Love The Blog
submitted by Mary Randolph (ret 2009 speech and language)
I love the idea of the REF Blog, congratulate you on your effort and hope the site really
takes off! It’s great to hear and see what fellow retirees are doing, and their continued accomplishments are amazing!
I reluctantly retired from my Speech-Language Pathologist position in January, 2009, after twenty years of
service, feeling very fortunate to have a CTRB income that would allow me to help care for my elderly mother. The opportunity to “turn the tables” and assume the parenting role for THE BEST MOM in the world was truly a blessing. Unfortunately,
as she moved further into her nineties, Alzheimer’s disease took hold and produced major changes. After a lifetime of helping children communicate, I was suddenly faced with watching a loved one unable to retrieve words, remember names and gradually
forget even the faces of her children. It quickly became apparent, however, that many of the word games and activities I’d done with school-aged children to improve their language were now very engaging and stimulating to Mom. I naturally
wondered whether others might appreciate them as well and began writing a series of books called Joggin’ Your Noggin.
With the arrival of our first grandchild, I once again couldn’t help but be the “SLP.” Poor Jack,
hardly ever gets a break from Grandma’s “language stimulation.” We’re eagerly anticipating a second … poor dear, doesn’t know what he/she is in for!
My husband enjoys being involved in town committees
here in Easton … you might find it amusing that he was forced to retire as substitute teacher at our Helen Keller Middle School, at $85/day, in order to be appointed as an alternate to our town Board of Finance … obviously, substituting would
be a “conflict of interest!”
In addition to our babysitting/caregiver routines, Paul and I have been fortunate to travel to several countries in Europe and to many of our incredible National Parks. We still enjoy
camping, motorcycling (I’m only a passenger), kayaking, and trying to improve our bridge game. I reiterate what many of you have already said … “Life is good.”