Of tea cups, and computers, and bathtubs

That first few weeks in retirement can be very stressful.  The up side is that maybe you can get more sleep, and there is always the option of "I will sit out in the sun and relax for 10 minutes before I deal with that".  You don't ignore the problems, you just deal with them as you can--no longer do you have to "jump and run" at the the first sign of difficulty.  You will also have the luxury of being able to spend a little more time taking care of yourself--and make sure you do! You two can laugh at my endless lists, but to me writing things down on my "to do" list, gives me the feeling, right or wrong, that it will be taken care of in due time, and I can stop worrying about it.  And I do work from the lists, and things do get done.  Cathy, a small "nest egg" is critical in retirement.  Hang onto it for "dear life".  

Re: tea cups.  I still remember the panic over Grandma F's funeral.  The after service reception was held at his sister's big fancy house in St. Norbert, but neither his sister nor I had any tea cups to serve tea.  If I remember, she had to rent them.  Not wanting to be caught unprepared again, I then spent the next 2-3 years scouring garage sales for tea cups, and ended up  with 3 dozen, figuring that would be enough.  Held on to those things for over 25 years and never used them.  Off they went to the thrift store in one of my culls.  I've kept 6-"just in case".  They sit on a top shelf in the kitchen and gather dust.  When I have ladies over, I use the four of Mom's saucer/plates, and two more that I bought in an antique sale.  I have to make sure that I get the right one, for myself, as it has a small crack.  

As well as the tea cups, I no longer have two of my three 12 place setting china sets.  I'm pleased that Cathy has the good Royal Doulton one that is still in the family, and the Royal Albert, that Amber didn't want, raised quite bit of money at the garage sale, at the church across the street.  They took bids on it, and did well.  I'm now thinking of offering them my Christmas china.  It isn't good china but is both microwave and dishwasher safe.  Who knows what it might sell for.

So having discussed, to death, over the years, the topic of what to do with the good china and silverware, that everyone got when they married 50 years ago, do we all realize that our special coffee mugs are Royal Albert?  And I use mine everyday and put it in the dishwasher.  And it's not dishwasher safe, so has lost most of it's gold trim.  I love it and will continue to use it.

Bit of a scare last evening.  I was playing "heads up" in a poker tournament when I heard David fall in the bathtub.  He took a nasty bang on the head--quite a "goose egg", but we kept an eye on him for about an hour and a half, and he seemed okay, so went to bed.  Seems alright this morning.  Needless to say, I didn't win the tournament.  But I did find out that he doesn't use the safety equipment we have in the tub.  "Nuff said" about that.

A couple of small errands to run today.  Maybe some time in the studio.