getting away

 It was nice to " get away " for a few days. I'm not sure what I am getting away from seeing as I am retired and not exactly committed to being in any one place at any one time, but I got away. It is more like a change of scenery than anything else. I went to my sons house and so the family, the characters in the play, were all the same. Something tells me getting away should be with strangers, like hiding out or something. I can't call it a mini-vacation , what would I be taking a vacation from ? Well, I'm sticking with , I got away. It was a pleasant time without any stress, like I have any stress in my life. I did worry about losing the cell phone signal driving through the mountains. Now that's stress ! Seriously though maybe that is why " old people " stress about such mundane things as a doctors appointment. I know, I am " old people " and make a conscious effort not to stress about such things. I am made aware of that tendency whenever I talk to my mother. Mom is 88 and stresses about everything. She needs to go to the store and plans for it like an expedition to Everest ! She can't " get away " because the getting would be too stressful.  Of course I often listen to her complain about not seeing anyone but when someone comes to visit she stresses out about that ! Well, old people problems is what I chalk that stuff up to. I've decided I will not stress out about these old people things. Yes, I will get older, sometimes I stress about that, thinking I might not get older, but I'm not going to think about that. I don't know, the older I get the more I'm thinking this being retired is just too stressful. I mean you have to decide what to do every day. Now I'm thinking I need to " get away " again.
 I see all those commercials about planning for retirement on television and think, I should have done that. It was just that I figured why plan for what was going to happen anyway ? Yeah I know they are talking about having enough money for retirement. Well, I'm retired and I didn't save up for it, it just happened. Should I be stressed out about that ? I guess I should because I can't afford to be on vacation every day like they are in those commercials. Those folks are busying filling their bucket lists. Hah, I fooled them all and never bought a bucket ! It's not that I wouldn't want to have a list, and work on filling it, but it isn't a priority in my life. My priority is making it to the next day. Then deciding what to do with it ? Do I have to do anything with it at all ? Waste not-want not is what I was always told. Some folks work to get the things they want, and some work to get the things they need. I've always been one to work for what I need, wants comes secondary to that. It has been my experience that as long as you get what you need, the wants will take care of themselves. I didn't plan on retiring knowing it would happen sooner or later. No need to stress about what you can't change.
 So now it is time to decorate for Christmas. This year I am anxious. In years past I have not always been so, thinking the kids are grown and all that, so why bother. But this year I have a different attitude. This year I'm Ho HO Ho . Maybe it is compensation for all the bad news I have received this past year. Some years do seem rougher than others. I can't put my finger on it, there is no one specific thing that happened, more like a string of them, that has caused this line of thought. 2017 just hasn't been a stellar year. I have to remind myself to remain grateful for all that I have received this year. I have gotten my needs filled. Yes, there are things I want, but I have what I need. And so, I will decorate for the season, giving thanks by doing so. I will celebrate and not " stress " about doing so. That would be an " old person thing ", stressing about celebrating ! Nothing like " getting away " to relieve some stress. Whew, who knew being retired was this stressful.