Category: Retirement

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Homesick – but surrounded by supportive friends and family

Moshe and Urso (the bear) on a cake to celebrate a third birthday.

So today, after a great day shooting with friends in the rifle range in the old volcano crater in Monte Brasil, we were invited to help the warden’s wonderful niece celebrate her daughter’s third birthday. Friends and family gathered, ate (a lot), and sang happy birthday.

Then we sat around and reminisced about many things, including the family’s visit to America for Christmas many winters ago in Michigan- and especially the shovelling snow, frozen lakes, and tobogganing.

Everyone laughed a lot (the Christmas visit to the states was the first and last time most of these folks had seen snow; the tales of shovelling, Christmas traditions, blizzards, and very very cold weather brought gasps of disbelief and reassurances – and laughter.

Surrounded by my “Portuguese Support Group” was comforting, but also made me very homesick. Born and raised in the snows of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, here they complain of cold when the rain brings clouds down from the nearby mountain peaks. For me, “cold” brings fond memories of a youth in minus-65 degree (f) weather on the banks of the Rat Root River with a wood stove and an outhouse.

Tonight emphasised a valuable coping skill I strongly recommend… Remember everything is relative, and you can’t step in the same river twice! Your life has changed, and you need to smile and remember your choices, value friends and family who can help you adjust, and enjoy tomorrow. Remembering the past is healthy (until you can no longer remember it:) – I dread that day) but when you move or retire, value tomorrow and the people who you are with now!

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Here’s the biggest reason why…

Many friends and acquaintances usually immediately ask why we’re leaving the U.S. behind for a tiny island where my wife was born and raised. We both miss being able to “run down the street” in northern Virginia to buy something, walk among national landmarks, and have a tough time deciding what type of food we want for dinner.

Today, as we’re dashing out for a loaf of fresh bread through the pouring rain and strong winds, we stopped to drop off some bread for the neighbor and ask if she needed us to pick up anything while we’re out. My wife made an observation that perfectly answer the question most ask:

Here’s why we’re here now:

“When we left the island for the United States more than 25 years ago, if someone would have said to me that in 26 years, I’d be living across the street from my sister and next door to my best friend from middle school in a new home with a fantastic view, I would have said you’re crazy.”

Then she smiled:)

That smile is why we’re here now!

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Walking for your health…and pure joy!

The waterfront in Porto Martins, Terceira on a fall day. The “mountain” is Capitao (Captain’s Mountain) and is the view from our front door, directly behind the mountain in this view. If you have to take a pleasant healthy walk every day, this is a perfect place to do it!

Even on bad weather days on Terceira, there is something about a long, leisurely walk holding your wife’s hand that is amazing. A few short . kilometers down the hill from our Casa da Sonho, we’re in Porto Martins, one of the most revered natural swimming pools on the island. Waves crashing (but not too much – this isn’t the north side of the island) and wind whipping. Warm sun, and each house you pass or person you meet says Boa Dia, we wave, catch up on jobs, children, honey-do projects….this is the life!

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Phase Two Begins … arrived safe and sound

We’re home. Bumper was a great traveler; rough skies, and some long lines for a very very thorough TSA team in Boston Logan, but we made it. 26 years and 10 days…:)  Already missing some friends and family. Now to get to work. House is almost complete,  and there’s a lot to do when you start a new life. We’ve spent decades learning what you need to do and mostly how to prioritize it, but now we have to find the energy, money, and compromise decisions to get ‘er done!  Stay tuned,

Seems pretty selfish to get up in the morning and not worry about the job, the mission, the  team. Seems like I’m always forgetting something that needs to done at work. Instead I get to focus on my family, my self, and how to take care of us. Strange, but I’ll adjust…I always have.