This morning we had our first discussion about just what exactly I plan to do once I no longer head up the publishing company I've been running since 1991. And more importantly, just what exactly we are going to do when the paychecks stop.
So far the options are interesting. I can do the cleaning and we can save the money from our cleaning lady. I can do the lawn mowing and save the money from our gardener. It's a great leap to go from senior management to the maintenance department. But in a sense, I've already been preparing.
For the past couple of years, I have been responsible for kitchen maintenance. While Linda is a masterchef and grows more creative with every episode she watches on the cooking channel, I am becoming very territorial about the room in which she works.
I clean it, therefore I own it.
It may seem like a fairly normal division of labor, but it's not. I started cleaning the kitchen because apparently I was the only member of the family who could figure out how to open the dishwasher. When the boys were with us, they - and Linda - all seemed uniquely unable to traverse that tricky last foot-and-a-half between counter and dishwasher. Being a puzzle addict, I solved it fairly quickly and began loading everyone's dishes.
That, of course, meant that I also unloaded everyone's dishes. Well, no one needs to hear the history of how I became the mastercleaner of the kitchen. But one thing led to another and today I am contemplating extending the franchise and spending the last quarter of my life as the mastercleaner of the house and mastermower of the lawn.
This may have its limits. I am already keenly aware that it's fairly easy for the cook to hear what a wonderful meal they have served, but no one ever tells you how clean their plates are.
That's OK, though. I have plans. These things can be leveraged. More tomorrow.
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