Stress Free Retirement

There is a myth that retirement is stress free.  I know because both Emily and Laura have been spending a lot of time with Mike and I lately and have commented about how stressful they find our lives.  And they seemed surprised.

To give you an example,  Emily, Mike and I are currently in Chicago watching the Cubs play the Diamondbacks.  We are having a delightful time.  We are staying at a friends' condo just blocks from the stadium.  What luxury!  Then we witnessed the first game of the series last night where the Cubs won 16 to 4.  Definitely a fun game to watch.  (Except Mike would have preferred if the Diamondbacks had not gotten any runs.)  In the meantime, Laura is at the pond handling all of our responsibilities.  So far this morning I think we have heard from her four times.

Laura says that it took over an hour to water the landscaping and she is certain the chickens are deliberately hiding their eggs.  Laura then went over to the grandparents to drop Mabel off.  Mabel was a bit uncooperative about getting in the truck but then would not leave Laura alone over at Grandpa's.  Turned out I had forget to specify on Laura's two page instruction list that when she gives Emily the dog her morning pill, she also needs to give Mabel a piece of cheese.  Fortunately Grandpa knew about this routine and saved the day.  

Next Laura drove back across the street to our house only to realize she had forgotten to give Mabel her morning pill (in the excitement of trying to get Mabel's morning eye drops in her eyes which is another story) and had to drive back across the street.  The last I heard from Laura she was raiding the freezer so she could make Grandma and Grandpa dinner.  

Mike has suggested to Emily and I that we should go home before the series with the Diamondbacks ends.  He says that no way can the  other two games ever compare with the great one we saw last night.  Neither Emily or I think this is a good idea but I bet if we mentioned it to Laura she would vote for us to return home as soon as possible.  As she texted Mike, "Your job is stressful."