During school years (both ours and our children's) the weekend was a big deal. Whether it was just Saturday morning cartoons, or playing at the river with friends, those two days at the "end" of the week couldn't get here fast enough.
When you start working you love having your own money, making new friends, honing your skills, but still Monday is the dreaded beginning to another countdown. Even if your weekend isn't Saturday and Sunday, those days off are a big deal.
With the exception of a few jobs in college, I was fortunate to have "regular" weekends off. In those jobs that put me in contact with the public, every Friday was full of "Have a nice weekend." At the end of the day co-workers all shared the same sentiment on their way to all those plans that had taken another dragging five days to arrive.
Looking back I think of how much time I wished away. How few Mondays (non-three-day-weekend-holiday-Mondays) were enjoyed. How many days slipped past while only looking forward to days yet to come. I don't think I'm different than most people. At least most of us had a weekend, unlike many generations before us.
Now that we are both retired the weekend is so different! Partly because we don't know when it is, and mostly because they are no longer the best days of the week.
With the exception of planning things with our kids who all work or (1) are in school, the weekend no longer holds the allure of our working years. In fact the opposite is true.
Living in an apartment complex of families, college students and working couples, the weekdays are pretty much all ours. No trolling the parking lot for a space. No constant running of little feet overhead. No joggers passing by our windows all day long. No other dogs "sharing" the green space.
Weekends? The opposite. By a lot!
And just going to the grocery store at 10 AM on a Tuesday is like entering an alternate universe - one with fully stocked shelves and no other carts to navigate. No waiting at the meat counter, the deli or at check out. Your life is rarely at risk crossing the parking lot.
It's the same with getting other errands done as well. Not only are there less people, there are less people in a hurry. There are more moms with babies and toddlers, but give me a screaming child over a bunch of teenagers and adults impatiently rushing through their day (and mine) any time! I've been both - I know what they're capable of :-)
Restaurants and movie theatres, parks and walking paths, beaches and lakes - more entertaining, more relaxing, more enjoyable when not visited on the weekend.
Right now we can stay home on weekends and avoid the crowds, but when we are on the road the crowds will come to us.
I've avoided Friday arrivals and Sunday departures, and included a couple weekdays around each weekend for the few reservations I made on our first route. We're prepared to be good neighbors when the parks are crowded, hoping to be entertained rather than annoyed by the antics of others. After all, we get to do every day what others have to pack into their weekend.
It's a big lifestyle change, one I didn't give much thought to before. I still wish most people a nice weekend, because they're still looking forward to them! But what about other retirees? They likely don't know when the weekend is.
And if they do, they're probably looking forward to it being over.......
Have a nice every day!
Like you, we hardly notice. Sometimes I am suprised by crowds in the grocery and then realize it is a Saturday. We don't avoid arriving or departing on a weekend, we just continue to do our own thing. This summer we are taking on our first big park, Yellowstone, during peak times. But we have a month near there, so if traffic gets to us we can pull back and relax for a few days. One of te joys of retierment is you don't have to try to squeeze everything into a few days of vacation. Nor do you have to entertain the kids.
ReplyDeleteHolidays are even worse - go to places to find them closed, then realize it's Memorial Day :-) As you say, being able to relax while the craziness passes is great!
DeleteOn the weekends we avoid stores such as Costco--like you said, way too many impatient people! One of our rules we try to keep is to not be in a public park on weekends or holidays. At least in a private park there is someone who usually enforces the rules, public parks not so much. We experienced "weekenders" in our recent boondocking experience near Bluff, Utah--seems our little weekday private spot became really, really busy on the weekends. Lots of dusty traffic going by, shooting, nearby, generators--but we survived!
ReplyDeleteDidn't think of the public vs private factor for campgrounds, will definitely consider that when planning :-) Funny how the middle of nowhere becomes a metropolis in just a day - glad you survived the "visit"!!
DeleteJohn says that we aren't allowed out on the weekends:) It is nice to arrive at parks as the weekenders are leaving. Shopping during the week is so much more enjoyable. You are right about forgetting when the weekend is!
ReplyDeleteAnd we know he is a very smart man! I'm looking forward to setting up and taking down, dumping and all that fun stuff when everyone else is gone as well :-))
DeleteRon and I like to occasionally 'play hookie' from work and go the movies around 5 on a weekday evening. It is so much calmer. On our last visit we were one of 5 people watching a matinee showing :-)
ReplyDeleteCostco is definitely out of the question on a weekend, but I do my weekly grocery shopping on Sundays. I wish we could be hermits on the weekend... Eventually!!
We rarely get to the movies but are planning on taking in one next week, in the middle of the day - can't wait! It looks like Black Friday most weekends at our Target parking lot - so glad I don't have to go in the store with all those people! Sooner rather than later :-)))))
DeleteWritten like a true retiree! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe're doing all state parks through Colorado and that's liable to get crazy on the weekends as the month progresses, especially over Memorial weekend...fortunately we booked early and got good perimeter sites so our sitting area should face out away from the madness. Fingers crossed!
Often we try to be in private parks (and definitely not KOA's) over holidays, they usually have an older crowd...
I found a county park in ID for the 4th, near a state park so we'll see what we get! I keep thinking we can handle two nights of just about anything - again, we shall see :-))))
DeleteDefinitely embracing the retiree life!!
We have a hard time figuring out what day it is, and like you, the weekend days are no longer our favorite. I can't wait for you guys to hit the road!
ReplyDeleteUs too! Just 30, no 32, no 26! days left :-)))))
DeleteWe've learned not to go some places on specific days. The problem is we many times forget what day it is. We certainly stay away from tourist attractions on holidays and weekends. We also know holidays may bring difficulty finding an RV park with an open site unless we book way in advance. We hate to do that too because our plans change so often.
ReplyDeleteWe'll probably have to leave a note on the coffee pot if we have to know what day it is :-)
DeleteI messed up on the holiday/weekend thing all winter, even with a calender. My preference is to work weekends during summer when it's busy with the extra weekend crowds then go places during my week days weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds perfect to me! How fun to be looking forward to Monday for a change :-)
DeleteNow, for us, it is not longer TGIF but TGIM!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that we forget what day it is and where we are, when not turtling our way. Love, love this lifestyle!
It is great indeed! Never been so happy to be forgetful :-)))
DeleteGreat blog post. A little look into the retired life for those of us who are not.
ReplyDeleteOne of our options under consideration is moving to an apartment or living in the fifth wheel for a few months or so if we decide to sell the house early. We are leaning toward buying the rig a year before departure anyway.
I'm also wondering if it would be best to just wait for retirement to sell the house when there will be more time to get minor repairs done and start serious downsizing?
Timing was probably the biggest issue for us. We needed to buy the rig before Bill retired and we needed to sell the house before we bought the rig. It turned out that selling the house early and moving to the apartment allowed us to do everything we needed in a reasonable time frame. Also getting the rig 6 months early gave us the chance to take a couple shakedown runs before launching. With less than a month I'm so glad we can just go!
DeleteOh my Oh my, how so very true! I remember when I first realized life really didn't have any more summer vacations. LOL, that was a dreadful conclusion. And now as I head back to Fl. I have to cope with the very idea of going into savings mode and the dreaded weekend routine. But, you will be on the road then and I can travel with you! :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, with Richie graduating high school, the no more summer vacation reality just hit - oh his face! You have such a sweet spot for that routine though :-) Looking forward to having you along for the ride!!
DeleteAbsolutely true, Jodee! Since we've been full-timing we've found the best days are the weekdays. And non-holidays. For that matter, it's always better when it's not summer vacation, too! We've been in Point Reyes the past few days, and had the campground almost to ourselves until Friday night, when every space filled up. Today (Sunday) the place cleared out again. I know it's kind of selfish to think this way, but YAYYYYY!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePoint Reyes is one of my favorite places - used to horse camp and ride to the beach, or spend hours walking Drake's Beach. Best Rueben I've ever had was at Pt Reyes Station :-)
DeleteSomebody has to justify keeping the parks open during the week......might as well be us!!
Sounds like we are all agreeing. Weekends are when to arrive and leave campgrounds and when to do any shopping. I actually put holidays on my calendar and have it remind me that I must have some place to be or I'll get shut out. We use week-ends to clean the RV, wash the car, do laundry and other chores and just sit around and read a book. I feel sorry for the poor "week-end warriors" and try to be understanding of their need to work off that energy over the week-ends. Thank goodness for quiet hours and those blessed campground hosts who actually enforce them.
ReplyDeleteI imagine trails and points of interest must be much like the mall around here - places to avoid or to "practice" patience if it's the only time you can go :-) Living in the apartment has reminded me how much our own voices and tv carry, hopefully it will help us be better neighbors. Of course we're asleep by 9 PM so likely nobody notices :-))))))
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