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My French Granddaughter

Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 41 seconds
Lilah-Rae

Joy in Retirement is Spending Time with My Granddaughter

One joy I have found in retirement is spending time with my granddaughter. Every moment with her is a joy. Currently, I pick her from school afternoons a week. But I did this when I was working, to even though it is a joy to spend time with her, it is not a benefit of being retired.

This photo was from one of the visits when she was wearing a French beret. We stopped at the Gourmet Deli and got a croissant and hot chocolate. I introduced her to my deli friends and neighbors as my “French Granddaughter.

This summer she will visit Paris and Italy. Even though I have never been across the pond, I am very happy for her. It will help by expanding her horizons and support her as she grows into a young adult.

But I worry about her and her generation. What will we leave her generation? An overheated world? Homelessness? Housing poverty?

My son Mike has, for the last several years, documented her life in short videos. Each one was a pleasure to watch.

I am very proud of both of my sons! What Mike is doing for his daughter makes me incredibly proud. What a remarkable record of her life. As I watch each year’s video, it makes me cry, and it is such a remarkable testament to her life.

All we had when our sons were young were photos we had to get developed, and they are primarily in boxes. What if we had been able to do videos? What if my childhood had videos like this?

All I have in my childhood are aging 8 mm films! One day maybe I will convert them, but still, they are not the same.

Retirement is a work in progress. But every day with my granddaughter is a moment of true joy and pleasure.

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Civil War by Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy

Read: November 2022

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Civil War by Other Means

by Jeremi Suri

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The Goodreads summary provides an overview,

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Read: March 2025

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The Jackal’s Mistress

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Read: October 2024

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Sing, Unburied, Sing

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When you purchase a book through one of my links, I earn a small commission that helps support my passion for reading. This contribution allows me to buy even more books to share with you, creating an incredible cycle of discovering great reads together! Your support truly makes a difference!

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Read: November 2023

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by Jesmyn Ward

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The Jan Lilien Education Fund sponsors ongoing sustainability and environmental awareness programs. Gifts made this month; I will match dollar-for-dollar. All donations are tax-deductible.

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