It’s Sunday Monday in the city of angels, dear readers. No school! I’m basking in the last school holiday of my life. 11 school days ahead of me and then I’m soaring off towards an unknown future. Allowing the sails of this old ship to billow with wind and pull me out to sea. Try as I might to stay here, I’m having trouble focusing on the here and now. My mind is racing ahead to an uncertain glorious future. Kelli came over on Saturday and we had an art playdate on the patio.
This morning I zipped out into the cool gray morning and headed across town – just west of Virgil Village on Melrose to Marion Matho for a jambon beurre (cold ham & thick slabs of butter) sandwich. They make their baguettes on site and they are GOOD.
How good it was to drive around my old stomping grounds where I lived in the 90’s. I was in my 30’s then. Now I’m in my 60’s and how forward I look to getting up early in this fall, but instead of driving to Chinatown for a predictable day of jackassery in the classroom, going for a scenic walk in my old neighborhood of Echo Park and Silverlake.
As usual I’ve been journaling outside. It’s cool and gray in the morning and might creep into the low 70’s this afternoon. The Jacaranda trees are billowing masses of purple across the city.
Most of my sketchbookery has been confined to the classroom this year. My court reporter’s sketchbook of all the faculty meetings only has a few blank pages left. Without the heavy weight of classroom life, I look forward to deepening my practice of drawing and painting my world.
Pretty retirement flowers from my friends are on the porch and patio.
Liseli, Tammy, and Joyce took me out for a really sweet retirement dinner at the San Antonio Winery. There’s sangria all over the bottom half of my shirt.
I drove home basking in the pleasure of a 3-day weekend.
Home to another retirement gift in the form of a rare blazing orange epiphylum.
A student did this drawing of me in 3 minutes. We take turn posing for 3 minutes at the end of some days. Don’t let this fool you into thinking we’re singing Kumbaya and banging tambourines all day. Lord of the Flies has been this year’s theme and old Schoolmarm Moss has had it! HAD IT! but sanity and peace are on the horizon. I can already start to feel the bees flying out of my bonnet and heading out the nearest window.
Thanks for all the comments on the last post where I was working through some exasperating tech issues. Your smoke signals were appreciated! I have a new subscription button somewhere in case you want to receive my posts newsletter style.
See you soon, friends. I’ll just be here, out on the porch.
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These may be the longest 11 days ever. Been there and done that, ie Retirement ten years ago, and boy time flies. I hope that you have a peaceful
and productive life away from the kids.
Best wishes Helen
These may be the longest 11 days ever. Been there and done that, ie Retirement ten years ago, and boy time flies. I hope that you have a peaceful and productive life away from the kids.
Best wishes Helen
jackassery. Love it. Perfect word. I will use it undoubtedly in the future.
Unsolicited advice- I tell all of my friends to take naps for the first year. I was a counselor (mh, drug/alcohol) and had no idea I was so exhausted and traumatized. I took 2 naps a days. Some women are appalled by naps- I paid them NO mind. Found I could then make clearer decisions about what I wanted to do. Rooting for you. Older than middle aged mammal, Jessica
You are almost there MAM congratulations! Can hardly wait to see your new journey unfold. You have been so inspirational in so many ways, I am still hanging on to the idea of you having an Art play date for your local followers. Please keep us posted:-)
yes oh yes I will, Margarita!!!
Congratulations on your new life after retirement from teaching. As a retired teacher I can tell you will wonder how you had time to work. Enjoy!
Congrats on your retirement! Can’t wait to see your new chapters.
I’ve been wondering how many days you have left! I know you’ll bloom anywhere you go, and have an enjoyable time doing so, no moss be growing under you😉here’s to endless days of contentment and bliss Mary Ann! Happy retirement!🥰🥰🥰
So so excited for you! You sound joyous and it’s contagious. I just noticed I have a huge smile on my face. Looking forward to tagging along on this ending and the new beginnings. Congrats for all you have done in and out of the classroom.
I find myself getting caught up in your retirement excitement 😊 I just love reading your posts and seeing all the places you visit. Thank you.
count me as one who is extremely happy for you. looking forward to your post-teaching career posts!
So happy to see you. Sitting near the ocean (you know where) and watching the rain and the wind.
I’m so glad you came.
You are going to love every moment of retirement with your traveling, journaling and artistic interests. I wish you many joy filled years exploring your world. This will keep you young.
I just love getting your updates. Congrats on your retirement. 9 more days left and then you are free. Yee Haw ❤️🌈🌈❤️🌈❤️
So excited for you! Can’t wait to see how life takes you on this next adventure!
So excited for you! Can’t wait to see how life takes you on this next adventure!
Happy happy happy new adventure of retirement❣️
So happy for you and look forward to seeing what that looks like….
Woohoo–so exciting!
“a predictable day of jackassery in the classroom” oh MAM, I laughed so hard at that statement. Probably because I can totally relate to it as only a fellow schoolmarm could. And as others have mentioned here, you look so elated at your retirement dinner in your cute ensemble. I’m so looking forward to (hopefully) seeing more of your sketchbooky from the patio post retirement. Congratulations on this milestone.
So very happy for you! I retired after 29 years of Special Ed a few years ago…it is wonderful! I do not miss the absolutely rigid schedule of 5 days a week, every week, for 9 months every year. I love the flexibility and the freedom to choose what to do and when! I also don’t miss going home at night worrying about my students that had useless parents and terrible homes. Teaching is not getting easier for lots of reasons and I love not having to think about it! My passions include art journaling, quilting, knitting, reading , gardening and there just isn’t enough time for a job! I can’t wait to have you feel the true freedom of retirement!
You are so lucky to be retiring and have so many wonderful friends! Wish I didn’t live here in Michigan so I could come over , hang out on the porch and make art with you Hoping your next 11 days go smoothly — those kids just don’t know how fortunate they are to have such a great woman for their teacher!
Namaste— Kate
I am so happy for your impending retirement. Please hold a big party and enjoy the glow of retirement. You still have to make time to do the things you want to do. After a year of retirement you will wonder how you ever had time to work!
I am in my ninth year of “freedom” and I’m still refining the process of living in it. Mostly I am grateful to just have this time of reflection and refinement. May the sun always shine for you in the City of Angels Mary Ann – you have earned it! Keep us posted.
You look so HAPPY! I so excited for you and counting the days as well!
Congrats to for only having a few days left of the drudgery Of driving into work each day. It’s glorious. What I’d like to know is when is your first trip scheduled for and where are you visiting? I can’t wait to hear about all of your new adventures.
Happy Retirement my friend.
For me, retirement is the first time in my life I will not be obligated to anyone or anything else, I suspect you feel the same! Congrats on these special final days—and your well-earned FREEDOM!
Yay!I can hardly wait for you to be FREE!
OOOOH! We are all counting down with you, Mary Ann!!!!
Do your best to remember this last push… the week leading up to the finish line…be present… let the kids sign an old keepsake shirt (you can paint in it!) you’ve earned this glorious delicious new life that awaits 🎨 💐 🥐 ☕️ 🍷 🐈 the best is yet to come😉
Congrats!! And double congrats! I’m so happy for you. You’re going to have so much FUN!
Ridiculously excited for the old neighborhood walks and bees freed from the bonnet. Happy Retirement to you!!!
Congratulations! You made it! I hope retirement is all you dreamed it would be! Xoxo
So happy happy happy for you MAM! I am a teeny tiny bit sad for the unlucky kids who will never experience Miss Moss in the classroom. I know that you were an extraordinary teacher.
Now you turn your gifts to other arenas. Can’t wait to be on that journey with you!
So happy and excited for you, Mary Ann! I’m excited to follow your adventures in retirement!!
Xoxo
Oh those pickles on the jambon beurre!
I’m one of your silent but supportive followers. I’m happy for you in your retirement. You know how to fill the days with meaning and joy. An excellent background for happy retirement years. I’m coming up on 15 years of the frosting on the cake time of life and love it.
Cheers!
I’m also one of your silent but supportive followers. What a great way to sum it up. I’m so pleased by the upcoming retirement that it almost feels like I’m retiring right along with you. Counting down the days.
The picture of you at your retirement dinner is so darn cute! You can tell you are basking in the end of school (forever) season!