Take this job and

Say goodbye.  A little over six years ago I became eligible for retirement, but had been thinking about it for a few years before that.  But, it took until last Friday to make the leap.  I had to give them three months notice, but I had until Thursday night to change my mind.  Two years ago I did decide to retire, but then chickened out.  So, it's been on my mind for quite a while.  Poor Mary has had to listen to all the hemming and hawing for years.  She deserves a license to practice therapy.

There was the playlist (Never Comes the Day, I Shall Be Released, The Thrill is Gone, Don't Come Around Here No More); there were the movies (About Schmidt, Burn After Reading); the presents (flannel shirts and work shoes); the books (Cabin, Self-reliance, Pruning, Walks in the Berkshires).

Anyway, Friday was the big day.  Mary gave me my new business cards ("Jubilado", available for odd jobs, hours 10-noon) on my way out the door.  Packed up, turned in my Blackberry, said goodbye.  The longest weekend.

Joe and Margaret joined us for dinner at Mi Rancho with Peace Corps friends.  Annie sent an e-card, and Joe gave me a rope belt.  And that was that.  Now, onwards.

What else?  We went up to Pittsfield last weekend and saw the first concrete progress, as they tore down the two old additions.  We stopped as usual going and coming and chatted with Grandma who was well and eager to hear all the news.  We saw John and Marilyn a couple of times including dinner at their house (with an ice cream cake to die for).  We saw a small ad in the paper for an "acoustic" concert in Pittsfield and decided to go.  Our surprise was that the show was put together by Mary and Johnny's cousin, Connie Boyle, and featured the national flat-picking champion.

And the news includes Joe giving notice to his current employers having heard word that his security clearance for a USAID job came through.  Margaret is in Kansas City for the NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisors) where she is escorting a group of Iraqi student advisors.  Annie has been working flat out to make up for time off while she was in China; we understand but have not seen yet, that there are some pretty hair-raising pictures of her in the mountains of western China.

We spent some time (and cash) at the REI sale this weekend, getting bikes and gear for our trip out west later this summer.  Yesterday, Mary and I went for a bike ride along the national mall at twilight; very moving on Memorial Day.  Also spent a fair amount of time in this garden here, trying to push back the weeds before taking off for most of the summer, and then returning to more weeds!  Hey what else am I going to do?  While gardening, I came across a nest of small, tiny newborn birds that look as if they had just hatched.  It was my excuse to stop working, at least there.  

Tomorrow, Mary goes to work and I go back up north, with a friend who started the foreign service with me.  We both need a little time to bang at and tear down walls.  

So, that's it from here; love.