Full disclosure: today is Tuesday, and my last day of work with students is Friday, but I still have to go in on Monday to wrap things up, clean out my space, purge some shared documents, etc. The final paycheck comes toward the end of the month. So my actual retirement day is subject to interpretation, I suppose. But let’s just say that next Monday night, I will not be setting an alarm.

I have given notice–all my supervisors know I am not returning, and all the papers have been signed.

And I am paying close attention to every detail, since there’s a lot. It’s a lot. I am surprised by how many financial decisions I needed to make, and I am still being caught off-guard by the questions people are asking me. “Are you moving to a new place?” “Are you taking up a new part-time job?” “Where will you be travelling?” “When are you collecting Social Security?” “What hobbies will you be pursuing?” (I don’t know yet!! Ack!!) It’s a lot for both me and for Husband.

So we took a little break from work. Ha! We needed to clear our minds, and I think we did.

We’ve had a crazy busy week and a half, filled with family reunions and my niece’s wedding. So many hugs, so many smiles. As an added bonus, we shared meals with friends we’ve known for decades, visited local landmarks we “never got around to” in previous years, and even stopped at Husband’s alma mater (Purdue U.) to salute where his career took off (aeronautical engineering pun intended here).

We are grateful for the support of our family members and friends. (And special thanks to my amazing sister-in-law for the gifts, including the book and card in the photo.) It’s a lot, and it’s getting real.

This is my version of a cocktail called “The Attention”. Place a coupe glass in the freezer to chill. In a shaker, combine 2 ounces of gin, 3/4 ounces of dry vermouth, 1 teaspoon absinthe, 1 teaspoon Crème de Violette, and 2 dashes orange bitters. Add ice and shake well, then strain into the chilled glass. Rub a lemon peel around the rim of the glass to get a bit of lemon oil taste. This drink is not sweet at all, and you should be able to taste all the herbal notes from the variety of spirits.