Reflections on Retirement Time

It is true that after retirement some of us forget which day of the week it is. I am noticing, though, that after almost three years of retirement, instead of every day feeling like a Saturday, it feels more like every day is a Sunday.

Monday is generally my busiest day. I usually head up to Megan’s to play with Oliver while she cleans the house or works on one of her projects. I think she is currently gearing up for Girl Scout cookie season. The rest of the weekdays are reserved for medical appointments of all kinds and virtual chats with friends. Friday is morning coffee with the ladies in our neighborhood and then shopping day. Sunday is meal prep day. All of this, mind you, is done at a leisurely pace.

So why does every day feel like a Sunday?

Back when I worked, Sunday was my day of rest. My day of leisure. My day to just chill. Now, even though I feel busy most days, my life overall feels like one long, gentle exhale. My blood pressure over the past three years reflects that. What was once 140 or higher systolic now runs between 118 and 135. The 135 reading was at the dentist in November. In the past, 160 was more common at the dentist.

Cooking on Sundays is done entirely at my own pace. Nobody standing around waiting to be fed. Because I meal prep, most meals during the week are simply warmed up. Trust me, nobody is starving with this method. The biggest advantage of meal prep is that I tend to make healthier choices when good food is already available. It also helps that I am perfectly willing to eat the same meal three or four times in a week. Sometimes I even mix it up by having breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast. So adventurous.

I love Sundays because they give me a chance to putter around in the kitchen and watch a show on Hulu or Netflix, completely guilt free. Strange as it may sound, even after three years of retirement, I still feel a pull to be productive during the traditional Monday through Friday work week. I had hoped that need would dissipate. So far, no luck.

Thank goodness for Google Calendar. I do not need to memorize what day it is because I can simply check. A quick glance in the morning tells me whether it is Tuesday or another day entirely. Before bed, I often set a few alarms on my iPhone for the next day’s appointments where timing matters. I may forget the day of the week, but I am still very punctual when it comes to other people’s time.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, when asked my favorite day of the week, I would always say Monday. It felt like a weekly renewal. As an eternal optimist for most of my life, and still one now though it is harder with the current political scene, I looked forward to the start of a new week. Now that I am more seasoned, and someone recently reminded me that seasoned is not the same as old, I know that every day is an opportunity for renewal.

Do you have a favorite day of the week? If so, why is it your favorite?