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| Wed, 10-15-2008 - 9:37pm |
My name is Barbara. I'm 60, originally from NJ, but have lived in Michigan for nearly 40 years, with a 4 year stint in Los Angeles. I've been married twice and been single now for 15 years. I'm an independent, self-assured woman, the kind that scares most men half to death. I am an Exec Asst in one of the largest corporations in the world. They bought us 18 months ago, and my working life will never be the same. I remind myself every day that this is what I do, it's not who I am.
I live alone with my two retired/rescued racing greyhounds, Jester, 8 and Lynn, 9, an aquarium with 12 baby guppies and a garden pond with 8 hardy koi. I have a hot tub I hardly use, a lovely 2 bedroom home that is my sanctuary, two sons (one step, one birthed), a car, a van to haul the greyhounds, and a long-distance Significant Other who occasionally makes me crazy.
I'm in good health except for my inherited spiking blood pressure that occasionally makes my face go numb, my eyes (progressive myopia, open-angle glaucoma, cataract implant, myopic retinal degeneration, leading to a 50% loss of vision on my right eye), hence the Visual Impairment Board connection, three rotator cuff surgeries and monthly chiropractic adjustments. All in all, I'm pretty lucky.
I thought I might retire at 62, but that is not looking so good right now, with unemployment in Michigan at 8.9% and property values dropping like a rock. Most of my retirement is in annuities, so the stock market roller coaster is not really effecting me, though it is making my employer very nervous. I'm sort of stuck right now between my heart and my head.
I've been a cl- on iVillage for many years, starting with both the Redbook Diaries on the old magazine channel and later settling in with Faith & Spirituality and Visual Impairments. Lots of changes...
I've found it a bit difficult to break into this community because you all seem to know each other's history, and I don't. I hope this short bio will help.
Barbara
Not all who wander are lost.
(J.R.R. Tolkien)
Faith & Spirituality
O say, can you see?
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I love Hounds!

evening barbara,im mindy,married 40 years to my dh,two sons,5 grands,and have lived on the same street,different houses of course for almost 62 years. i live two blocks from lake michigan and although i use to jog it everyday,i now have slowed my roll and walk it! i think that is great you are such a strong independent woman,i stand in appreciation of women like you,i on the other hand have stayed home for all 40 years and have been the caretaker for almost everyone in my and my dh's family. there are times that i think back and wish that i would have kept one foot in the mainstream of life. i came to ivillage i think it was 99 on the 40'sboard,then came over onto the 60's board shortly thereafter..it was ready to go under and martha and
Hi from mid-Illinois. I've been on the board for a few years and enjoy all the give and take. Plenty of good advice and shared experiences here.
This is my first year of retirement. After 25 years and moving the company 3 times, there were rumblings of a merge. Been there, done that in another life and didn't want to do it again. If you have the chance, think about easing into retirement. For 2 years I worked 2.5 days/week - I was afraid to get up one morning and wonder what to do with myself. My DM said she didn't get out of her nightgown for 3 days after she retired - LOL. It was win/win. My employer saved $$ by not paying my disability insurance or contributing to my 401K plan (I moved it out of company plan). I was office manager of a software firm and had my job pretty well streamlined, so cutting back office hours was not hard on me. It gave management a chance to hand off some of my tasks to others who were more suited to them. After 2 years, I found I really enjoyed my time off and retired. At 68, I was ready.
Now I'm slowly exploring the world of volunteering, digging into family history, exercising regularly. Actually invite people over for dinner - nothing I could handle while working full-time. I had been a full-time homemaker while raising 2 sons and now remember how satisfying it can be. We are fortunate that 2 grown DSs, grandkids and great-grandkids all live within 20 mile radius of our home, but we don't overdo the visiting.
Stop by and jump into the conversations.
Jacquie
Hi, again, Barbara!
Thanks, Cal.
I hope you come back often.
Hugs,
Carol
Hi Barbara!
lottie77~~~