I’ve become lazy. I have no idea why this happened. When a friend who retired a year ago told me she had hired a house cleaner, I thought to myself, Not me. I’d never do that. When I retire, I’m going to tackle a room a day, which should go fast and prevent any room from getting very dirty. After all, I was compulsive about housekeeping before I retired. I squeezed as much cleaning into a weekend as I possibly could. I cooked, cleaned, did some entertaining while still putting in long hours at work; so without the long hours my home responsibilities should be a snap. Guess what? After a couple of months away from the job, I don’t feel like cleaning. Cooking either. I’ve now hired a cleaner, and between her visits I hardly notice my Swiffer in the closet.
First the senior discounts, now Social Security. What will be next? As I await my first check, I’m asking myself if I’m becoming one of those retirees with a strong sense of entitlement. I’m too new at this retirement game to know the answer. I do know that I have no plans to take up golfing. That must be a positive credit on my balance sheet. I must still work to resolve the I-don’t-feel-like-cooking issue, since neither my husband nor I have come close to the We-don’t-feel-like-eating stage. Take-out anyone?
Still Life 
Ann: I’ve loved my house cleaner and now wonder why I didn’t hire her when I was working; would write more now but need to go take a nap. Cheers. Sharon
So glad to learn that I’m not the only one with a lack of enthusiasm for cooking. Actually, it’s not the cooking that’s so much the problem. It’s lack of inspiration for what to prepare for someone who is not too adventuresome when it comes to dining and has a vegetable repertoire limited to potatoes, corn, pureed tomatoes and iceberg lettuce. That coupled with the fact that I loathe grocery shopping.
Although I have thought about a house cleaner – now I am convinced that I probably need the benefit of the exercise it provides me to clean my own house!
I hadn’t thought about it, but I know what you mean about the “laziness”. I haven’t hired someone to clean my house, (can’t afford it), but I don’t enjoy cooking as much as I used to. Nor do I entertain anymore – but that is probably due more to the fact that my friends have aged and none of us want to be out late at night – nor, if we can help it – drive at night. You see what may be coming, Ann?! (My friends are mostly older than I). But unlike you, I did not love my job – in fact, I could hardly wait until I was old enough to retire – and it did take me a while to find other activities to do that I enjoy. But I don’t sit around all day, either – I have done quilting – then I went back to drawing and now I’m painting again, after a 20 year hiatus. And, oh yes, recently I’ve gone back to writing. So maybe it is partly adjustment to the new freedom. If you wanted to take up golf – why not?