After I wrote my last post back in December, I decided to take some time away from blogging. I had been thinking about closing my blog for a while and wanted to use the time to make a final determination. Would I miss blogging too much, or would I enjoy exploring other pursuits more. I figured a month or so away would help me make the decision.
Now, after the “month or so” has turned into more than half a year, I’ve decided that it’s time to clear off my mental desk and make room for other priorities. It’s time to move on from blogging.
I started RetirementallyChallenged in 2013 to give myself an outlet for my writing. Little did I know then that my blog would give me so much more. Starting my blog was one of the best post-retirement decisions I made. Many of you have touched my life deeply and have become treasured friends, both virtual and IRL. I’ve had adventures, learned new things, and have expanded my universe because of my connections with you. Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing my journey. The blogging community is a special one and I am so grateful to have been a part of it.
I will keep my site open for a while. If you’d like to stay in touch, please send me a note through my Contact Me page and we’ll find a way to connect.
Another trip around the sun and here we are on the last day of 2024. Even though I haven’t made New Years resolutions in years and even coming up with a Word of the Year seems like too much pressure, it’s always fun to think about the possibilities in the year ahead.
But, before I turn to the first page of my brand new paper (yes, paper) calendar for 2025, I thought I’d spend a moment looking back on the year that will soon be over.
Travel
2024 was the year of Road Trips for us. An airplane gets you from Point A to Point B faster, but you miss so many interesting sights and memorable moments when you are in the air.
In the spring, we spent about five weeks traveling from the west coast of California to the east coast of North Carolina and back, visiting friends and family along the way.
We headed in a different direction at the end of July, driving north through California, Oregon, and Washington before crossing the border into Canada. Just like on our spring trip, this 6-week adventure included many interesting stops along the way as well as meetups with friends and family.
In October, we took a much shorter road trip up to Los Angeles to see family and explore the area. Our hotel was located downtown where there is a fascinating mixture of old and new, historical and modern, and decay and renewal.
Blogger Meetups
The year began with a lunch date with Terri (the first blogger I ever met in person, back in 2016) and a new-to-me blogger, Cheryl.
At the beginning of our spring road trip, we spent a couple of days in Tucson, Arizona, visiting Kathy and Thom. We saw them again in June, when they hosted us at their mountain cabin, and then again on our summer road trip to Canada.
And, speaking of our trip to Canada, it was Bloggerpalooza on Vancouver Island, where Donna, Deb, and Judith (who no longer blogs) demonstrated why Canadians get their reputation for being so welcoming and nice. We had a wonderful time hiking, chatting, attending concerts, chatting, exploring, hanging out, and chatting.
Ups
There were lots of ups in 2024, including having a backyard view of a few satellite launches, which provided quite a show as they streamed across the sky.
… and Downs
Three friends – a previous work colleague, a neighbor, and a friend that I had lost touch with – passed away in 2024. All were close to me in age. A sad reminder of the frailty of life.
Looking Ahead
We have a few travel possibilities for 2025. One is booked, the other two are in the preliminary planning stages. Our 2025 calendar already has several events, gatherings, and celebrations noted and I look forward to what the year will bring.
Thank you for following my blog, reading, and commenting. I wish all of you a happy and healthy 2025 full of grand adventures.
You can see more end-of-year wrap-ups by visiting Terri’s blog, Second Wind Leisure Perspective. It’s not too late to add your own!
I’ve been very lucky to have had the opportunity to meet multiple fellow bloggers – 14 at last count – over the years. Each get together has been enjoyable and uplifting and has reinforced my theory that we are pretty much what you see on our blogs.
A few of these bloggers have turned into dear friends who we’ve traveled to visit several times since our first meeting. They have also made it a point to visit us whenever they get close to our hometown.
Recently, my husband and I made our third trip to beautiful Vancouver Island, Canada, to reunite with several of these dear friends… and one very adorable bloggy doggy.
Our first visit to the Island in 2019:
Judith, Ann, Erica, Donna, and Kathy.
In 2021, we crossed the U.S. / Canadian border on the day the Covid restrictions were lifted so we could meet again:
2021 meetup with bloggers and our all-male fan club.
This summer, my husband and I spent a leisurely week and a half driving north through California, Oregon, and Washington before taking a ferry to Vancouver Island. Along the way, we reunited with family, friends (including a couple we first met during our travels to Spain last year), and saw some beautiful scenery.
While on Vancouver Island we enjoyed fun times and fabulous weather but, most of all, we were embraced in the warm welcome of dear friends.
Please check out Terri’s Sunday Stills post and follow the links to see how others have interpreted her theme for this week: Reunited.
Although we neglected to get a picture of our first meetup, Terri was the first blogger I met in person back in 2015. We’ve made it a point to reunite whenever we find ourselves nearby.
On each of the four Tuesdays in December, I am highlighting what I am most grateful for in 2017.
Maintaining meaningful connections with others can be a challenge once we retire. Missing are the easy social networks that work provides. Gone are the spontaneous lunches and happy hours with co-workers, and the smiles and quick conversations in the hallways. Suddenly, it is up to us to proactively manage our social lives.
Those of us who are more introverted may not be as comfortable taking the lead arranging get-togethers so it can be tempting to just stay home and read or work alone on our creative pursuits. But study after study indicates how important it is to have strong social connections as we age. Humans are not naturally solitary creatures and becoming socially isolated can be detrimental to our overall health.
Elementary school friends with our first grade teacher
Annual get-together with work friends
I am grateful to still have a lot of childhood friends in my life. Since I live near to the community where I grew up, getting together with friends that I’ve known since grade school is not uncommon. I also have dear friends I’ve met over-the-years while working at various jobs. I am grateful that the bonds that formed while we worked together still are strong.
My beautiful Sista-in-Law in Oaxaca
My brother learning the finer qualities of Mezcal in Oaxaca
My husband’s delightful cousin visiting us from Arlington, VA
I am grateful for my two brothers, who I also consider my friends. I am lucky that they also gifted me two fantastic sisters-in-law, the sisters I didn’t have while growing up. I am also grateful for my extended family, including the family I gained when I married my husband. Although everyone is spread out far and wide, just knowing that we are family makes me happy.
Blogger meet-up in November
Thanksgiving dinner with blogger friend Liesbet and her husband mark
I am also grateful for my new friends. Like many bloggers, I have discovered the unexpected bonus of acquiring blogging buddies all over the world. Although I have been lucky to meet a few face-to-face, most I have not. Regardless, I still consider many of these amazing women and men my friends, and I hope they consider me theirs.
Time spent with friends and family over this past year has enriched my life immeasurably. I am grateful to have people in my life – whether I see them often or not – who make my life richer by being my friends. I look forward to a new year with new opportunities to enjoy my friends, including those I have yet to meet.
Retirementally Challenged 