Huybers Retirement Adventure: June 2013

Let the Retirement Begin!!

I can’t believe it!! It has been a whole year since I retired from the School District. I guess it’s true what they say …. Time flies when you’re having fun!! And it certainly has in our case. We are loving retirement and we highly recommend it to anyone who is close enough to that magic age and are able to do it. You won’t regret it!

During this past year, we have seen and done so many things. We have moved across Canada from one coast to the other, attended parades and festivals, taken in local culture, and purchased our retirement home in PEI. Ron got the land he wanted, and I got the water view I wanted. It’s the best of both worlds and we couldn’t be happier.

We have had our downside as well this past year. Last Fall we lost our beloved Jasper suddenly due to an illness nobody could put their finger on. That was very difficult on all of us, including Bailey. Then we put an offer on a house that fell through and the Vendors refused to give us back our $5000.00 deposit. It took us 10 months and a court case to get it back. At times it was stressful as nobody likes to go to court, but in the end justice prevailed and a Court Order was made to immediately refund our $5000.00 deposit to us, along with Court Costs. It felt good to finally close the books on that case.

In reading the last blog I posted, I see that I had left off with power washing and staining of the lower side deck. I am pleased to announce that ALL of the decks, as well as the front of the house, have now been completed. It was a LOT of work and it took weeks to complete (due to non co-operating weather) but it was well worth it as it looks beautiful. Gone is the old, dirty grey, ugly colored wood that we had started with. Now it is a rich golden colored wood which gives the home a fresh new look. Well worth all the hard work we did.

This past month Ron had to go to Holland. His sister hasn’t been well and we thought that he better go and visit her, along with other family members. The family was very excited to see Ron but at the same time they were disappointed that I couldn’t be there as well. I had to stay home and look after Bailey. We didn’t know anyone on the island who could take him for 2 ½ weeks and I refuse to put him in a kennel. So Bailey and I stayed home and kept each other company.

Ron and I kept in touch on a daily basis through Skype video and phone calls. Although it is great to be able to keep in touch that way, it’s just not the same as having him home with me. The bright spot of today’s technology is that through Skype video, I was able to see and talk with the family in Europe and vice versa. It was a small consolation for not being there.

When Ron returned home from Europe he brought with him gifts from the family for me! I was shocked at the number of gifts that were sent! It was like Christmas … only in June! There were, Belgium chocolates, a ceramic Stella Artois building (I will add it to my Christmas housing scene), a 3 display picture frame with the middle frame displaying a photo of my Great Nephew (love it), Dutch tea towels, Dutch oven mitts (which I really needed as I put a hole in my current pair), Dutch pot holders, a Dutch apron, Dutch napkins, Dutch cookies and treats, vegetable and flower seeds for my garden, 2 special Dutch coffee mugs with ceramic Dutch shoes attached and there was also a present for Bailey! Talk about being spoiled!! I felt so loved and missed by my European family. I really appreciated all that they have done. They are amazing and I am so lucky to be a part of their family.

I know I have been very lax in keeping up with my blog lately, but I promise you I will be writing more very soon. Until then …. Life is good … Retirement is better! J