Retirement lessons from
- Garnet Brown:

At last year’s retirement lunch, retiree Garnet

Brown read a letter he’d written to his friend on the.

Joys of retirement. We thought it would serve as a

_. fitting primer for this year’s retirees and those who

aspire to retire before they expire.

Welcome to the world of retirement, By
now you will have become used to fielding
questions about what you are going to do with
your time. I mean really,

Did you note in these last few years at work:

_ that the ritual response to the question, “ How
are you?”, had changed from “fine” to “busy”.
One was never asked what one was busy
doing, in fact any elaboration was not
generally encouraged. However, as a retired

. person, you cannot get away with a one word:

response. Your reply is likely to be probed, “.

Busy at what?” “ Consulting where?”

“Volunteering where?”

Today I arose around 6; it is now 9 and I °
have made coffee and porridge, checked my
e-mail, tidied the kitchen, taken out the
garbage, been to a meeting in Abbotsford, done
meditation and fed the dog; Now what? I could
finish the job of extending the patio which I
begun about a month ago. At this point railway
ties lay this way and that in the back yard
blocking access to the shed, the north side of
the house and to the neighbor’s goodwill. Or I
could refinish the canoes sitting on the saw
horses by the main entrance, but hesitate to do
it —they make such a great conversation piece. |

I will leave those things and go to the
library to return some books and then do a little
shopping. Perhaps later I will ride my bike on
the trail alongside the river. Both sides of the
trail are overgrown with waist high weeds and
poplar saplings which brush against my body
as I ridé through them, providing me with the:
illusion that I am riding at great speed. I loveit
now as I loved it when I was a child.

By the end of the day I will be tired. I will -

. have done nothing of note to influence the
great world around me nor will Ihave °
squeezed more out of it for my personal use. I
will die on some little errandor other and that’s
okay. :

Things have slowed down considerably on |
the social front. My best friends are not retired
and very much in the world of work, yet they -.
find time to call or drop in.Other than that, the |
dog and I spend our day in genial effortless .
companionship awaiting Beverly’s return at
which time there is much panting and tail
wagging. :

. Obviously since I have little to report and
no plans for the future it is difficult to write a
newsy letter. A cool breeze sifts refreshingly
through my den, CBC provides a pleasant
piano concerto, technology glows in front of
me and to my right a great fir tree stretches a

‘branch right up to my window.

Iam for the moment content.

Best Regards, Garnet

 Headlines/June 12,1997

| Grandparents’
— gazette —

Meyer

~ Congratulations to.
ECE/CYC instructor (and >
recent retiree) June Meyer
and husband Ralph on the .
birth of their first
grandchild, a boy,
Michael Tristan,
on April 21, 1997.

Bate.
Congratulations to °
Vice President Dick Bate.

and CCP instructor ~
Barbara Bate on the birth of
their first grandchild, a girl,
Jessica Louise Bate —
in Chilliwack on May 27, »
1997, weighing 6 lb, 13 oz.

ad

-husband Murray on the

We know how June will be keeping
busy in retirement! :

~ Births
. Power |
- Congratulations to —
Trades program assistant
_ Karen Power and her =

birth of their first child,
adaughter, —
Sydney Katherine
» on April 20, 1997,
“weighing 5 Ib, 13 oz.

~

Samuelson

“Congratulations to.
~ Employee Relations
assistant Sue Samuelson
and her husband Barry
on the birth of their
“first child, a son,
~ Colton Joseph
on April 30, 1997,
. weighing 7 lb, 1 oz.

~

Golf tourney draws record

One hundred employees, friends, and. -
family gathered at Aquadel for the ~.:
annual and ever-popular UCFV eel
tournament on May 3.

Kartar Thandi sends thanks to Bob
and Carol Peters, Alan Stokes, Lyle —

- Yolkowski, Barry Bompas and senior
management, the FSA, and special
thanks to Bonny Sigaty.

Here are the results:

~ Colin Bull, Jeff Bull, Sam Jimmie,

Thanks from Steve Dencer.
To all my colleagues at Chilliwack and

Abbotsford campuses:

My family and I would like to thank.

-you for your continued support during my
". illness.Your personal visits to the hospital .
" are much appreciated — a good chat with

_ Art Ross always raises my spirits!

Thank you all. —
Steve Dencer

-550.
~ Carol Abbot
Tim Lynch «-

Belinda Bums

of 100 participants

Longtime and tireless organizer

Winning team.
Gary Saunders, with a score of
‘ Ladies’ closest to the pin. _
Men’s closest to the pin:
Ladies’ longest drive

Men's longest drive —
Greg Anderson