It’s 7.30 a.m. on a Monday morning and I am still in bed. So what! Well after forty years of owning a flower shop and just recently retired this is one of life’s little luxuries. After years of crack of dawn exits from the house, and brisk journeys to flower markets in every kind of atrocious weather, its fabulous waking up to find the day is all mine.

Thoughts of retirement crept up slowly, like petals unfurling from a flower, first it’s dismissed quickly as nonsense, far too young for that sort of thing. Gradually the feeling develops and blooms, until full blown, the decision is simple then; this is not the place you want to be anymore.

‘But what are you going to do with yourself?’ they asked curiously.

‘You’ll be bored to death’ said one lady.

The local undertaker who I had dealt with for many years uttered darkly, ‘You must keep busy.’ Did he have some inside information from upstairs I wondered?

Even my husband thought I would be miserable, ‘I expect it will feel like a divorce.’ How the hell would he know about divorcee, we have been married for forty six years, with hardly a cross word?

‘You’ll be back,’ shouted one customer across the busy road as I put out the front display at 8.00 a.m. one morning.

Uh! Not on your Nellie. What is it about retirement that is so awful? Does everyone stagnate and sit waiting for an early demise? Perhaps overnight wrinkles will form; I’ll start wearing a vest or instantly lose my marbles. For God sake, I am retiring not expiring.

Well despite the gloomy predictions I finally made retirement and I can tell anyone else who is contemplating it, do it now.

My life has gone from chilblains on toes and fingers, thermal long johns and wearing three woolly sweaters to “What shall I wear today.” Killer heels may be for the reunion lunch, shorts for al little light pruning in the garden or my new military style investment coat for shopping.

I have discovered a whole new world that does not revolve around customers, bless their hearts. I have shared their joys and sadness, took their grief to heart, laughed with them, experiencing all life’s emotions together.  It’s been great, but now I am free.

The days are packed with little treats; although I still find it decadent to go to the cinema in the afternoon. Reading a book for pleasure at midday is rather naughty and I will definitely not succumb to daytime telly, well not yet.  I have time to hold a conversation about a trivial matter and enjoy it, rather than rush around like a lunatic trying to avoid speaking to people because it’s time wasting.

In an effort to keep healthy the gym beckons three times a week, I’ve been on a journalists programme, began an Open University course, started blogging and set up a new web site, I travel around the country judging floristry competitions, do a spot of teaching now and then I wonder how I found time to run a flower shop. Life is rich and full.

The one thing I don’t like about retirement is that people perceive you in a dismissive light, as though obsolete, I probably used to do it myself.  I don’t care though because for anyone contemplating retirement, life is just beginning, another adventure to be lived to the full.

Bring it on,’ because according to statistics, there are now more of us oldies than youngsters. Oldies rule the world.

P.S.

I actually wrote this article several months ago for a magazine and now nearly a year has passed and I have just re read it to make sure I feel the same and the answer is YES I DO love my new life.