Eleven Months Left on the Retirement Countdown Chain

Change is in the air.

In less than a year I’ll be retiring from my corporate job. There will be a change in my routine, my finances, my home, even my country of residence will change. I’ve been thinking a lot about these changes and how our life will be different next year at this time but today I was reminded that a whole other batch of change is coming my way.

I had an appointment with my hair stylist today and she informed me that she’s changing careers and this would be our last appointment together. I wanted to plead with her to wait eleven more months before embarking on a new career, but of course that would have been selfish of me, wouldn’t it? Instead I congratulated her on her decision, thanked her for the years we’ve been together, and wished her well on her new journey, and all the while inside I was panicking.

A hair stylist is worth her weight in gold–more really, in the case of my slender stylist. I thanked my lucky stars when I found her. She get’s me–she get’s my unruly hair and double crown–and she’s worked magic with it. The thought of starting over with someone new is not something I look forward to. All of her clients are being directed to another stylist in the salon so I’ve got my regular appointment set up for six weeks from now. Stay tuned for a report out on that experience.

This unexpected and unwelcome turn of events got me thinking about the plethora of other changes that are on the horizon for me in the next year.

A new doctor, for instance. Just weeks before we moved here to the Pacific Northwest, the doctor I had been going to for almost thirty years retired. That made the transition a bit easier; I had no choice about changing doctors whether we moved away or not. That transition has worked out relatively well, although I’m still amazed by the way the Canadian and US health care systems differ, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Then there was finding a new dentist. Shortly after we moved here  I chipped one of my veneers and asked co-workers to recommend a dentist in the area. I lucked out on this one. My dentist and his staff are stellar and it will be difficult to find another one of their caliber.

One change I won’t be faced with is finding a new optometrist. I couldn’t bear to leave the one I’ve had since 1978 and so every year I make a trip back to see him for my annual eye exam. I fully intend to continue that routine for as long as he continues to practice optometry so I’m good there.

There are so many practical things we need to consider over the course of the next eleven months. I feel blessed that we’re able to take the time we need to make plans for our next phase. It’s exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time but I’m certain it will all work out just the way it’s meant to.

I just hope I can find a good hair stylist. .