Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter H

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
History- (the branch of knowledge dealing with past events.) 

I am the third longest employed person at the library. Lots of history will be walking out the door in my brain.

• Lots of human interest stories of customers and staff. I've seen little kids in story time grow up, volunteer as teens then go on to college. Some of my first little friends are coming back with their own little ones. Staff members have gotten their degrees and moved on. Loving customers have moved away or much worse passed on.
• I am the keeper of the records. Right now I can still put my fingers on just about anything, however, I've noticed lately I have to concentrate much harder on where I put the new stuff in order to locate it later. I'll be leaving notes for a new person....
• I remember the fund raisers, successful and non, the years when the library didn't have the money to buy supplies, the years when the book budget was flush and we had no place to put all that we ordered. The years when the public voted for our budget, the years when they said no and we made do.
• I remember the Staff Holiday Parties at the end of the year. They evolved from lunches with grab bag gifts before we opened the library on Wednesdays to dinners on Friday evenings after the building closes. The staff plans the menu, decorates the quiet area with handmade (and therefore very special) decorations, shares gifts and enjoys desserts. We are a very close group, 18 ladies and 2 guys who survive the lady talk and keep on smiling.
• Birthday parties, baby showers, sympathy cards- life coming and going and still we put on excellent programming and give wonderful customer service.
• Sadly, I remember the times when our Board and the staff worked together in harmony and trust. I'm moving on.

Looking ahead: 
Home Hunting- (looking for a home.)

One of the big things my hubby and I plan to do this year is see if there is a better place for us to live when I retire. We are planning a trip to South Carolina to look around the state. According to everything we read (books and online) SC is quite kind to retirees in their taxes, property taxes, home costs, etc. We like the idea of a mild climate with 4 seasons. So, we will take a couple of weeks to roam around, see if we want the low country with its beaches, the piedmont or the up country with its mountain areas. We may also roam the Georgia coast and north west Florida. We are so looking forward to this trip. And when all is said and done, we may stay right here in lower upper New York State.