A man around the house — all the time!
Bill and Maureen Johnson of Westbury on his 60th birthday in 2015. Credit: John Moloney
After my husband had emergency angioplasty in August 2015, we decided that he would retire. Bill had worked for the same company for 38 years. It seemed the stress of a management position had taken a toll.
Our original plan was for both of us to retire in 2017, sell our house in Westbury and move to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since Bill’s retirement came early, in November, he has looked forward to spending this summer enjoying our lovely yard. He spends most days in the garden, planting flowers and vegetables or watering the plants.
Being used to him leaving at 7:30 a.m. and not getting home until 7:30 p.m., we were both in for a big changein our routines.
Even though I work part time as a hairdresser in our home, every time I turn around, there he is. Bill will say he is going out to run errands, and that could mean 20 minutes or two hours. Just when I least expect it, he comes home.
Every Thursday he picks up our 16-year-old grandson, Tyler, from school. They love spending time together. Pizza and a movie fill their typical afternoon and evening. I have grown to love Thursdays; I have the house to myself for hours.
When Bill was working, he had a large desk in his office. At home, we have a small computer desk. I should have known that this would be a recipe for disaster. Our lovely dining room has become his office. Newspapers, magazines, mail, his iPad and a stray coffee cup now litter the table.
I have given him baskets, bins and a small dresser for his stuff. He fills them in no time, and then we are back to the table. If the table gets too crowded, he will pile papers on a chair. If there is a clear surface, he will put something on it.
Sometimes I plan a dinner party just to get him to clear the table. That lasts only a day. No longer can I leave a runner on the table with a lovely centerpiece. We have the protective pad and a tablecloth on at all times. The condition of the table has caused many “conversations” in the house.
For a long time, our guest room had two beds with nothing but bedspreads on them. Now they have piles of two or three changes of his clothes. This lets him avoid going upstairs to change after working outside. I guess I could learn to live with this sitution if it meant I would get my dining room back.
Otherwise, his retirement has been very good for us. Wednesday is my day off and we take long walks on the beach. We love to cook, and now we enjoy making dinner together. A European trip is planned. I love the promise of of growing old with this man, my best friend.
We have one year left on Long Island, one more year in our home. We are going to make the best of it. I look forward to house-hunting in Myrtle Beach. Maybe we’ll rent a condo while we find our new home. Eventually, a three-bedroom, two-bath place with lots of room for family and friends to visit would be nice. One thing I’m sure of, there will be a lovely dining room — and an office with a big desk.
Reader Maureen Johnson lives in Westbury.
