How My LIfe Has Changed Since Butch's Retirement

I can't believe that on Friday, it will be 8 weeks since Butch retired---already! It has gone by so fast. When he first "started" he said he was taking 3 months off for sure while he decides what he really wants to do. That sounded like a long time. Now time is nearly "up". He's set up his LLC and has been meeting with many people about "doing" things---whatever that means. He's already done a consulting job in Atlanta a couple weeks ago. In "Barb's World", he would just be semi-retired---work enough to keep him happy and stimulated and off enough to keep me happy with the flexibility. We'll see how that works out.

My life has surely changed since he retired:

For the first 6 weeks, my early morning routine was thrown off---specifically, I was NOT getting on the treadmill. That cost me 10 lbs. with no unusual change of eating habits, so as much as I hate to admit it---that exercise really works.

We set up a new phone plan which has lead to some scrutiny of the bill. He informed me that it costs $1.75 to call information for a phone number---and I did it 4 times. Eeeek! He's just sayin'!

It's great to have him handle "stuff" that I used to have to deal with---like ordering and installing new cable boxes and talking to the pool guys.

The house looks like it's a weekend every day---just slightly messy---after all, the kitchen table is still his office---and the baker's rack is his filing cabinet.

He can carry big, heavy stuff for me just because he's around---my "he" man!

I thought I'd have to cook more, but he still doesn't care about food. That's a plus---we eat Lean Cuisines about 3 times a week.

I have to deal with the printer constantly---he prints stuff a lot, but doesn't know how to clear paper jams (we recycle our paper which causes more jams) or change cartridges---at least he learned how to put paper in when it runs out.

He answers the phone---not always so good with the messages though.

He cleans stuff---freezer, vegetable drawer in the fridge and all kinds of outside stuff.

He responds willingly to the "little" girls (who aren't so little anymore) to take them here and there which gives me many breaks. Besides, he can't resist any of his girls---anything they want---which I've always loved about him.

All in all, so far it's been a positive experience. I don't know how much time needs to go by to say that this retirement "thing" is really working, but it seems to be. We get along fine but we still haven't played Scrabble or gotten out our stamp collections. Baby steps....