01 November 2011

Dolce Far Niente: It's an Italian phrase that means "the sweetness of doing nothing." It's also a philosophy that John and Ellie Cary have embraced as they embark on their retirement journey. That's not to say that the couple is spending every day lounging by the pool, but they are taking the time to slow down and simply enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Unlike many retirees who opt to trade big-city or suburban life for a slower rural pace, John and Ellie's first big retirement move was to relocate from their 1.5-acre home in Live Oak to a new home they built in East Sacramento. The business of building a new house, along with landscaping, decorating, and downsizing from 4,000 to 2,800 square feet has kept them quite busy. After months of work, however, they moved into their new home in September, and they've fallen in love with their new neighborhood.

"We've met a lot of interesting people," says Ellie, "It feels very much like the neighborhood where I grew up in San Francisco."

As the couple settles in, they're looking forward to getting more involved with the community. John, a science enthusiast, is a member of the Sacramento Astronomical Society and hopes to get involved in a new science museum that is being built in the area. Ellie, whose passion is gardening, is now working as a master gardener in Sacramento through the UC Extension program, sharing information about gardening practices with area homeowners.

Despite their enthusiasm for their new home, the couple still maintains many ties in their old community, where they lived for more than 30 years and raised two children. John, for example, still sits on the board of the Fremont-Rideout Hospital, where he has served since 1996.

"It's been a wonderful experience," John says of his service at the hospital. "I wasn't involved in healthcare previously. It's been a great learning experience but with lots of challenges."

In addition to getting more involved in the community, the couple plans to travel more frequently now they they're retired. This Christmas, they'll head to Hawaii with their family (which now includes four grandchildren). They've also planned a wine-tasting trip to Oregon in the spring and are looking forward to a trip to Europe next fall.

It's all quite a change of pace from their previous life running a Pepsi-Cola bottling company in Yuba City. John's father purchased the company in 1944, and John was groomed to join the business, which he did after marrying Ellie in 1969 and spending two years serving in with the U.S. Army in Germany.

After John left the military, the couple―who met at a fraternity and sorority party in San Francisco―headed back to John's hometown to work at the bottling company and start a family. "[We] decided that Yuba City would be a great place to raise our kids," says John. Eventually, John took over the family business. Ellie, meanwhile, stayed home to raise their two children and later took a position as Assistant Activities Director at Yuba City High School. After 10 years with the school, she joined John at the bottling company, taking over all public relations, community relations, and marketing efforts for the business. Outside of work, she spent nine years hosting the "Garden Talk" radio show on KUBA and also had a brief run as the host of a gardening program on the local Comcast station.

With the busy life they've had―including running a successful business, raising a family, and serving their community―John and Ellie feel that they've earned a little bit of relaxation. While the transition into retirement is a major life change, the couple has adopted a philosophical attitude toward the shift.

"Retirement can be a very scary proposition, financially and emotionally," says Ellie. "If anything, what John and I have learned is that embracing change in life helps you to grow and expand. We're really enjoying this time in our life."