My Tireless Retirement – Week 175

 

Hello my friends!  How was your first week of August?  I started by hitting the ground running with a very busy full day at work.  It was a good day, but very busy.  Right after work I met up with a friend for dinner at a restaurant near my home and we ended up yakking for nearly three and a half hours.  By the time I made it home and got my chickens and kitties fed and loved on I was kaput.  It had been a long day and also very good.  It reminded me to be grateful for all the fun and friends I am blessed to be able to have.

 

Our temperatures have cooled down and that has made it much nicer and more enjoyable to be outside.  We’ve been having a lot of windy dust storms lately and that has meant regularly picking up plenty of tree debris and using my leaf blower to clean up the mess these storms leave behind so that has kept me busy.

 

To celebrate the completion of all of the hard work I have put into my Subaru I hurried and got all of my Saturday morning chores done, including a one hour meal prep, and then jumped in the car for a little excursion.  My destination was to drive to Idaho City, an old mining town with a lot of history and our original capital city, for the sole purpose of procuring a huckleberry ice cream cone.  I enjoyed the windy drive to get there, it was such a beautiful day and the car handled it with ease.  Even more impressive was that much anticipated ice cream cone.  It was huge and so good!

 

This is their single scoop cone!

I walked the entire town, then drove up to the old cemetery and did the walking tour.  It is a lovely old cemetery and quite a hike.  It sits on the side of the mountain and, as my mom would say, is steeper than a cows face.  This was my third time visiting and this time, because I was there by myself, I made sure to see it all.  Previously, I wasn’t able to due to mobility issues plaguing the people I was there with so I never made it all the way up to the top until now and I’m really glad I did because there are a lot of veterans buried there as well as several historical figures.

 

It felt good to be outdoors, breathe fresh air and smell the pines.  It was seriously good for my soul.  By the time I got back in the car and headed for home my legs were feeling it and ready for a break.  I felt amazing!  The whole day was such a great experience, especially that ice cream.

 

It was a busy work week and next week will be too because I’m covering for people on vacation.  I worked Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and that is going to be my schedule next week as well.  Then I’ll be back to working only three days a week – two half days and one full day.  Having meal prepped on Sunday morning definitely set me up well for my dinners after I got home from work.

 

This past week I took a group of seniors out to an orchard to pick peaches and blackberries.  I also took another group on a lunch outing in the city next to us.  The rest of the time I worked at the center and I can tell just in the nearly two years I have been there that we are growing leaps and bounds in the number of attendees that come on a daily basis.  It keeps me very busy and I definitely get my steps in each day that is for sure.  And again, I find myself marveling that I am actually paid to do this job!  I am so lucky.

 

It was another blessed week and I hope yours was as well.  I also hope my little Saturday outing has inspired you to go on one yourself.  What has been keeping you busy?

 

Things I Don't Plan To Buy The Rest of 2025

 

One of the nice things about working with my housekeeping checklist, a bonus if you will, is that while I am cleaning I am also able to take inventory of what I have inside of my home.  This allows me to clearly know what I already have on hand and if I see something that is damaged or worn out, or I find something I am running low on, I will add it to my shopping list.  Additionally, it also allows me the opportunity to declutter anything I no longer need, use or want.  After finishing up my housekeeping checklist at the end of June I realized I have a lengthy list of things I don’t need to buy for the remainder of 2025.

 

Toilet Paper 

I am still working off of the 2020 pandemic stash we amassed during that crazy time.  It wasn’t intentional to accumulate that much T.P., but with three people constantly buying it there for a while we acquired quite a stash.  When the girls moved out on their own they didn’t take much of it with them and told me to keep it for my retirement.  Although I’ve been using it the last three years and the stockpile is diminishing I still have quite a bit in the linen closet so I have no need to buy more at this time.

 

Coffee 

Coffee is my favorite beverage.  I look forward to my first cup every morning and it is a big part of my daily routine.  I intentionally stockpiled coffee in advance of my retirement date so I had a good supply.  Last year, when they reported coffee prices were going to rise due to crop failures, I topped up my stockpile replacing all that I had used so far.  Plus, my BFF likes to buy me coffee as gifts so right now I am well stocked and will not need to buy anymore coffee this year.

 

Toiletries 

I am well stocked up on everything I typically use to get ready for my day and at bedtime.  I have plenty of toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss, soaps, shower gels, lotions, creams, shampoo and conditioner.  At the beginning of this year I restocked my flossers and toothpaste when it was on sale and a few months later added a bottle of shampoo and a bottle of hair conditioner.  I am all set for the remainder of the year.

 

Food Storage Containers & Canning Jars 

I have more than enough plastic bags, wraps, foils, waxed paper and plastic freezer containers.  I also have all the canning jars and supplies I will need so these items will not be on my shopping list again this year and more than likely well into 2026.

 

Clothing, Shoes & Purses 

Right now I have everything I need and wear.  I’ve already made the planned purchases of items I wanted to replace so I will not need to buy anything else this year.  I don’t even think I will need any new shoes and I have one really nice purse which is all I need in this stage of my life.  As time goes on I find I really do enjoy having a smaller wardrobe with fewer choices and for now I just want to keep it that way.

 

Office Supplies 

During the past couple of years I have decluttered and donated a lot of the office and all of the school supplies I had in my house.  In the process I have managed to streamline and really hone in on what I actually need and use.  Now I’m in the “use it up” phase of what is left.  Currently my office supplies take up the two drawers of my TV stand.  My goal is to whittle it all down to only use one drawer so I will not be purchasing anything new this year.

 

Craft & Sewing Supplies 

In my mission to declutter my home I have gone through all of my crafting and sewing supplies and donated a ton of stuff keeping only items I felt I would actually use.  I also reorganized and labeled everything so I could easily find what I need when I go to make something.  I am really enjoying how this has worked out for me.  Because I want to give mostly handmade gifts to friends and loved ones I want to use up my supplies to make those gifts as well as any items I may want to have for myself.  I have more than enough supplies inside my home to accomplish this goal so I will not need to buy anything more this year.

 

With all of this in mind I can now concentrate on things I actually need to repurchase.  As I do so I am trying to be realistic about what I need and how much I actually need of it.  It is very tempting, especially when something goes on sale for a really good price, to want to stock up on a bunch of it, but if you are buying more than you need it simply becomes a waste of money.  I’m still trying to find that balance, but I feel like I am finally making some progress.  Making a list like this and understanding why I don’t need more really helps.

 

The other day I was in the store to pick up two specific items I wanted and as I strolled through the aisles I realized just how much I already have and do not need to buy.  I picked up the items I had gone there for and left the store feeling really good about where I’m currently at.

 

The Importance Of Doing

 

In this day and age I feel like we have it a bit too easy.  I think we have too many “modern conveniences” allowing us to do less and less making us become more sedentary and antisocial.  In my humble opinion I believe it puts us at risk.  Until we have no choice I feel it is important to do as much as we can, for as long as we can to stave off the inevitable, which is of course is aging.

 

Online shopping (while super convenient and I have used it myself for years) is one of those things I do a lot less often these days.  Before when I was working full time and raising a family it was extremely helpful and saved me a lot of time and money.  Now that I’m retired I no longer have that need so I am only using online shopping as a last resort.

 

I need to shop in person for a variety of reasons.  I need to maintain my driving skills as I navigate traffic.  I need the exercise involved with walking through the store and the social aspect of being around other people.  I need to select and collect my own items, read labels, compare prices and do the math as well as make good decisions even with background noise surrounding me.  I need to load and unload my own stuff and keep up my arm strength.

 

I need to continue to do my own housekeeping.  I need to do my own home, yard and car maintenance.  I need to make things, read things, smell things, see things and feel things.  I need fresh air.  I need to cook my own meals.  I need to know what it feels like to still accomplish things for a long time to come.  I need to be challenged.  I need to live an independent and productive lifestyle for as long as my body will allow.

 

By doing more for ourselves I feel we can live a fuller and richer life, a healthier one too.  As tempting as all of the offers are ($30 off my first order plus special sales prices just for online shoppers) to have my groceries delivered right to my doorstep I’m holding off.  I’m going to wait until I no longer have the choice to get in the car and go to the store myself.  I’m not going to buy a robot vacuum cleaner until I feel that I truly need one.  I’m going to continue to hand wash my dishes, my floors, my vehicles and myself.  For as long as I can I will recognize the importance of doing.

 

 

Cooking For One Or Two - Fiesta Rice

 

I know there are so many versions of this particular dish, but this is how I make it.  You can tweak and make it anyway you choose and that is nice, especially when it comes to using up leftover items I already have on hand.

 

I start by browning a half pound of ground beef with about a half cup of chopped onion.  Then I add in a pint of drained canned beans, a half cup of frozen corn and two cups of my homemade salsa.  I let it simmer and taste it to see if it needs salt or more spice.

 

Once I’m happy with it I stir in a cup of cooked rice and it is ready to serve.  You can eat it just as it is or top it with a little dollop of sour cream or some grated cheese.  More salsa is an option as well.  I’ve also used this as a burrito filling.  You’ll notice too that the rice is really not the star of the show.  There is a lot more going on than just the rice.  Lots of good protein and flavor.

 

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 174

 

The final weeks of summer are dwindling down and pretty soon kids will be heading back to school.  Hard to believe, isn’t it?  As summer winds down, so am I, I think.  My “To-Do” list is much, much shorter than I started out with this year and it feels really, really good.

 

It is official!  I am now in winter preparedness mode.  Last week I stopped in at the feed store and picked up a couple bags of layer pellets to put away in the garage with the upcoming winter in mind.  Over the next few months I’ll be gathering up pet food and supplies to keep everyone well fed and cared for when the temperatures dip.  As for me, I am in pretty good shape so my list is actually rather short with mainly a small list of non food items to work on.

 

It was another warm weekend so I stayed inside most of the time moving at a much slower pace.  I call it puttering, starting each day slowly while sipping my morning coffee before getting started.  I did my daily ten minutes of housekeeping, a load of laundry, took care of my animals, watered my flowers and plum tree, pulled some weeds and relaxed.  Sunday I took my mid morning coffee outside and sat on the front porch enjoying my yard and all of the hard work I’ve put into it the past three summers.  It made me feel really good.

 

After work on Monday I got the Subaru back from my mechanic and she is running top notch.  No more vibration in the driveline.  I also got the A/C serviced.  It blows nice and cold now.  My order for filters arrived prior to me getting the car back and I was able to get those installed right after I brought her home.

 

After work on Tuesday I drove the Subaru to Interstate Battery and had them install a brand new battery in the car.  The one already in there was dated from 2018 and my mechanic told me it was reading low on the tester.  I was planning to take care of that next month, but decided to go ahead and do it now so I wouldn’t end up getting stranded somewhere.  Now I am winter ready and good to go.

 

I am really keeping up on my garage
So nice having it organized and makes it a breeze to work on projects

Wednesday I took the day off from any projects and instead picked up a friend of mine and took him out to lunch.  We spent the afternoon visiting and getting caught up on each other’s lives.  It was also his first time seeing the Subaru and he heartily approved of my purchase.  I went home afterward and played in the backyard with the kitties and the chickens.  It was a really nice and relaxing day.

 

Before

Thursday morning I got up feeling extra motivated.  I had one final project I wanted to tackle on the car before winter hit and that was to address the very rusty receiver hitch.  Last week I bought a can of rust reformer and a wire wheel for my drill.  With those things as well as my putty knife and a flat blade screwdriver I was able to get all of the flaky rust scraped off that hitch and clean it up.  After masking off the back bumper I sprayed the hitch thoroughly with the rust reformer and now it is not only better protected from further damage, but it looks like new.

After

So much better!  😍
I'm hoping to get a bike rack so I need this to be functional

While I was at it I also addressed the battery hold down.  I had noticed the hold down had a touch of rust on it after the technician cleaned it while installing the new battery.  He did a great job cleaning up the entire battery bay so it was an easy fix for me to spray the hold down with some of the rust reformer.  It is still in pretty good shape so hopefully this will help it continue to stay that way and last a bit longer.

 

Before

After! 😘

With that I put my tools away and dragged my sweaty self back inside the house for ice water and a well earned sit down with my feet up and a cat in my lap.  Another productive week and many more check marks on my ever diminishing “to-do” list.  I was thrilled.  How was your week?  Is the weather still super hot where you are?

 

Why Wait?

 

Some might wonder why I’m waiting to make my big move.  Especially after I took a tumble down the stairs a couple months ago you may think that, in and of itself, would be enough incentive to get this show on the road.  I have a few reasons why waiting seems prudent to me at this time.

 

I have a job that I love going to and I’m not ready to give that up quite yet.  It fills my heart and soul with so much joy that the thought of leaving makes me incredibly sad.  I also want to wait until I’m drawing my social security benefits so I can use that extra income to invest and grow my wealth while I am still working at my part time job.  Additionally, in a little over four years I will be able to sign up for Medicare and a supplemental insurance and I want to wait and see what that looks like.  So for now that is the financial reasons I wish to stay put.

 

Next, there are some things I would like to do to the house to get it ready to list for sale.  I also want to research and decide how I want to sell my home and make the most of that sale.  It will take time for me to get those things done and I don’t want to feel like I have to rush it and make it a stressful experience.  Although I have done a lot of decluttering over the years, especially since I retired in 2022, I still have a lot of stuff inside my home that I will need to evaluate and determine what I want to do with it.  I also own three vehicles right now and decisions will need to be made about those.  It will take some time for me to liquidate all of these extra items and assets I currently have.

 

Most importantly, I have pets.  Right now I live with a bunny, two cats and four chickens and I love them all very much.  When I move I do not want to have to relocate any of them in an out of state move.  I think it would be too hard on them and difficult for me worrying about them during a move.  My bunny and both kitties are older.  The bunny is six years old and both cats are twelve.  They’ve lived in this house a long time and it is their home.  I think it would be very hard for them to move at this stage of their lives.  Without sounding morbid I am literally waiting for them to die and because of this my pets are actually determining my timeframe.  I may be ready before they are and if that is the case I will need to wait.  They are important enough to me to allow them to happily live in this home for the rest of their lives.

 

Declutter, declutter, declutter!

In the meantime I can do a lot to get ready.  I can work on the decluttering and downsizing I want to do.  I can research, investigate and travel to places and see what I think and if I might want to live there.  I can take trips and go on vacations.  I can save, invest and increase my wealth.  I can research future health coverage and I can continue to work at the job I enjoy going to a few days each week.  Mostly, I will enjoy my fur and feather babies every single day that I am blessed to have them.  I have plenty to keep me busy so at this time, there is no need to rush things.  Oh, and I will also do my best not to fall down the stairs again too. 😁