View from the Back
Ramblings of a retiree in France
Nightmare scenario: my beloved retires!
One of my biggest fears has always been what will happen when my beloved retires? Despite being happily married for more years than I like to own up to, he’s travelled a lot on business throughout our marriage. This has meant we’ve spent limited albeit quality time together. Consequently, I’m not used to having him underfoot all the time but now the clock is ticking down.
This year has shown how we might muddle along in the future. Firstly, we were on vacation in Australia the whole month of January. I say “on vacation” but given we can work anywhere that has WiFi, we both spent some time working too. However, we had a truly blissful time throughout the lengthy holiday. February was typically busy as my beloved geared up for a major dental exhibition which is held in Germany every two years. Then he broke his leg!
What followed, I hope and pray, wasn’t totally indicative of our future life together as retirees. I waited on him hand and foot for the best part of three months. Even now he has a tendency to expect me to leap up from my chair to fetch him something. I’m not slow to remind him he has two fully functioning legs and he can fetch it himself. I even remind him that he promised me he’d be more helpful around the house. We all know how that turned out.
He’s back travelling again on business but being unable to travel rather focused his mind and now he appreciates that it’s not always necessary to leap into a plane and jet off somewhere. He’ll shortly be heading off to China for a quick but necessary trip which is sadly cutting short our time at the Vuelta a Espana. In the meantime, we’ve been spending plenty of quality time together and I have to admit, it hasn’t been all bad.
On the plus side have been lazy meals (prepared by me) eaten outside on the balcony where we’ve talked about anything and everything. Great communication is definitely one of the cornerstones of the longevity of our relationship. We’ve enjoyed a few week-ends away watching sport – a shared passion from the start of our relationship. In contrast, we’ve had plenty of days companionably working away in the office where we sit either side of a massive desk. A few shared projects where I do the donkey work and he takes the glory – plus ça change. Early morning cycle rides, where we’re both rediscovering our cycling legs.
On the downside, not so much. Maybe all those years of training have finally licked him into shape. I know he’s never going to be anything other than high-maintenance but this summer he’s refrained from losing too much and making too much mess. I really can’t expect any more! So, whenever it happens, I think I’m going to be able to manage just so long as we never have to share a bathroom.
View from the Back 
Separate bathrooms, eh? I laughed out loud.
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