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Crazy as a Loom

Thursday, April 23, 2009

My special day.



This week has been one of chasing my tail, and today was no different. As you can see, I am making a huge mess. So rather than just show you a photo of a stack of beautiful, colorful rugs, I have to also show you a picture of the incredible mess I make preparing to make rugs, in this case, blue jeans. There is a whole lot of cutting and sewing and cutting going on, and so far this week, I have 50 lbs done. Whew.
When I get through the stack of jeans still waiting to be processed, I will clean up the mess.
Honest. I will.










Today was a VERY exciting day for me. Now I know it sounds hokey, and unless you are over 50, you may not appreciate it, but today my FIRST social security check was deposited into my checking account. WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!
I am still working one day a week as a nurse, and will give it up gradually this year. And of course I am still working at the studio.
But I don't really think of that as work, because I love it so much.
I never dreamed I would be so excited and pleased to be 62 years old. I don't feel 62 years old. Most of the time, I feel like I am about 12. Maybe because I quite often act like I am 12. My body does try to remind me quite a lot, and I do listen most of the time. OK, I try.
Getting to this stage of my life reminds me of where I have worked all these long years.
Age 17, as a nurse's aide, right out of school, as a waitress (I was lousy), as a dishwasher, off to college, then in a paper mill, my own furniture stripping business, then on to nursing school. As a nurse, I worked on a medical surgical unit, on an IV team, in dialysis, in the Emergency Room, in a maximum security prison (this for 20 years) with occasional stints in maternity, ICU, and most currently in Urgent Care, and then the county jail. I started working in 1964......... and that is a grand total of 45 years out in the work force. Working shift work, daycare, working overtime, in good weather, and in bad. I did get a few months off each time I had daughters, but other than that, I have been working. It seems impossible to me now, that I have worked for a living for this long. I should be rich, right?
So I am pleased to be here, finally. The word "freedom" keeps coming to mind. Free to get up when I please, even though I always get up early. Free to go to bed whenever I want, even though I am usually in bed by 10, 11 at the latest. I am a morning person at heart.
Free to do what I want, pretty much when I want. What a concept!!!



I guess my life has come full circle. I feel a lot like I felt when I was 12. Doing what I want to do.
I walk around smiling to myself, thinking that this "getting old" gig is quite the secret. Who knew?????

I am still that same person I was when I was 12, even 25, or 40. She is "in there" to coin a phrase. True, I don't look quite the same, but if I don't walk by a mirror, I forget that.
Just like some of the favorite things I have dragged around most of my life, like this picture..........the Hilary through the years comes with me wherever I go.

All my hopes and dreams throughout my life, and all my hard work, have brought me here.
My life is quiet, predictable, I laughingly say that it is "boring". But I love where I am, and who I am with, and what I do.
At the end of the day, here I am, Eddie on the couch next to me, my husband watching the Red Sox, in our own little world.
I am 62, and all is right in my world.
It doesn't get any better. In fact, it's priceless.

9 comments:

J'Ollie Primitives said...

Calling your time your own? PRICELESS!

Sunrise Lodge Fiber Studio said...

Oh my gosh!!! I'm crying!!! I absolutely LOVE your energy and appreciation for life!!! :) You go, girl!!! ;)

....oh....and the rugs are fab!!! ;)

Barbara Fessler said...

Congratulations!!! My first check is scheduled for the first part of May. I can't wait!!! I actually quite working a year ago and love every minute of my freedom from work. Both my husband and I enjoy every day of our retirement and like you and your husband many folks might think we live a boring life but boy are they wrong. Picture of your husband isn't to far from mine only he'd be sitting on his recliner.

Eulalia Benejam Cobb said...

To quote the Shaker hymn, "'Tis a gift to come down just where you ought to be." Sounds like where you are.

Wanda..... said...

Your rugs are beautiful...I just turned 64 and I totally agree...life is good at this age...a freedom to just "BE"! I will be your follower no.18 :)

Hilary said...

Wow....thank you all for your lovely comments......please come back anytime.......and Lali, I looked up that song, and I love it!!!!

kestrel said...

I don't think you will ever be bored after all that living. A better life starts after retirement cos you get to do what you want and when you want. The colours in your rugs are really vibrant, beats the ones that IKEA sells. And your blog is so colourful, my kind of selection of songs

Hilary said...

What a lovely expression of gratitude for what life has brought to you, and what you have brought to your life.

Sharon said...

I just found your blog through Life Looms Large today. I am 7 weeks and 3 days from getting my retirement. People ask me what I'm going to do when I retire - what a weird question. I'm going to breath, relax and weave for more than 15 minutes before I go to work! Congratulations - I'm right behind you!!

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