Done.

My mother has retired!

The official retirement party was last night. At left are my parents, brother and Ice Cream SIL, Dave and the five granddaughters. Yes, my mother and I have the same haircut, she's 2 inches taller than me and she weighs 20 lbs less. And yes, Paris is 1 inch shorter than me. I've got issues right now.

My mother has made her career as a paralegal. She was one of the first graduates from San Francisco State's Paralegal Studies Program and thus enjoyed a long ride in a still-growing field. We're very proud of her.

I struggled with what to get her as a retirement gift. She'd love a day at the Claremont Spa but you do it and poof, it's over. Instead I took our resident fashionista, Liberty, to Lucy to select a few cute activewear outfits. Of course she needs to donate all her work clothes to Wardrobe for Opportunity. As she unwrapped them I cautioned her that it's a slippery slope between wearing yogawear and looking schlumpy. This talk was fairly irrelevant, though, as this is the woman who says to me every so often, "Honey, did you want to wear a little makeup?" I'm still not sure why I need to wear makeup on days I hang out with my immediate family and parents?

What I did not anticipate, however, was how much fun the party would be for me! The interesting people my father cowboys around with. Annie, who used to live across the street from my parents with her first husband and Terry, who lives in that house now. Renata and Mark Telefus, who have barely aged since we met 30 years ago. It was also shocking and a bit unnerving how much some of these people knew about me!

My father retired five years ago and has many hobbies and friends. My mom does, too, and we don't anticipate them having those turf issues you hear about with some retired couples. My brother and I have made it very clear that she is welcome to spend as much time with her five adoring granddaughters as she wants. Now if only we can get her to set up a Google Calendar so we can schedule that bonding time around their travels!