I'm Retired - First Hike

 

07.01.2022    Retirement begins!  

I announced a retirement date and eagerly waited for it to arrive so I could claim the retirement status and just chill. Yes, I was a small bit annoyed and surprised at the number of peoples who asked how was I going to spend my time as an unemployed healthy man. As of this very minute I have no "plan of life" but do strongly believe that these up coming days and beyond need to have a purpose. Definitely will have a lifestyle adjustment because the rotating work schedule I've adhered to for the pass twenty-five years is no longer in my life! I can go to bed every night and get out of bed every morning, unless I chose not to. There will not be the work excuse to miss church services, so gathering with Christian friends will be much more frequent. Sitting at the supper table with the wife and grandson on a regular basis is something I really look forward to. My mind is active and many things that so called normal people do are racing a figure eight through my mind. I'll not keep listing events and daily tasks which can now become common place and things I will take for granted. I'll just incorporate them in my new lifestyle and purpose for living. The length of my life is determined by God, the way it is lived is determined by me!

The first and I mean the very first day of this retirement was no different than several of the nonworking days of the past few years.  I took a hike!!  I know, hard to picture me driving to a trailhead and leaving the truck to go walking into the woods. W, the grandson was with me and he complained the entire time we were in the woods. I'll not mention that again, he was just having a bad day and I was determined to have a good one! 

The Blue Wall Preserve [ www.nature.org ] is a very cool place for a short interesting hike. We hiked to the waterfalls, a destination, and passed by and stopped at both ponds. I have been to both oceans on either end of this great country of ours and am impressed with the vastness of water, sky and never ending view. But and yes I have a But, nothing compares to the beauty of a pond nestled against the backdrop of lush green mountains. Right here in the Dark Corner of upstate South Carolina. We are very blessed. A black snake was crossing the trail and it only paused for a moment before slithering away. I took a very not clear picture of it and we let the busy serpent escape into the leafy underbrush. The wasp nest hanging over the trail was impressive enough to avoid. I had already walked under it and beyond when W said look at that wasp nest and he gave it a wide berth. sometimes you need to be thankful for the zoom feature on cameras. The sighting of the green snake was a surprise, I hadn't seen one of those in many years and never in the woods. 

Arriving back at the truck we climbed in and I started it up for that cold air conditioned air. We of course stopped at a country store for a snack and then on to the house.

Wandering in the woods

Turtle