Review of Retirement Plans as of June 30, 2015

I had 4 main reasons for deciding to retire at the end of 2014:

1. Louisa had joined Bosmere in April and was doing an outstanding job taking over most of the tasks I had been doing.
    
2. I wanted to spend more time in England with my parents, as my mother had not been doing well and had had a couple of mini strokes.  Cheryl having to come back from Lisbon every time there was a problem didn't seem to be very fair.
    
3. I wanted to spend more time with Richard and the grandchildren.  We only got to see Caroline a couple of times a year.
    
4. Patrick was taking on the role of Commodore at LNYC, which meant that I would have to get more involved as well.
    
   The minor reasons were time to do more sewing, gardening, exercising & getting the house under control.
    
   WHAT HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED
    
   Parents
   When I went to visit my parents in November 2014, it was even more obvious that my mother was having serious health issues.  Her memory wasn't good, she was incontinent and she had limited mobility.  This was taking a toll on my father, so Cheryl & Rod researched a number of different options for them and my mother ended up in Wispington Lodge at the beginning of January.  Unfortunately she passed away in February 2015 but, by the grace of God, I happened to be over visiting at the time.  I went to visit my father for 2 weeks in May, so have already spent 5 weeks in England.  In addition, he and Cheryl are coming over to see us for 2 weeks in September.  Unlike the past, when I had to go into work and fit visitors in around my schedule, I will be able to spend a lot more time with them.
    
   Grandchildren
   Now that Louisa is working in the business and having to travel a lot more, I have been spending a lot more time with Jenson.  Unfortunately the trips up to Kalamazoo have not increased, mainly due to sailing & LNYC.  However, I will be driving up to Kalamazoo for a week at the end of July to babysit Caroline while Richard & Christina are up in the U.P. for their 10th Anniversary trip.
    
   Sailing & LNYC
   This has taken up a lot more time than I ever imagined!  As well as helping out the Heslers with the February Social and organizing the Commissioning Day Dinner, I have helped serve dinner for the Keelboat Fleet and clean up after breakfast for the Lightning Fleet.  I also did my usual Friday Night Sailor Social stint for the Hospice Regatta.  In July I will be helping Louisa with the July 3rd Family Fun Day and helping out the Highlander Fleet with the July 4th Regatta.  The Highlander-sponsored dinner is coming up in August and the Pipers Regatta is in October.
    
   On the sailing front, I have crewed in both the Highlander Nationals in April and the San Juan Eastern Nationals in June.  Because my weekends are now technically "free", I have no excuse to only sail one day per weekend, so have sailed both days on club racing weekends, which occur about every other week.
    
   Other plans
   Apart from 6 weeks at the beginning of the year, when my calendar was wide open, I have completed very few of the projects that I had put off "until retirement"!
    
   Things I have achieved:
   Helped Patrick organize the garage
   Organized one whole kitchen cabinet and lined the shelves with paper
   Made some jam & chutney
   Replaced the dryer vent
   Got some pictures framed & made a photo book for mummy
   Made bread a couple of times
   Cooked dinner for 150 people at Commissioning
   Weeded & put out pine straw on the flower beds in a timely manner
    
   Some sewing projects
   
    
   Visited Elaine N for a week in Hilton Head
   Cleared out my wardrobe
   Uploaded the Pavilion Project photos
   Went to Vegas for a week to introduce buyers to Louisa - but did not have to do breakdown!  Yay!!!
   Looked after Jenson for a week when Louisa & Jon went on their 10th Anniversary trip
   Photo-shopped lots of Bosmere images for Patrick & Louisa
   Went to a Kaffe Fassett lecture in Huddersfield