Sweetheart and I have been retired more years than we care to count.
There are many perks to being retired--especially if you have adequately prepared for it. Of course, one of them is not having to work for a living. There will also be no bossy boss to boss you around or obnoxious customers/clients/fellow workers you have to be nice to. Sweetheart and I don't need to get dressed up to go to work. We just need to please each other. Turns out we are easily pleased. We don't need to drive to work. We don't need to go anywhere unless we want to.
However, we are thankful for the people who get up every day and go to work--and for the people who work at home on their computers in their pajamas. Our society couldn't survive without them. The day will come when they, too, will have the luxury of living a life according to their own schedules.
What I think is the best thing about being retired is being able to sleep in. Sleep is an elusive thing, however, and many of my friends tell stories of inability to sleep and of interrupted sleep. In fact, I'm one of them. But, there is usually an opportunity to get a nap. So-called experts say you can't make up for lost sleep. When I get a nap, though, it sure feels good and I'm ready to get back to work.
So, Sweetheart and I get up from bed in the morning when we feel like it. We have even talked about staying in bed all day, but hunger pangs or a full bladder usually force us out. We don't need to set an alarm clock so we can get up at a certain time--except for two mornings a year.
On the mornings of the primary and general elections we shut off the alarm clock at 5:30 a..m., drag ourselves out of bed, get dressed, pack a lunch and head to the local polling place to work on the election board. This will be our fifth year to do it.
It can be a dull, boring job, depending on how many voters come in to vote. Mail-in voting has made an impact on the flow of traffic. Trouble is, when business is slow, all we want to do is eat. And, as much as we would like to have a day just to sit around and relax, the job is not relaxing. In fact, it is very tiring.
When the polls close at 8:00 p.m., we need to run the totals, gather up all of the papers, put everything in the proper containers and take them to the courthouse. Then we drag ourselves back home and flop into bed. It's a long, grueling day, but we can sleep in the next day.
I hope all registered voters will take a few minutes out of their day to make their opinions known at the ballot box. Whether you think your vote counts, whether you think the election is rigged, you are only responsible to do what it is your right and obligation to do.
Don't make us poll workers sit there all day eating junk food.
Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or send a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com