Royal Blush

Los Angeles, California

I don't know whether I'm appalled or perplexed by my friends who continue to work past a reasonable retirement age. I mean, what is a reasonable age at which to stop working? If you like to work, or if you're a guy, you should keep working. The reason I singled out guys is because I've seen men flounder after retirement. On the other hand, so did my mother. But then she had only joined the workforce after her kids had launched. After she retired she seemingly couldn't cope with being once again faced with housework as her mission. So, my dad took her traveling. And traveling. And traveling some more.

Post pandemic, I have even less desire to travel than before. The daunting gauntlet of the 'travel' part of travel is less and less appealing to me. Just the thought of a long flight is aversion therapy. On the other hand, I have spent decades striving to get to the place where I now am. I'm done with business, work, rental properties. I've turned over investments to a good planner. I am following the KISS system (Keep It Simple Stupid). I've landed where I want and need to be, and now I want to enjoy it with Joel, with my friends, and by myself when that feels right.

Do I have a Post Pandemic Bucket List? Not really. Since I started dancing salsa back almost twenty years ago, I have wanted to see Marc Anthony in concert. And, guess what? We saw him last week in Las Vegas. It was a fabulous experience, listening to him sing while we danced in the aisles of the stadium. A lot of people were dancing, and the energy was palpable.

I've never played blackjack at a table in a casino, but we did play electronically and Joel won enough to go home with all of his money plus a bit more. We watched the first game of the World Series at an Irish pub at New York, New York and were thrilled to see the Phillies stage a stellar, extra-inning comeback win. It was a very fun trip. Travel-wise, I am clearly happy to set the bar very low. I enjoy my home, my writing and dancing.

But still, one's reach should exceed its grasp and I am a believer in living in all the rooms in ones house. And additionally believe that stretching outside of our comfort zone can be a good thing. Recently, Joel asked me if I had ever skinny-dipped with anyone besides my two serial significant others at my own home. Yes. In my thirties I traveled to Puerto Vallarta with my husband and three other couples. And one night after a great deal of piña coladas (which I barely believe I ever drank) and wine with dinner, someone suggested we get naked and get into the pool. It was a pretty mild exercise, all of us being married and none of us really venturing out into the center of the pool, if memory serves.

But, as Joel and my conversation continued over a bottle of rosé, hanging out in  my kitchen while we were listening to a salsa playlist, I realized that there was a similarly innocent item on my list; a virtual box which I hadn't checked. I got a deck of cards out of a kitchen drawer. How are your poker skills?

As we were discussing our play, Joel pointed out that I was wearing one more item of clothing than he was. Well, you'll just have to play better poker, I replied. I had him out of his shoes and down to his underwear while I was still fully dressed. I was drawing two pair, a straight, and even two full houses. Eventually he rallied with three-of-a-kind and a pair that beat mine. And I folded a couple of times. Ok, so maybe this is a box-check cheat. After all, it was only the two of us. But I still checked the imaginary box on the imaginary list. And besides, after the Mexican skinny-dipping, I decided that my body was not for the general public, but rather for a select few. These days it is less than that.

The best part was how impressed Joel was by my poker skills (which he called my luck), and the exercise made us look forward to the Vegas trip even more. And while it was fun to win a bit of money last week, it was not quite so rewarding as taking Joel's clothes away from him, shoe by shoe, shirt by shorts. That was what I really call a Jackpot!