The Trouser Rollers: Growing old gratefully - gracefully - as they follow their dreams into old age

 

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Cruising

Travelogues

The Living Room

The Attic

The Workshop

This Website

  • Pat started the website in 2002. It went through several updates and the addition of much material through 2011. It remained static until 2022, when the domain was allowed to die. In 2025-6 Pat revived and updated to make it easier to maintain. It is now back with a new URL. For sentimental reasons the old, outdated "look" has been kept.

  • Ideas for Living

    • Instead of watching TV, watch KarmaTube - short videos about people doing wonderful things.
    • Make microloans to people in third-world countries for family gifts.
    • Enjoy the Story of Stuff. Watch this 20-minute video with your dear ones.

    Wisdom 4 Today

    "When you think you have the answer, you lose the capacity to hear.." Read more of Bill's Wisdom...


    The Website Name

    • I grow old, I grow old ...
    • I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
    • Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
    • I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
    • I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
    • I do not think that they will sing to me.
    • from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by TS Eliot

    Join this retired couple cruising by land and sea.

    See how they fare in their old age.

    Glean lessons from their experience.

    Enjoy their website - a living breathing virtual filing cabinet.

    Who are we?

    We began our sixties as full-time working stiffs. We cleared the hump of life and watched retirement approach; with it, the grave came inching into view. Time was flying. In 2000 we screwed up our courage, covered our eyes, and leapt into the cruising life. We disposed of our belongings and moved into Callipygia, a Tayana 37' cutter-rigged sailboat. In 2004, after 7,500 miles cruising to eighteen countries, we swallowed the hook and took up RV'ing. In the next 4 years we travelled over 50,000 miles covering much of the US, Canada, and Mexico. Here is the link to an index of maps by year showing our travels.

    Then, much as we loved roaming in the natural environment and were happiest living in a small space unencumbered by much stuff, we increasingly missed being anchored in a community. And so, in 2008 we made the decision to settle down in Juneau, AK, closer to Pat's family.

    Living in Juneau was an amazing experience, in all it's beauty and natural wonder. This small city, accessible only by air or water, houses a vibrant and friendly community full of activity - in the outdoors, in the arts, and in the music scene. We wrote about some of our doings in The Juneau Journal. If you're thinking about a visit to Juneau, see Planning a Visit to Juneau for some things to consider. However, after 17 wonderful years in Juneau, now approaching our 90's, we concluded that Juneau's long snow-filled winters, the demands of house and car maintenance, and the limits of available health care were going to get the better of us - sooner, rather than later. Accordingly, we packed up and moved to a small and cohesive Independent and Assisted Living community in Portland, Maine, near Bill's daughter, grandkids, and great-grandkids

    Now, we are enjoying our little community in our final years, loving visits from our dear ones, the bustiling activities in Portland, and the beauty of Maine.

     

    ©2004 The Trouser Rollers. All rights reserved.
    This page was last modified on:
    March 28, 2026