I am now of the age in which friends are either retiring or considering retiring. The talk makes me uneasy because it is an age thing. How could it be that people my age are doing this? They seem too young to be considering tossing in the work towel. I say, wring it out and move on.

For the longest time we had very few friends. This is because they were bearing and rearing children, something we were not doing and were not interested in doing. I have never had any maternal instinct although the instinct to play runs pretty deep. Children between the ages of four and twelve are tolerable. The youngers are too prone to tantrums and the olders are too prone to self-absorption.

Now our friend’s kids are leaving or have left the nest – every so often I have to smile wanly at a photo, but it is easy to send the conversation in more interesting directions. Plain and simple, over population is the world’s number one problem because consumers beget consumers. However, few want to acknowledge this because it is our biological imperative to keep reproducing.

Retirement – some express apprehension about this, wondering what they are going to do with their time. This is because work previously provided them with a structure. Take it away and it is like losing one’s spine, or so they think.

I am in the opposite situation. If anything, I might take on a job. I might teach again or work as an acquisitions editor. Best to teach on-line classes or telecommute. Driving to and from work and having to be someplace does not appeal to me, nor does the prospect of having to dress up. If I had a job, I’d also work in order to be able to work. I’d need a new vehicle. And I’d have to pay for decent clothes.

I also have gotten used to determining how I might spend my time. I make my own schedule, and modify it accordingly. For example, today I worked two hours on Forks, the spent a half hour doing body awareness, and I half hour reading about Hoof Rehabilitation, specifically, a chapter on doing radiographs of laminitis patients.

After, Pete videotaped me doing agility with Hrimmi and Tyra. This took quite a while – the course needed to constantly be rearranged, and in both instances, we had to go from doing the regular classes, which have trotting components, to classes that have just walking components.

I did stop what I was doing and watched the ants walk along the water hose.

And after, I took Raudi out for yet another lengthy ride – we went ten miles, doing a series of neighborhood loops. I got home in time for dinner; after, I did evening chores and then took Tinni for a walk. He ate grass, and I stuffed the pouch in my nylon coat full of the same for the mares.

Today was just a day in the life; most are like today. I would hate to give up doing what I do – if I worked, I’d chaff at the thought of not having the time to do those things that right now are very important to me. Try telling this to someone who is fearing being retired. I don’t say much because it appears as though I have gotten away with something, which, yeah, I have.

Next: 151. 5/31/18: Happy Trails to You