A tourist observed an old Vermont farmer holding a piglet and feeding it apples. The farmer would pick an apple, feed it to the pig, then pick another and repeat the process. The tourist asked the farmer: "wouldn't it save time to pick several apples and put them on the ground for the pig?". The farmer thought it over, and answered, "Yeah, probably, but then, what's time to a pig."
I don't have a pig (yet), but my activity is showing other evidence of the slower pace. As evidence I submit the following:
Following the advice my dad gave when he first retired, I always have one thing to accomplish each day, even it it is no more than going to the mailbox. This approach has decided benefits: It discourages sloth; it encourages long term planning and prioritization of chores; it gives me something to talk about with folks at church coffee time, and it eventually gets everything done.
For exercise, I've taken up horse shoe pitching. Since close is good enough for a point, walking between stakes is good enough for excercise.
The dogs have learned to return on command (whistle). Walking the dogs no longer requires a leash, or for that matter, much walking. I just have to remember they are outside (so far, I don't need a note to remind myself).
Finally, we had a power failure last week. It took me three days to get around to resetting my alarm clock. I guess I'm closer to the pig-time than I thought.
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