Dan Antion

Busy Busy Busy

Time to wake up a few birds.

As you know, I’ve been taking a break of sorts, by posting some pictures and a minimal amount of text on Mondays this summer. That practice is going to continue, but the break-like behavior is going to expand in August. I know, it’s still July, but you know, August.

The level of activity, at work and at home, is increasing as I approach retirement. This is somewhat unexpected but only because I hadn’t really thought about it much. I am not planning a blogging break – primarily because I enjoy writing and I enjoy the prompts I participate in – but I foresee times when preparing a blog post is not going to be an option. Unfortunately, the activity that cuts into writing will also cut into reading.

So, if you don’t see a “regular” post from me, don’t worry. If I seem to be ignoring your blog, again, don’t worry, I didn’t go far. I’m still getting your emails; I just might have to delete some. Please remember – if I click the ‘Like’ button on your blog, I read it and I liked it. I may not have time to comment, or I’m using my phone and just trying to avoid a long string of typos.

The gallery has some images from walking and sitting with Maddie this past weekend. I hope your week starts off (and continues) well.

Bunny
I no longer bother to tell her I’m trying to get the shadows.
Time to wake up a few birds.
The apple tree appears to have survived the winter.
Somebody will be coming around to eat these beofr too long.
Talkin’ smack – “You bums don’t have a chance.”
“As soon as those sprinklers are off, we can get some batting practice in and start the game.”
Maddie and I are walking early thee days, to beat the heat.
The sun is gradually burning through those clouds.
It’s already muggy, and it’s not even 7:00 am.
I think they lined up the fence posts pretty well.
“Hey guys, the game is going to be starting soon.”
“You guys aren’t coming this way are you? I’m eating breakfast.”
“This place makes the best hot dogs.”
Looks like Jinx is on his way to a different game.
These doves are coming in for a landing.
We had a little rain overnight.
We were not planning to sit, but Maddie insisted.

81 comments

  3. Hi Dan – love the photos … and yes leaving and retiring must be so difficult – and the work load does double – as you hand over. Wait til you get home and start those home ‘to do things’! Cheers but enjoy your walks and the last of the summer wine or beer … and soon to have lots of time – you think! Cheers Hilary

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  5. I completely understand time constraints in trying to get to everyone’s site!
    I’ve got to admit I was surprised at how busy I’d be after I retired. How the heck did I get everything done before, plus hold down a full time job, often with OT? Weird.

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  6. My husband plans to retire the end of this year, and he seems to be extra busy as well. Never enough time in the days lately. Of course it’s hot and deathly humid so maybe it just feels that way because you don’t actually want to move.

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  9. Dan, thanks for explaining your impending absence and blogger etiquette. I appreciate knowing that a ‘like’ means you have read the post. I never offer a gratuitous like (without reading the post) and often delete emails from blogs that post multiple times per week. Even in retirement there is not enough time in the day to read and comment on every blog I subscribe to.

    I hope your transition into retirement will go smoothly. How long until the actual day? Have you made immediate plans or just letting things unfold? With all your hobbies, you won’t notice you’re not working!

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    • Thanks Suzanne. I’m about three months away, the point where things start to get crazy. I’m going to let things unfold. I’ll have fall cleanup to keep me busy, and the idea of not having to get up at the crack of dawn to snow blow the driveway is appealing.

      I often find it harder to keep up with reading on days away from work. At work, there’s always small blocks of time, before meetings, during breaks, during lunch, etc. when I can read/write/comment. On Saturdays, I sometimes come back in and find myself staring at a bottomless inbox. I’m sure I’ll figure out a nice balance.

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  11. Blog when you can, say what you want. This is supposed to be fun, not a chore! And I find it interesting that the closer you get to retirement the more busy you’ve become. Filing that away for future reference…

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  13. Retiring can be tumultuous regardless. I am such a fan of your blogs and your photos, I will always be here reading. I hope things level out for you soon. We will be taking the grandkids to the orchard this week and hopefully I will snap some pics while we are there.

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  14. Funny how winding down to retirement day always cranks up the workload. None of us are going anywhere, so take care of ‘business’ and touch base with us when you can.

    Birds talking smack!! Love it! And those two bunny photos look like beautiful paintings.
    Maddie is so thrilled with her new deck (ummm, throne!) that she doesn’t even miss her cushion. What a good girl! As always, love the shadow picture…..well, partly shadow picture! I think Maddie fancies herself as the Shadow Whisperer. Lol.

    Have a great week.
    🐾Ginger 🐾

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    • Thanks Ginger. I enjoy this too much to give it up for a while, but I’ve had days recently when I haven’t even been able to get some pictures. I know the schedule going forward (I think I do) and it looks like August will be the peak. I also have to make some progress on the wall behind Maddie’s deck. Don’t tell her, but I have to put a permanent floor down, too. I hope she likes it as much as she does scrap plywood.

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  17. pre-retirement is a good way to ease into full retirement and thus be prepared for the full shock of total and complete retirement. Fortunately I dropped my give-a-darn right on top of my marbles and neither of them has been seen since. When I get desperate I open a cool wet libation of retirement philosophy fluid and contemplate places to avoid so as not to accidentally stumble upon those two items. Retirement is already complicated enough.

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  18. I love those birds at the ballpark and their smack talk. The warm light with the sun on the lawn looks wonderful.

    Do what you gotta do; Family and life always come first. I look forward to your regularly scheduled posts resuming!

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    • Thanks Deborah. Im not sure I’m going to miss many, but it’s been so long since I missed one, I thought I’d mention it.

      I love having the birds back. I guess the pesticides have washed away. It’s sad when they spray because there are no birds feeding.

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  19. Three months more? Wow – just think, you’ll be checking the weather in your pajamas, watching the snow move in, and then getting another cup of coffee. :-) Maddie will be thrilled anticipating additional walks and sits, but I’m not sure your cats will consider your presence a positive if their schedules are interrupted. :-) Love the talking smack photo.

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    • I’m looking forward to that snow scene, Judy. For 42 years, I’ve been watching it snow and figuring out how I’m going to clear it in time to get to work. It’s going to be so nice not to have to worry about that.

      Maddie will be happy. MuMu will add more brushing sessions to my schedule. MiMi will not be happy.

      Thanks!

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  21. Dan, schedules do change, understandably your’s will preparing for & in retirement. Always look forward to any post, especially photos that tell a thousand words. So, keep them coming when you can. Happy week! 📚🎶 Christine

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  22. The first few years after retiring can be a difficult transition as you figure out the money thing – at least for me. I was so uncomfortable that I lasted two months before accepting a consulting gig!!! I don’t like to read blogs on my iPhone and try to leave a comment – it never works out well. Love those little bunnies (now that I don’t have a vegetable garden.

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  26. Dan, I doubt that you didn’t plan — they just didn’t believe you’d really retire. Now they’re in a panic. I hope you’ll try not to let it matter.
    Terrific gallery today. I got a kick out of that bird with a very big bite of whatever. Loved the bunnies. It was good to see Jinx here. Our new collaboration will have a bird flying around. Although it’s not one that you could photograph… (winks)
    Huge thanks for reblogging the opening episode of The Delta Pearl. Hugs on the wing!

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    • Thanks Teagan. I think it’s starting to settle in that I am going to retire in the clearly foreseeable future. There’s just a lot of things that kick in at this point in the process, and we are approaching our cyclical busy period. Last chance to see how some things are done.

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  27. No worries, Dan. I can see myself in the same boat next year. Working and home life, let alone retirement, can eat up a writer’s time. I have yet to figure out how to do better with blogging without cutting into everything else. More hours in a day? An extra weekend day? Give up reading, biking, shopping, cooking, yoga, church, friends? How about a temporal time warp? 😏

    Anyhow, I’ll be waiting for your posts, whenever they show up.

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    • Thanks Mary. I hope to be able to keep at it, but I don’t want to cut back on the quality, just to get something posted. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work. I haven’t found a good way of adding hours to the day. If I figure that out, I’ll let you know.

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  29. Thanks, Dan. I am feeling the same way, and with visits to family, I can’t read and comment on blogs as much as I would like. So here’s to summer and busy times. I will be here for you. All your followers will. 🙂

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    • Maddie is not a social pup. We prefer peace and quiet. The problem with the heat has been that other people are walking earlier, so Maddie and I have had to walk even earlier (around 6:30 am) to avoid them.

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  31. Sometimes the effort of having a blog gets so tedious I actually contemplate giving up the route. Summer seems to bring on this feeling more than winter, even though I stay inside quite often no matter what the weather is. And having a laptop ensures that there isn’t make much difference anyway. The one thing that brings me back to the blog is always the same. I like the people I follow read their posts, and I want them to read what I have to say too.

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