My "Surprise" Retirement Parties

Those of you who know me realize that I just retired and the only way I am able to take this fantastic cruise this fall is because I did just that.

A couple of months earlier, we had a nice retirement party for several of us that were retiring. However my last day to work was a couple months later then the other people and I want to share some events that happened on "my last day" with you.

I had scheduled several meetings with various people on that last day and felt sure that no more "parties" would be held for me since we had the "official" retirement party earlier. As I am going to one of the other buildings,  I thought it a little strange that no one was around and I really hoped no surprise party was in the makings.

To make a long story short, low and behold several people were waiting for me and I did have a small surprise party waiting for me. One of the first questions I asked was if Rexie was there as she had mentioned that she was going to walk up and join me for lunch. She had done this previously many times, but not in the past couple of months. She wasn't and it really surprised me that she did not have a hand in this party.

I received several nice gifts and a few that were on the funny side, but all were appreciated. We talked about some of the events over the years and I think I recalled a few things that had happened to me that probably should not have been said in public. For the record, I will not repeat those stories here.

I still had a couple of people to see and was late in getting finished as Rexie was waiting for me. I was ready for lunch, but she insisted on saying goodbye to someone in the other building. I then was stopped in the hall and asked if I could help with a small emergency in one of the computer labs before leaving for lunch.  Between my wife's insistence and the small emergency, I agreed.

Now I think everyone would agree that I am not a dumb person. But let me tell you I was not being too bright at this time. I had in idea what was about to happen.

As I walked into the computer lab, low and behold was another surprise retirement party in the making. This one was the IT department, which I was not expecting at all especially after having a surprise party just two hours before. I did find out that Rexie had a hand in getting this one arranged.

One of the first things I see is the banner that they have made for me. I think it summed up my plans very appropriately. For those Carnival Cruise fans, the only thing missing is the funnel.

I now have this pinned up in my stairway and see it every night as I head for bed and every morning as I go downstairs. The excitement builds each time I see it.

So, with only a couple of days before we head to Barcelona, I thought it would be a good time to recall my last work day.

Thanks to everyone that made this special day even more "special" to me.