Now that I’m officially retired, is this the time to buy that rowboat I’ve always wanted? When I was a teenager, I used to spend quality alone time rowing in the protective harbor of Rockport, Massachusetts. I also took my friend’s rowboat out in the marshes along the ocean in Beverly Farms. More recently I had the chance to row with my friend Laurie who has a house on an island in upstate New York where we rowed together on the Lawrence River.

About a year ago I went to the Alameda Flea Market with my daughter Jo to see what we could find among the assortment of clothing, furnishings and memorabilia from different countries and eras. I found an indigo blanket from Mali which had a 50 year anniversary message which resonated, having been together with my husband for almost that long.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about retirement, although I was excited about the possibilities. Now here it is and I’m not sure how I feel. I closed my store 12 Small Things in Bernal Heights at the end of 2024 and finished my work as a wholesale rep for Keena Co (now the Harper Group) at the end of last year.