My Retirement - Pam Kirk

Last spring my company asked for volunteers willing to take a severance package and we would be notified in 30 days.  I had actually planned to work another 18 months, but immediately signed the paper.  Of course, I then decided I needed to talk to my CPA and financial planner to make sure I really could financially do this.  Finding that it was a resounding “Yes”, I was ready to go.  I packed up personal things from my cubicle, cleaned out files, and began to prepare a “process” booklet on how to handle my responsibilities.   Much to my great disappointment, I was not offered one of the few packages handed out.   My job and position was not one of those that could be eliminated.    After a few weeks, and realizing my heart really wasn’t in my job anymore - the goal and focus surely had shifted - I committed to officially retire the end of the year. I had days when I wanted to make it sooner, but decided to stay long enough to get some upgrades done on my house while I was still had a nice income.  However, I began counting down the months, then weeks, until I got down to 60 days, then the count was remaining days to work.  My poor work partner had to endure having people ask me how many more weeks or days I had left, and with glee in my voice and a smile on my face I would give them the answer!  I was READY!  My son was concerned about what I would do to occupy my time after I got my gardens in order.  I told him I had more rugs to hook than I would be able to manage.  Not to mention the other Green Mountain Hooked Rug Board Members kept finding more Green Mountain activities for me to take on.  Boredom was not going to be in my vocabulary.   As the days crept or zoomed closer, I couldn’t wait for THE DAY (12/5) to get here.  Then for me a strange thing happened about 8 days before Dec 5th.  I found I had moments of deep sorrow roller coaster riding between moments of utter delight at the thought of being on permanent paid holiday.  As I ponder on this phenomenon, I realized I had worked in the corporate world for almost 30 years solely focused on getting ahead, earning more money and setting myself up so I could eventually retire.  But the reality of retiring was always a several years away in my mind.  When I turned 61, I said I would retire in 5 years.  At 64, I found I was still saying I would retire in 5 years.  At 67, I decided I couldn’t keep telling myself it was 5 years away.  I needed to make a commitment.  I set the date for being 70 and a half - October 2015 or maybe I would push it out to 71 in April of 2016.  My “spontaneous" decision to leave a year earlier still was not real until the last week I worked.  I cleared out the very last things from my cubicle.  I tried to finish up projects or get them to places where my work partner could pick them up and keep up with them until my replacement was hired sometime after the first of the year.  Emotionally I struggled.  I had no goal anymore; I didn’t have a focus; nothing to keep me going.  What was happening to me?  I am sure any of you who have retired have gone through all these emotions and thoughts.  It was a very wise co-worker who told me as I headed out of the office for the last time, “Enjoy your time off.  This is what you worked all those years for.”  The light bulb went on inside my head - “Yes.  Exactly - the 30 year goal has been reached.”  Now I can play with patterns and wool and dyes whenever I want and for as long as I want!

Hookers never say impossible...

Several weeks ago I found out that my grandson and his parents were definitely coming for Christmas. They live in Maine, about a 3-1/2 hour drive away so I don’t get to see my oldest daughter, Cecely, and her family as often as I’d like. Of course I was over-the-moon with excitement, and happily started making plans about sleeping arrangements, food, and other details involved with the family coming home. Several nights later, though, I woke with one of those ‘OMG!’ moments.  I didn’t have a stocking for my grandson, Emrys, who is 2 1/2! The next morning I decided that nothing less than one of my original hand-hooked stockings would do. I got right to work and the design developed easily, as Emrys is crazy about trains. I knew I had enough time to pull off the design, the drawing, and do the hooking so that my wonderful employee, Evelyn, (who is a terrific seamstress) could whip the hooked piece into a finished stocking. That was last Friday, December 19th. 

 

The background of the stocking is dark green which doesn't show very well in this photo, but isn't the plaid back just great!

Coincidentally, my middle daughter, Lindsay, was visiting that day and she greatly approved of my hooked stocking for Emrys, but she reminded me that I still hadn’t finished the stocking for my youngest daughter, Mariah, which I started about 3 years ago.  ...Another ‘OMG!’ moment. I wasn’t sure I could even find the pattern I’d started, but never say never to a mother... and a hooker. Miraculously I did find it tucked in among my ‘stash’ of wool in a box that hadn’t been opened in ...3 years. I hadn’t hooked much of it and I had used some of the design in another project. I also remembered why I never finished the piece. I just couldn’t hook the deer and make them look right. Could I re-work the design? Over-come the road block of hooking the deer? ...in 5 days?!  I’m a hooker and a mother... Of course I can! It’s December 22nd. I still have 2 days to finish. Plenty of time. Right?

The rest of the story... When Mariah arrived 2 days before Christmas, I noticed she had a hooked piece in her bag. When she pulled it out, I roared with laughter! It was the hooked stocking I made for her (yes, 3 years ago), but it was a different design than what I'd started. I just forgot that I'd done one for her anyway.  Well... now what to do with the stocking I started several days ago? I think I have a stocking I can quickly finish next year when I suddenly have that 'OMG' moment days before Christmas.

Pork Pie Monday

For the past 9 years since Ted and I have been together, we’ve continued a tradition that is decades-old in the Allen Family. On Christmas Eve we invite family and friends to our home for a pork pie buffet dinner. People come during the evening as time and other commitments allow, and some bring salads or hors d'oeuvre to share. There’s wine, dessert, Christmas music, and lots of laughter to round out the festivities.

The special feature of our evening is pork pie, a French-Canadian holiday dish, also called tortière. To save on the stress of preparing pies for 30 to 35 people on Christmas eve day, Ted and I set aside the first or second Monday of December for mass pie-production, with pies to be stored in the freezer until the party. Straight out of the freezer, the pies take only an hour or so to cook in a 400 oven. 

This morning- December 8th- Ted and I rolled up our sleeves and I put on my apron for a day in the kitchen. We started with the two gluten-free, meatless pies in the morning... Yes, we make a meatless pork pie, which one family member with a sense of humor, dubbed ‘pork-ish pies’. We use a product called ‘Veggie Balls’ (vegetarian meatballs) and grind them with some mushrooms and onions, then add the traditional pork pie spices. We finished the pie filling with mashed potatoes from the pot of a dozen we’d cooked earlier in the morning. 

       

Several years ago I tried making a gluten-free pie crust, but the mess was mostly unsuccessful, so now we just buy the pre-made gluten-free pie crusts and they work fine. (Gluten Free Vegetarian)

As I was assembling the Pork-ish pies, Ted began the process of mixing and grinding the ground pork, ground beef and onions for the next eight pies. Ten pounds of meat and four large onions are usually enough filling, for eight pies. Ted sent the meat mixture through the grinder twice, then into the big pot on the stove to simmer for about two hours. That’s our time for a lunch break, and maybe even a little nap.

   

The real production line starts when the meat is cooked. I mix pie dough and roll pie crust for the next few hours.

All ready for the freezer!

It’s a lot of work, but lots of fun, too, with a little Christmas music thrown in for good measure. And of course the final dinner is worth every minute of the preparation.

My Surprise 60th Birthday Party

November 30, 2014

The last day of my birthday month... and what a month it's been! My 60th birthday, which actually fell on the 18th, is one that will go down in the history books. Friends near and far phoned or e-mailed with best wishes, and I was happy and surprised to reconnect with some who I couldn't believe even knew my birthday. Many cards arrived. My husband, who knows me so well....

chose this one.

And Flowers arrived, too...

My greatest surprise had been in the planning stages for many months. My daughters and my husband organized a party which was a total surprise until I walked through the door! How did they keep it so hush-hush?! My deepest thanks to them for all they did to celebrate my 60th birthday.

Cecely, Mariah, Me, Lindsay



                    

Ted, Me, and my sister, Elizabeth. 

Very funny, Sis...

 

What's a party without balloons?


This is my grandson, Emrys, 2 1/2.

...or CAKE!

             

My oldest daughter, Cecely, organized a memory book of photos for me.

Oh, the memories! That's me at age 6 with my cat, Henry. I was a cat-person even then.

Family and Friends... You're the best!

 

My dear friends- Jane, Jane & Evelyn

Chelsea, my step-granddaughter

I think there were 30 to 40 people...

My dad and brother, Jon

My sister, Elizabeth and her wife, Bonnnie

Greg and Suzanne Dirmaier, and me

Middle daughter, Lindsay with her boyfriend, Matt

Youngest daughter, Mariah with family friend, Hutch

My step-daughter and I chat (and eat!) Great Food thanks to the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier.

 Sue and Art Stukey, Ted's sister and brother-in-law

Ted and Suzanne

Family friends- Terry, Sage, and their daughter Lily

A Happy turn of Events in Nova Scotia

Thursday, July 31, 2014

One of the special things about being on vacation is that you often don't really know what will happen each day. You make plans, but then one small tweak will lead you down a whole new path. Such a thing happened last week while Ted and I were visiting the southern shore of Nova Scotia. We planned to visit Lunenburg, but stopped on the way to eat our sandwiches at a lovely beach. We noticed a sign that said 'Hooked Mat Display', so naturally after lunch we followed the arrows and wound up at the Maritime Museum of LeHave where a dozen rugs were exhibited and several more were on display for a raffle. The 2 young people who were interpreters for the summer at the museum were delightful. After seeing how interested we were in the rugs, they encouraged us to visit River House Rug Hooking in the next town where we would see more rugs. A short drive brought us to a rug hooking shop where there was a hook-in going on. I felt right at home. We chatted with the owner, Jane Steele, and the other hookers, while looking at the terrific rugs hanging on the walls of the shop. Several rugs caught my eye and on closer inspection, I noticed that they were hooked by Doris Eaton. I've admired Doris's work for a long time and recently ordered her book. Jane told me that Doris lives in the area and frequently hooks with them. And, coincidentally, that day was Doris's birthday which they were celebrating that evening with a pot luck dinner. 'Would I like to come?' ...Why Yes! Ted and I made a short trip to Lunenburg, did a few touristy things, picked up a fruit salad to share and headed back to River House for Doris's birthday Party. We enjoyed a lovely evening and I felt quite lucky to be there.

Doris Eaton is the 'birthday girl' 86 and still hooking.

Many friends came for the pot luck.

Jane Steele and me, Stephanie. July 31, 2014 in Petit Riviere, Nova Scotia

Monday, July 28, 2014

Ted and I are off on another wonderful adventure. This time to Nova Scotia. We started our trip last Sunday (the 27th) from Portland Maine with a fabulous dinner at Vignola, a delightful restaurant just off the waterfront, then headed to the State Pier where we boarded the overnight ferry to Yarmouth, NS. This is the best way to get to 'Novie' (as Grampie used to call NS). We watched the lights of Portland fade into the night, had a good night's sleep in our cabin, and arrived rested and ready to head for the cottage on the south shore. We didn't have Internet for the whole week and only spotty cell phone reception which seemed odd, but also a relief.

Port Joli is a very small town on the southern shore of Nova Scotia, and not necessarily a tourist destination, although for several reasons, I was eager to visit. When a rug hooking friend and recent teacher at Green Mountain Rug School, Susie Stephenson, mentioned that she had a cottage in Port Joli, my jaw dropped. Most notably, Port Joli is the entrance to the Kejimkujik Provincial Park trail which offers spectacular views of the coast,  but for me, hearing the name Port Joli (pronounced ‘jolly’) brought back many distant memories! It was a name I’d heard back in the 1970’s & 80’s from my first husband’s parents who had owned land there for many years. The land was inherited and Grampie spoke of the place in glowing terms and with a little mist in his eye. His family hailed from Lunenburg just a short way north on the coast, and I wondered if he also had family in Port Joli. He and Gramma often made a pilgrimage to their beach-front land in ‘Novie’, and although it was landlocked, they always said they’d like to built a small place. Unfortunately they never did, and after Grampie’s death, the land was sold and I never heard the name again. I have, however, always  remembered the perfectly oval, smooth granite stone that sat by the fire place in their Rockport, MA, home. Using black paint and his best penmanship, Grampie had painted on the stone the words, ‘Port Joli’.  Ted and I did a little sleuthing in the local cemetery and asked several local people if they knew anything about the Conrads, but we didn’t find the location of the land or any information about ancestors.

May 2, 2014

The weather forecaster predicted a cold, damp weekend. At the end of April, most New Englanders are depressed to hear about even one more day of poor weather, especially a weekend, but on this particular weekend, I was somewhat happy about inclement weather.  The students who registered for my rug hooking class would most likely choose to join me for the class instead of heading for their gardens. This 2-day class was sponsored by the Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, which is a close suburb of Boston.

The Eliot School was founded in 1676, and is one of the oldest, continuously running educational institutions in the US. Originally established as a grammar school in the 17th century, changes in the late 19th century opened a new path for the Eliot School, and administrators and teachers turned their focus to teaching the manual arts. This local, non-profit gem now offers classes in a variety of crafts including wood-working, painting, sewing, knitting, (rug hooking, of course) and many other crafts. When I visited the school, I observed an upholstery class and wondered how I could join!  Classes are held in the school itself, but teachers also travel to surrounding public schools to augment the art programs that have been diminished due to school-funding cuts. The Eliot School has an excellent reputation, and has established a tradition of diverse classes for the young and old; has a talented faculty; a welcoming atmosphere; and small class sizes.

           

 

I’m pleased to continue my association with the Eliot School and to support their tradition.

My class met in the historic Loring-Greenough House just down the road from the Eliot School.