Good morning! It’s been a while since my last post. I’d like to say I just got lazy again, but life demanded my attention in other areas. It happens.
We said goodbye to a dear friend at the start of summer. She was only 56 and had so much more life ahead of her. But it was her choice to forego treatment this time around, and I know she’s at rest now. That’s the downside to living in a community for older folks. We’re all at that end of life, and saying goodbye gets harder each time.
After a trip to Ohio to watch two of our granddaughters graduate high school, we came home for a couple of weeks before my wife underwent intense abdominal surgery. She spent 26 of the next 28 days in three different hospitals. Two months later, we’re still not there. Anything you’d like to know about the Tucson medical scene? My advice is to stay healthy.
With over $500k in bills starting to come in and a wife needing nearly constant care, I got to navigate the Family Medical Leave Act. I can tell you two things. Caregivers and form filler-outers don’t get paid enough. Those forms are as confusing as they could possibly be, all with the goal of denying your request. Mine was denied four times before they finally gave in a little.
Meanwhile, half of my team at work was laid off. I was likely on that list until my FMLA was approved. Watching 15 people, all younger than me, lose their job while I’m this close to retirement has been hard. They’re all solid professionals and I know they’ll somehow rise to the top. Life is full of detours, but sometimes that’s how we reach the best destinations.
So, how does this all wrap up? Well, one of my granddaughters just had her first day at Ohio State University, and the other just started a new job. My wife has been home for close to six weeks, and she’s still on oxygen 24/7, but she’s getting better week by week. Since my department was dissolved in the layoff, I got moved to another department. For exactly three weeks.
Today is my last Monday in the traditional workforce. I’m officially retiring the end of this week. This is what I’ve worked for the past 54 years, and I’m ready for it. There will be no big celebration at work, no gold watch, likely nothing more than a few emails from coworkers with the requisite “it’s been nice” sentiment. But that’s okay. A week from today, they’ll move forward without me.
As I go through a week of “lasts” at work, I hope I’ll hear from some of the many dear friends I made over the past 10 years. I’ve been reaching out to those I worked most closely with, but some of the best are people I only worked with once or just met in passing. I know I’ll overlook several, because there are too many to list. But I’ll try to catch ‘em all.
Anyway, as of next Monday, this will be my fulltime job. Well, not necessarily a weekly blog, but writing in general. I’ve got a couple of books started, and I’m planning to find my way into some motivational speaking. That’s been my dream for years and, as I’ve said many times in the past, we’re never too old to chase our dreams. A new chapter of life can always begin.
That’s all for now. This has been a little longer than some, and I’ll try to tighten up in the coming weeks. I’ll send you another update Friday as I begin my final day of work. Until then, have an awesome day and an even better week!
© 2026 Dave Glardon – All rights reserved
Dave Glardon 