New adventures in retirement

but I don’t know too many men who have a similar group. Women have jewelry parties, Tupperware parties and girls’ night out occasionally but men, not so much.

It was tempting for Phil to get into the rut of watching daytime TV all day long or for whatever breaking news was coming down the pike but I later heard that Phil’s wife, Kathy, gave him a proverbial nudge off his perch on the couch and suggested that he join some groups. “Get outside in the fresh air,” Kathy said. “Meet new people. Join a welcoming committee. I don’t know, take up pickleball and look into all the possibilities that are out there.”

Adding that Phil could invite some other men who had recently retired to go out to lunch, Phil smiled and said fine. That was a great idea. He wasn’t sure if they would all agree to go but he figured it was worth a try. A restaurant close by was a favorite of Phil’s and that’s the one he mentioned.

“And after that,” Kathy said, “you can always suggest going bowling or playing some bocci ball.”

Noting that Kathy was right, Phil agreed that he should stay active as a retiree not just because he was a young retiree but because it was the right thing to do. It would be beneficial in so many ways.

Phil and three other men went to a seafood place for lunch one sunny day and the guys talked so much they didn’t realize that four hours had gone by. “When you’re retired the time can pass and it’s fine,” Phil told me later. “There’s a new freedom with retirement - no one has to watch the clock.”

He had a good time hanging out with the guys and later got invited to join a weekly poker group. That’s right up Phil’s alley. They focus on the card game in front of them but also spend time chatting about whatever is on their minds. A recent wedding. A daughter’s engagement. A son’s new job in the city. Occasionally someone becomes a grandfather and naturally he lights up when talking about the newest family member, that precious bundle of joy.

Phil and Kathy’s village had a Taste of the Town event recently and Kathy said afterwards that Phil was like a kid in a candy shop as he walked along Main Street going from the pizzeria to the ice cream shop to the bakery, etc., sampling the food, smoothies and desserts. The event always draws a crowd.

Each shop had a fresh sample ready to give to the customers participating in a Taste of the Town - a small slice of pizza, a Dixie cup filled with a healthy smoothie, a mini-Danish at the bakery and the large restaurant in the village proudly gave out samples of firecracker shrimp (read that: spicy shrimp) plus small cups of the soup of the day. It was a culinary delight to behold, Phil mentioned later, and he was in his glory because he liked being a taste tester and has a healthy appetite, too.

At the next poker game Phil told the others - Kevin, Sam and Brett - about the Taste of the Town. They’d wanted to go but had other commitments. “You know what would be a lot of fun?” Kevin asked.

“What’s that?” Phil replied.

“I’ve got this boat docked at the marina and we could take it out for a spin,” Kevin said. “Who’s game?”

Phil, Sam and Brett cheered and Kevin explained where it was. “Go to the docks in Freeport and look for the ‘Carpe Diem,’” Kevin said. “That’s my boat.” Agreeing to meet the following Wednesday, the four poker players called it a night and looked forward to their outing on Kevin’s 32-foot twin-engine motorboat.

Once home, Phil couldn’t wait to tell Kathy about his invitation, noting it was for retired guys only, and Kathy said the weather forecast looked good for Wednesday. She was pleased that Phil was staying busy and when she asked about the name of the boat she laughed long and hard when Phil said the “Carpe Diem.”

“Appropriate,” Kathy said. “That’s very appropriate. I hope you guys ‘seize the day’ and catch a lot of fish.”