When I wake up in the morning I like to lie in bed (lounging beside Molly and Rudy) wrapped in my own thoughts. It’s a luxury of retirement and one of the best perks in my opinion. For years my overthinking mind would rudely startle me from my sleep. A perpetual to-do list churning and raging and nagging. This same mindset would carry on as I showered, dressed, walked the dog, commuted to work. In fact, it haunted me the whole day. Ticking off completed tasks while new ones merged into the mix. Stress at its finest. Now I simply enjoy the view.

I often think of my sister and her crazy routine. I admire her tenacity and grit. I feel sorry that she’s in constant motion. Then I remind myself that while you’re in you can’t imagine the other side. I used to think retirees were bored and wasting their talents. How wrong I was. But it took the actual (very scary I might add) action of retirement to open my eyes.

When I called my folks yesterday mom was already in bed so I chatted with dad. After the usual phone issues (which now make me laugh they’re so routine) we review his weekend. My sister came to visit. It was a flurry of activity. They carved a pumpkin and roasted the seeds. My dad really liked the seeds. That made me chuckle. My dad has had an aversion to pumpkins for as long as I can recall. When we hung up Rudy commented that it was interesting to hear my sister insisted on a pumpkin carving and seed roasting. A week earlier I had done the same. Rudy mused that it must have been a family tradition. Nope. I can’t ever remember carving a pumpkin unless it was at school or a friends house. It was never a tradition at our place. For reasons I can’t recall. Perhaps my sister knows.

Dads big enjoyment was creating the pumpkin face with a marker. His design will now be lit up for him to admire. My big surprise is that he liked the seeds! Carving a pumpkin was a welcome diversion for my dad… was my sister able to escape her stress treadmill enough to enjoy the moments too? I hope so … she made my dads day and better than the seeds is the joy of his experience. Pumpkin $3.99 – dads enthusiasm: priceless

My sister and I often do similar things that we notice or Rudy does. It’s a bit of a phenomenon. We meet up after weeks apart and have the same colour nail polish on. We buy similar household items. We fold and stack our towels the same. It’s a long list of sameness.

One day she too will retire and we can enjoy new views together. I can’t wait.