This is my first entry into my new blog. First, I think I should explain the title of this blog. I was a primary care physician for 34 years of practice but retired a year ago. But unlike many other physicians, I always had multiple other non-medical interests. A doctor and close friend who shared my office always used to say I was a Renaissance Woman because of all my interests. This is the origin of the abbreviation REN. My real middle name is RAE. I don't know where my mother got that name exactly but I am stuck with it, so why not use it? And finally the RETIRED is obvious.

It should also be noted that I have always been a frustrated writer. I have volumes of scribblings and reflections from times throughout my life. But as a wife, mother, homemaker, fulltime practicing doctor and many more labels, I never had time to do the work of writing--that is edit, polish and turn all those scribblings into something that others could use or enjoy. That last was just too much like work and required too much energy at the end of very busy days to enable me to add the writer label to my list. Now I have some time and want to write some things and polish them on this blog for others to hopefully enjoy.

My view for this blog over time is for it to represent all my many interests through writings and photos. I hope that others will add their comments and add to this knowledge and to my own reflections. I hope these meanderings will reflect a lifestyle of mindfulness and beauty, writings of literary value, and bites of practical knowledge to move us all forward during our sojourn on this earth.

Weighty words and lofty goals, I know, but here we go!