Retirement.....the Rest of My Life Begins

The last weeks of school were tough.  For one thing, everything that I didn't give away or haul home, had to be packed up for summer storage and cleaning.  Three days before the end of school, I found out that the room I was in was no longer going to be an art room.  So, I had to go back and pack everything ........... EVERYTHING........... in boxes and on carts so it could be moved downstairs.  Ugh.  A little more notice would have been nice.

Then there was grading and finishing projects.

And there were parties.  Retirement parties and gatherings.  This was the nice part.  The instructional assistants gave me a party.  We ate all sorts of dishes from their home countries.  We danced and we laughed.  Three of the I.As, who were from Egypt and Iran, belly danced!  It was so much fun.  I am going to miss those ladies so much.

My art, music and p.e. team honored me at our end of the year picnic and that was a lot of fun.  More laughing. Lots more eating.

The art teachers served by the closest high school took me out to eat at my favorite restaurant.  I love that bunch of ladies.

The school honored me and the assistant principal, who was also retiring.  We did a crazy dance routine in orange wigs.  We twerked.  We Wu Tanged.  We Stanky Legged.  You would not believe what we did.  It was a big hit.  (I would post the video but I don't want to see myself on some tv show as "crazy old ladies twerking.")

And then the school board honored retirees at a formal ceremony.

On the last day, I took pictures with special friends and missed photo ops with even more special friends.  I crammed my truck with way too many books and supplies that I just couldn't leave behind and I drove myself home.

Now the unpacking begins and I am left figuring out how to spend my "golden" years.