My husband and I came home to Newfoundland to retire, having made the decision to retire early and pursue other interests. Being only fifty years old I found it very difficult to say the word ‘RETIRE’, and avoided it at all costs. I have no idea why-just a foolish quirk!! I guess it conjured up images of much older lifestyles and just plain made me feel redundant and much older than my fifty years.

We acquired a boat the second year we were back in Newfoundland and we spent a lot of time boating and exploring, fishing and having beach picnics or ‘boilups’ as they are called here. I loved spending time boating, and spent an extraordinary length of time preparing food and goods, and waiting at the wharf for my husband to bring the boat in off her collar, or buoy.

One day I was enjoying the summer sun, the lady was selling strawberries from her truck, and boats were coming and going like the Newfoundland of years ago that I love so much. Two women appeared, and started a chitchat, the Newfoundland style, saying "Some day on the bay today!" I agreed. It was wonderful. Then my husband appeared with the boat and joined in the conversation with the three of us women.

Then he turned to me and said, " Look at her ring, it’s the same school ring as yours!" Of course then we realized we were graduates of the same school of nursing. And the ‘nurse talk’ started as my children used to call it. Who was in your class, what floor did you like best, what year did you graduate etc.

The nurse I had just met looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked "But you are not working here?" I said no, I was doing other things.

"Retired are ya?" she asked laughingly, "who else was in your class that’s retired by now?"

Before I had to engage in the ‘RETIRED ARE YA?’ question that I hated so much my smart husband spoke up and yelled to her from the boat "THE ONLY OTHER ONE IN HER CLASS THAT’S RETIRED IS JOHN CABOTS’ SISTER!"

We had a great laugh, and once again proved his Newfoundland wit was alive and well!!

RETIRED ARE YA INDEED!