On this the 180th day of school and 3 days until retirement I’m looking through the old photo rolls and imagining upcoming trips to California’s national parks.
To the redwood forests and other wild places.
My days of managing young Homo sapiens is coming to an end. If you think I’m wistful or melancholy about it, you’d be wrong.
The photo below is from a blog post in October of 2008 on a trip to Yosemite.
from the blog – September 27, 2017
“lately, i’m remembering my LOA (leaves of absence) with a pang. i miss those days of blissful solitude, morning walks, travels in the spring and fall. monday was my favorite day of the week because it meant everyone in the world except me was at work. except they weren’t and i wasn’t the only one. now i’m back to worshipping fridays and saturdays and sundays. and it looks like i’m in it for the long haul – this work business, i mean. some days it feels like i’m living in a cage.
other days like today i get home and drag everything out back – journal, sketchbook, book book. make a nice pour-over coffee. i can’t get outside fast enough. a flock of green parrots fly overhead squawking, a breeze is blowing, it’s cool. orange sun slanting through the trees. way up in the sky a white jet is heading east.”
A gentle rain fell on Wednesday, landing on the smoke tree and turning the puffs of smoke pink. I took that photo on my way to work.
Evidence of long past art retreats with sister and Pam.
There’s so much to look forward to in my upcoming gap year where I plan to drift and float here and there and everywhere.
I’m celebrating with 2 wonderful former administrators, and some teacher friends again on Friday.
Next time I send you a postcard I’ll be FULLY adrift. Naturally I’ll report my findings and observations on non-working life. See you soon.
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YOU GO GIRL!
Mary Ann, Congratulations on your retirement! I am very happy for you! I look forward to your joyful and other discoveries and days. I remember the first work day of my retirement…..the quiet in our neighborhood at a usually busy hour, and my question and surprise to my also retired husband, ” Is this really legal “? It is an amazing opportunity I know you will (mostly) RELISH!!!
🥰🥰🥰🩷🩷⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌿🌿🌿⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✅✅✅✅congratulations!!! Oh my Gosh!!! ✅✅✅✅✅🌿🌿⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥰🥰🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🌿🌿⭐️⭐️⭐️🌿🌿
Hurray! And congratulations on your retirement. My husband and I retired from teaching ten years ago. I have never missed it, enjoying every autumn when I don’t have to go back. Not that I hated teaching, because I didn’t, but I do love the freedom of not having to. I hope we will have many more postcards from you now. I love hearing from you and seeing what you offer up, Today I especially enjoyed the journal spreads from your art retreats. And speaking of those, I have been watching some of Pam’s classes on Creative Bug and wondering how she is doing. If you talk to her let her know that at least one fan/admirer of her work is hoping she is well.
Exciting times! I’m so happy for you, and I know you will make the most of your retirement. Congratulations!
Can’t wait to hear about your adventures! 😍
So happy and excited for you!
Yay! I will never forget my last day of work in a hospital recovery room with no windows. After 25 years of feeling as you said, like I was in a cage, I literally skipped out into the parking lot to get into my car and escape from prison.
I have loved loved loved every day of retirement ever since. I am 73 and have enjoyed the last 10 years of my life more than any other. Waking up in the morning with nowhere I have to be and nothing I absolutely have to do is a gift from heaven. I am so happy for you and the freedom you will get to experience. For us creatives it is mana for the soul.
As well as being an incredible artist, you write beautifully. When you are ready, you certainly could consider making money that way if you needed to. Just a thought.
Happy for you, Laura
Wooohooo! You’re about to start on the “pinch me, I can’t believe they pay me to stay home” chapter!
My heart goes pitty-patter when I see your art journals laid out like that. I’ve so loved your art classes as part of my retirement.
Don’t forget to write us, lol.
Enjoy retirement Mary Ann…..you earned it. I am trained as and a former ESOL teacher. As I read the above, I pondered your students years into the future continuing the journaling practice you shared with them and how they will know themselves better for it! Look forward to your travels and writing.
I am imagining you resting on your back in the bottom of in a small life boat, staring up at the deep blue sky dappled with cotton ball clouds. You lay surrounded by flowers, hands clasped like a Viking Warrior adrift in her burial, except you are more than alive. There will be no flaming arrows, the Valkyrie’s will have to wait another day. You are on a journey to magical lands where time stands still. Enjoy retirement my friend. You have earned every minute.
We’ll be celebrating over here in Cornwall too. Got the fizzy ready! Xxx
Best wishes on your retirement! If anyone knows how to enjoy it to the fullest, I think it’s you!
Enjoy!
Such great news to be able to craft your future plans around joyful experiences. You’ve always been a huge art and sketchbook motivator for me and I hope you will have the most amazing experiences to look forward to. Enjoy all of the wonderful adventures ahead. Happy retirement!
So happy for this end and new beginning in your near future .Celebrate and enjoy. You deserve all the good coming and the freedom of time to choose.
I’m so glad your day is finally here, I wish you immense happiness!
I think you will find you will just “drift” quite a lot. Not having to conform to any schedule that is not of your own choosing and the freedom to alter any plans at the drop of a hat is so very delicious! You won’t look back! I am cheering for you all the way Mary Ann. You go girl!
Hooray! Congratulations 🎉 hats off to you for all your teaching.
My smoke tree puffs turned pink also after a rain the other day – pretty unique!
Thanks for sharing your life. Your artistic endeavors are inspiring.
Mary Ann, I’m so happy for you! I retired 5 months ago, and it’s shocking how little I miss (or even think about) the career that consumed and dominated multiple decades of my life. The first 2 months of retirement were tough, and I even contemplated returning to work because I felt so discombobulated, but luckily that was just a temporary transition. I hope you’ll thoroughly love your retired life, and I (maybe selfishly) hope you’ll keep us posted about how it’s going. Congrats and way to go!!!
I am exceedingly happy for you Mary Ann
Such a thrill! Looking forward to hearing more–enjoy!
Wonderful! Again, Congratulations, 🎈🎊🎉 sweet Mary Ann!
YAY!
Sheila