I spoke to my mother yesterday.

After I had my stroke and rushed back to work, I discovered that it took more out of me than anyone thought it would. I managed to get up to 30 hours a week, so that I could maintain my insurance and benifits. But, believe me, it has been and continues to be a struggle. I know my quality has suffered and I am just too tired after work to do much of anything around the house. Even working with Monster is starting to feel more like a chore than a help.

I talked to Sam, the kids and the rest of my family and made the decision that when my grandfather's estate was dispersed, I would go ahead and take medical retirement. I needed to make sure we could continue to pay our bills until that happened, so I continued to work.

OK, now for the conversation with my mother yesterday.

The estate is ready to be dispursed. I've given my mother power of attorny for me so that she can handle going to Puerto Rico and settling my part of the estate. My sister has done the same. She will make the trip at the end if July, and the rstate will be settled at that time. Which means that when she comes home, everything will be in place, financially, for me to retire. It looks like I will be leaving the office at the beginning of August. I have about 2.5 months left, then I never "work another day in my life," and go on to become a professional dog trainer. I'm not the type to sit still, never have been.

Wow. I knew it was coming, but there was still a part of it that seemed a little surreal. Now that I have a pretty firm timeline, it is finally starting to feel like it is really happening.