So.....last week,Don and I went to our financial planner....his name is Dom(Dominic).... Dom kind of reminded me of our dentist....let me explain.....I've known my dentist for over thirty years...we went to the same high school, at the same time.....I will admit that sometimes I wonder if he is a good dentist....some of the work he does on my teeth doesn't seem to last very long and I end up going back to him....but that's beside the point....he talks.....and talks....and talks....and of course because he's got his fingers and tools and cotton tubes in your mouth....you just have to listen....it was kind of like that last Friday when we went to see Dom....I was hoping for answers....what I got was a whole half hour of the financial climate of the world , especially the United States and the politics of Canada and the USA....then there was some talk of our finances....only enough to realize that Dom doesn't have the answers we need yet....he needs numbers....lots and lots of numbers....before he can give his opinion on whether this is a good move...for Don to retire...at this time.....he says that Don's skills are highly transferable ...meaning that he can easily use the skills that he's used for the last 30 years to obtain some employment elsewhere...not full time ...maybe 3 days a week....enough to help out to pay the bills that won't stop coming in even if he retires....
Dom also talked a lot about the man that owned the financial company that Dom works for....he died over the holidays...58 years old...cancer....it laid heavy on my heart....you see, part of me is concerned about the future if Don retires and the other part is concerned if he doesn't.
Don is coming up on his third anniversary of his surgery for Crohn's Disease...
Three years ago the doctors assured us that the question wasn't IF the Crohn's came back but WHEN.....
I don't want Don to continue working and the disease comes back and the quality of his remaining years is poor.....I don't want the working years to continue just for my financial peace of mind at the expense of Don's quality of life.....
Don and I are a married couple that truly enjoy each other's company....we enjoy being together, sharing little day trips on his Friday offs....which apparently will come to an end in April, whether he retires or not.....the company has decided that they don't want employees working longer hours and getting every other Friday off anymore...doesn't work well with their plans ....so, everyone will go back to working shorter days and working every Friday...so, gone are our little day trips, every other Friday...they are kind of a sanctuary for us...to get out of the house and away from the kids for a few hours.....
We enjoy getting away for longer trips, we enjoy travelling.....we enjoy going to things closer to home....concerts with the local Philharmonic, live theatre, movies, trips up north to visit the other grandkids that we don't see as often, sitting in the living room, having our tea and talking...just talking......or even just sitting in front of the television, holding hands......watching a show or a movie....

We just enjoy one another.....so, when we are scheduled to go back to see Dom , the financial planner again in two weeks......hopefully to get more answers this time....and Don may hear from his bosses this week, to see if they're going to agree to his retirement.....at first, I was filled with kicking and screaming...metaphorically speaking....at the idea of him retiring...but now that the shock has worn off......I'm content....content to see what the next few weeks reveal...to see just how our lives are going to change.....because it's not all the things I spoke about in the last post....it's not the trips, it's not the material things, it's just not.....

It's all about being together , realizing and accepting that this time in our life has come and stepping out in faith and courage and just enjoying the moment.

The sun is shining this morning, it's very cold......we shall see what today brings....and hopefully not worry about tomorrow.


~ Marie