Be grateful for what you can see.

On the morning of July 25. at the eye doctor, I was told I have advanced Glaucoma. I did not know how I felt at that time.. One minute it the knee, now it was the eyes. What's next???

So yesterday, I went in to have a second opinion at the ADVANCED EYE CARE. There I was told, I am almost blind in the right eye . The vision can not be restored. They are now trying to save what vision I have in the left eye to keep it. I can not afford to lose any more vision in this eye for I will not be able to see well. Meaning. I am going slowly blind. I was also told that I should not be driving. feeling emotional.

Today,
I have accepted the situation and moving on. I lean on my God for strength to endure and on my family and friends for support. I am feeling blessed. Thank you!

Next appointment in September will tell me if I need an operation or not. Just trying to be positive for now.

Life After Retirement!

What is Life after retirement?-From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Retirement might coincide with important life changes; a retired worker might move to a new location, for example a retirement community, thereby having less frequent contact with their previous social context and adopting a new lifestyle. 

Often retirees volunteer for charities and other community organizations.
 Tourism is a common marker of retirement and for some becomes a way of life, such as for so-called grey nomads.
 Some retired people even choose to go and live in warmer climates in what is known as retirement migration.
It has been found that Americans have six lifestyle choices as they age: 
continuing to work full-time, continuing to work part-time, retiring from work and becoming engaged in a variety of leisure activities, retiring from work and becoming involved in a variety of recreational and leisure activities, retiring from work and later returning to work part-time, and retiring from work and later returning to work full-time.

An important note to make from these lifestyle definitions are that four of the six involve working. America is facing an important demographic change in that the Baby Boomer generation is now reaching retirement age. This poses two challenges: whether there will be a sufficient number of skilled workers in the work force, and whether the current pension programs will be sufficient to support the growing number of retired people. 
 The reasons that some people choose to never retire, or to return to work after retiring include not only the difficulty of planning for retirement but also wages and fringe benefits, expenditure of physical and mental energy, production of goods and services, social interaction, and social status may interact to influence an individual’s work force participation decision.

Often retirees are called upon to care for grandchildren and occasionally aged parents. For many it gives them more time to devote to a hobby or sport such as golf or sailing. On the other hand, many retirees feel restless and suffer from depression as a result of their new situation. Although it is not scientifically possible to directly show that retirement either causes or contributes to depression, the newly retired are one of the most vulnerable societal groups when it comes to depression most likely due to confluence of increasing age and deteriorating health status. Retirement coincides with deterioration of one's health that correlates with increasing age and this likely plays a major role in increased rates of depression in retirees. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies have shown that healthy elderly and retired people are as happy or happier and have an equal quality of life as they age as compared to younger employed adults, therefore retirement in and of itself is not likely to contribute to development of depression.

Many people in the later years of their lives, due to failing health, require assistance, sometimes in extremely expensive treatments – in some countries – being provided in a nursing home. Those who need care, but are not in need of constant assistance, may choose to live in a retirement home.

My life After Retirement-from Estelle T Barada

It is definitely a life changing experience. I feel I have time now to get to know myself. More time to spend in catering to what my needs are . It may sound selfess, but I spent most of my working life tendinf to others. I have worked hard ever since I was 15 years of age. Always catering to others from the beginning of the day to the end. 

I do not plan to move from my lovely Victorian style apartment nor down size. I have  preparing my home for the time when I can truly enjoy it. Now I can. 

I can sleep in and get up when the sun comes up., enjoy long hours in the bath, invite family and friends to tea. I can now go for long walks and stop and smell the flowers. 

I can travel and meet new friends and have more time with my previous social contacts, like my Red Hat Society friends, while adopting to my new lifestyle.

I will volunteer some of my time to non- prophet organizations, like the historic Hearthside House and the Rhode Island Historical Society.

I will enjoy more time to visit my grand children, but I will not become their caretaker. It is important for me to enjoy them on my time and give them the pleasure of my quality time.

I want to enjoy being with them, not them tolerate being with me,.

I have not retired because of bad health and I am grateful for that. I want this time to improve my health and to live a long healthy happy retired life.

Cherry Festival in the town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Here are some photos I took at the Cherry Festival in the town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The festival took place on May 21, 2011

This is my "little Miss Cherry Blossom". She is Jayneice, my grand daughter.
Pink makes me happy and thanks for letting me share this.
Lady Eslelle

I am a Time traveler!

I am a Victorian time traveler. Traveling from the 1880's into your 21st century. What an interesting place you have here. Can not wait to travel back.. — at The New England Carousel Museum.