"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Thursday, November 3, 2016

This old lunch belonged to my husband's grandfather

back in the 60's..........I am not sure how long he, himself used it..........
but I can tell you that it has been used every working day.......by my husband 
for the last 25 years. He has been offered new , larger, zip up type of lunch boxes......
but no........he has enjoyed this one

My husband loves the way I cook..........and he loves the left overs from the dinner's I make.
Those left overs would go into his lunch box for his next day's lunch at work.

I tried getting him to like "hot pockets" and frozen burritos..........but no
he wanted what he had the night before..........
and there would always be a buffet .........stuffed into this box
fried chicken, chicken fried steak, enchiladas, and so on..........
with all of the sides to each  main dish to go with it................plus dessert......such as pie and cake.
I used all sorts of containers and bags.............and carefully stacked and squeezed until 
the lunch box would almost not close.......
there would also be a container of tea, a plastic drinking cup, paper plate, napkins, and fork and knife.

Now.......the lunch box has not been used since the last of September.........
it is on a shelf........in retirement...........
my husband's workplace closed it's doors..........and now my husband
has a new life.........of early retirement.........
with no more lunches to carry to work.

For him at this moment...........it is odd to not be prepared to start
the day fast and hard to get work done
Lord knows........he has plenty to do here at home .........
and he is starting to enjoy the slower pace of life

for me...........it is a whole new chapter of our life together.
I have been used to living my life ...........alone......much of the time.........
and now..........it is like starting all over again......
getting to enjoy my husband's company at any time of the day!
I enjoy looking forward to each day of what we will do together.
A lot of home projects.........maybe some travel........
mostly......just enjoying.........
together.



17 comments:

Sherri Farley said...

Sweet post. It brought back memories for me, my father carried a lunchbox just like that. Enjoy your time together as it is special!

The Tea Lady's Journal said...

I loved the story on the lunch box and that you are a good cook and he enjoys leftover's! Not every husband is fond of that. Congratulations on the retirement of your husband. May you enjoy each and every day together.

Jan said...

My husband also had to take an early retirement and we are enjoying it so much! Glad you are too!

Nancy J said...

This will be a huge change, and a challenge for both of you. Maybe use the lunch box when you have a day out together.it will still have memories of all those years in use.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I loved this post. My father carried a lunch box just like that one, every day. He always had a thermos of tea as well. I like that you have kept it. Happy retirement! -Jenn

Sally said...

I remember a lunch pail like that, but can't place it yet in my mind.

My brother and sis-in-law are going through what you guys are. And, they're moving to another house after 38 years. It's exciting, yet I wonder how this is all going to work out. I wish you and your husband lots of wonderful memory making moments. Say, how about one day after dinner, you fill up that lunch pail and surprise him with it the next morning? :)

xoxo

Karen said...

This reminds me so much of when I also used to stuff my husband's lunchbox with many food items. It's been nine years since he retired, this brings back memories!

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

My dad had one like that, too, but he sure didn't have lunches like that! (Of course no way to heat them up back then either.) My sweetie is considering retiring next year. We are both looking forward to it! It helps when you actually like each other as well as love each other.

Lady Jane said...

Wonderful story of the lunch box. Enjoy your retirement together. You will both wonder how you got everything done when you worked. Hugs, LJ

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Retirement is a great thing! I am so grateful that Terry and I are able to be together all day everyday, yet each of us finding a few hours in our day to peruse what we like to do. Years ago...back in the 70s Terry worked in a factory and had a lunch box just like that one. When he left the job and became a truck driver, I took the lunch box for my own. It's what I keep certain garden tools in like gloves, clippers, a spade and a claw for weeding. I must have a place for everything and always know where my tools are.

I look forward to reading about what you and your husband find to fill your days together.
xx, Carol

A Colorful World said...

Love the lunchbox...what a joy it has been to your husband all these years, and a connection to his grandfather. When the days arrive that a husband retires, life definitely changes for we wives. There are huge adjustments to make. With us, the retirement meant caring for a disabled veteran husband, and that has changed our lives immensely. Going on those long-awaited vacations became something of a bitter-sweetness, as he couldn't participate with us in most of the activities. And even I am severely limited now as well. I get a lot of my joy from seeing our daughter, her hubby and our grandson enjoy the times we've had away, but for us now it is more of sitting on the sidelines, and that is depressing. So savor the times you can embrace together, and get a lot of joy from the "little things" as well. I hope you don't have any health issues to make this time more difficult than it needs to be, and that it will be an enormous blessing!

Connie said...

My dad had a lunchbox much like that one that he carried to work for years too. I hope you enjoy your retirement together with your husband. My husband has a little less than two years left before he is able to retire. We are looking forward to the time together.

Debra said...

Oh dear friend-this is such a lovely post! We are not quite at that point-but almost. My hubby is going to work for a few more years....I think he worries about not having projects to do-but like you-we have tons of stuff to do around here. Enjoy your new life-and that lunch box deserves a place of honor!

Granny Marigold said...

What a sweet post. Retirement can be a huge adjustment. My husband was a self-employed carpenter so he retired gradually. I think it made things easier. He used to take sandwiches for his lunches and ever since he quit work he won't eat a sandwich. Says he had enough of them through the years.

Yael said...

This post is full of love. Many of my women friends dread the day there husbands will retire and be home all the time. I am not afraid of this, I am looking forward to it. I know we will share a lot and also give privacy and quiet time to each other when needed. We both have hobbies, so I do not worry about boredom, which is not a good thing in a relationship and overall. I wish you wonderful times, you can fill the lunchbox with written morsels of happiness and save them for who ever will inherit that lovely piece of memory.:-)

letslearnembroidery said...

A blessed life indeed!Something that most of us can only envy.

Sher B said...

I used to pack my husbands lunch every work day until he became disabled and now is home. He always wanted sandwiches for his lunch carried in a brown lunch bag. I am happy to spend time with him, we are best when we are together!

Hope your husband adjusts to retirement and you both enjoy the shared days and years ahead! Blessings!