Retirement, here I come. Wow, I have worked so hard for so many years! It is a little daunting to think that when my fellow teachers are getting ready in August for the next school year, I will be just doing my thing.
This year I wanted things to be special for my students. I wanted to celebrate my retirement, so I did. I made it possible for students to win prizes from me. I did drawings at the end of the school year and around 100 students got prizes. I gave out everything from special mugs, to art supplies, to my Staples “Easy” button. It was a lot of fun seeing my students get so many things from me. I know it sounds crazy, but I really liked giving them something from me.
When I was in second grade, we knew we were moving for the next school year. My teacher, Mrs. Schmidt, gave me a case for my books. I treasured that case and she was always my favorite teacher because of her thoughtfulness. I wanted my students to feel special, just like I felt.
I noticed over the past school year that I was having a brain shift. Instead of thinking about school all of the time, I started thinking more and more about what I wanted to do in retirement. The major thing I want to do is get back in my pottery studio and start working again. However, I also want to work with two dimensional art materials. So, of course, I have been pulling things apart in my home in an effort to eventually make things more streamlined for the things I want to do. Leaving school was a massive event because I had twenty five years of material built up that I brought from home to donate to the cause. Art teachers really are the best pack rats around. We save everything. Much of that has now come home and I am a bit overwhelmed with the amount of books and things I have saved over the years. If I was smart, I would pretend I didn’t see any of this and just dump it. However, I love my books and I know there is no way I am going to dump them. I have a lot of research I have also done with middle school art. What do I do with that? Do I add to my other blog and help motivate young teachers? I have no idea whether I will do that or not. I just know that I love all things art and I am happy that I will be able to spend days pursuing my own interests in art, whatever they may be.
So, back to the home front here, where do I begin? I have created this really cool room in the basement for creating two dimensional art but I have a lot of stuff to put away yet and of course I am avoiding that at the moment. After spending so much time getting the art room ready for the next art teacher, I am so tired of going through “shit”. Can you blame me? I guess I will hope that by summer’s end my house is in good art making form. Seriously, it needs to be before that…but there is so much to do.
I told my son I was thinking of renting a dumpster. Oh, he was all for that and even suggested that I get rid of some other stuff. Of course, I have already been thinking that way because some day I still might like to end up at my dream destination of a nice home on a lake! Nobody wants to move a bunch of stuff they never use! It all takes organization and drive. I have little of either at the moment. I just want to relax and destress from the busy spring I have had. I just wish I had the strength to move heavy boxes. It is frustrating as hell to not be as strong as I was when I was younger. I have to call up friends and ask them to help…so hard for someone like me to do!
So, with all of this on my mind, I had a proud moment when I finally turned in my keys and went home. I thought about my parents and how proud they would have been of me. They knew about the $30,000 debt I was left with when I went through the divorce. They knew that I raised my son from the time he was just two months old….all by myself. They knew that I struggled at times and didn’t have health insurance for myself while I was out selling pottery to make a living. They knew that I would do anything for my son, so I went without many things to provide for him. They knew that when I was considering going back to teaching that it was money always that got in the way. They loaned me money to make that possible. They knew that it was also a struggle for me to move away from the comfort of living near them to take this job opportunity down at Sturgis. They knew that I did everything I could to pay them back all that I owed them. When I sold my house up north, I paid Daddy back. Mom, had already passed away by that time. I owe everything I am to my parents. They gave me so much in the way of who I really am. What I believe about the world and people, I owe to them. Over the years, I was careful with money and figured out ways to build my retirement with what is called that third legged stool. I owe that whole philosophy to my parents. I knew I couldn’t retire until I would not a burden for anyone else. I had a goal in mind that a couple financial planners said I needed to obtain. I met that goal and knew I would retire this year because of it. So, when all is said and done, I know my parents would be proud of me. However, most of us don’t get to have our biggest cheerleaders with us when we retire and especially, not the baby of a large family of fourteen kids!
So, as I move into my retirement, I will eventually get this place organized like I want it. If you stop in and think I am a bit in disarray, just be patient with me because I am now on retirement time!