Dolly's Dreamings

Absolutely shattered - but happy - a reflection on retirement

When I stopped working as a head teacher I didn't know quite what my future would hold. I didn't know if I would miss work. (Ok so that is funny - of course, I was never going to miss work) or if I would need to get a job to see me through to retirement and if I did what that job would be. So I packed away all of my work clothes into the loft into suitcases - a LOT of them. I had so many suits and jackets and skirts and blouses and tops and jumpers. I could have worn something different every single day for an academic year I am sure. 

Today they all came down out of the loft. They have been sorted and bagged and are all going to charity. I am ashamed by how much there was and by how many beautiful clothes had never been worn and still have the labels on. I was _ confess - a shopping addict. I am no longer that girl. I think I have bought only two or three items in 2019 and they were on a need to have basis, not on an 'I have too much money and I just can't resist buying things' basis which was clearly how I used to live. It was a mammoth job going through it all, and I confess to a few tears as special items went into bags, but I feel so much lighter now - and the loft is clear and they are going to a good cause where hopefully they will bring joy to new wearers and money for good causes.

My books have gone, my folders have gone and now the clothes have gone. I feel like a phoenix who has now truly risen from the ashes of a job that became too stressful and a work environment that at times was horribly toxic. I have shed it all now and just have the 'memorabilia stuff' left which will also get sorted and go and then I am free of all but the happy memories of the children. That will never go. I still believe teaching is the best job in the world and there was much I loved about it, but there was also much I hated and, as time went on, I did less and less of the bit I loved - the teaching, the hands-on, and more and more of the bad stuff; the policies, the trying to please governors, staff, parents - all of whom wanted different things -  and really only wanting to do what was best for the people at the heart of it - the children. I left at the right time. I left my school thriving, successful, everything in place and performing well and I left before I was broken. I was cracked in many places and those cracks have slowly healed, but I got out at the right time for me.

Our life has become far more simple. We take pleasure in things that don't cost anything and love them. We don't have the expendable income we used to have. but that doesn't even factor into our life. We are the stage where we don't need the 'stuff' or want the 'stuff'. We are downsizing our lives and that brings us pleasure. Yesterday we had a fabulous day and all we did was took our lunch to Poole Park, parked for free, had a lovely long walk and ate in the sunshine. I love our mornings of leisure, reading the paper in bed before managing to get up. I love lazy afternoons filled with creativity and I love that we just have time together. No-one knows what lies around the corner and our retirement years could have been very short. I hope we have many many more years to enjoy the simple life together but even if I didn't have them, I have had three fabulous years of a retired life ... so far!

 

Anyway - on to scrapping which I have more time for now, along with countless other hobbies. (And I even find myself downsizing that too. I have got rid of a lot of stash and am getting rid of more. I don't often buy new supplies and I am content using the things I have)

 

This is another page for our Disney attractions album. My aim - not sure I will ever manage it - was to scrap every ride and attraction. I have done a fair few though no means all of them. There are a lot! However, I was pleased I finally did this one. We had been worried about going to see the refurbished Hall of the Presidents ... not only because Trump was there but we knew it had been changed greatly. We loved the new version. The narration was superb and the film excellent and we really enjoyed it.

 

 

and this was made for the monthly colour challenge on UKS and celebrates my cousin's husband Bryan who I was so in awe of. He had never been to the UK before, never driven on the 'wrong' side of the road and the only automatic car they had for him was a huge Range Rover Discovery. With me by his side, and Nigel in the car in front, this young man drove all around Dorset and we are not known for our big roads. Our county is full of tiny little narrow roads where passing often involves reversing. He did it all including navigating through a very busy Oxford when we headed north. I would have cried if I had been him - he was so brilliant.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• getting rid of things that were tying me to the past
• decluttering
• my life - I am truly grateful for the life I have and the love I have been blessed with

 

 

and I just loved these cartoons to end with today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Independence Day

 

$th July will always be special. We try and celebrate for our American friends and family - Nigel's brother in Concord, cousins in Oregon and California and my cousins in Georgia, South Carolina and Tenessee, as well as good friends in Florida and Minnesota.

 

But it has another reason for celebration too. I finally left work on 4th July - my very own independence day.

 

I cannot believe it has been three weeks since I took early retirement - and I am STILL not retirement age. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever made and was without question one of the best. I miss the children - sometimes - and there are a few of my colleagues who I miss, though I still see them, but I don't miss the politics, the long long hours, the back-biting that went on, the directives from government, the accountability to governors, parents, staff  ...all of whom in their own way would forget that, at the heart of it all, were children and futures and lives so precious. I don't miss having to fight for everything - for time, for resources and for what I believed was right for the pupils in my care. I still believe teaching is the best job in the world - a vocation to cherish - but I am so glad it is not me anymore.

And I LOVE my life now. It is simple, it is more frugal, it is more local but it is perfect. And I am so grateful I share it with the best person in the world - Nigel.

So Happy Independence Day in every sense!

 

I have new scrapping with new releases to share today

This is Nigel at Pismo Beach using a truly gorgeous new collection from Tiramisu Designs called letters from Paradise

 

 

 

And this is using Heather T's Summery which is just so pretty pretty

 

 

I have been out and about doing exciting things but not looked at photos yet so - to be posted later!

 

Have a great 4th July everyone.

 

Today I am thankful for

• retiring early - best decision ever. I think it would have killed me!
• Nigel helping make that dream possible

 

And I think I shared this before but it bears sharing again

As she stood in front of her 5th-grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third-grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs Thompson that she was still the best and favourite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favourite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr Stoddard whispered in Mrs Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

 

 

Going potty over pottery

We have had such a wonderful day today. Nigel bought me a pottery workshop - for two - for my birthday and today was the day. We headed off to Grazyna at Woodside Pottery

 

She has a wonderful studio in her garden and we had such fun. I have always always wanted to have a go at making something on a potter's wheel. I had often looked at evening classes but you had to do ten week courses and I just wanted one go. It wasn't something I thought I would be very good at but I was so keen to try. 

Grazyna couldn't have been welcoming, more accommodating, more patient. She made it totally stress free and such fun. We both had the chance to make something ont he wheel and to make something else. Mmmm the something else might be a case of me aiming too high in a medium neither of us knew and making a total mess of it, but we did have a laugh.

Here are pictures of the process and the results and it was all just brilliant brilliant fun. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we were both so pleased with our efforts and they will now be fired and we collect them in a month

 

 

Then there were the abominations. We were going willow tree angel-esque but ended up with a mutant with a hump and flippers andone that was kind of OK. Not our finest hours but my goodness we enjoyed it.

 

 

 

I also have new scrapping to share too

This first one was for a challenge and gave me the chance to scrap the Vintage Fair in Poole.

 

 

This was made for the weekly challenge on UKS - an achievement - 29 years a head.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a wonderful pottery day
• creativity of all kinds
• a fabulous birthday gift

 

 

 

Happy 4th July everyone

OK so the 4th July ...

Independence Day  celebrated by all of my friends and family in America - and we usually celebrate with you but this year it is a work day and a speedway night so we will be celebrating later int he week.

However it is not just the anniversary of the Independence of America. It is also the anniversary of MY Independence.

I can scarcely believe it is two years, to the day, since I left work. And I can honsetlysay I haven't regreted it for a moment. I left very early - still only 55 when when I retired - but it was the best decision we could have made for all sorts of reasons. Not least of all for my mental and phusical health. Yes we have had to change our life style quite dramatically, but heck - that is good too. We delight far more int he simple (and free) pleasures of life. We have time to appreciate the small things, the every day. And I love being a housewife. 

 

Anyway I digress. Let's see some gorgeous Americana collections and pages today to celebrate

 

Dawn Inskip has her gorgeous Freedom Collection on at half price for today only -

 

 

and here are a couple of pages made with it - it is a gorgeous collection

 

 

Then there is a fab kit from Jen Yurko called American Spirit

 

 

 

and this page features my cousins adorable little boy

 

and finally a jam-packed collection from Cheryl Day Designs called Fun on the 4th

 

 

 

and I made this page of the fife and musketeers outside the American Adventure in Epcot. I still cannot believe they have gone. I used to love watching them so much

 

 

Whatever you are doing this 4th July I hope it is something that brings you happiness.

 

Today I am thankful for

• retirement
• my independence
• the time to scrap on so many creative teams, to paint, to design, to play
• the simple life - it means so much more

 

 

 

 

Busy and loving it ... what a wonderful ordinary day

When I worked I longed to be free of work (all sorts of reasons ... long hours, stressful decisions, pressures of paperwork and spreadsheets and finance and some very difficult people to have to be around ... though I always loved the children and the actual teaching) and I longed to be able to do'normal' things.

 

Today was a day of doing 'normal' things and it reminded me of just how much I love being free of it all.  I wouldn't change it for the world.

I had a long lie in. I went out int he sunshine for a coffee and a walk. We did the front garden and it looks so much better. I cooked a nutritious home cooked meal from scratch (no I don't always do that!!!)  and I even had time to decorate a little cupboard and make a scrapbook page.

Life don't get much better I can tell you!

First to the cupboard. Nigel bought it for me two years ago from a junk shop. It stands about 14" high and was pretty horrible. It was an ugly blue, very chipped and the wire had buttons stuck to it and it was filthy. But I saw it and loved it and it was full of useful little jars to store things in. So he bought it for me and he took all the junk off it, rubbed it down and painted it cream. It has been on my desk for two years, used to store things, and still plain and cream and I keep meaning to make it match the other little unit on my desk. Today - spur of the moment and it took almost no time - I decorated it. 

I don't have a before picture when it was blue and horrible, but in this picture, you can see it plain cream - as it stood for two years.

 

 

 

This is it now

 

 

 

 

and this is the other little unit it sort of goes with now.

 

The garden still needs a lot of work but our glorious azaleas are just coming out and so they needed to be enjoyed weed free. They come out in stages and although we do have several out together it is almost as if when one fades the next thinks it will make up for the lack of colour by coming out.

 

We have so many flower beds (and we are SO NOT gardeners) but we made a start on these two. And boy were they overgrown. The sad thing is my lavender bush didn't make it. It was well and truly dead. My soil doesn't seem to suit lavender. Oh and the fact I never water anything!

 

 

 

 

 

and then I scrapped, making a page for the weekly challenge on UKS.

(And talking of UKS I am co hosting a day of challenges on Saturday for NSD so get yourself over there and join in the fun) 

I had been dying to scrap their birthday pictures. The Elebenty 4 comes from I can haz cheeseburger and the LOL cats.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• being retired
• the simple things in life that make me smile
• being with people I genuinely love being with these days

 

 

 

 

 

An anniversary of sorts

It popped up in my facebook feed today that it was two years ago I made my decision to take early retirement public. I had handed my notice in on 19th January 2016, but it had taken us ten days to draft letters and adverts in readiness as we wanted to make sure parents and staff heard on the same day and everything was ready to go. I had just six months left of work and I was exhilarated that I had made the decision. Nigel and I had been talking about it for quite a while, but his surgery and subsequent issues of December 2015 finally made that decision real for us and the timing was right. The earliest I could justifiably retire was when I was 55 - so I was 55 and that was it. I was soon to be done with the work, the stress, the politics, the constant negativity of some people, the pressure of targets, of policies, of 14 hour days. I was finally to get a life where I could do the things I wanted with the people I wanted. So two years ago today it became public and 18 months ago I became a very young and very happy retiree. And I haven't looked back - not for a second. People told me it would take me a while to adjust. I think it took about a week! 

 

I know I am very lucky. I have had an amazing 18 months - and I hope we have another 18 years, no ... 28 years - at least - to share the adventures together but the truth is you never know what might be around the corner. You never know how long your journey will be and so it is vital to seize the day if you can. We did. We seized and we are so happy. I know how blessed I am and I am eternally grateful for that. We have had to cut our cloth, substantially, but that doesn't matter at all. We are fortunate that we want for nothing and that we enjoy simple things that cost little. We would rather take our sandwiches to the park than dine in fancy restaurants, we don't drink or smoke or go clubbing and our luxuries of Starbucks and cinema membership are cost effective. 

Two years eh! Fancy!

Compared to two years ago my day has been very different. It didn't start early to begin with. It started with a lie in (we are not late sleepers and usually awake by 8) and a scrappy morning and a lunch together and a scrappy afternoon and a haircut and lots of chat and an evening free of work, of e mails and of stress.

And thank goodness a haircut was a part of the day. Goodness me. I was almost at the stage of plaiting Nigel's hair. We have both been suitably shorn!

 

I scrapped a page for the weekly challenge on UKS this morning

 

I thought the title was very apt - a Parthenon - in Nashville. Why???

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• retirement and togetherness
• new adventures, new experiences, new friends

 

Such fun - choo choo

Not everyday is jaw-droppingly awesome but I guess we have more than our fair share. And if every day was a ten we wouldn't ever appreciate them. You need to 6s and 7s and even the 1s and 2s to appreciate what you have.

Today was a good 9 though!

One of our friends spear-headed the group that bid to run Poole Park Railway as a charitable entity and won and we are volunteering to help. Nigel is already trained as a driver and eventually I will do my training too. Today I did my guard induction and we spent a very pleasant 3 hours in the sunshine with Nigel driving and me guarding (oh yes - there is a flag and whistle and ticket puncher) and we just had a lovely time making people smile. You can't get a better job really. People doing something that is making them happy, little children so excited, the chance to smile at them, chat with them, make it a fun experience for them, take photos for them and generally just have an amazing time. What a privilege. No stress, no worry ... it was lovely. And of course it was helped by it being a glorious sunny Sunday.

 

 

 

 

Last night we enjoyed a lovely family meal at Vesuvio on the beach with Nigel's brother and wife and our niece and nephew and partner.  The light must have been very good as Nigel took a photo of me when we were sat outside for pre-dinner drinks and I have swapped my avatar at long last. I look way way older than in the other one - but that was an incredible 5 years old. The reason it took so long to change - couldn't figure out how! Sussed it today so this is the new old (but well lit) me

 

 

I need to run it through photoshop to improve the colours a bit as it was quite late int he evening and there wasn't that much light (hence why the wrinkles don't show too much)

When we came home we lay ont he sunloungers in the garden and watched the shooting stars. Saw some crackers as it was a very very clear night.

 

I have a new page to share today made with a Jumpstart Designs kit called painted with dreams  for the UKS challenge this week.

 

 

It documents how time had flown by and my babies are now 14. Where ever did those years go.

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day
• new experiences
• the chance to help make people smile
• good lighting

 

 

 

 

 

An arty day

I love my art classes and they lead to all sorts of new things - which I also love.

 

I am currently embarking on a picture painted specifically for home so did a small sampler today just to play with colours and the like. It's a beach scene and I will share the sample when I have taken some pictures.

I have also been busy creating for PickleberryPop as we have a huge birthday celebration coming up.

In addition I have also been doing some paper scrapping - Unusual colours for me

 

 

It was part of a challenge to use a poem. This was a poem that my Mom used to recite a lot and it seemed very apt. I never had time to just do nothing. Now I do - and I love it. I never ever thought I would be able to do nothing - but I am learning. It's a very different life and I love it.

 

I also want to share a sale Dawn in doing - a Christmas in July promotion.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely few days
• arty stuff
• a lush new oilcloth/tablecloth thingy for my art covered with little owls

 

 

 

 

The ups and downs of a retiree

I love my life - I am very very lucky. I get to not work and do what I want all day. I appreciate that and wouldn't want it any different. BUT - it means I have more time to obsess about an issue when it happens. And I have had another computer issue. I so wish it would sort itself out as I am bored now. It is the same issue with losing my fonts on adobe. They don't go from anywhere else - just in elements which is a PIA. I know how to get them back but when you have to do it multiple times for no damn reason and then it suddenly heals itself it is a tad frustrating - and yes I am toning that down.

My old school finished for the summer today and it made me realise how glad I am that I am not still doing it. I used to rush like mad all holiday trying to cram a whole year of living into just those few weeks. I didn't realise I did that until I no longer had to do it. My life is so fluid now with no pressure and no stress either from work or from trying to live life too. So today has been a good day - a day of reflecting on my many many blessings.

 

I have also - sadly I guess - been binge watching Games of Thrones in readiness for Season 7. I am an addict - I admit it. I love the whole thing and I am so looking forward to reading the books. A little bird tells me they may well be a birthday gift this month! I have been watching it on the computer whilst scrapping so it had been a joyous multi-task.

 

I have new scrapping to share today

 

 

I am making an 8 x 8 album of the wedding and these were a couple of photos I just loved - taken whilst the registrar was explaining the way things were going to work to the boys. They were paying attention - for a while - but also having a lot of fun. I loved the photo with Nij and Jim.  I used the sketch from Shimelle's live show last week.

 

Dawn has reductions today too.  It is her Little Things Matter Most kit along with other elements and word art - all at 50% off today

 

These are two pages made with the collection

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• being retired - I absolutely love it
• dealing with issues - eventually
• Game of Thrones - loving re-watching it

 

 

and finally - some more of those amazing food serving ideas

 

why? Just why?

 

 

cute but I am back to it cannot be washed properly

 

 

Forgive me - if I go to a restaurant I am looking for food - a meal!!!

 

Fill your own donuts

 

 

again - where is my dinner!!!

 

 

Nope!

 

Still nope

 

 

Marginally less bad - does it go in the dishwasher

 

This was apparently brought when someone ordered coffee

 

 

 

A significant day

Today has been a significant day. Very significant.

 

Today marks the day that I have been retired for a whole year. Last 4th July I was emptying my office, packing away 29 years of memories and moving on. It's incredible how fast that year has gone and how much we have done. Some huge things like a mega road trip holiday and house renovations, some minor like picnics out, day trips and time with friends and family. Everyone said it would take me time to adjust to being retired ... especially at such a young age!!! It didn't. I took to it like a duck to water. I was very proud of what I achieved in 29 years, building up the school from almost nothing to the success it was. I have such happy memories of the children I have taught over almost 30 years, names and faces and smiles I will never forget, but I was so ready. I handed the school over with a happy heart. I wanted to go whilst it was doing well and whilst the choice was totally mine; not down to age or health or worry but when I was still on a high and could walk away with a happy heart.  I have no regrets and know, without question, it was totally and utterly the right time to go. We none of us have any idea how many days we will be blessed with and it is important to seize the day and enjoy every moment, and I am.

I have no idea how long my retirement might last, but if this first year is anything to go by - it is going to be a blast. I am blessed to share my days with my soul mate. We don't do elaborate things but boy to we have fun, boy do we laugh. I am very lucky - and I think he is too.

I have had a lovely time reflecting today. Nigel had to work and so I went for lunch with my bestie - blessed to have shared work with her and to still share things with her now - and then made the most awful scrapbook page I have ever made - seriously - but I love it as it captures so many of the moments from the year.

 

 

Happy independence day everyone - I am LOVING mine!

today I am thankful for

a wonderful year

a career I was proud of

my soul mate 

a future ... However long it may be it is a future