I am one of the early baby boomers who is now entering the new classification as Senior Citizen, and suddenly I am the older generation. I was always considered an average person with an average intelligence but with a work ethic as big as Texas. Yes, that describes me but how did I get that way?
My father spent his career as a military man serving in three wars, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He retired at a young age achieving Master Sargent in the Air Force. After he retired and traveled throughout the United States, he opened his own upholstery business and continued to work well into his retirement.
As a young single mother, my mother worked hard and long hours as a grocery clerk to earn the extra money necessary to take care of my brother, whose medical requirements were extensive, and me the second child with less demands. At the age of four, she sent me to live with her dear friends Mable Loe so she could take on addition work. Later in life she owned a restaurant, “The Bleu Dolphin” and operated a separate business, “Sophisticaters”, her second love, catering.
Both my parents worked hard and taught me the importance of doing a job right the first time. That important lesson carried me through college where I studied Psychology and my career of forty years as a Senior Insurance Claims Adjuster.
Since my retirement in 2013, I have enjoyed the new challenges of moving to the Oregon Coast and starting over with a different life style, involving walks on the beach with my husband Jim and our little dog Pepie, a rat terrier with an attitude. I have been doing some volunteer work and accidentally got a job which I accepted only as a fill in, as needed by the catering company, “Always Tea Time” in Toledo, Oregon. There is plenty of time to work on my writing, do photography, some gardening and to try to learn how to relax. It appears though that I am working as hard as before so maybe I have not yet accomplished learning the relaxation part. That will come in time once we get our new place fixed up the way we like it.
We really enjoy the peace and quiet out here in the country especially the towering Evergreen trees, many wild flowers, nearby chickens, horses and friendly helpful neighbors. One neighbor is always ready with a treat when Pepie comes by. The surroundings are perfect for writing, taking photographs, and just relaxing.