and working together to locate a survey monument on top of a big rock looking out across Puget Sound to the Olympic National Forest.

After our morning of racing, we returned to the picnic area for a break. We packed a lunch, brought a portable barbecue and my husband cooked hot dogs right on the beach. After lunch, we walked toward the south and found a sandy beach and built sandcastles together. It was a long day but really memorable.

For Day 5, our last day of Nana Camp, we learned about our Scottish Heritage and added more to our family tree. The race took them to the Snohomish Valley Golf Center in the morning where they had a private golfNana Camp lesson with my instructor Val. We all played a round of Putt-Putt golf and then had lunch outside on the patio.  

For the grand finale, we purchased tickets to the Everett Aqua Sox game and all wore our tie-dyed t-shirts. This team is affiliated with the Seattle Mariners. They are our local minor league team and play in a small venue, perfect for kids. Their race clues included tickets to the game, money to buy food, drinks, or whatever they wanted. While I assumed we could leave at 9 p.m. and during the sixth inning, the kids were having so much fun that when I suggested we leave there was shock and horror.

“Nana, we can’t leave until the game is over!” The Aqua Sox almost came back after being down and we went into an extra inning. We stayed until 10:30 p.m. What a way to end Nana camp week. They ate loaded nachos, pretzels, cotton candy, “dippin dots” ice cream, hot dogs, kettle corn, and drank gallons of sodas. Parents, you can cover your ears! The baseball game was one of their favorite highlights of the week along with being Vikings.

The following morning their parents started arriving and we spent the weekend together. By Sunday afternoon, it was time to say goodbye after a rewarding, exhausting but super fun week. As they were packing up, there were a few tears though. My youngest grandson said, “But Mommy, I don’t want to go home! You and Daddy go back to Oregon now and come later to get me!”

I love that now that I’m retired, I have the desire, energy, and the privilege to spend so much time with my grandchildren. Planning for several months kept me focused and occupied with creating memories and thinking about ways of teaching my grandkids about our family and our values. Pulling my husband into all of this was a bonus.

Nana Camp-Rock Your RetirementYes, it was exhausting and probably a bit over the top but with grandkids, my philosophy is, “Why do anything halfway?” They’ll be grown and on their own sooner than I want to believe. In fact, I’m already thinking ahead to what we will do next summer for Nana Camp!

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/nana-camp-part-2/feed/ 0 Pre-Retirement and Post-Retirementhttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/pre-retirement-and-post-retirement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pre-retirement-and-post-retirement https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/pre-retirement-and-post-retirement/#respond

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 12:00:00 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9056

You're now listening at another pivotal time, where we're slightly changing the format. From March 2016 to August 2020. This was an interview-style show where I interviewed people who could help you rock your retirement. But not financially. Those were what I call the encyclopedia years of the show. If you were interested in a […]


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You're now listening at another pivotal time, where we're slightly changing the format. From March 2016 to August 2020. This was an interview-style show where I interviewed people who could help you rock your retirement. But not financially. Those were what I call the encyclopedia years of the show. If you were interested in a particular topic, such as finding Mom a retirement home, dealing with grief, or even how sex changes after retirement, you can probably find your topic in our back catalog.


Then, in August of 2020, we started following the life of a pre-retiree, Barbara Mock. She is retired now, and we are planning on giving you updates on her life and what’s she’s going through as long as she’ll let us.

Sor for now, we are giving you updates on my life and how I’m dealing with continuing to work and getting ready for retirement.

We will do this until I find another pre-retiree who’s willing to make that 1-year commitment to let us live vicariously through their eyes. I’m looking for someone who’s different from Barbara. Perhaps an unmarried person? Or maybe someone who is going to retire but maybe isn’t quite so financially prepared. Maybe someone without a pension. So, if you know someone who is getting ready to retire, within the next 6 months or so, please send that person my way. They can email us at Podcast@RockYourRetirement.com

Update on Kathe’s Life

You may or may not know that I started the show because I have been struggling with my own thoughts about retirement. Les and I are financially independent. So I don't actually have to work. But I continue to work. I'm sure that this is true for a lot of my listeners.

Below are some updates on my life that I discuss in the show

Our move to the 55 plus community

You might know that Les and I purchased a home in a 55 and older community in October of 2018, and moved there shortly after. Prior to moving, we did a huge search of communities. We even created a spreadsheet with a little bit of help from a friend to help us with the search. Here is a copy if you'd like to see what factors we considered. http://www.rockyourretirement.com/55Plus And I'd love it if you'd help me update the spreadsheet for others. So if you have other items that should be included, please let me know. I also talk about the adjustment to the new culture, food, and even changes to my Medicare Business due to the move.

My weight loss and health

In January of 2019, I decided it was time for me to lose the 20 pounds I gained over the years. I talk about how I lost the weight, and what I do to keep it off and stay active in my life now.

Traveling

We have had to cancel a lot of travel plans lately due to COVID and health issues Les has had. I did still take a two-week “staycation” and decided to spend some time making new friends and fostering current friendships.

Making time for what is most important

Even though I am still working, I am making time for things in my life that are important. My health, my relationship, friendships, and activities.

What is Barbara up to?

She spent the first week of July getting ready to help with Vacation Bible School which was very rewarding. There were 438 kids in all.

There were about 120 volunteers, and about 90 of them were high school and junior high students.

Barbara got in a tug of war and was in some of the games. Needless to say, it was very exhausting for her!

There were about 120 volunteers, and about 90 of them were high school and junior high students.

Barbara got in a tug of war and was in some of the games. Needless to say, it was very exhausting for her!

“The little kids just give you hope for the future. They were just amazing.”

She also just finished up Nana Camp with her 3 grandchildren and it was everything Barbara had hoped for. The precious time with her grandkids was amazing. They just left a few days ago and she is still recovering with the laundry, the house, and just her energy levels, but super rewarding.

No Schedule and Uncomfortable

So now Barbara is in a new month, and everything is blank. There is nothing on her calendar. She literally went from going 100 miles an hour to just stopping. Life is just unstructured with no schedule, and that's an uncomfortable place for Barbara to be.

Barbara is a planner and with nothing in her schedule right now I asked her how she is managing.

“I’m driving my husband crazy. I keep putting out possibilities for things they can do. And while they're not big decisions, as a retiree, you want to make good decisions, you want to use your time wisely. You want to use your money wisely. you today to look ahead, figure out what you want to do, where you want to go, and how you're going to get there and how you're going to pay for it.”

Focusing and Meditation

I asked Barbara if she has ever thought about mediation. And like many of us, she struggles to just sit quietly with ourselves and not have our minds wander. I use an app called brain.fm to help me meditate. I feel like giving your brain a rest, even for a few minutes a day is good for your brain and it is a good way to help prevent getting dementia

Club Med

I talked about a recent vacation Les and I took to ClubMed in Florida. This is an all-inclusive resort so the food, drinks and many activities are included. The food is absolutely amazing, some of the best I've ever had. There were some pros and cons to our trip and we did end up leaving two days early, but overall we had a really nice time.

What's Next?

Barbara enjoys connecting with people, so she plans on cultivating some new friendships and gathering with current friends.

There is also a bit of uneasiness for Barbara on what's next for the fall and winter. Predictions show a very wet fall and winter where Barbara lives and she doesn't want to be there the whole time. So she is feeling a bit anxious that she hasn't filled that space with anything yet. We talked about the idea of putting ideas of places to go during the winter months as sort of a retirement idea jar

She is planning on slowing down just a bit since things have been so busy for her. So, her focus right now will be relaxing, reading, walking/hiking, getting exercise, and of course her ladies golf two days a week.

Barbara is hoping that she can keep a good balance. She feels like she needs things to stimulate her intellectually and emotionally.

“I think our brains are better when we're interacting with other people or other cultures or going to different places. I think for seniors anyway, it's good to not just sit at home and watch TV, it's good to get out. And even if it's in your neighborhood, experience other places, and other things so that you can actually have a memory triggered, so that you can use your brain that way.”

Health Segment

For our health segment, we have Jon Pearlman, co-founder of Mission Lean the leading fitness app for anti-aging. Today John and I talked about stretching.

It is important, for older adults, especially sticking to a consistent flexibility routine is a must. A lot of injuries that an older person might suffer from having to do with a lack of flexibility and a lack of range of motion. This can be avoided if somebody just commits to a consistent routine of flexibility and stretches.

John recommends 3-5 times a week of 10 minutes a day stretching

Also, your stretching routine should be done after your workout when your body is warm, and all the muscles are warm.

Can you stretch when your muscles are cold?

According to John, the answer is yes. It's not ideal because when you're warmed up, not only are your muscles activated and warm and ready to absorb those stretches to the fullest.

Don’t forget to download the mission lean app to get more fitness routines and tips. To learn more, download the Mission Lean app on your cell phone or you can visit https://missionlean.com

Do you have any questions? You can email your questions to Podcast@RockYourRetirement.com and we will try to answer them on the show.

To get a copy of The Baby Boomer’s 30-Day Journal go to: www.RockYourRetirement.com/Journal

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/pre-retirement-and-post-retirement/feed/ 0 Nana Camp – Part 1https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/nana-camp-part-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nana-camp-part-1 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/nana-camp-part-1/#respond

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 12:00:00 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9034

One of the reasons I retired was to spend more time with my grandkids, while they were still young. In the early months of the pandemic, during the spring of 2020 when many of us started working from home and our kids transitioned to online learning for safety reasons, we just didn’t see each other. […]


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One of the reasons I retired was to spend more time with my grandkids, while they were still young. In the early months of the pandemic, during the spring of 2020 when many of us started working from home and our kids transitioned to online learning for safety reasons, we just didn’t see each other. By the time schools let out in June of 2020, I was placed on a one-week unpaid, unplanned furlough due to concerns about the county budget. What do you do when you have time off, nowhere to go and everything is locked down?


My answer was to invite my grandkids up for a few days and we called it Nana Camp. We simply played, laughed, had a sleepover and it was fun and exhausting all at the same time. As I was seeing the world through the perspective of elementary school-age kids, I came away with the idea that I’m missing out. This solidified my decision to choose to retire early to spend more time with them.

It has been a crazy year since that major decision was made, so I chose the last week of July for Nana Camp 2021. I have absolutely no regrets about retiring! For this camp, I was able to put my project management skills to work. With all that we missed out on last year, I think I went into “planner overdrive” and was striving to create an unforgettable camp experience for my grandkids with the bonus of giving their hard-working parents a break.

My daughter and her husband took the opportunity to enjoy an entire week away to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary in Mexico.  My son and his wife traveled with a huge group of friends to beautiful Lake Chelan and joined in celebrating one of the couple’s 10th wedding anniversary.

I spent months planning, ordering things online, and creating lists and lists of activities. Then I began organizing and programming each day of activities. More than once my husband said, “You just need to stop!” The weekends, like two bookends, were left open to play with cousins, soak in the hot tub, watch Disney movies, and just chill. But starting on Monday, I had five full days planned for Nana Camp week.

My goal was to:

Share what we believe: “We Love God” and “We Love Each Other.” 

Teach them about our family heritage and genealogy. 

Experience lessons on geography and history.

Learn how to do something new.

Be challenged to develop problem-solving skills.

Work together as teams.

The theme to tie all of this together was The Amazing Race. The kids love watching the show with their parents and understood the rules of the game. I was able to purchase the bright yellow envelopes and a template to make the clues on Etsy. Challenges included finding the Route Info, Road Blocks, Speed Bumps, Detours, and every day just like on the show there was a Pit Stop (a mandatory rest break from racing).

Starting with each team of two, they had to put up tents with minimal assistance.  They could ask Papa questions but it was fun to see them struggle and work through figuring it out.  These became our home base and their “Reading Dens” for discussions and looking at books.

We are of Norwegian descent so for most of the first two days we spent learning about the Vikings. The clues directed them to put together a map, hear some family stories, read some books, and then they watched several child-appropriate Viking videos on YouTube. They learned about their Norwegian ancestors and started making a family tree on index cards for each branch of the family.

My creative and patient husband spent hours creating some replica Viking Shield bases from plywood and then we purchased the remaining parts to make a functioning shield. Each morning they received clues that took them deep into the “Viking Forest” (the woods behind our neighbor's house) searching for parts of a Viking costume. They traveled to the Rock Fairy Garden, the Valley of the Green Frogs, the Viking Village, and the Secret Viking Tree Fort looking for yellow clue boxes and their next clue.

After they found their wooden shields they came running back and were given replica templates they could use as design inspiration for Viking colors. They did an amazing job making decisions and painting their shields.  Then they went to Papa’s workshop to put them together.  

I haven’t sewn in 25 years but for Nana Camp, I braved the fabric store, watched some more videos borrowed a sewing machine, and created Viking capes, complete with faux leather and fur and chains. Then I purchased some wooden swords and plastic Viking helmets. My husband said, “This is a really bad idea to give 5, 8, and 9-year-old kids weapons.” But my daughter and daughter-in-law both gave their full approval thinking it would be fun and maybe take care of future Halloween costumes.

Included in those first days we highlighted our Russian heritage, my great grandmother was born in Odessa Russia, and was a pioneer at the turn of the century, by traveling to a Russian bakery. The Amazing Race clue cards included their own money to spend on a treat and a Pirosky for their lunch. When learning about the Romans and Italy I ordered pizza and served some Italian cookies for dessert.

After their swords and shields were completed the next day the race had them back in the forest. They learned some more about our family tree, checked the maps, and heard about even more history. Then they had to search for the rest of their costumes hanging in the trees. The final clue for that day was to come back to the reading den screaming their best Viking battle cry in their full regalia.

As my husband and I watched them running up the hill out of the forest he was laughing. I, however, had tears in my eyes.  Working together we had created an “eternal moment” neither of us will ever forget.  I hope in the future my four grandkids won’t forget either!  Days 1 and 2 are complete.  Time to get ready for Day 3 – Cousins Day!  I need some sleep.

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/nana-camp-part-1/feed/ 0 E-Bikeshttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/e-bikes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=e-bikes https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/e-bikes/#respond

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 12:00:00 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=9012

Over the years I have really enjoyed bike riding.  But as I’ve aged it seems like I spend more time going uphill than down.  It is easy to coast down a hill creating a gentle breeze with the wind in your face.  But traveling back home, I call climbing up a hill on a bicycle […]


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Over the years I have really enjoyed bike riding.  But as I’ve aged it seems like I spend more time going uphill than down.  It is easy to coast down a hill creating a gentle breeze with the wind in your face.  But traveling back home, I call climbing up a hill on a bicycle a “grunt.” Out of breath, tired muscles, and sweating profusely is getting less and less enjoyable as each year passes.


While we were attending a wedding and reception in Laguna Beach and Dana Point in California in mid-June, we decided to rent bikes to ride on the trails near the beaches and the bike lanes near our vacation rental.  Initially, we rented regular bikes but after my husband did some research on the trails in the area he noticed LOTS of hills and elevation changes.  A quick call to Synaptic Cycles and a few more dollars per day and we were set with E-bikes. They even had a concierge service that included batteries and chargers, a helmet, and free delivery and pick-up at our condo!

If you haven’t had a chance to try one of these, especially as a retiree, I would highly recommend giving this experience a chance. Even if you haven’t ridden in years it all comes back. The phrase, “It’s just like riding a bike” comes to mind. I found that my mind and body didn’t forget and once I adjusted to the way an E-Bike performs I was hooked.


Each of three mornings before our evening wedding-related activities we set off on an adventure. We road the trail to the San Clemente Pier twice, enjoyed the Lantern District, explored Laguna Niguel, and even braved the Pacific Coast Highway (or as the locals say the “PCH”.)

On an E-bike you are still riding and pedaling – it is not a motorcycle or a moped.  You’ll definitely feel it the next day. But when you are going up a hill, you can turn a magic lever and get a little “assist.” On our rentals there was a “governor” that limited our speeds, however, these heavy, bulletproof, fat-tired bikes flew up some pretty steep hills.  For us, it was a game-changer.

We had such a fun experience we are thinking about buying a pair of E-Bikes to take on road trips and camping.  We’ll just wait a bit until the supply chain stabilizes.  What was a little surprising was how long we spent riding each day.  Instead of being exhausted after a few hills, we spent five to six hours outdoors each day and traveled on average between 20 and 25 miles.  We went everywhere!!  Secured with a lock on a bike rack, we could take a break to explore and get a beverage or lunch.

We saw so many places we would have never seen riding in a car and navigating traffic.  The bike lanes in this area were separated by either wide spaces, medians, or sidewalks. We felt safe, enjoyed the beautiful weather, explored numerous beaches and parks.  We even spent time watching the surfers in the Pacific Ocean.

E-Bikes in Retirement with Barbara Mock

Retirement is providing numerous opportunities to take adventures and try new things.  While biking is something we did when we were younger it was exciting to realize that with E-Bikes, even as our bodies age we can still get outside, enjoy nature and fly up those hills!

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/e-bikes/feed/ 0 Lipstick, Dresses and Shoeshttps://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/lipstick-dresses-and-shoes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lipstick-dresses-and-shoes https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/lipstick-dresses-and-shoes/#respond

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 19:55:25 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=8988

I read somewhere that retail sales have been surging on lipstick, dresses, and shoes. I imagine this is because, following a year of mandatory masks and lockdowns, contrasted with vaccinations and lower infection numbers, the entire world has decided to reschedule weddings, parties, family reunions, and travel for the summer of 2021. We had been […]


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I read somewhere that retail sales have been surging on lipstick, dresses, and shoes. I imagine this is because, following a year of mandatory masks and lockdowns, contrasted with vaccinations and lower infection numbers, the entire world has decided to reschedule weddings, parties, family reunions, and travel for the summer of 2021.

We had been invited to a dear friend’s son’s wedding nearly two years ago but due to the pandemic, this was going to be their third wedding date! Since the wedding was out of state, it required a plane ride, rental car and we decided to sleep in a vacation rental to be safer.  This way we could come early and leave a few days later.

It was so exciting to prepare for a wedding.  The bride and groom are adorable and they have been waiting so long for this. We were thrilled to celebrate this long-delayed special occasion.

Not a surprise, but the big issue was that nothing in our closets seemed to fit the same way.  Luckily we did a survey of our formal attire choices soon enough to realize that we would both need to purchase something new.  I can’t remember a time in my life where I haven’t purchases any clothes for so long.  

As a new retiree, I don’t need to shop for workwear anymore and I now have plenty of shorts and tops for the summer, along with my new golf outfits.  Not so with our formal wear.  My husband opted for an online shopping experience and he purged and replaced all of the older fancy clothes in his closet, a rare occasion.

I, on the other hand, asked a friend who is an amazing shopper to help me find something to wear to a “black-tie optional” formal wedding.  After so many months at home, to finally go on a shopping trip, have lunch and a car ride was a long-overdue treat. Even my least favorite thing, finding shoes, turned out to be a positive experience.

With masks coming off it has been wonderful to actually see big smiles and the lower half of people’s faces.  Lipstick was definitely on my shopping list too.  

Everything about the wedding was fantastic.  The weather in southern California on the coast was gorgeous, the venue a five-star experience, and the ceremony touching and beautiful.  At the reception following the ceremony, the meal, music, and dancing all combined for a memorable night. 

What struck me was how much we can take for granted.  Before the pandemic and my retirement, I’m not sure that I always just took a moment to truly appreciate the life I was experiencing.  I was busy and always in a hurry and tired.

1 year retirement journey with Barbara Mock


But post retirement I have had time.  For this wedding, I was able to notice a gorgeous bride’s smile, a beaming groom, and the tears in their parents’ eyes.  I saw the tiny flower girl walking with her beautiful mother, smelled the soft breeze, felt the sunshine on my face, and heard the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. The dream and vision of the bride and her family was now finally fulfilled by the hardworking musicians, florists, photographers, chef, bartenders, waitstaff and DJ. 

I’m so grateful for this time in my life and I feel privileged that for just a few days that I was finally free to put on some lipstick, a pretty dress, and a new pair of dancing shoes. Dancing with my sweetheart as the moon was rising is an experience I’ll never forget.

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]]> https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/lipstick-dresses-and-shoes/feed/ 0 Focusing on Health in Retirement: Episode 250https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/focusing-on-health-in-retirement-episode-250/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=focusing-on-health-in-retirement-episode-250 https://www.rockyourretirement.com/podcast/focusing-on-health-in-retirement-episode-250/#respond

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 12:00:02 +0000

http://www.rockyourretirement.com/?p=8977

As you may know, if you have listened to our previous episodes, Barbara has spent the first part of her retirement doing a lot of traveling. She and her husband went on a golf trip and another trip to Utah with many stops along the way. There have, however, been some sad things happening and […]


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Focusing on Health in RetirementAs you may know, if you have listened to our previous episodes, Barbara has spent the first part of her retirement doing a lot of traveling. She and her husband went on a golf trip and another trip to Utah with many stops along the way.


There have, however, been some sad things happening and it’s related to Barbara's friends and family and their health.

Her brother-in-law was just diagnosed with cancer. So they are all rallying around him. She has a very close family, and everyone lives on the same street. He is only 57 years old and the diagnosis is making him sort of rethinking his life and what he is doing. He is actually going to retire.

Barbara also has a very close long-time friend how has just found out has some heart issues. He too is planning on retiring.

Another friend had a quadruple bypass and another fiend is losing his eyesight. She has also had some friends and people close to her with health issues and pass away.

So on one hand Barbara has had some great things going on in her life and then also some very sad things.

I asked Barbara how she is feeling about the people in her life with health issues. She said she has been praying a lot but she is also just sad. She feels like you need to utilize the time you have and now and not just live for someday.

I think when there is grief and loss it can cause you to focus on the right things. Family, friendships, quality time with people

Renting E-bikes

On Barbara’s last trip to a wedding, they had decided they didn’t want to rent a car. She found this amazing concierge service that delivers bikes. She rented them for 3 days and they rode around Dana Point. They decided to rent e-bikes because the area was so full of hills. Best decision ever! She said with an e-bike you are still peddling but the bike just gives you a little bit of an assist. There are pros and cons, of course, but for people that are of a certain age, or if your knees don't work as well or if your hips don't work, e-bikes are a game-changer. You're outside, you're able to go a much further distance. And as a result, you stay on them longer. Barbara was riding four to five hours a day, without any problem.

Les and I just started doing water aerobics. I've noticed since I've lost the 20 pounds that I lost over the last year and a half. I'm sleeping better my brain is less foggy. There is a brain-heart connection. And so for the listener, if you're not exercising, try to find something that works for you. Whether it's walking or a combination of things. Studies have shown that getting your heart rate up can help with your brain health.

Focusing on Health in Retirement

What’s next for Barbara?

For her birthday, her daughter bought her something called story worth. It's an application and her daughter was able to go through and choose about 50 questions. The program sends Barbara an email once a week with a question that her daughter picked out and she emails back the answer. After a year, once all the questions have been answered it publishes a book. I think the idea of you writing your memoir over the course of a year just by answering some questions, is fantastic!

Barbara's church had a plea for help at the Vacation Bible School. So she will be teaching a group of 4th graders.

We also talked about “Nana Camp” She will have all 4 of her grandkids for a week. She and her husband decided they would do a play on The Amazing Race. So she is deep into planning for this major and exciting event coming up!
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Health Break Segment

For our health segment, we have Jon Pearlman, co-founder of Mission Lean the leading fitness app for anti-aging. John and I talked about the importance of warming up before your workout and why sticking to a great warm-up routine is going to enhance not only your workout but your longevity and fitness for years to come.

Countless, scientific and sports studies out there have shown that people who warm up diligently before sports have improved performance, both across aerobic and anaerobic sports, such as cycling, running, and swimming. Even when John was training and competing as an athlete, warming up is was such an instrumental part of his routine. The Mission Lean app has anti-aging programs that include warm-ups. Depending on which workout you choose, there are at least two or three dynamic mobility, mobility, and flexibility, routines.

Don’t forget to download the mission lean app to get more fitness routines and tips. To learn more, download the Mission Lean app on your cell phone or you can visit https://missionlean.com

Do you have any questions? You can email your questions to Podcast@RockYourRetirement.com and we will try to answer them on the show.

To get a copy of The Baby Boomer's 30-Day Journal go to: www.RockYourRetirement.com/Journal

This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

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Mon, 28 Jun 2021 12:00:32 +0000

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We last spoke with Barbara about a month ago and she is still in the honeymoon stage of retirement. She said it is like she is on an endless summer vacation. Barbara and her husband were planning a trip to St. George Utah, but they decided since she is retired, and they have more time, […]


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Retirement Lifestyle- Endless Summer VacationWe last spoke with Barbara about a month ago and she is still in the honeymoon stage of retirement. She said it is like she is on an endless summer vacation.


Barbara and her husband were planning a trip to St. George Utah, but they decided since she is retired, and they have more time, and life is more flexible, that they would drive instead of fly.

Her husband planned a wonderful trip to get to their destination. They went from Washington to Oregon and from Oregon to Boise, Idaho, and then to Utah from there.

Letting the planning reigns go for an endless summer vacation

I asked Barbara what it was like for her to let her husband do all this planning because she is normally the “planner” in the family. She said for this trip she yielded happily. Her husband spent hours trying to figure out where to stay and what activities they would do because he wanted to mix it up between golf and walking or hiking.

“He just did a great job. So, I guess in retirement, what I'm learning is roles can reverse a little bit. And that's okay. I think when I've initiated the trips, I needed the power and control. But with that comes a heavy responsibility of wanting to make sure people are having a good time and they're having fun. Sometimes I just wasn't able to be in the moment where this was super relaxing.”

Travel Budget

One of the things that hold me back personally from retiring is not being able to replenish that bucket of money. Even though financially able to retire now, there is something holding me back. So Barbara I and talked about how she is managing her travel budget. Sometimes they make choices to spend less on other things such as maybe clothing for example to put extra funds in a travel budget. The one thing that is important to Barbara is that they never travel on credit. They always have the money when you think about your life, and all the different things that you choose to spend your money on, I just choose to not spend it in other areas of my life in order to travel, because that's my priority. That doesn't mean it needs to be yours. Maybe you travel to baseball games all the time, or you buy lots of things. Those are policy choices that each person can make.

“You can afford anything, not everything”-Paula Pant

The Kolob Arch Hike

This is a 14-mile hike where Barbara’s husband tried to kill her (not literally but it was very intense) The Kolob Arch is one of the largest natural arches in the world but it is seven miles in and seven miles out to see it. She used up all of her water and had to share it with her husband for the last mile. Barbara was dehydrated, her heart was racing and she felt nauseous. Her husband told her to put on her big girl pants. After it was over Barbara was very glad she did it. Her takeaway for the listener is this. If there are places that you want to see before you die, that require mobility and being in shape, you should do them. It gets harder the older you get.

Barbara and I also talked about a miraculous experience she had while hiking. She and her husband ran into a street performer and healer and that has performed as “Angel Bird” all over the world, including Florence, Berlin, and Paris. She described her dance as a celebration of life and freedom. You can read more about this experience on Barbara's blog post: Snow Canyon and Angel Bird

From being able to travel without time restraints to having the time to walk her grandchildren to school Barbara has learned that these moments she is making during her “endless summer vacation” are precious andRetirement is an endless summer vacation she is so grateful she is able to make them.

If you have any questions for Barbara, please feel free to email us at Podcast@RockYourRetirement.com and we will try to answer your question on the show.

Health Break Segment

One of the six pillars of retirement is Health and if you don't have your health, nothing else matters. For our health segment, we have Jon Pearlman, co-founder of Mission Lean the leading fitness app for anti-aging.

John and I talk about flexibility for peak performance. So basically, how you can start to incorporate stretching into your workout. Stretching has shown to have a very positive impact on performance in workouts and just staying loose generally, in life. I think that tightness and stiffness is a large result of a lot of injuries that people suffer from out there and obviously the main goal of any fitness program whether it's mission lean or another one should be to keep the exerciser healthy and ready to go so that they don't have any interruptions and in with an injury. Especially for older people because it's well known that if you're older you might you have might have increased stiffness and decreased range of motion which will, in turn, make you more susceptible to injury. To learn more, download the Mission Lean app on your cell phone or you can visit https://missionlean.com

To get a copy of The Baby Boomer's 30-Day Journal go to: www.RockYourRetirement.com/Journal

 Read all of Barbara's blog posts by visiting http://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/

 

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