Author Archives: Sparky
Not quite retired
Last Friday was my last day of work. For three months. Then I resume working in California. So my status is “not quite retired.” I really intended to resign. I had my resignation letter typed up and in my hand. But on the day I planned to hand it to my boss – just over … Continue reading
Dropping the baby
I dinged the fiver. Not too bad – just the end cap of the canvas topper for one of the bunkhouse slides. But I feel like a babysitter who has dropped the baby. If only I had been more careful… The occasion was the tail end of a 3-hour driver training session at the campground. … Continue reading
Madison, WI
I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. I attended grade school there. I graduated from high school there (Robert M. LaFollette Sr. Junior/Senior High School – say it a few times). I played Little League there. I attended church there. I ran around the neighborhood, unfettered by rules (but with the knowledge that I … Continue reading
S&B Homeless
One week from today Jett and I hand the keys to our house over to the renters. At that moment we will have no place to live other than our fifth wheel. This is a condition known amongst the traveling crowd as “sticks and bricks homelessness”, abbreviated to “s&b homeless” when talking to other RVers. … Continue reading
Reunion
As if imminent retirement wasn’t a sufficient reminder of my advancing age, I also have my 45th(!) high school reunion this weekend. It wasn’t all that long ago that I was a freshly-minted grad and the thought of the first reunion, five years down the road, seemed very remote. Oh, how time flies! This year … Continue reading
No looking back
I gave my notice yesterday. Four weeks until I am unemployed and income-less. Scary. And exhilarating. As luck would have it, one of my few teammates (there are only 4 of them) gave notice last week – something that I learned just minutes before giving my notice. That added a little extra drama to the … Continue reading
The battery backup lesson
It has rained every day for the last three weekends that we have spent in NH. This is unfortunate, of course, as we have tried to show off our new traveling home to friends and relatives each of those weekends. And I am still waiting for sun so that I can take a nice photo … Continue reading
You never forget how to ride a bike
But you might have to learn how to fold one. Yeah, I bought a folding bicycle. I decided that I needed something other than my behemoth GMC 3500 diesel dually to take to the corner store to get a quart of milk. And when we are in Venice Beach I will be able to keep … Continue reading
Scary close
It is August 1st and it is beginning to dawn on me that in just over six weeks I will be unemployed and homeless for the first time ever. The prospect is scary. I am discarding the employment security that I have known since high school and will trade in my sensible job for a … Continue reading
The farewell tour
Time is getting so short – just 8 weeks now – that we have started lining up our “farewell tour,” the series of goodbye parties with close friends and relatives. My sister-in-law has taken care of the family part of the tour (or at least Jett’s family) by arranging a combo birthday/goodbye event for Saturday, … Continue reading