Kathi Pietron is not a risk taker. You won’t see skydiving or ziplining on her retirement bucket list. But that doesn’t mean she’s not satisfied with what is on her list. It’s exactly what she wants to do, and she encourages other retirees to have the same attitude.
“Do what you want to do; see what you want to see,” she says. “None of us know how long we have, and if you have the opportunity or finances to do things you’ve always wanted to do, now is the time.”
Pietron retired six years ago as a hairdresser and has spent much of her time with her children and helping them with her grandchildren. She always wanted to be a “hands-on” grandma, and retirement has helped her take advantage of every chance to see them.
“My kids and grandkids are my passion,” she says.
She and husband John, who retired from GE last year, have also taken the opportunity to travel the country, visiting Hawaii, New Orleans, California, Idaho and Utah, where one of her daughters lives. While she’s a beach fan and John is a mountain guy, they both are outdoor lovers. In Utah, they’ve enjoyed hiking and mountain biking.
Thanks to retirement, “we can come and go as we please, take our time, and stay as long as we want,” Pietron says. “My bucket list is just to travel, take time to see the sights and spend time with my grandchildren.”
At home, Pietron stays active by biking, walking on the greenways and taking exercise classes. She’s also involved in her church choir and enjoys knitting, crocheting and making quilts.
“My oldest sister is a master quilter; when my daughter was pregnant with triplets, I asked her to help me learn how to make quilts for them,” she says. “I’ve mostly made baby quilts for all of the grandkids. I like making things for them.”
