Tony Boyle's Life List

Tony is our lake neighbor, his cottage is just down the road. Virginia is still working as a travel agent, so they live in the Detroit area. He send us this email last week. It is a list of the things he has done since his retirement. Recently he was in our little town, Clare, MI, talking to a Claretuckyian, the man scolded him for retiring so young, he should have a job and be working, after all, "isn't retirement over rated"? This is his reply. If I might add a comment, Tony never sits down, he has spent more time helping people during retirement than I have in my entire life. He is amazing. Also, to fine focus the picture, Tony is from Ireland, and with careful research we have discovered that the Irish and Texans party harder than any other group. Dare I say the Irish are number one.

So I am calling this a life list, started in the last 18 months. It makes me feel like a sluggo, but that is ok, you get to do what you want in retirement. We want to walk on the beach! We love to hear his stories and see the pictures. Which he is very stingy with. He needs to have a blog about his travels. With pics!


I hope you don't mind a little Philosophy this morn. Someone asked me "isnt retirement overrated" --I have had other people ask "don't you get bored". Please don't feel this is boasting but simply an answer . I thought about these on the way home from the cottageand wanted to share with you. I have been retired for 18 months . Since just before retirement and since I (we) have:
-Climbed on the great Pyramids of Egypt -
body surfed off the coast of the Dominicn Republic-
-Touched and walked around Stonehenge in England -
-Touched the great Spinx -
-Spent 1/2 day at the Hill of Tara where the ancient Irish Kings ruled Ireland a thousand years ago. -
-I spent 3 days in a 500 yr. old English cottage -
-Hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings -
-Fly fished in Ireland for 3 days -
-Saw the Mummies of King Tut and Ramses -
-Entered Tombs in the valley of the kings -
-Visited Armagh-to see the first church St. Patrick built in 441 -
-Spend a lot of time watching and somewhat participating in spine surgeries. -
-Observed a defense of a Noels paper to become a Ph. D. -
-Traveled for 3 days up the Nile -
-Traveled for 4 days down the Danube and Rhine River -
-Visited the residences of Mozart and Beethoven -
-Visited and toured the ancient Newgrange in Ireland. -
-Visited the Nazi marching grounds in Nuremburg and the courthouse of the Nazi trials. -
-Visited where Columbus first visited the New World in Dominican Republic. -
-Visited schools in Dominican, Egypt and Ireland and talked to the kids -
-Drank all manner of beer , whisky,cider, moonshine vodka,hybiscus with people from Ireland, --England, Russia , Austria, Canada, Germany and Nepal (I dont know what the hell he gave me)
- have helped Shane put on a roof, add a basement room , and put down tile in a bathroom.
-have traveled in the last few months by Camel, Horse and carriage, rode a donkey,cable car , bus, ferry, Ships, Boats, trucks and taxis,commuter plane and Jets..
-helped Al with Irish festivals -
-Spent time with a german doctor getting rid of Gout--too much german beer! -
-Have eaten all manner of food-some of which i prefer not to know what it was.
-toured Dominican Republic on a (so-called) Safari in the back of a truck -drinking Rum -
-Visited the great Opera House in Vienna -
-Attended many irish festival in Milwaukee, Dayton , Muskegon -Played Golf in Canada , Ireland -Sailed on a Flattuia around Karnack and Aswan. -Stood on the Aswan Dam Anyway -you get the point!
-The Highlights-I spent the best 4 to 5 days with my brother Tom as he continued his journey
-I spend quality time lot of time with the grandkids
Paul, Marge and Sarah will probably tell you the same thing- Is retirment overrated??? Tony -