A Retirement Blog by Caree Risover

  Sometimes, amongst all the noise and busyness, we just need a moment. Five minutes to breathe, put our anxieties to one side and appreciate the gift of an instant in time. There are occasions when something catches our eye and actually forces us to take that moment.  In my case a cactus that flowers in May every year invariably has such an effect. I believe it’s a Rebutia originating from the Andes, although this specimen has been living very happily in my utility room for twenty five years. With the aid of thick gardening gloves, it has been repotted only three times and appears to thrive on neglect. I received it as a gift and, winding back the clock to quarter of a century ago, would never then have envisaged that this small, prickly succulent would bear flowers, let alone still be on my window ledge in retirement. It can be the little things in life that make a difference.

  I would truly find it very hard to properly explain my absence for so long from this blog. Indeed I can do no better than to attribute it to yo-yoing where: we have travelled to and from family in London. I have traipsed in and out of the garden striving to get everything sown and planted between an assortment of weather conditions and temperatures. I have been constantly to and fro to my mother who is of increasing concern to us all. I have tried not to neglect my exercise routines and coffee socials, so it's been backwards and forwards to the gym.  My positivity suffers and my muscles ache. It's the hardest period of retirement so far. Can you believe too that Little Sister has just had her first birthday? It enabled an excuse for squeezing in another trip to London. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if they lived locally but then it would just be another place to yo-yo to daily. I take my hat off to those in retirement who find themselves caring for parents ...