Flexibilty is Key
Enjoy the journey
In my interview with Winnie one piece of advice she gave was “Don’t let the destination get in the way of enjoying the journey”, pretty sound advice in my book. She and her husband John have embraced thiss philosophy to the fullest. Their plan to sell their single family home with a large yard and all the expense and maintenance that goes along with that got derailed when John realized it was best for him to get the knee surgery he had been putting off. They rented an apartment that allowed John to recover in a location with no stairs and easy access to a fitness center and pool for rehab. Then they fell in love with the easy and location of apartment living.
Their plan continues to evolve. Even after John’s surgery and recovery they decided to stay put. John realized he wasn’t really ready to retire. He enjoys his job and the people he works with. They found a new tenant for their condo in California and settled in for the winter. John and Winnie planned on heading west in the spring or early summer and then Covid hit, none of us planned for that. They have been able to extend their tenant’s lease in California and continue to rent in Bethesda. With the extra time and the changes in routine brought on by the pandemic they have taken this time to find local restaurants where they pick up take out and find fun new places to picnic. Winnie said “There are some many great restaurants in our area. We pick a new place each week and then find a new park to explore and enjoy our meal. We wonder why we didn’t do this before. The small change in location was just the push we needed”. They are enjoying the ability to walk in the woods close by with their dog Henry and then stop at their new favorite ice cream shop and enjoy an afternoon treat.
Even though their new place is considerably smaller they have gotten into a routine of both working from home. It has taken some planning and compromising but they have found ways to make it all work. “This complete upheaval has opened our daily lives to all kinds of new things. John even brings me coffee bed many mornings.”
This journey has taken many twists and turns for Winnie and John, and it isn’t over yet. They expect to ride out the pandemic here, and then with a new sense of adventure, grasp whatever comes their way next.