Report: Week 19 of Retirement (or Man With Hat)

As long as I can remember, there has been the hat.  The hat that came with us on every vacation.    The hat that always has a whiff of insect repellent, sun cream and fish bait.  The hat that occasionally gets lovingly repaired.  Actually, I guess it would be more accurate to say that I remember the hat came after the kids.  Why?  Because my first real memory of the hat is Spousal Unit clapping it onto his head on the first day of a family trip, and declaring to me and the kids "Now we're on vacation."  And that catchphrase became the hallmark of every vacation since then.

Yorkshire Dales with my sister, my brother-in-law and

Man With Hat

So, does the catchphrase still have meaning now that we are on a 'permanent vacation'?  As I have pondered this, I have cast my mind back to those family trips and how I felt when Spousal Unit would utter his proclamation.  A warm glow would come over all of us in anticipation of new adventures and fun together as a family.  Adventure.  Fun.  Togetherness.  Laughter.  Later, as the kids got older, there was a shared look and smiles that communicated "There goes Padre again!"  And yet, there was comfort in this tradition that continued regardless of time and place and the number of changes that might be going on around us.

Man With Hat hiking Jewel Basin near Kalispell

Man With Hat on the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park

And so I have concluded that his droll catchphrase still has meaning for us in retirement, and maybe even more so.  Adventure.  Fun.  Togetherness.  Laughter.  Tradition.


Happy Birthday to my dear Spousal Unit.

If I Should Fall Behind

We said we'd walk together baby come what may
That come the twilight should we lose our way
If as we're walking a hand should slip free
I'll wait for you
And should I fall behind
Wait for me

We swore we'd travel darlin' side by side
We'd help each other stay in stride
But each lover's steps fall so differently
But I'll wait for you
And if I should fall behind
Wait for me

Now everyone dreams of love lasting and true
Oh, but you and I know what this world can do
So let's make our steps clear that the other may see
I'll wait for you
And if I should fall behind
Wait for me

Now there's a beautiful river in the valley ahead
There 'neath the oak's bough soon we will be wed
Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees
I'll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me

Darlin' I'll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me

Yeah, I'll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me
I'll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me

Songwriters: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

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