What's After Work?

The new HOA Board, not me! About 3 years ago Jan and I moved, downsized so to speak. We moved from South Tampa to Safety Harbor Florida. just across the bay. This was a change for us. moving from a big city to a small town. Leaving the home we raised our kid in to a new place. Moving from a old neighborhood where we were the masters of our domain to a deed restricted community with a HOA, a board, and a management company. That took a little getting use to. Having to check with someone other than my wife before I did something to out home. I'll admit I bristle a little at having my autonomy questioned. And that started right of the bat when we got there. I got into a very enthusiastic discussion with the HOA architectural committee about adding pavers to the front of my home and rebuilding the screened in porch to the back of our home. After this interaction I decided that the best way to get what I want is to join the board. I ran and in a landslide was elected to the HAO bo...

A last firing of student work in my kiln  For the last 19 years I have been creating lesson plans. I have no idea how many I'm not much for record keeping and rarely use the same lesson twice. I guess that is the artist in me to try something new and then move on. Well today I figured out what we will be doing for the final 3 weeks of my teaching career. I still have a week and 3 days of returning the ceramic "thumb buddy's" to their creators. Then we will do a weaving project, making a woven bowl. I had to come up with a plan that would incorporate some of the standards that I teach as well as be one that a sub could do. You see in a few days I have to go to the other side of town, during school hours to have my exit interview with the district. This will be the final step in my retirement. While there I have to bring a check for two months of health insurance, ouch. Jan went through the same step when she retired. I guess they want to make sure that I have my ...

I'm working on a letter today to the Mary E. Bryant community for the school December newsletter announcing my retirement. This is what I have so far. It may or may not change, I'll let if sit for a few days and them reread it.

Two weeks after I retire Jan and I will be heading to Hawaii. We are going with our good friends Kent and Leslie. This should be a good way to start this adventure. Jan and I spent this weekend planning which Luau to attend. We chose this one. Today we called the hotel and reserved "premier seating". We are going to see the whole thing, from  King Kamehameha  arriving in an outrigger canoe  to unearthing the Kalua pig.  The whole event last several hours with dinner and the shows.  Earlier that day I'm hoping to visit one of the beaches near the hotel that the Laua will be held at. This one looks like fun.  Hāpuna Beach State Park  .

Today is the day I have on my calendar to call the Florida Retirement Office and give them the date of my retirement. January 6th 2020. Now it is more official. After calling  I immediately received an email confirming my call. (I'm set up to receive all correspondence via email rather than by USPS). I'm hoping that I remember my log in for the site. I'm sure that there is a way to retrieve lost passwords. the woman I talked to was very nice and efficient, it took all of about 5 minutes to go through all the information I needed and to get the ball in motion for my next adventure.

In 86 days I will be embarking on a new, exciting and terrifying stage of my life. Retirement. For over 37 years I have worked full time. Getting up early and working late. During this time I also went to school, got married, and with my wife raised two great kids. In 86 days that all changes. I keep trying to see what is next and I'm not sure. But I'm decided that one thing I can do is to keep a record of what I do here. Maybe this will become my new "job". But for now I'll go on a bike ride, you may be reading a lot about that.