Photo redacted [First published\ July 30, 2014] his was my picture of Ross in retirement -- no, not the picture of him holding a "Hello, Kitty" coffee mug and wearing a silk bathrobe -- [which has been removed from the blog at his request -- fair enough] -- I mean my mental picture, as follows:
I figured he would get up early, have some coffee, and then, wearing only shorts, step outside to look at the thermometer on the deck, then come inside where I am washing the dishes, and tell me what the temperature is according to the thermometer on the deck.
And of course he would have his fishing and golfing.
But I've upended his life...
I figured he would get up early, have some coffee, and then, wearing only shorts, step outside to look at the thermometer on the deck, then come inside where I am washing the dishes, and tell me what the temperature is according to the thermometer on the deck.
And of course he would have his fishing and golfing.
But I've upended his life...
...and when he stepped on the plane to fly to China, he "officially" retired. Here in Zibo, he may be able to do a little fishing. Golfing is very expensive and unless he is befriended by some very wealthy folks, he's unlikely to set foot on the golf course. It's too hot right now, anyway. He's also given up driving, at least for the time being. He's no longer the guy behind the wheel but a passenger, another change of lifetime habits.
The changes to his life don't stop there. Anyone who knows Ross's domestic arrangements knows that it was his invariable habit to lie on the sofa, Dagwood style, to watch television or nap. He worked hard, so in his private hours he follows Winston Churchill's dictum: "Never stand up when you can sit down. And never sit down when you can lie down.” The sofa was his turf, and it was for reclining, not sitting. This was his daily habit for twenty-plus years. I stress, every day he was at home, for twenty-plus years, he used the sofa.
Habits so firmly entrenched, we are told, are hard to break.
The changes to his life don't stop there. Anyone who knows Ross's domestic arrangements knows that it was his invariable habit to lie on the sofa, Dagwood style, to watch television or nap. He worked hard, so in his private hours he follows Winston Churchill's dictum: "Never stand up when you can sit down. And never sit down when you can lie down.” The sofa was his turf, and it was for reclining, not sitting. This was his daily habit for twenty-plus years. I stress, every day he was at home, for twenty-plus years, he used the sofa.
Habits so firmly entrenched, we are told, are hard to break.
Evil sofa Now, look at this sofa. Looks harmless, doesn't it? Appearances can be deceiving. See the nice fluffy quilt I put on it? It doesn't help. Like me, Ross now spends his evening sitting in a chair either with his laptop or with a book, That is how monumentally uncomfortable this sofa is. This is the sofa that broke the habit of twenty years.
Ross just bought a used bike at the second-hand market and now we can go out and explore the city together in the cool of the evening. Oh, and Ross also bought a thermometer, which hangs in the apartment. We have no deck.
Ross just bought a used bike at the second-hand market and now we can go out and explore the city together in the cool of the evening. Oh, and Ross also bought a thermometer, which hangs in the apartment. We have no deck.
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