“Indecision is the key to Flexibility,” has proven a mantra over these many years. I’m here to tell you, flexibility is critical to success in retired life overseas! An old adage dictates getting older often means less flexibility; I’m learning that is NOT accurate.
Tight seating on planes, masks at airports, sleeping in the den on foam pads, these are things I know I can adjust to. I plan on them, expect them, adjust to them, all so my family can spend some “quality time” together for the holidays.
I thought I could adjust to anything, and that I could plan anything. Oops! For anyone preparing for more challenging environments, here’s some of the things I failed to consider and you might want to;
- Shopping for shoes. And boots. And candles.
- Long walks to discuss different issues. Not one long walk with everyone, but many long walks with separate people to discuss different issues. Exercise helps me learn what’s important to different people! Never hurts me either.
- Lengthy discussions of menu options, dining diversions, and of course, the ongoing discussions about how much “holiday spirits” are appropriate, necessary, or desired.
- Who has the smartest, cutest, most clever cat:)
- the list goes on… ad nauseum
So when we’re at home, lounging on the beach, grilling fresh fish, mowing the grass, or walking along the shore at sunset, retiring to the Azores is a wonderful life. And the occasional trip back to see friends and family poses new challenges, it’s also wonderful.
Basically, it’s just like everything about retiring…plan for everything good, prepare for everything not expected, and remember to smile through everything. Or drink heavily. Or both:)