the week that was

Walk to End Alzheimers
we are walking in the bell county/temple 
walk to end alzheimers on saturday november 3 2012

you can walk free but a donation to and or joining
my organicgreendoctor team is appreciated

join us there

THE WEEK THAT WAS

people are always asking me
are you staying busy in retirement
some say im not sure what ill do when i retire

luckily for me i had a plan that started 12 years ago
when we decided to move to our ten acres
i have a large 600 square foot garden that i use to
grow vegetables organically of course
i maintain and repair and build everything here myself
ive contracted out some plumbing and some electrical work
but most of the plumbing and electrical work ive done myself

i have a rainwater collection system i maintain and solar panels
for electrical generation
so the property keeps me busy

i also do this blog which can take up to 2-3 hours a day
sometimes reading articles writing the blog answering email
facebook text and comments on the blog

so when i had to retire suddenly my plan was already in place

here is what my week was like from wed last week to whats
planned wednesday next week

last wednesday i worked at habitat for humanity on one of their
houses
i work there twice a week unless im out of town or have
other commitments
this week on wed and sat we painted the outside of the house
i came home with a white shirt that was now light blue
we start at 730 and usually work until 2-330

thursday i did ranch work here at the country n
i pulled the noxious weeds that have taken over
my one acre yard especially since weve had a lot of rain
lately
these several wheelbarrows of weeds are sent to the compost pile
to be composted crushed and picked over by my chickens to be
used next year in my garden
i also planted the rest of my fall garden with turnips peas and more
lettuce and spinach

in the afternoon i brought left over plants to the habitat for humanity
homeowner who i helped put in a square foot garden last year
i reviewed her garden and helped plan what she should plant this fall
then
i went to a friends house who had just moved into his new house
he wants to put in a rainwater system in the next two years
and needed help deciding where to run the collection drainage
for the future rainwater system
when i do this i realize how much i have learned about rainwater
collection over the last 20 years

also on thursday i was notified that i would be on a panel at the
schwartz ethics grand rounds at baylor medical school in dallas
using my situation with the possible diagnosis of alzheimers
as a vehicle for the panel and residents staff doctors medical students
nursing students social workers to ask me questions
i look forward to being on the  panel
spreading the word on alzheimers is also one of my retirement
missions

on friday i had a doctors appoint for follow up on a thyroid nodule
detected 2 years ago when i had an ultrasound of the carotids for
an ocular migraine i had
you know like the chest xray that shows a spot so it has to be
worked up and followed
what i get for having the ultrasound done
at least my carotids are clear
ok they have two more years to follow this thing then i quit
going back for followup
damn those doctors

from that appointment i ran my meals on wheel route
that is 30 miles long in the rural area where i live
my mother use to get those meals where she lived so i felt
like i would do my part in this area
feels good to do this
sometimes im the only person they see that day

then for lunch i had it with my son and his friend who are in town
for the acl music festival in austin
chuys mexcian restaurant of course
its called the chuys fix whenever they come back to town
hes here for three days but we never see him

then after lunch i met with a former coworker who needed help
with her 401k plan
you know they give you all those choices for mutual funds to put
your money in and no one explains it all to you
so i helped her pick funds that was appropriate for her age and
financial situation
maybe i could be a financial planner

on saturday i worked at habitat for humanity again painting the house
then regrettably went home and watched the longhorn game that i
had dvred

ok thats 4 days of retirement
next week i will redo one of my garden beds to a keyhole less
square foot garden have my annual opthalmology appointment
have a walk to end alzheimers meeting for the austin walk then
the next day a meeting for the temple bell county walk
then a day of habitat for humanity then a day of ranch work again
then a day of meals on wheels then a saturday habitat day

so yes im busy in retirement
since retiring i now have to keep a calender so i can keep up
with what im doing that week
never had to do that when i was working
i have a lifetime of work to do here on my property at the
country n
but since i have a lifetime im not in a hurry to finish it all

so dont worry about me in retirement
i am busy as i want to be

the oganicgreen doctor