We have had a hot/dry summer here in the Pacific Northwest.  With all the pine trees, it is a recipe for wildfire disaster, and we have had our share this year.  So grateful to the men and women that are willing to work out there fighting the fires.  Of course, where there is fire, there is smoke.  A lot.  To the point that you cannot enjoy being outside, which is disappointing.  Especially when we only have a few months of summer to start with.  Some days we cannot see past our front yard and the air quality is very poor.  But this post is not about wildfires, it is about the BIG BURN.

My good friend is retiring next month, and I think I will suggest she celebrate by doing the “big burn.”  It is a retirement tradition that Mr. U started.  Very creative and symbolic.    Mr. U was raised on a farm.  He grew up driving tractors, combines and swathers in the wheat fields.  Then he went to college and became a teacher, which eventually led to being a high school principal for 25 years.  He went from dusty overalls to dress slacks with a button up shirt and tie.  I thought he looked pretty sharp, but it was never really his choice of dress. 

A few years ago, Mr. U. retired from his principal position.  He loved his career but was ready to have more time to pursue personal interests and travel.  Months before he retired, he kept talking about the big burn he was going to have to celebrate his newfound freedom in retirement.  I let it go in one ear and out the other.  We had plenty of other retirement celebrations to attend. But after all of the retirement parties, kind words and gifts were over, it was time.  I was honored to be the only person invited to the big burn party of two. 

So, one lovely fall afternoon, Mr. U. informed me it was the perfect day for the big burn.  He went out to a large clearing where we have slash fires and started a big ole fire.   He set up two camp chairs and pulled out a flask of Jager. (The flask had a leather case with his initials on it, kindly made for him by the custodian at the high school.  A beloved gift from a gentle man and great friend, who has since passed.)  We sat in the chairs, sipping Yager (him) and wine for me (I hate Yager- yuck) while we watched the afternoon shadows give way to evening.  Then he brought down several large garbage bags, filled to the brim.  Slowly, one by one, he pulled out a tie, a dress shirt, a polo shirt with the school’s name embroidered on it, a pair of slacks and threw them in the fire.  Piece by piece he burned all his dress clothes from his career that no longer fit his new retirement lifestyle.  We talked about his career.  The ups.  The downs. The challenges. The achievements.  We remembered, we laughed, and we cried as he symbolically let go of that phase of his life.  It was therapeutic.  It was tangible and real. 

I might add the disclaimer that he planned his retirement out a couple years ahead and did not buy any new dress clothes that last year.  The ones he burned were getting frayed at the edges and/or outdated and were not worth passing on to others.  He did save a few of the newer items for the rare occasion when he absolutely must dress up now. 

You can take the boy out of the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the boy.

The retired alchemist

A few years later, when it came time for me to retire, I decided to continue the tradition and have a big burn of my own.  I gave away all of the dress cloths, scrubs and white lab coats that I could, and the rest went into the big burn.  It was emotional and symbolic and raw.  We let the fire burn down to a few embers and then we walked hand in hand, back to the house and our new retirement life together.   

So, yes, I will suggest to my dear friend that she gather all of her nursing scrubs that she dutifully wore through the years.  Years of caring for others, birthing babies and walking with patients as they transitioned from this life to the next, and have a big burn.  Then, she will come join me on the retirement journey.  The journey of our lives. 

On the home front

The days are becoming shorter, and the shadows are getting longer as summer gives way to fall. So, we are sucking up every opportunity we can to enjoy the last dregs of summer. Wednesday night some family members invited us to join them on an evening concert cruise. The Kelly Hughes Band has been playing country music for over 30 years and they did not disappoint. They belted out some great country songs, while we sang along, floating over the water as the sun set behind us.

Speaking of sunsets, we found the best happy hour place in town last year and made a point to go there last week. I almost hate to write about it because I don’t want it to get so crowded that we can’t get in. But it is worth sharing. Stella’s on the Hill is the perfect spot to sip a glass of wine and watch the sunset as you listen to some music in the background and enjoy a breathtaking view of the lake and famous floating green at the golf course. Surprisingly, the prices are very reasonable too. Shhh, keep that knowledge to yourself.

Lastly…

Let me leave you with this precious picture of our new granddaughter meeting her great grandpa for the first time. If that doesn’t melt your heart, nothing will.

Have a great week and don’t forget to soak up the last dregs of summer!