Retired / Rewire
El Paso
Our last morning in El Paso, and we spent the whole trip celebrating Bo’s birthday. We went out for one final great meal the night before—local spot, excellent food, even better drinks. It’s been a fantastic week. Now we’re heading north to Ruidoso for a few quiet days, just the two of us.
We arrived in time to watch our son-in-law Nick get some hits, including his 5th home run of the season. He’s swinging it well. If you’ve never been to a minor league baseball game, do yourself a favor and go. It’s terrific, affordable family entertainment. The hot dogs are solid, the soda hits the spot, and the El Paso Chihuahuas serve their nachos in dog bowls. Parker Van Halen now has two official bowls—one for water, one for food. She approves.
This year the birthday crew was smaller than in the past. When Nick played back east we’d have great-grandparents, uncles, and aunts roll in. This time it was just Jay and Angie (Nick’s parents), the two of us, Cousin, and of course Nick, Carly, Bo, and little Scottie. Scottie is walking, talking, saying “Bo” and “Da,” and flashing the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen.
One minor crisis: I discovered this is the only Costco on earth that doesn’t carry my usual nicotine gum. Had to hit a CVS for some cheap knock-off version to tide me over until the next proper Costco. Lesson learned—always carry backup gum.
The weather has been near perfect most of the week: sunshine, mild temperatures, no rain. Sunday was the exception. A serious wind storm kicked up and the dust was something else—Wizard of Oz territory, low visibility, almost apocalyptic. I’d never seen anything like it.
Nick had Monday off, as usual. We hung out at their house while Jay and Angie brought pizza. One of Nick’s teammates and his family stopped by with a gift. Since Cousin is turning 60, we came prepared with a big-headed cutout, drink stirrers, tattoos, and stickers featuring his childhood face. The surprise landed perfectly.
Later we headed back to the AirBnB for an afternoon nap before our last supper with everyone. My wife and Cousin enjoyed a couple glasses of red by the pool while I sipped a KAVA. We were chatting when we heard a big splash—Parker had fallen in. She’s not the strongest swimmer, so I’m incredibly grateful we were right there. Cousin jumped in and pulled her to safety. Close call.
This morning we drive two hours north to Ruidoso for some “us” time, then we’ll swing through Albuquerque to catch up with the kids and watch Nick hit a few more dingers. Years ago we stayed in Albuquerque for a conference. I’m hoping we can book the same place on the circle. Last time we were there they were filming Breaking Bad—great memories in this corner of the Southwest.
Last night, as the evening wound down, Cousin asked me, “Is there anything you miss about working?”
I thought about it and answered honestly: “Nope.”
I loved my 30 years in the game, but it was enough. I still occasionally dream about work—one last night I was doing training for a company and felt confident, needed, and appreciated. If I miss anything, it’s that sense of making a real impact.
These days our main job is impacting our grandkids. We raised our children to be independent and self-sufficient—they don’t need us, but it’s good to be available when they do. As of today we have six grandchildren, with number seven likely on the way. I’m predicting a minimum of eight. Grandkids are the best fuel for aging adults.
When the world feels like it’s spinning toward chaos, focus on your family. That’s one corner of life where you can still exert real influence. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by things outside your control. Enjoy what you can shape. Let the weak-minded spend their energy bitching, moaning, and complaining. Real strength comes from passing good values to the next generation.
At this stage, we have one job—and trust me, we are locked and loaded.
