So tomorrow marks one week to go until my retirement and I am so looking forward to some time off.

We have some great things planned. Family due in this week. Nephew is relocating to Washington DC and we are to have a BBQ send off. Mary Beth hasn't been here since early January, we are both looking so forward to sister time. She is coming in a day early just for that. Melissa and Liz are due in on Wednesday.

First week home all I want is NOT to be woken up for work and coffee in bed, which Bruce is capable of. In the early years, once his newspaper was delivered, I would get 5 minute updates as to the time. LOL. Now he is willing to wait for me to get up and get his newspaper. But he also knows I need to decompress. We shall see.

Then we will be off to three days at the Casino - lots of help there and Bruce's best friend is coming one of the days to hang with Bruce and give me time off. They have some wonderful shops and plan to get some Christmas shopping done. Early September hopefully off to visit with Colleen and Ray.

I want to work on a more stable routine - if I say I want a shower, I get a shower. Yesterday I wanted a shower, but someone would not toilet before dinner, so while I am cleaning up after dinner and Bruce is brushing his teeth - electronic toothbrush does it every time, LOL - emergency, of course. I can not turn the WC around in that BR. I have to take him out, turn him around and then go back in. So of course he loses it, mess on him and the floor. He to shower and then finish up the teeth. And at this point I am too exhausted to do anything more except get him into his brace and to bed. And oh yes, medicate him again at 10pm.

Bruce is tired come late afternoon. He is up at 4am and even with a nap, he is just exhausted at dinner time. So while that was the best time for me to shower, I am hoping to move that to morning when Bruce is right on. We get back from groceries this morning, nice ride home. "do you have to pee?" - NO, but I will block the kitchen while you are unloading groceries because I need cups - except the cups are one foot from you and you know where they are. Next you are blocking the hallway because you have to pee - OK, that is important. But then the leg brace has to come off and your "juice" container has to be refilled. OK ENOUGH.

Now I really do want to spot Bruce when he urinates especially if I am in the house. But everything else I just mentioned, he can do independently. So obviously there is some work to do and when I am not shuffling so many things, we can work on that.

The big goal is to get to New Mexico next spring. And the roommate from California is right on board, so there will be plenty of help. Colleen and Nancy will advise as to travel issues and recommendations.

So will check in after a while in retirement and new routine here. Debbie