Ellen (EBT1002) reads her way to retirement - 2

Art by Paul Jorgensen

I'll have to mix up the colors and image on this as the threads go by.

.

Carson was a wonderful companion during the early weeks of my recovery from knee replacement surgery. And he likes to sleep on my head.

I'm a bit ambivalent about rating books. I feel like my ratings are nonscientific and therefore inconsistent. Also, I too often find that I rate a book based on my immediate reaction but am later surprised as I recall it with either more or less affection than the rating seems to indicate. But I do like being able to look back and get a sense of how a book landed on me at the time I read it, so I persist with these stars in most cases.

= Masterpiece, took my breath away.
= Stunning.
= Excellent.
= Very good.
= Good.
= Average.
= Bad.
= Very bad.
= Don't bother.

Of course, it still holds true that I'm rarely going to complete a book earning fewer than two stars but I reserve the right to rate them based on my experience.

COMPLETED IN JANUARY

1. The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell 5 stars
2. Jazz by Toni Morrison 3.5 stars
3. Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir by Natasha Trethewey (audio) 5 stars
4. Magical Negro by Morgan Parker unrated (poetry)
5. Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen 4 stars
6. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson 4.5 stars
7. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones 5 stars
8. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls 3.5 stars
9. News of the World by Paulette Jiles (reread) still 5 stars
10. The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey 4 stars

COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY

11. The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer 4 stars
12. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 3.5 stars
13. Paradise by Toni Morrison not yet rated
14. The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Phillips 4 stars
15. The Long Song by Andrea Levy (reread) still 4 stars
16. The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths 4 stars

COMPLETED IN MARCH

17. How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang 3 stars
18. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley 3.5 stars
19. Unclay by T.F. Powys 3.5 stars
20. From Doon with Death by Ruth Rendell
21. The Survivors by Jane Harper 4 stars
22. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths 4 stars
23. Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi 3 stars
24. Frederica by Georgette Heyer 4 stars

COMPLETED IN APRIL

25. Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn 4 stars

AlphaKIT (my only formal challenge this year)

January......P M
✅ -- Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey
✅ -- Jazz by Toni Morrison
✅ -- Magical Negro by Morgan Parker

February.....T K
✅ -- The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Phillips
✅ -- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

March.....U R
✅ -- Unclay by T.F. Powys
✅ -- From Doon with Death by Ruth Rendell

April.....A W
✅ -- Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Washburn, Kawai Strong
-- Homeland Elegies by Akhtar, Ayad

May.....I N
-- Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

June.....C D
-- The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
-- Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

July.....S O
-- The Death of Vivek Oji by Emezi, Akwaeke

August.....V J
-- The Distant Echo by Val McDermid

September.....F L
October.....H E
November.....B Y
December.....G Q

Yearlong.....X Z
-- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
-- How Much of These Hills Is Gold by Zhang, C Pam

Personal Reading Challenge: Every winner of the Booker Prize since its inception in 1969

1969: P. H. Newby, Something to Answer For
1970: Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1970: J. G. Farrell, Troubles (awarded in 2010 as the Lost Man Booker Prize)
1971: V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State
1972: John Berger, G. -- DNF
1973: J. G. Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur
1974: Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist ... and Stanley Middleton, Holiday
1975: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust
1976: David Storey, Saville
1977: Paul Scott, Staying On
1978: Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea
1979: Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore
1980: William Golding, Rites of Passage
1981: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children
1982: Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark
1983: J. M. Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K
1984: Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac
1985: Keri Hulme, The Bone People
1986: Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils
1987: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
1988: Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda
1989: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
1990: A. S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance
1991: Ben Okri, The Famished Road
1992: Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient ... and Barry Unsworth, Sacred Hunger
1993: Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
1994: James Kelman, How late it was, how late***
1995: Pat Barker, The Ghost Road
1996: Graham Swift, Last Orders
1997: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
1998: Ian McEwan, Amsterdam
1999: J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace***
2000: Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
2001: Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang
2002: Yann Martel, Life of Pi
2003: DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little
2004: Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty
2005: John Banville, The Sea
2006: Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
2007: Anne Enright, The Gathering
2008: Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger
2009: Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall
2010: Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question
2011: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
2012: Hilary Mantel, Bring Up the Bodies
2013: Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries
2014: Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North
2015: Marlon James, A Brief History of Seven Killings
2016: Paul Beatty, The Sellout
2017: George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo
2018: Anna Burns, Milkman
2019: Margaret Atwood, The Testaments, and Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other
2020: Douglas Stuart, Shuggie Bain

***On my shelves

I'm going to keep this post going so I can keep track but I admit I'm less committed to finishing the whole list than I once was.

Carson relaxing (on me)

WELCOME!!!

Happy new thread!

Happy new one, dear Ellen.

>10 quondame: and >11 PaulCranswick: Thanks Susan and Paul!

Hey TwinE--Happy new thread!! I have to re-read News of the World for my second RL book group. Glad to see you liked it just as much the second time around. Love the topper. : )

>8 EBT1002: So cute Ellen.

Happy new thread, Ellen. Carson is such a good boy! :-)

Happy New Thread, Ellen! I love the painting by Jorgensen up top. What a happy place that would be to retire! I can imagine Carson sunning himself in a window there.

I love that you were able to volunteer at a vaccination clinic. My county seems to be having trouble getting vaccine. They are still in phase 1A with medical people and first responders.

Yay for libraries! I have about ten books at home now which I'm not sure I'll get read before they are due. I pick up and return about once a week. Simon the Fiddler is waiting for me to pick up this week.

Happy new one, Ellen. Carson is a handsome cat.

I'm #1 on the library list for Summerwater; I'm not sure when the library will get its copy, when it will be available here. But don't let me stop you from buying a copy.

I love the Paul Jorgensen at the top. You've done some great reading so far this year.

Happy New Thread!

>3 EBT1002: >8 EBT1002: How adorable!!

Happy new thread, Ellen!

Happy new one!

Happy new one, Ellen! That topper image is so cheerful.

>8 EBT1002: I didn't think you could beat the photo of him on your head, but you did. This is just the sweetest photo.

Hi Ellen! Happy new thread.

From your previous thread, I love the story about the color scheme of Air Force One.

>3 EBT1002: and >8 EBT1002: Such wonderful pictures of a Very Happy Cat.

I liked News of the World only slightly less than you did and can see it standing up to a re-read.

Happpy new thread!

>13 Berly: I had forgotten many things about News of the World, Kim, which is typical of me. I remembered the characters and the setting and the language, but not many of the specific scenes. There was a wonderful cameo appearance by a couple of characters from Simon the Fiddler, which she wrote later, and that was fun!

>14 Caroline_McElwee: Isn't that a great shot of Carson crashed on my lap, Caroline? He does like to drape himself when I'm watching television in the room with the gas fireplace.

>15 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. Carson is indeed a good boy when he is not being horrid! :-)

>16 streamsong: Isn't that a lovely painting, Janet? It looks like Tuscany. I wouldn't mind spending a good couple of months there after I retire!

We are not much ahead of you on the vaccine phases. We are in 1B, Tier 1. Folks 65+ or those 50+ living in multi-generational homes (not with kids, but with elder generation or taking care of grandchildren or such). I think there are at least 4 tiers to phase 1B. But it was very cool to be able to work at the vaccine clinic!

Have you read Simon the Fiddler yet? Having just reread News of the World, I think it would be another good reread. I didn't like StF quite as much as I loved NotW the first time around, but I did enjoy it.

>17 BLBera: Number one! I'd better get off my resistance chair and order my copy of Summerwater!

It has indeed been a wonderful year of reading so far. I have already given as many 5-star ratings as I gave in all of 2020. This may be because my concentration was so affected in 2020 that it was harder for a book to grab me that fully, or it may be that I'm feeling more generous because of the apparently stingy ratings of 2020. On the other hand, I gave out LOTS of 4.5-star ratings so I wasn't entirely ungenerous.

>18 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle. My Carson is indeed a cutie. :-)

>19 katiekrug: and >20 figsfromthistle: Thanks Katie and figs!

>21 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie. And I felt the same way; that photo of him on my head is pretty precious. But then he sprawled himself so trustingly on my lap. As I have said, when he is sweet he is very, very sweet....

>24 EBT1002: - Carson is indeed a good boy when he is not being horrid! :-)


Ha! That can be said of my Theo too. Big time! (I have an example of a current event on my thread)

>22 karenmarie: Hi Karen. Isn't that story about the color scheme of AF1 terrific? Thankfully, President Biden and MADAME Vice President Harris are focused on issues that matter, like getting control of this pandemic!

I'm pretty smitten with the kitten, I must say. And he has certainly let himself attach to me!

I think News of the World was almost better the second time around. I definitely caught things I missed the first time and I enjoyed some of the layers even more. I think her writing is exquisite.

>23 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>28 jessibud2: I'll head over and read about Theo's goings on, Shelley. :-)

Just saying: today is the kind of day that makes me hold on for dear life. Retirement? NOT ambivalent.

Did you see the News of the World movie?

Happy New Thread, Ellen. I LOVE the Jorgensen topper. I have a copy of The Only Good Indians waiting for me at the library, so I will get to it soon.

Happy new thread, Ellen. I love the colours in the painting in your topper. Why does the header in your second post read "Retirement option one". Are you still questioning when you will retire?

happy new thread!

Happy, Happy, Ellen! I also love the Jorgensen with a sigh. And am sorry that Carson is such a nervous, unsettled type. (There are few things as comforting as the warmth, weight, and purring of a contented cat.)
As to vaccine, NC is still at 1B too. My mother has an appointment for the first dose on Friday, and the hospital has just tonight canceled all first shots starting tomorrow for lack of supply. They do have or expect to have second doses still available, so maybe my DH can get his next week. They will call people who had appointments, they say.
My SIL and I got our first at the local health department, and they seem to have more available. I'll try to get through to them tomorrow since they're giving #1 by appointment only but #2 to walk-ins. I guess it could get more complicated if it tried.

>24 EBT1002: I am thinking of watching the movie of NotW, because I am not sure I have time for a re-read before my bookclub meets and besides, I like Tom Hanks. : )

Sorry that you had a rough day, reaffirming your retirement need. Hang in there!

Ellen, are you thinking of reading Toni Morrison's Paradise in February? Beth and I just exchanged messages about timing. We plan to start reading around the middle of the month, which coincides with Morrison's birthday on February 18. It was really fun to see so many people reading Jazz in January, so I hope you will join us in February too!

And of course anyone else who sees this post is also welcome!

>32 BLBera: Not yet, Beth. I think it's to be available on Netflix in February. Theaters are not open in Washington. But that was the motivation to reread it and I'm really glad I did.

>33 msf59: I think you will like The Only Good Indians Mark.

>34 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I used to have two of those countdowns and this one remained. I probably should change it but I think I'm waiting until I've made a more public move. I meet with the retirement person in HR next Friday and after that I will muster the courage to talk with my boss. I know you all will throw tomatoes at me, but I'm giving myself a 5% margin that she might ask (and have good arguments to make) that I wait until December 2021 or something. I'm not sure I'd say yes to that but I want to have the conversation with her in good faith.

>35 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda!

>36 LizzieD: Hi Peggy. As I have been peripherally involved in our county vaccine planning and coordination, the issue of supply and managing the reserves needed for second doses is definitely one of the complicating factors. They don't want to give out so many primer doses that they don't have enough for boosters, but they don't want the doses languishing, either. Our county is doing an awesome job but it's a logistical nightmare with supply being so unpredictable. Managing folks' expectations is an important element of it. We have students who are serving as screeners at our health clinic; as such, they are eligible for the vaccine. Helping them understand that eligibility is just the first step, that availability of the vaccine to actually give them is a whole nother layer, is fun!

Huh. Interesting that the boosters are by walk-in. We are planning clinics in pairs: the first is a primer clinic and the second is 3 weeks out (with Pfizer) and is for boosters. Both are managed with appointments in 15-minute increments. I think good scheduling and tracking software is a must!

>37 Berly: I will absolutely watch NotW when it is available via streaming, Kim. I am definitely a Tom Hanks fan and I want to see how they translate that wonderful novel into a 2(ish)-hour film!

Today has been better "at" work but honestly, why do people thrive so on drama????

>38 lauralkeet: Laura, I am definitely in for the shared read of Paradise in February! Last I checked, the e-book was just sitting there available so I didn't check it out. I will keep an eye on it so I can hopefully have access right around the middle of the month.

>4 EBT1002:- excellent! I’m glad you’ll be joining in Ellen.

>39 EBT1002: - By all means, have the conversation in good faith. But do NOT cave in. Who is more important, you or her? Keep your health as a priority, Ellen. Don't forget. Will a few months make all that much difference, either way? So why not stick to your plan and stand firm. You deserve it. You have earned it.

Off the soapbox, for now.....

Good luck re: the boss conversation. I watched News of the World on Prime. I had some credits, so I rented it. I'll be anxious to see what you think when you see it.

>42 lauralkeet: It's so weird: when I looked two weeks ago, SPL had four e-copies and the book was available. Now they still have four e-copies but all are checked out and there is a small queue. Still, I should get it mid-February.

>43 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. I know this is all true. It's so interesting to observe my own internal world as I go through my days knowing that this is around the corner, and knowing that she does not know. It's odd and unsettling. Even though I dread the conversation, I believe the clarity and transparency after that will actually be good. And... the university is facing a HUGE budget shortfall due to the pandemic. I mean, we are talking millions of dollars. They should appreciate off-loading my salary, right? (LOL)

>44 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I will definitely keep folks posted on how that all unfolds.

Looking forward to seeing Tom Hanks in News of the World.

I'm hoping this link works.... this makes me think of sweet Carson.



"Sofrani" by Vicky Mount

Thanks to Joe for introducing me to this artist!

>45 EBT1002: A run on Toni Morrison books! There must be a local, real-life book group reading it next month or something. February is both Black History Month and Morrison's birthday month, so there's that.

>46 EBT1002: I can't see it, Ellen, but I did a search online to see it.

>45 EBT1002: I did a little double-take when I read "SPL had four e-copies and the book was available". Then I studied on it, and said to myself....OK, "SEATTLE Public Library" probably, not "SCRANTON Public Library". But it would be really cool if you had somehow managed to get a library card from MY SPL!

Hi, Ellen. I read on Beth's thread that you're looking at The Prophets. I was just investigating it too and had to slap my hands before clicking it into Mt. Bookpile. I need/want *Shuggie B* first. If you read it, I'll be eager to know what you think.

Judging from my experience of almost 20 years of retirement, it is wonderful! Full of lazy days, and days when I get to do just what I want to do! And then more lazy days.

Hi Ellen! I just created a thread for February's group read of Toni Morrison's Paradise.

I *think* you were planning to join us? I hope some others will too!
http://www.librarything.com/topic/329307

Happy retirement conversation, Ellen! Oh, and new thread, too.

>47 lauralkeet: That makes sense. I should be able to get my copy in the next couple weeks (fingers crossed).

>48 ronincats: Hmm, I wondered if my link would work, Roni. I'm glad you were able to find -- and post -- another copy of "Sofrani" by Vicky Mount. It even captures Carson's rather substantial tummy. :-)

>49 laytonwoman3rd: LOL, Linda. Indeed, I still have my library card with SEATTLE Public Library. I've never been to Scranton but I hear there is a pretty cool guy living in the White House with connections there (in addition to your connection, of course!!!).

>50 LizzieD: I actually pre-ordered a copy of The Prophets based on a review and P's interest in reading it, Peggy. P is still (rather slowly, imo) making her way through it so I can't start it until she finishes. And yes, I do recommend you read Shuggie Bain. It is so good.

>51 maggie1944: Your comments about retirement make me almost ache with longing, Karen. Since today is exactly the 6-month mark from the date I'm using as my "target" (knowing details can change based on leave accrual, etc.), I have been in sort of weird emotional space all day. Not good, not bad, just weird.

>52 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura! I'm definitely planning to join in. I'll check and see how my progress through the queue is coming along.

>53 richardderus: I am SO nervous about that conversation, Richard. AND I am also sanely reminding myself that I am ENTIRELY within my rights to head this direction.

Ellen, my brother has been a secondary school educator for 30 years, 20 years with the same district. Last night he submitted his retirement notice effective the end of this school year. He sent a text to tell me about it, and said it felt weird. But that was immediately followed up by something that happened at work today that was super annoying. He knows that it's time. Sound familiar? 😀

Sending hugs.

>56 lauralkeet: YES. Sounds so very familiar.

I'm so curious to witness my own experience during the time between letting my boss know, making it more public, and the actual date of retirement. I guess that is two time periods....

I finished reading The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer with this morning's first mug of coffee. What a delightful 4-star read! It was my first by Heyer but it will not be my last. Thank you to all the fans around here who have directly or indirectly encouraged me to give her a try!!

I started reading The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman with my second mug of coffee. I think it will be another fun read and will fill the "T" spot for AlphaKIT.

>58 EBT1002: Oh, if you liked that Heyer you are in for some real treats!

Glad you liked the Heyer, Ellen. It is great light reading for stressful times. I've heard good things about The Thursday Murder Club as well.

And, thanks for The Skeleton Road. It was excellent. I still had your note and bookmark tucked in it, so I know you sent it to me. I asked if I could pass it on to another LTer, but some people don't read series out of order. :)

>54 EBT1002: Ah, well....if you ever get here, Ellen, a tour of the Scranton Public Library is a must. And, it's only a few blocks from the President's boyhood home.

Ellen, I love the image of your lovely cat sleeping on the top of your head. I've added The Reluctant Widow to my tbr pile.

>58 EBT1002: The Reluctant Widow is a good one and I love it, but it's not one of the BEST, so you have some great reading ahead of you.

>58 EBT1002: Yay for Heyerosmism! I'm so glad you've contracted it.

>63 ronincats: >64 richardderus: Exactly!!!! It's a great club. Welcome, Ellen!

>55 EBT1002: Well I haven’t regretted my decision as of week last Friday! At one stage a few weeks before my final departure it did look as if my replacement was not that enamoured of the job, and was possibly not going to stay. So I had to have a good think about what I would do if we had the ‘can’t you just stay a bit longer’ conversation. I decided that I would not stay, as the issues that my replacement was encountering were the same issues as I had had (and had brought to my bosses attention on numerous occasions). So I figured that they’d had plenty of time to fix things, and had chosen not to, and so it was really their problem that they would need to deal with. But in the end my replacement did stay, so the situation never arose.

>59 quondame: I am excited to have found another new author, Susan. I tried one of her works a couple years ago and just couldn't get into it. I'm glad I gave her a second chance!

>60 BLBera: Exactly, Beth. I picked up the Heyer at the end of last week when I was about as stressed out as this job has made me in the past few years. I was browsing my shelves, seeing things I want to read but not feeling up to much. Prudence said "the Georgette Heyer is light reading that won't get you activated." She was correct!

I'm glad you enjoyed The Skeleton Road. Val McDermid is definitely an author whose oeuvre I want to complete, probably mostly after retirement. :-)

>66 SandDune: It sounds to me as though you made a very wise decision, Rhian. It does take a little getting used to, but I think you'll find being retired is a grand way to live.

>61 laytonwoman3rd: I would love to tour the SPL, Linda! Back in the good old days (haha) when I traveled for work pretty regularly, I always sought out indie bookstores in whatever city I was visiting. I like the idea of visiting more public libraries!

>62 Whisper1: Hi Linda. Carson has definitely attached himself to me. He sleeps on my pillow part of most nights, and if I'm in my reading chair with the fleece throw on my lap, that is pretty much where you'll find him. I hope you enjoy The Reluctant Widow. It's a fun, light read. On the back cover, Publisher's Weekly is quoted as saying "Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."

>63 ronincats: Where might you recommend I go next in my exploration of Georgette Heyer's work, Roni?

>64 richardderus: I'm glad I caught one of the good diseases, Richard. *smirk* I'll ask you the same question I asked Roni. ^

>65 LizzieD: Thanks Peggy! And... your thoughts on this question? ^

>66 SandDune: Rhian, thank you for sharing that. I know the situation will not be exactly that here, but I anticipate some similar tugs on my will power. I can certainly imagine my boss, or other colleagues, saying something along the lines of "we've come this far on **fill in the blank**, don't you want to stay long enough to see it through?" But the work of higher education is everlasting, projects are ongoing, almost never really completed, and besides, I'm ready for every day to be Saturday!

>68 laytonwoman3rd: I agree, Linda, and I look forward to experiencing it first-hand. I have approximately 180 days to go.

saying something along the lines of "we've come this far on **fill in the blank**, don't you want to stay long enough to see it through?"

Two answers:

1) No.

2) I have full confidence in all of you and your ability to do a wonderful job. Glad to have been a part of it, thanks, but it's time for me to move on.

The college won't fall apart without you, sad fact; you know it and they know it, so don't let them do a number on you. They will most likely just be jealous, is all.....Stand strong, my friend! :-)

>72 jessibud2: Ellen, what Shelley says. All of the badass women of the Pecan Paradisio are sending you their "when push comes to shove always shove" mojo. So when you talk to your boss, think of us standing there with you because we will be.

Hoping that the wines of sopping wet February feel indulgent and well earned - excellent job with conquering Dry January.

Of the Regencies, you can't go wrong with Frederica, Arabella, Sylvester, or The Grand Sophy. Once you have a feel for what the conventions are, read Cotillion, one of my favorites but best appreciated with that preparation. I am also very fond of The Unknown Ajax and The Toll-Gate, both of which have more of a mystery aspect to them. Of the Georgians (earlier time period), I love The Masqueraders and I'm also a fan of These Old Shades and Devil's Cub, although some are not. But ALL of the Heyers are better than 99% of the rest of the field, even if a few are not my favorites.

>74 ronincats: I started with These Old Shades and Devils Cub and loved them. I have a physical pile and a Kindle pile of Heyer's. Time to read another soon.

What >74 ronincats: said...many many lovelies to experience. Pay a visit to Horrible! She's the one who hooked me on Heyer and has a hit list of all of them ranked with stars.

It's astonishing. ETA And here it is!

>72 jessibud2: Spot on, Shelley. I was just saying this morning that, while last evening I was feeling vulnerable to the effort to persuade me to stay longer, this morning I am totally in the space of "they will do fine without me and I'm out of here."

Ack off to a meeting. More later.

>73 Crazymamie: Mamie, I love this cadre of strong women I can envision standing with me as I talk with my boss about this. My appointment with the retirement person in HR is this Friday, then I will take the weekend to think about it, and then it will be time to jump off the end of the diving board. (I wonder how many metaphors I can insert into this process, if I drag it out long enough?)

Honestly, I know she will be disappointed but I also know everything will go on just fine without me. My last IHE was sad to see me go and they are doing just fine. :-)

I am pleased with our success on Dry January. I'm keeping February from being sopping wet, tempting though that may be. If I'm honest, I both slept better during January AND I got a pretty good amount of reading done! I love my wine and I love my bourbon and ginger ale, but they do make me sleepy of an evening....

>74 ronincats: Thanks for all that, Roni. I think it was The Grand Sophy that I tried a couple of years ago and couldn't quite get into. But, as you say, I feel like I'm getting a feel for the conventions and, even with just the one novel, that made the going easier as I progressed. And I do like a good mystery so I look forward to that subset of her works. I need to see what my local library has on the shelves. :-)

>75 Caroline_McElwee: I can feel a pile of Heyer works likely to develop in the coming weeks, Caroline. I'm glad of the confirmation that These Old Shades and Devil's Cub (what a title, that!) are good reads.

>76 richardderus: Oh good, a list! You know I love a good list! I'm off to visit Karen's thread. Thanks for the link.

>76 richardderus: I LOVE that list! I'm going to see what my library has and start putting things on hold. Or splurge on smile.amazon....

Having to focus on work when I just want to mess about with book lists all day!!!

Happy Kinda New Thread, Ellen!

Oooh, I like that Paul Jorgensen painting up there. I'm going to have to find more of his. I'm glad Vicky Mount hits the spot for you; I can see why that one reminds you of Carson. (Carson photos always make me smile).

I've become a Georgette Heyer fan in recent years, and Roni was a big help in that. I loved all the ones she mentions in >74 ronincats:, and The Unknown Ajax has become my most recent favorite - I have a lot of favorites among hers. I don't think I've read The Masqueraders, so I probably have my next one now.

>82 EBT1002: Oh the pain, the pain! I remember it well...if dimly.

*supervillain laugh*

Hi Ellen.

Chiming in about Heyer, I love Frederica, Arabella, and The Talisman Ring.

Well, it will be interesting to see how you feel about retirement after your Friday meeting.

I've put Frederica on hold at the library.

>83 jnwelch: I did some searching in the hope that Vicky Mount has authorized some of her art to be made available on note cards, but no such luck that I could find on the internet, Joe.

I'm excited to have found a new author to explore (don't we all just live for that??). Of course, I can't just sit around and eat bonbons and read Georgette Heyer all day but I'm looking forward to having her as another avenue for entertainment!

>84 richardderus: *smooch* regardless, Richard.

>85 BLBera: Oh good, Beth. It will be a few weeks before I get my copy of Frederica but that is okay. I have a few things around the house to keep me occupied. Haha.

I'm volunteering for a vaccination clinic again this weekend. I think it means I will get my primer dose. Fingers crossed.

>79 EBT1002: The Grand Sophy is one of Heyer's Regency novels with a large difference of opinion and I think that has to do with the whether the reader enjoys or endures Sophy. I prefer Frederica and Arabella and Cotillion, another with adherents and detractors.

>3 EBT1002: Aww! What a sweetheart!

I'm following along. I'm not doing a great deal of reading as sitting for long stretches is not good for my back. I did get my first Vaccine shot on Saturday last, and looking forward to my second 20 February. Then if my back is still a bother, and the PT has not helped me enough, I can get back to the Dr. with the steroid shots, and ask for an appt.

Getting older is not for sissies. So they say. Generally, I am keeping a happy face, but under it is getting really old! Being old, that is.

Gretchen is still making me smile, and makes me go out for brief walks a couple of times every day.

Good luck with your Friday conversation! Stay strong and on the path!

Hi Ellen!

Congrats on 6 months to retirement. You will pick the right date when the time comes. From my own experience of giving three weeks instead of the typical two for my industry, I would suggest giving them just what’s required either professionally or legally. Too much time between notice and leaving made me more anxious and put more on me from them. Regardless of how well you do the job and are liked, nobody’s indispensable and they will cope when you’re gone.

>58 EBT1002: Yay. A new Georgette Heyer fan!

>76 richardderus: *blush*

On upcoming conversations regarding retirement, never forget that “No” is a complete sentence.

>89 quondame: Thanks Susan. I know when I first gave The Grand Sophy a try, I was feeling pretty skeptical about the "Regency" genre or sub-genre, and about "romances" more generally. I consumed romance novels like candy as a teenager, especially in my young teens, and in adulthood have developed a scornful attitude toward them. I'm getting over it as I explore and learn how much wonderful romance writing is out there, but it's still a bias I have to acknowledge.

>90 Copperskye: Isn't he, though? Nice to see you, Joanne.

>91 maggie1944: Unable to sit for long periods of time, how are you entertaining yourself, Karen? I assume Gretchen is getting her share of walks, if only to ease the pain you are experiencing? Well, I see you get out for a couple brief walks each day. I sometimes think a very good thing about having a dog would be that it would require this kind of activity. Cats tend to require sitting quietly with one's lap immobile for long periods of time. *smile*

>92 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Today I talk with the HR retirement person and I hope to get more information about the process. One question I have is whether the financial advising appointments offered by our EAP can help me/us understand Medicare (for which I am not yet eligible) and social security (for which I want to hold off for a few years). I'm "required" to give 30 days notice but I don't think I can make myself hold to that. There is reorganization going on even as we speak and, not for my boss but for my colleagues and direct reports, I want to be responsible so those re-orgs can take into account my departure. Still, we'll see where I land! LOL

I'm resisting the urge to order several of Heyer's novels. I am in the library queue for Frederica.

>93 Matke: I love that, Gail! Thank you!!!!

I finished reading The Thursday Murder Club last night. It was a very fun 3.5-star read. I definitely recommend it.

I read the first chapter of Paradise this morning. Whew, this is a change of pace from ^. It is vintage Toni Morrison, dense, poetic, visual, and demanding. Morrison asks her reader to invest in the experience, to give her one's full attention and concentration, and I am settling in for that kind of focus.

Hi fellow soon-to-be-retiree - sooner than I, by the sound of it. Good luck. And I love that picture in post 3 with Carson cuddled up on your head while you read.

Good luck with your HR meeting today. I imagine you'll report back. :)

I am not much of a romance reader, either, Ellen, but Heyer writes so beautifully and captures the time period. And, I've only read about half ?, so I still have a few ahead.

Eager to hear what HR has to say about retiring early. And I'm so pleased you enjoyed Thursday Murder Club!

Apart from that, President Biden has so far exceeded my expectations for actual tangible change that he could stop now and I'd still call him a success.

Ellen, in my line of work it was not unusual for senior leaders to share intent to retire with their boss, and for this to be kept confidential until the time of officially giving notice. This allowed for situations like a reorganization to be managed with the person's eventual departure in mind. Sometimes the about-to-retire person would be assigned to a special project, sometimes their intended successor would be appointed to a position that allowed them to work closely together during the remaining months. Hopefully you'll find a way, too.

I know today is the day for the talk with HR and I'm anxiously/eagerly awaiting to hear what came down!

Hope the chat went well Ellen.

Happy Thursday, Ellen!

I dropped by to see if you were advancing in your prep work for the big change. Yup, you're doing well.

I'll be back to see how your meeting went.

Me, well, I am still coping somewhat hit/miss with my aging back, and the current pain related to multiple issues. I am thinking of joining a fellow member of the cooperative in starting a Chronic Pain Support Group. I looked at a web page and liked their approach.

Hmm... your positive first-time experience with Heyer *almost* makes me want to give one a try, just for the sake of it. Her work is so adored by so many, but it's not my typical taste... or so I've always thought. But I guess one never knows until they try, right?

Hey there! Long time no see and that' on me. : ) Hope your talk retirement talks goes well with your boss. A lot of weight will be off your shoulders once that's over and done. Love that you are delving in to Georgette Heyer -- she is awesome! I have to get my hands on Paradise and finish up a few books before I start that one. Soon though. Enjoy the rest of your weekend--I am assuming you get Monday President's Day off?

" It is vintage Toni Morrison, dense, poetic, visual, and demanding." I am just a 100 pages in and I could not agree more. You are probably done with it, right?

Happy Sunday, Ellen. How is your weather? My sister in Salem and Kim in Portland, mentioned pretty nasty stuff.

Hmmm, where's Ellen? Hope all is okay in your world, friend.

Hi everyone. Sorry I went dark. I'm okay, just the usual overload. The convo with HR went fine and we're trying to get time with an actual financial advisor. I really want out.

We've had about a foot of snow over the past 3 days and it's beautiful!! It has been very cold so the snow is that wonderful fluffy stuff. I'm in heaven. And I'm lucky that I don't have to drive in it.

Sunday P and I worked a vaccination clinic. Our county is approaching 20% with at least their first dose. I get my second dose on or around February 27. 😀

I've read Paradise and The King at the Edge of the World since I last checked in. Both were differently great reads. Next up: The Long Song by Andrea Levy, which has been on my TBR shelf for years.

It's great to hear from you, Ellen. I'm glad retirement planning is still moving along. Glad to see you're still reading! 😀

14. The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Phillips


"History is written by the future, and therefore distorted at its start. There's no other way to write it, of course, but it alway glows with the unnatural clarity of having eliminated all the possibilities that didn't happen. The present doesn't feel like a link in a chain leading to the eventual coherent historical event, and unlived futures infinitely outnumber the one statistically improbable reality that occurred."

This was a wonderful novel set at the turn of the 17th century as Elizabeth I is nearing her demise. King James VI of Scotland is the heir to the English throne but there is concern that his proclaimed Protestantism is false, that once he ascends to the throne the Catholicism of his mother Mary will once again become the official and only acceptable religion of the realm. A Muslim doctor in unwilling exile from Constantinople is dispatched to diagnose James' soul.

The writing is tight with richly wrought characters in a time and setting vividly painted. Quite enjoyable, and now I feel better prepared for Jeopardy! questions about this little window of European history.

>97 ArlieS: Hi Arlie. I'm glad you enjoyed the pic of Carson. He is a sweet boy except at 5:30am. :-)

>98 BLBera: Hi Beth. The meeting with HR was helpful to some degree. I am eligible to retire early (having worked as a Washington state employee since 2007 - those years at UW count!) but it's really all a matter of how I feel about my retirement accounts. Covering the higher premiums for medical insurance until I'm eligible for Medicare is the big thing. I've been saving for that but it's still hard to give up having my employer cover most of that for me.

Anyway, what I know is that the answer to the question "can I retire?" is yes. It's just about balancing earning more money with having more time off. The more time off I decide to have, the less money we'll have to live it up (ha) during retirement. :-)

I really want to buy a couple Heyer books just to have for when I need or want them... buying books may be one of the things I cut back on for early retirement. It's a good thing I love the library so much!

>99 richardderus: Hi Richard. Please see my comments ^ to Beth about what I know so far about retirement. You'll love this: after talking with HR, I found myself just musing about how many more months I could go, thinking that each month is one more month that my employer pays most of the premium for health insurance. And then I left my home office after a meting on Monday and P just said "you need to retire." She hates witnessing my frustration with work.

I am thrilled with Biden's work so far. I read today that fully 98% of Democrats approve of his actions so far. It may be partly that we're all just so damned happy not to be living under 45's autocratic insanity any longer, but still. 98% is pretty dang good.

>100 lauralkeet: Hi Laura. It's hard to imagine what my final months will really be like. There is already some reorg in the works and I can certainly help that along. I don't agree with all the elements of the plan but I do agree with most of it so that may be a final contribution I can make.

>101 ronincats: Hey Roni. I refer you to my comments to Beth above. It feels like a gut check. I have saved up enough to cover the increased health insurance premiums, but that is still a lot of money to just be spending on that (rather than books or travel)!

>102 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline. You can see from my comments here ^ that I am mulling over my options and weighing the financial against the time off.

>103 richardderus: Thanks Richard! Belatedly, albeit.

>104 maggie1944: Karen, if you have access to a chronic pain group, I recommend it. I have a friend who experiences chronic back pain and having the support of others who "get it" seems really important.

>105 dk_phoenix: Hi Faith. I completely understand your stance on the Heyer question. I tried The Grand Sophy a year or so ago and did not get beyond the first chapter. The Reluctant Widow really worked for me. It's a romance but it's not Harlequin territory at all.

>106 Berly: Hi Kim! I did not get President's Day off but this week hasn't been as bad as some. You can see from my comments above that my thinking about the retirement question is progressing. I just have to decide how many months of high premiums I want to pay for health insurance. I have been saving for that very thing, but still.... it's a lot of money per month!

I'm glad to be joining the ranks of Heyer fans. Of course, I've still only read and enjoyed one book but I certainly plan to read more!

>107 msf59: Hi Mark. I need to visit your thread to see how Paradise landed for you.
You posted here on Sunday and asked about the weather. That day it started snowing early in the afternoon and it snowed about a foot between then and Tuesday morning. It was in the mid-teens so the snow was light and fluffy and beautiful! It's still beautiful and we're supposed to get another 2-4 inches starting tomorrow night.

>108 lauralkeet: and >110 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura. I'm certainly still mulling over my options!

>112 EBT1002: It is a tough decision, Ellen. The money thing is scary, especially the health insurance. I'm glad I am eligible for Medicare, and I am glad I have the option to phase in, working at .8, to start. I can go to .5, if I wish. I think after the fall and my reduced load, I'll see. Having a job has been a life saver during the pandemic. If not, I would be so isolated.

Lots to think about. I also have the advantage that I still like what I do and my dean is great.

It's just about balancing earning more money with having more time off. The more time off I decide to have, the less money we'll have to live it up (ha) during retirement. :-)

That is always the biggest and scariest part of the ultimate decision, I think, Ellen. And the first year after you actually retire (speaking from my own experience, of course), is going to be a watchful one, as you adjust to a new *normal*, such as it is. You can thank covid for perhaps helping you adapt to not travelling much at first. But, here's the thing: you can and will adjust and before you know it, you will have new routines, new avenues open to you and things will settle down. You can continue to explore other health care options (I have no idea how it works in the States or what other options there are; the American system is so very different from ours, here in Canada). Even with our socialized medicine, I had to make adjustments, as my benefits from work when I was still working full time, were somewhat diminished after I retired and I had to make some adjustments (finding a different pharmacy, was one example. I ended up at Costco pharmacy where you don't have to be a member - though I now am - to use their pharmacy. Their dispensing fee for prescriptions, I discovered, is about half of what every other pharmacy in the city charges!)

You will be fine. You will settle into it with more ease than you can imagine now. And you will never look back! :-)

Deep breathes...

>118 jessibud2: wise words!

>117 BLBera: That is a great position to be in, Beth. I have loved my work for most of my career; it's hard to have these last couple of years be so different in that regard. I could conceivably go down to .6 or .5 for a year or so, but it's hard to imagine my job at that kind of half-time level. But when I talk with my boss, if that comes up, I'm willing to at least discuss it. If I'm 0.5 or more, they continue to cover most of the health insurance premium.

>118 jessibud2: Thanks so much, Shelley. I do believe I will be one of those who settle into retirement quite smoothly and that I won't look back with any longing. It helps to have you and others here just acknowledging the fear/anxiety factor. Maybe I would experience that no matter what year I was considering this big move!

>119 lauralkeet: Yes indeed!

The Book about James VI looks interesting, I know a lot bout his time on the English throne but not so much about his life before that.

Adding to the book list

>120 EBT1002: I think you're right to be wary of .5 work, Ellen. In my previous job as a writer, when I was .5, it was never .5. My schedule was supposedly from 8-1 M-F, but there would be meetings later, or someone would ask if I could just look at something before I left for the day. I finally changed to two full days and one half day, and that helped.

It is too bad that this change has not been what you had hoped. I know how much you loved your job in Seattle, and how much you have to offer.

Hi Ellen! I hope all is well with you.

Dropping a star!

I finished my reread of Andrea Levy's The Long Song yesterday. It is still a 4-star read, difficult but beautiful and engaging.

After that, I needed something easy so I am now about a quarter of the way into The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths.

>122 magicians_nephew: Oh good, Jim. I think you will enjoy The King on the Edge of the World. James plays a relatively minor role as a character although he and his ascension are a central element of the story.

>123 BLBera: Yeah, I have pretty much ruled out half-time work, Beth. After this 3-day weekend I just had, and coming back to more chaos and drama and just nastiness in one of the areas I oversee, I am so ready to just cut bait. Thanks for the kind words. I miss how much I loved my work back in Seattle.

>124 brodiew2: Hi Brodie!

On Saturday we drove to Fields Spring State Park and snowshoed to the top of Puffer Butte. It was BEAUTIFUL!!!! Sunny some, then snowing on us for a while, some places where others had trod before us but several places where we broke trail through 6-10 inches of fresh powder. At one point we trekked along the side of a slope with a steep drop-off to our right, and where no one had been before us. We just went slow and steady, maintaining our cool while (as we later acknowledged) we were both pretty terrified. I would not do that again! And my muscles were tired when we got home but it was a 5-star day. *BIG smile*

>113 EBT1002: P is the one to listen to, Ellen. She understands you, and your mutual future, in the way that a trusted advisor must: from the inside out.

Retire. Yes, it's horrendously expensive to buy insurance...does COBRA kick in for retirees?...and the library will be promoted from your pal to your soulmate, but if P stands there and says the simple, declarative sentence, "You need to retire," hear and obey. She is the reason you've worked so darn hard anyway, to be able to spend quality time with her!

>127 EBT1002: - Sounds lovely!

>128 richardderus: - What Richard said.

PS: I checked the tracking number for your package and it still says "In Transit." 10 DAYS AFTER I MAILED IT. Thanks, Priority Mail :-/

Oh, I'm so glad you're enjoying Georgette Heyer, Ellen. Those should give you a good, witty break from the stresses of work. I love that Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series, too.

I've kept my hand in with my firm mainly for the health insurance. I looked around and couldn't find anything close to as good for the money. That was a few years ago now.

>127 EBT1002: It sounds like a wonderful day.

>128 richardderus: Yep, I think you are right, Richard. We are having good conversations about what it might look like, what our collective resources are, and how much we actually need to live on each month. This morning she was reviewing our weekend for us and said "when we're both retired, a lot of days will look like Friday did, when you took the day off: yes, we went out for lunch but we spent most of the day around the house, reading, watching a bit of women's basketball, and doing chores." I noted that some days had better look like Saturday when we drove 90 minutes and then spent a wonderful day snowshoeing, then ate sandwiches in the parking lot and came home. We do enjoy eating out when not in a pandemic, and of course we want to be able to travel some, etc., but our lifestyle is pretty tame when all is said and done.

>129 katiekrug: Thanks Katie, for the nod to Richard's wisdom, the joy of our day on the butte, and the shipment of puzzle. Cracked me up about priority mail. Good ol' 45 and all he did for the USPS. :-P

>130 jnwelch: I had to order some vacuum cleaner bags and somehow a couple Georgette Heyers landed in my shopping cart, Joe! I have no idea how that happened but I look forward to their arrival. We have been sending books with which we are done to P's brother in Palau for contribution to their local library. I think the Heyers will be appreciated!

Nice that you have been able to work just a bit with the firm in order to maintain that health insurance. I don't have that option. I can keep my insurance, I just have to pay the whole premium instead of the state covering most of it for me.

>131 BLBera: It was! :-)

>133 EBT1002:
That right there is the reason why my retirement is 2 years away. I simply can't pay that premium and keep the life style I want and saved for. The mess we have for health care in this country really irritates me. We have great health care - if you can just live long enough to get it.

>132 EBT1002: Oh thank goodness. I'm so relieved! For you both.

Lovely to read that you are taking time off to enjoy the scenery. Your shared joy just shines through that post.

>132 EBT1002: Funnily enough what being retired reminds me of most so far is being a youngish teenager. Up to the age of about 14-15 I pretty much always had some sort of creative craft on the go (drawing, painting, embroidery, making models, knitting) and I could spend hours if not days engrossed in that activity. As I got older I gradually got out of the habit (and of course was so much busier) but that’s what I’ve been doing over the last few weeks and have really enjoyed it. Of course we have a strict lockdown at the moment, so can’t really go anywhere, but I’ve been pretty happy.

Morning, Ellen!

I've been silently following along with your retirement journey, but I want to let you know that I'm cheering you one and hoping you find a solution that works for you and makes you happy.

Hi Ellen!

I see that the retirement discussion is continuing. When I retired at 62 yrs and 7 months, Bill’s insurance covered me so that wasn’t a problem. It became a problem when he got laid off, and we had to pay for an ACA policy for a while. We hit up our savings. He got a job, we got covered again, and that worked ‘til I got Medicare. He just went on Medicare this month, so that's already saving us money.

I agree that part-time work will never be just part-time, especially now the ease of work at home and the blurring of work availability means you can be texted any time of day or night. If you can afford it, a clean break would be much better.

>128 richardderus: And what RD said.

>133 EBT1002: I’m glad Georgette Heyer was sneaky. What books jumped into your shopping cart?

Hi! I just dropped by to see what's shaking.

I just bought a new washer and dryer. Due to the small closet into which I must fit these appliances I ended up buying a very small, stacked, pair which were made in Germany. Very expensive! but rumor has it that they are very good at what they do. (neighbors just bought the same ones)

I have picked up a Rachel Maddow biography and have started on it. Evidently she was smart and clever from the get-go! Not surprised.

One thing I do like about retirement is that I can stay up late and read and not feel badly about sleeping late the next day.

All caught up here!

As for retirement, I can honestly tell you that it is totally worth it to retire early. My parent's retired early and were initially worried about income and health benefits. They are paying a premium but it more than makes up in other ways. Anyhow that's my two cents. Hope you find something that works for you.

Boo on conflicts at work and the increased cost of health insurance, but it sure sounds like retirement may be the answer. And I echo working .5 probably won't be strictly .5, but see what you think. Hurray for Goergette Heyer!!! Love that you went snowshoeing. Very jealous. Our snow was not the light fluffy kind...at all!

>127 EBT1002: I used to drive stuff like that in the dark when I was in my 20s. OMG, I can't imagine doing it in the light now. I'd freak out.

>134 benitastrnad: I hear ya, and I wholly agree, Benita. I started saving specifically for the insurance premiums a couple years ago but it still hurts to think about spending that kind of money for something that my employer mostly covers now.

>135 richardderus: I feel pretty damn lucky, Richard.

>136 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. Getting outside and enjoying the scenery is a soul-feeding necessity for me. Last night we got a couple inches of new snow and then today was a sunny day with only a mild breeze. We went for a nice walk along a paved path that skirts the edge of town. I can feel that I got a bit of sun and cold on my cheeks!

>137 SandDune: That sounds lovely, Rhian. I was not very creative as a kid. Nor as an adult now that I think of it. I have done a bit of embroidery along the way and I fell in love with the ceramics class I took in graduate school, but I have always tended to fall back on reading as the main way to spend my free time. I really hope to take some kind of art class in retirement.

>138 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! Once I respond to posts here, I will write the story of my conversation with my boss (she said, setting the stage for a wee bit of suspense).

>139 karenmarie: Hi Karen. It really is a shame that health insurance in our country is tied to employment rather than to, you know, being human. But maybe everyone would retire early if that were the case! LOL

The Georgette Heyers that I purchased are These Old Shades and Devil's Cub.

>140 maggie1944: I have seen the small stack-able washer-dryer sets, Karen, and they seem just right for a small apartment. I hope they work like a charm for you!

A Rachel Maddow biography sounds good. I enjoy her.

It will be interesting to see what my sleep cycle ends up like after I retire. I'm often in bed by 9:30 these days and the light is off by 10pm. But that is because the alarm is going of around 5:30am. I do spend an hour or so reading with my mug of coffee, and Carson on my lap, before heading to the showers to get ready for work.

>141 figsfromthistle: Thanks for your two cents, Anita. I have been saving for the past couple years to cover the health insurance premiums and I absolutely believe you that the expense is made up for with other benefits. Like less stress, more time to read, and not dealing with work! :-D

>142 Berly: Kim, you'll like this: When we bought our snowshoes at the REI in Seattle, the woman was talking us through the pros and cons of various styles. She described the snow in the part of the world where you live (and where we plan to retire!) as "Cascade concrete." We got the snowshoes that have a pretty good set of teeth on them. Certainly not needed for the gorgeous fluffy snow we tend to get out here in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, but we'll appreciate it when we're going into the Cascades to snowshoe after I retire.

>143 The_Hibernator: Luckily the roads were pretty clear, Rachel. Like you, I am not a fan of driving in the snow, although I don't mind it around town as much as I would mind it out on the highway!

Reading Update:

I finished The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths. I'm kind of excited that I am so close to being "caught up" on this series. I tend to lag behind on most of them these days. I remember when I would nab the next Ed McBain or John D MacDonald the minute it was released and read it right away.

I started How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang. Oof, this is a shift from Ruth Galloway. Haha. So far, it is difficult but good.

Retirement Update

I did it. I talked with my boss on Thursday. I told her that I am seriously considering retirement and that I'm thinking about it as soon as August 2021 (August 2022 at the latest). She was amazingly supportive and kind. She asked me to think about it. She also said that she wasn't entirely surprised but that she believe I still have a lot to give. She said "I wouldn't offer this to everyone, but I would be very interested in exploring a new role for you, consultation on a particular project, or something like that." She also confirmed something I have been suspecting, which is that she hopes to name me the Vice Chancellor on our campus when that role is created. The way it works now, we have a president who is headquartered on this, the "flagship" campus of a 6-campus system. Each of the other campuses has a Chancellor. My boss is the Vice President for Student Affairs; the other campuses have Vice Chancellors. The plan is to name a Chancellor for this campus, as well; sort of leveling the field across the campuses. My boss would be the VP for the system and a VC would be named for this campus. She also said my intention to retire may mean she can make that happen sooner. She said I deserve the opportunity to lead in that capacity, even if only for a year.

We both agreed that, if I stayed on at (say) half-time, it would not be in this position. That just wouldn't work. But she would consider hiring me part time to lead a special project, serve as a consultant, etc. Her words: "I still need your brain."

I know. You, my friends, will say "just because you can, doesn't mean you have to." I have not committed to anything and I told her I was specifically not committing to anything other than thinking.

Here's what is amazing (and it has only been two days): I felt incredibly better on Thursday and Friday. My days were just as busy, the job is just as hard. And I felt less trapped, less out of sync with myself, more empowered and more centered. I know I can do what I need to do on my own timeline. And I have options. THAT feels best of all!

So, I'm still focused on retiring sometime between August 2021 and August 2022. And I feel more in charge of how that might play out. I think it also helped not to be holding it inside anymore, to know that she is aware. It shifts the power just a wee bit.

Time to go grate cheese for our chicken-and-lentil burritos.

Thanks for listening!

Hooray for having a good retirement discussion! And it sounds like you have some real options.

>148 EBT1002: That all sounds wonderfully liberating and empowering Ellen. Letting it settle so that your preference will bubble to the surface, and having time to discuss with P, and friends and trusted colleagues too.

>148 EBT1002: Delightful, and the best-possible result on all levels.

You feeling in control is really the most important result. As long as one has a why, any how can be made to work. And you did it, caused it, set your own goalposts. Brava!

Well that's an interesting update! Agree with >150 Caroline_McElwee: -- she said it well.

>148 EBT1002: Oh, I'm *so* glad The Talk went well and that you've got some excellent options now! It must feel pretty darn good that you're so valued, too.

Happy Sunday, Ellen. Thanks for the retirement update. It sounds like you have a lot of soul-searching ahead of you. Once I had a retirement date fixed in my mind, it would have been tough to deviate from it. Of course, your situation is much more complex and possibly more rewarding if you extend that date.

I hope the books are treating you well.

Hi Ellen!

>145 EBT1002: Two of my favorite Heyers. I hope you enjoy them.

When I was still working, I didn’t get up one minute earlier than I needed to. That meant making coffee and putting it in a thermos, making something to eat in the car on the way to work, getting ready and heading out the door. I would be too twitchy thinking about work to be try to read first thing.

>148 EBT1002: Yay for feeling empowered and better after talking with your boss.

It sounds like you had a worthwhile retirement discussion, Ellen. It does sound like you have some good options, which is always a good thing.

Good choices for the Heyers. Leonie, from These Old Shades is a great character.

For some reason, I've been thinking of you as I read Outlawed; it's one I think you would like.

>149 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. It is amazing how powerful it is to break the silence.

>150 Caroline_McElwee: "...liberating and empowering..." The perfect description, Caroline! I was tuned in to the empowering bit but hadn't yet processed the liberation. Yay! Thank you!

>151 richardderus: Thank you so much, Richard. I had another sleepless night last night but maybe those continue after retirement? In any case, I SO appreciate the support. I do feel like I shifted the balance in a good way!

>152 lauralkeet: Yep, agreed.

>153 scaifea: Amber, I love that you capitalized The Talk. So spot on. And yes, I am feeling empowered and liberated. Valued is nice, too, if I'm honest.

>154 msf59: Hey Mark. I admit that it is hard to shift away from the date I've been focused on, but I like having some time to think about it. Also, I've thought more about it and it's hard to believe that some of what she said could maybe happen could actually happen very soon. So that may help make my decision for me.

The books are treating me well! I am enjoying How Much of These Hills is Gold. I also received two books in the mail today: In the Morning I'll Be Gone, the next in the Sean Duffy series by Adrian McKinty and Mary's Monster by Lita Judge, which was a blue bullet from your thread! I look forward to reading both of them.

>155 karenmarie: Hi Karen. Your ratings of Georgette Heyer novels, among other recommendations, guided my selections. Richard linked me to your post from a couple years back when you rated the Heyers. I trusted it!

I used to sleep as long as I could but now I really value and enjoy that hour in the morning. Maybe it is also that it's pretty much the only hour of the day in which I have the house "to myself," as P sleeps until about 7am. As the weather improves, I hope to get out for some early morning walks.

>156 BLBera: Hi Beth. I do feel good for having options. I feel pretty lucky.

Hmm, I don't know about Outlawed but I'm making note. Your recommendations are usually spot on. The one by Anna North? I'll check out your thread, too.

>159 EBT1002: I know what you mean about your hour in the morning. Jim is the early one here, and he usually gets a couple of hours in the morning before I haul myself out of bed. Then on the other end, he is usually sleeping before I'm ready to turn out the light, and I get an hour or so of 'alone' time.

Morning, Ellen! I'm glad you feel better after your talk with your boss. I'd still retire as soon as I possibly could, but I'm not super-invested in what I do :) I've already decided that I'm leaving my current job when my boss retires, which is likely in 2-3 years, I think. What I do after that will depend on many factors, but I'd like to just get a part-time "hobby" job.

"And I have options." What wonderful words those are. Congratulations on a productive discussion and some open doors.

I used to spend 45 minutes or so in my reading chair with my kitty on my lap in the morning before getting off to work too, while my already-retired husband slept in. It kept me sane through chaotic times when the firm was more or less crumbling to dust.

>148 EBT1002: Congrats on the discussion-with-boss milestone. Yay you!

My own similar milestone is still to come; various other things should probably finish first.

I am so glad you have a great cheering chorus here, encouraging you to take your own good time in thinking through whether the offers your boss opened are worth your letting go of the idea of retiring and starting a whole new chapter in your life.

The anniversary of the Nisqually earthquake, 20 years ago, made me realize I've been retired for 20 years, and am only now really feeling the age I've accomplished! The 20 years have been fun! And I have learned a great deal about myself.

I join the chorus of horray for having some options! And best of good luck, and good thinking, with it all.

I was so fortunate that many school districts here, in their quest to pay new teachers instead of teachers of 30 years who are at the top of the pay scale, offer to cover medical insurance until age 65. And I was on the teachers' pay scale, so I didn't have to consider that when I retired at 60 . It was definitely a blessing.

Hurray for options, and doing what is best for YOU!

That's great news about your retirement options Ellen. Sounds just about perfect. Your timetable, your choice of part time or otherwise. Sounds really good.

Good News, Ellen.

Trust the things your body is telling you about this

>160 ffortsa: I'm interested to see how I land in terms of sleep schedule once I'm no longer working, Judy. I have always thought I would be a natural midnight-to-8am sleeper. I no longer know whether that is true.

>161 katiekrug: Katie, doesn't a part-time "hobby" job sound wonderful? If you can swing it, I hope that is what you get to do after your current boss retires. I was just over visiting your thread and was reminded of your intro, wherein you note that you loved your job when it involved lots of travel but that now it's just a pile of "meh." It sounds like your boss makes it tolerable, of which I am glad.

>162 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, your mornings in the last years of your working life and mine sound similar. A bit of quiet alone time while the retired spouse sleeps in, and just the thing to survive the chaos and drama of work. I do relish sleeping in on weekends but I have come not to mind the early rising.

>163 ArlieS: Thanks, ArlieS. I'm interested in your approaching similar milestone. I will see if I can find your thread so I can learn more about your situation.

>164 maggie1944: Karen, 20 years of retirement. I am so glad you have had that gift and so glad I got to be a part of it! I hope we can connect in person some time when I'm in Seattle (sigh, I do miss that city) and the pandemic is enough behind us to make an in-person visit safe enough to risk (even if we have to stay 6 feet apart!).

>165 ronincats: Roni, that is indeed a blessing. If my health insurance were covered, I don't think I'd even be thinking about this next move; I'd just be doing it! I need to visit your thread to see how the packing is coming along.

>166 brenzi: Thanks Bonnie. I do feel lucky. I also had a just-tough-enough day yesterday to appreciate that I can be out the door in the fall if I choose that. P and I have a few days in a cabin in central Oregon scheduled for the end of this month. That will be serious thinking time!

>167 magicians_nephew: Hi Jim. I appreciate that nudge to pay attention to my body. I think that is the territory I can forget to give full attention and trust.

I'm about three quarters through How Much of These Hills Is Gold. I can't remember much in the way of conversation about it around here. I can see how it received critical praise (it was long-listed for the Booker Prize in 2020) but it's almost too despairing. This morning I was thinking about how often I describe a novel has having themes of "despair and hope." I know they don't always go together, and neither should they, but whew. This one is depressing.

Has anyone else read it?

Hi Ellen! I read it last year and was not enthused. I did think it was an effective portrayal of the burdens and injustices faced by Chinese immigrants during that time, but I remember the language being clunky and the magical realist aspects being melodramatic.

>170 EBT1002: I think there's bleak, and then there's misery porn. Sam's trick with the carrot at the beginning is all I needed to know it's misery porn we're gettin' to here.

Gave up at Lucy finding the fingers and never once looked back.

>170 EBT1002: I got half way and stopped as I had only picked it up for a prize shortlist, and wasn't so keen. Given >171 vivians: and >172 richardderus: am tempted to set it free when the charity shop recycling options open up again here.

>169 EBT1002: I haven't said much there, except that I hope to retire in 2021. (My thread isn't anywhere near as chatty or active as yours; I'm relatively new here.)

But I'm currently off work on short term disability, so I'm getting a partial preview of retirement - except for the pesky medical appointments, and other medical down time ;-(

I don't intend to officially retire until I'm fully recovered - I'm in the US, so my health insurance is tied to my job, and so is my short term disability insurance. I see no point in living on retirement savings - and paying for COBRA (retaining one's work-related medical insurance for 18 months, at higher cost) - when I can just keep retirement plans under my hat ;-(

But I was already thinking about a near term retirement when I got this diagnosis, and it pushed me father down that path. Hopefully I'll be fully recovered by summer, though on drugs to discourage recurrence - and will then announce my retirement plans.

>170 EBT1002: You're not selling it, Ellen. I haven't read it yet; I have heard a variety of comments, not all of them favorable.

>172 richardderus:
I agree with you about the misery porn. Some books are like that I just stop reading them. I find that many of the books set in Victorian times are just that - misery porn. I don't know if it is because the industrialization of that period created so much misery or if everybody thinks they have to do homage to Dickens and carry his misery porn torch.

There are some books that are bleak but manage to walk that line between misery porn and just sad and sorrowful but many of them just can't.

>176 benitastrnad: I think it's a tough act to pull off. Look at Thomas Hardy...Far from the Madding Crowd, misery porn; Tess of the D'Urbervilles, juuust barely not. Certainly not a cheery little bagatelle, but deep and enriching to read.

>171 vivians: Not enthused is a good description, Vivian. I finished How Much of These Hills Is Gold last night and it was good but not great. It just didn't hang together as tightly as I wanted. It felt like potential not quite realized. Lucy and Sam are such great characters but the magical realism and the narrative arc both felt overwrought.

>172 richardderus: "Misery porn" is a new phrase for me, Richard, but it's spot on. And yes to the trick with the carrot; it was a story element that felt forced.

>173 charl08: I'm always hesitant to make recommendations, Charlotte. As I said here, it felt like a novel with potential not quite realized. I don't regret finishing it but it won't be on my top-reads list for 2021.

>174 ArlieS: Thanks for the overview, Arlie. "I'm in the US, so my health insurance is tied to my job..." --- Yep. It makes me angry about our system, that health insurance is tied to employment rather than tied to being human, but that is where we are and it's a factor in my plans, as well. I do hope your condition improves so you feel like you can retire this year (along with me!).

>175 BLBera: Now that I've finished How Much of These Hills Is Gold, you can see my overall reaction ^ Beth. Potential not quite realized.

>176 benitastrnad: "Misery porn" is a new phrase for me but I like it, Benita. This novel is set in the middle of the 19th century, during the years leading up and around the gold rush in the western U.S. It is a story of immigration, of the need for home, and very much of the outsider. I sort of feel like she had two novels that she forced into one -- not in the story line, but in the emotional pace.

>177 richardderus: Hmm, I have read neither Far From the Madding Crowd nor Tess of the D'Ubervilles. I have a copy of the former and it's the one you say crosses the line, eh?

Hi Ellen!

>159 EBT1002: I used to cherish early morning time, but only if I couldn’t sleep. I understand completely about having the house to yourself. The hardest thing about marriage, to me, is having someone always there, regardless of how much you love them.

>170 EBT1002: Misery porn, see >172 richardderus:.

>177 richardderus: When I read these books, a bazillion years ago, neither seemed like misery porn to me. Maybe I like historical misery porn (written > 50 years ago) and not contemporary misery porn?

>179 EBT1002:, >180 karenmarie: There is no end to La Everdene's utter, vile self-absorption even when it leads to ruin all around; there is not one tiny redemptive moment, just an unending litany of cruelty and withholding and indifference.

Misery Porn Redivivus.

>180 karenmarie: and >181 richardderus: I think I may have a higher tolerance for misery porn than some (I often read books that P will almost immediately toss aside. Still, I appreciate having the category added to my lexicon for thinking about what I read!

>180 karenmarie: "The hardest thing about marriage, to me, is having someone always there, regardless of how much you love them."

Yes, yes, and yes.

>183 EBT1002: Two large mammals sharing the same space is innately stressful - and well, we've got three. Dogs are a great lubricant most of the time. I so want the house back to myself, though now that Mike's almost retirement age it's pretty iffy whether he'll take another outside job.

I wouldn't class "Far From the Madding Crowd" as misery porn. Tess, on the other hand, is a prime example.

Hi, Ellen.

I love that your retirement thoughts are so specific now! And that you had a successful talk with your boss about it. I remember that liberated feeling when I had a general idea of when I'd retire, and that it would really happen. Some kind of consulting role sounds fine, but "just because you can, doesn't mean you have to." I suspect you knew I'd say that. :-)

I love that Sean Duffy series, and the Ruth Galloway one, and I'm reading Mary's Monster now, too, and liking it very much. I added Bodies of Light to my WL per your comments, and expect I'll get to it in the near future.

Ellen, I always heard the phrase "You will know when it is time for retirement!" And, I found that to be true. Thirty six years in academia wore me down. I could not sort out if I was getting older, or if the students were getting lazier. When one of my co-workers who was from Korea, where education is valued, found a student cheating. She took the student round the usual route of meeting with a committee who would help look at the situation and decide if the student should be punished.

In front of the professionals in the group, she looked at my friend and told her that the cheating was her fault, because, on her syllabus, she did not note that no cheating was allowed. And, then she follow up by saying, and furthermore, you did not tell us verbally that we could not cheat.

That was the push I needed to retire. My friend was so upset. The student was punished, and since the class occurred during the last semester of her senior year, the student needed to come back and take it again in the fall.

>187 Whisper1:
Cheating and the lack of punishment for it was the reason why one of my friends retired from academe as well. In this case, it was four boys in a physics class. The Dean of the college refused to flunk the students because one of them was a pre-med major and having a F show up on his transcript would probably ruin any chance he had of getting into a medical school. The students were juniors taking the physics I course. Nobody knows if the student would have been admitted to medical or not since he hadn't even applied at that stage. It was enough to push Pieter over the edge into retirement. He had wanted to work 2 more years, but left.

Having never having worked in academia, I'm not sure how I would react to catching a student teach. I guess you often invest your time and energy in striving for their success if not their excellence and it must be conflicting as well as disappointing to be faced with pursuing something that could have a devastating impact upon a young person's life. That said part of education is surely inculcating a code of conduct in life that ought to legislate against cheating occurring too often.

After my busy work week I am looking as usual at various possible retirement destinations knowing full well that I cannot afford it and probably couldn't make myself stop anyhow!

Misery porn is a great name for a category!

Happy weekend, Ellen!

>188 benitastrnad: I find myself hoping the boy didn't get into medical school; I wouldn't want to have him as my doctor, and I don't think anyone else should either, except perhaps the dean of that college.

>184 quondame: I hear you completely, Susan. P has started volunteering for a few hours every Thursday afternoon and I'm struck by how lovely it is to have the house to myself for a while, even though I am mostly in my little home office working. Once I do retire, it will be interesting to see how we negotiate and navigate the time-together-and-time-apart territory.

>185 ffortsa: Thanks Judy. I kind of want to read both Madding Crowd and Tess of D'Urbervilles now, back to back, with the misery porn lens in place. I've never read either of them.

>186 jnwelch: Hi Joe. I am now trying on the idea of retirement in August 2022. My absolute last day in the office would be Friday, July 29, 2022. Since I will have a few weeks' vacation accrued, this would get me across the age 62 threshold. It is amazing how liberating it has felt to set that as my firm absolute latest, and to have my boss aware that this is the space I'm in. I was so desperate to "get out" this year but this is ever-shifting territory and I'm feeling really clear and centered. Yay!

I am almost caught up with the Ruth Galloway series. Of course, I'm now reading From Doon with Death by Ruth Rendell so I'm apparently starting the Inspector Wexley series now. Silly me!

>187 Whisper1: That story resonates for me, Linda. I used to have student conduct reporting up to me at my last institution and this kind of thing was developing across our student body. For me, it is partly the entitlement of students, but it is also my growing disillusionment with the administration. I still value education SO highly; it is fundamental for me. And I still see so many staff, faculty, and students who care and who are giving it their all. But I am tired of the politics and tired of the bureaucracy. That said, having told my boss this is the space I'm in, and having set 7/29/22 as absolutely the last day I will report to the office (and with the reserved right to move that up if I need to) has really taken the weight off me. I'm more focused, I'm more energetic, and I feel like I can think about what I can do in 16 months.

>188 benitastrnad: Yep, Benita, this is recurring theme. I also hold our whole society accountable for what we have wrought: the stakes students face if their trajectory is not what they want it to be, the immediate gratification we have equated with happiness, and the associated materialistic values we have allowed to dominate our cultural fabric.

Whew, stepping down off my soapbox now!

>189 PaulCranswick: Yes, Paul, the instilling of values is an important part of the educational endeavor from my perspective. I also appreciate your reference to the impact of something like cheating and its punishment on a young person's life. From my frame, if a student (or an employee, for that matter) can learn from a disciplinary process, then that is a worthwhile process. When they are unrepentant and entitled, it's hard to contemplate giving them a second chance.

>190 banjo123: Rhonda, I wonder if misery porn will show up in a TIOLI challenge! LOL

>191 ArlieS: Agree.

Okay, in books.

I finished Unclay by T.F. Powys. Published in 1931, this starts off as a kind of wry satire on country manners. It develops into a dark and disturbing parable about the fight between Love and Death. I bought it because the book itself is a beautiful object. I'm glad I read it but enjoying it is probably somewhat mood-dependent.

I am almost done with From Doon with Death, first in Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford series. Very fun.

>192 EBT1002: It's always good to have a get-out-of-jail card, isn't it?

Do you get any special benefits at 62? i.e. medical insurance, etc. The haircut from Social Security is fierce, but ameliorates with every year you wait.

I've never read the first Wexford book. Alas, my library only has hard-copy. I'll have to wait for it to arrive.

I'm glad you're feeling good about your retirement window, Ellen!

>187 Whisper1: Having been in academia for a long time, I find that that student's defence is utterly disgraceful. One should never have to be "reminded" that cheating is not ok, it should be a given. However, I believe that first year undergraduates should be given a chance to write a new paper and then be put on academic probation. These two methods will not hinder future plans but may help them consider their actions in the future.

Have a great weekend

>194 EBT1002: Deliberately specifying misery porn is cruel if not unusual.

Glad to hear you have a date to look forward to for your retirement.

I look forward to lots of updates about fun retirement activities (virus permitting, of course).

Happy Saturday, Ellen. Just checking in with my pal. I have not seen you around much lately and want to make sure all is well. And how are those books treating you?

>146 EBT1002: "Cascade Concrete" LOL. Can't wait for you to move down here and test the snow shoes out!

Glad to hear that you had your Retirement talk with your Boss and to hear you feeling some relief. Even if it means I have to wait a year. ; ) Trust yourself.

Hi Ellen!

My daughter's been tutoring at the community college she graduated from last May, and it's been interesting listening to her comments since she immediately started tutoring at a stop-gap measure and is still at it (although she's finally written her resume and gotten help making it a good'un). The biggest things she sees are people who don't read the syllabus, don't buy the book(s), and don't take the time to actually try to learn the material. Oh, and then there are those who don't take the time to learn Blackboard and other on-line requirements/resources. Jenna hated having to learn Blackboard and hated doing anything online, but put her big girl panties on and just did it.

When I went to Pepperdine University, 1971-1975, each Professor spent about 15 minutes telling us her/his expectations for our behavior/attendance, how the grading system worked, how homework/quizzes/tests worked, and then immediately went into the first lecture. If we wanted to remember any of it, we had to write it down. I've seen a couple of the syllabi from the courses Jenna took and they're novellas at a minimum and short novels most of the time.

>203 karenmarie:
The Dean of our college sent out a notice at the beginning of this spring about the syllabi. The average length of the syllabi is now 16 pages. That does not count the class schedule. That is a separate document.

Hiya, Ellen.

I hope you're doing well. I'm caught up in March Madness, and Debbi's grateful that I'm not annoying her while I'm caught up in it. Our daughter came over to watch some of it with me, and had me cracking up - she decided that the best way to determine which team to root for was to find out who had the best mascot. She was particularly taken with the Wichita State Shockers "Wushock" Sheaf of Wheat mascot (long story as to why it's a sheaf of wheat; "shockers" apparently is a word for the people who harvest the wheat). There's even a very strange-looking Wushock statue on campus. Unfortunately for her, they got knocked out in their first game.

At our trainer's suggestion, she's now rooting for the Syracuse Orange Men, whose mascot is an orange ball.

>205 jnwelch:
Being from Kansas I don't think the name Shockers is that strange. It is no stranger than Jayhawks, Huskers, or Sooners. Is it?

A shock of wheat is a bundle of unthreashed wheat stalks tied up around the middle and stood up on end so it doesn't rot and the bran doesn't get bruised

Looks a tiny bit like "Shockheaded Peter" which may be where the name came from

>207 magicians_nephew:
Hateful things - shocks are. they scratch and are full of dust and have to go into the thresher heads first - or at least, all in the same direction. They are cut and bound when the grain is green and stacked like that, left in the field to dry for about a month, and then run through a thresher. Every part of this process is a dirty nasty job. That is why when they invented the Combine (a machine that combined all of these processes into one operation) harvesting grain became profitable and easy. Hence, thousands of acres of wheat in Kansas. Kansas grows the most wheat of any state in the nation and the largest wheat producing county in Kansas is Sumner County. Sumner County is right next door to Sedgwick County. Sedgwick is home county of Wichita. Wichita is the home of the Wichita State Shockers.

Wow! I love that you were able to go snowshoeing! Your knee must be doing very well. After two years of messing about with my knee, the doc is starting to talk knee replacement for me. Your story gives me hope that it could be the light at the end of the tunnel!

I'm glad your retirement talk went well. It's nice to have that in your pocket when days are tough.

Although I retired early, I am waiting until my full retirement age of 66 yrs and 4 months to claim social security. If possible, I may wait until I'm 70, although every bit you wait between 'full retirement' and age 70 adds a little more to the monthly check. By waiting until age 70, my ss check would be almost double if I had claimed it at age 62.

I can't hope to get caught up but am excited that your knee replacement went well. I'm over a year out from my hip surgery and like a young filly!

Mostly stopping by to say hello after being absent for awhile. Seems like my nonprofit is going to get every last bit out of me before I retire. But I was able to visit my parents as we are all vaccinated and that was wonderful.

Hi, stranger to your own thread. I hope you, P, and Carson are all doing well.

Oh boy, so much time has gone by. I'm here, I'm well, and I've just returned from a wonderful week off spent in Oregon. P and I are clear: we want to retire in Oregon. We spent a couple days in Corvallis, where we met (she lived there for 20 years, I lived there for 13 -- before we moved to Seattle), and it felt like HOME. So my boss will be disappointed. She was hoping I'd return from this break reenergized for work; I am returning even more committed to retirement and to getting back home. I will tell her that she has me until August 2022, so we need to think about how I can be useful in that 16 months.

Since last checking in, I have done some reading (I mean, vacation!). I completed The Survivors by Jane Harper, to which I gave 4 stars.

I also read the next in the Ruth Galloway series, The Lantern Men. Another 4 stars.

Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi was challenging. I gave it 3 stars but I think that is because I didn't fully appreciate it. I read some things after I completed the novel that I think might have enhanced my enjoyment. I wish I had known more about Bluebeard.

For pure fun, I read Frederica by Georgette Heyer -- yep, another 4 stars.

Tonight I finished Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn. I'm giving it at least 4 stars, maybe 4.5. We'll see how it sits for another day or two.

Tomorrow I am back to work.

Our September Peru trip got canceled by REI (not even because of the pandemic, just because they have decided to stop doing international treks!). So we booked a campsite in Yellowstone for a few nights at the end of September, and a couple nights in one of the lodges right afterwards. Five nights in the little trailer and two nights in a lodge -- oh boy! In June we're camping outside Mt. Rainier National Park, and we have a short camping trip at a local state park in May. So we are working on making the next 16 months bearable.

Next up: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane. Thank you, Richard!

>212 EBT1002: Your vacation sounds wonderful, Ellen, especially because of the clarity it brought you about retirement. I like that you have travel plans for June & September too. It's nice to have things like that to look forward to, and to mark progress towards August 2022.

Hi Ellen!

>212 EBT1002: Lots of good books, a happy-making decision about retirement and Oregon, and you sound upbeat. Yay.

With your 4*s, I’ve finally broken down and ordered The Survivors. Jane Harper’s books are always satisfying.

Hi, Ellen!

Yay for a wonderful vacation, finding your Home again, and becoming more confident in your retirement decisions!!

I'm so glad your vacation did exactly what it was meant to for you and P. Re-energized sounds right to me, even if it was in a different way than your boss might have hoped. It wasn't about her, anyway!

Corvallis 2022 it is! Decision made...if at all possible, avoid claiming SS for at least three years (the difference is immense)...and I'm so pleased that you liked Sharks in the Time of Saviors as much as I did!

Now on to Ask Again, Yes. A more complete change of every type of pace I can not imagine.

>212 EBT1002: Good to hear you had a nice break, and solidified your plans Ellen. Great news. And some good reading too.

I found it useful to ease into retirement. Giving yourself a clear end date but making it 16 months from now i think will be good It was for me

It sounds like you had some wonderful time off. Are you starting to house hunt, or will you wait? Nice to have a fixed date for your retirement. We might be retiring around the same time...

I'm glad you liked Frederica; it's one of my favorite Heyers.

Good luck with your return to work.

>214 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura. I am pleased with how centered and clear I feel about where I'm at. I am going to focus on "Be. Here. Now." for the next 16 months.

>215 karenmarie: The Survivors is the first Jane Harper I have read, Karen, but it will not be the last. AND I'm really enjoying Ask Again, Yes!

>216 scaifea: Thanks Amber. It is indeed nice to feel so clear about things. When we were in Corvallis, I felt like "I just cannot wait" to live there again. But now I know that I can wait. I know where we're headed and I want to enjoy every day as much as I can. And having that very clear end date makes even the crappy stuff easier to shrug off.

>217 laytonwoman3rd: "It wasn't about her, anyway!" Made me laugh out loud, Linda! Right on!!!

>218 richardderus: You are spot on, Richard. I feel really lucky that we'll be able to hold off on claiming SS. Between P and me, we have other income streams we can rely on to let that one grow a bit more. Unless everything absolutely tanks, we will be fine. Maybe no more Brunello, but.....

Re: Ask Again, Yes -- "A more complete change of every type of pace I can not imagine." What an interesting comment. I am about a third into it and your observation resonates. I'm really enjoying it.

>219 Caroline_McElwee: I do love how much reading I get to do on vacation, Caroline. Of course, work intrudes on reading time when I'm back in real life but having a television does, as well. I don't watch a lot of t.v., but enough that it slows me down sometimes.

>220 magicians_nephew: That is helpful to hear, Jim. I've always thought of "easing into" retirement as reducing to half-time or something, but I like your take on the next 16 months as an opportunity to focus on what is most compelling and important at work, let some things go, and remind myself that it will all go on without me after I'm in that hammock with a good book. :-)

>221 BLBera: The market in Corvallis is super hot, Beth, so we will wait. I would prefer to sell this house first, but we'll see how things shake out about a year from now. I was thinking that this decision puts us at similar target dates. We will celebrate! Maybe even in person!

I can see why folks recommended Frederica. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and easy read.

I'm glad you enjoyed Frederica; it is enjoyable and easy to pick up when one needs something to smile at.

Wouldn't it be great to have an in-person retirement celebration?! I just got my second jab yesterday and have been miserable today. If this is an example of what COVID is like, I want no part of it. I wasn't expecting it, either. My arm wasn't even sore after the first jab.

>225 BLBera: I also felt really lousy the day after the second jab -- not as bad as you had it, I think. I was lethargic and ache-y. Just remember that is your body doing what it's supposed to do! Yay!

I'm hoping to both start a new thread here today and get around to visit some of my LT buddies!