I Moved!

 

I don’t think I was prepared for what happened after I sold my motor home and my truck.  The BFF was here for a weeklong visit during the Independence Day holiday and as per our usual we talked a lot.  Often those talks lead us to go down rabbit holes we never planned to go down, but it happens.  Later, a casual conversation on the golf course led to someone talking to someone who knew someone else.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

 

I sold the motor home as well as the truck on a Friday, the BFF went golfing on Saturday and Monday morning while the new truck owner was there to pick it up a couple was also here to look at my house.  By the time I was done signing over the title and handing over the truck keys this couple was ready to make me an offer on my house.  I was stunned.  This wasn’t even on my radar.  To sweeten the pot they offered me no inspection/no repairs (one of the homebuyers just happened to be a home inspector and felt confident), free cleaning plus a junk removal company to come for free to haul off anything I didn’t want at the end with a 30 day closing.  Their offer, more than fair.  I accepted, with a three day right of refusal, despite them telling me they would allow me to back out at anytime.  Later that evening I was sitting in my recliner staring at my BFF in disbelief and saying “I can’t believe this just happened.”  His reply was simple, “If not now, then when?”

 

All of this because of a conversation that began after a second strong summer windstorm busted half of my fence posts on my 180 foot long fence line and left me feeling overwhelmed and a bit dejected.  At the time I was feeling like “I am always fixing the fence” and working on home maintenance projects and I’m really tired of doing it.  Also, my big Sycamore tree was dying and I was looking at $3,000 to $4.000 to have it removed next spring.  Another tree lost.  The exterior of my house was in need of paint and I was about to start getting estimates to have that done this summer.  A new roof in five years, new flooring about then too, it was piling up.  Admittedly, it was not my best day and I was very emotional.

 

My BFF just looked at me and said, “What would make your heart happy right now.”  I said, “I just want a tiny home or cabin in the woods.  Quiet and peaceful.  That’s it.  That’s all I want, but I know I can’t have that here in Idaho.”  His response, “Then go get it.  Go somewhere else and find it.  You have been here long enough and you deserve to have something that gives you joy, not anxiety.”  I knew he was right and I knew I needed to get busy and start working to make it happen.  I really wanted it.

 

What I didn’t know at that time was that I wasn’t going to be alone, in any way, shape or form, in making this transition.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, the BFF had been talking to a golf buddy so he had already set my plan in motion.  The only thing I had to do was agree to it.  Initially, we thought we were just putting out some feelers to see what might be possible, neither one of us expected things to move as quickly as they did.  Or maybe it was just me that thought that.  But truthfully, are we ever really prepared for something wonderful to just happen?

 

It has truly been a bit of a whirlwind, to say the least, but it has also been rather fantastic.  Going forward, I’m not sure how much I am going to share or how quickly I will be sharing.  A lot has happened, so please bear with me.  One thing I will not be sharing is my location simply for security and privacy reasons.  I’m in a very small town and it would be far too risky.  I’m also feeling very protective of my new space and my new life.  With that being said I will tell you, I have found my tiny home/cabin in the woods and I am absolutely thrilled to pieces.  Now I just need to settle in and make it my own.

 

I will be back to blogging now.  I’ve missed it and missed all of you so much so be sure to check back and follow along as I embark on my next “great adventure” in life.  Take care my friends!  I’ll be back very soon.

A Well Earned Reprieve

 

I’m going to take a little bit of a blogging break and go have some fun, see some things, try something new and have some adventures.  I’m not sure how long I will be away from the blog, at least a month probably longer, but I promise I will come back and let you know what all I managed to get myself up to.  I think you will find it rather interesting and perhaps a little surprising.

 

I’ve been blogging steadily over the past 15 years and I think a break and some fun and adventure will allow me to come back refreshed and ready to pick up and go at it again.  I am past due for a real vacation and I’m ready to hit the road.  I love this blog and I love all of you that have commented and shared with me over the years.  Thank you so much for your support and friendship.

 

In the meantime do take care, enjoy your summer and I will see you soon!

 

Healthy & Delicious Meals From My Pantry #7

 

It has been HOT lately and slaving away in the kitchen is far from my idea of a good time.  But, that didn’t stop me from preparing delicious meals for myself and others this past month.  The freezer in my kitchen along with some of my home canned foods made for quick and easy cooking.

 

I had some leftover biscuits in the freezer and a yen for something from my past.  Our family’s version of SOS was an easy meal that kept me fed for three separate meals.  A cool crisp lettuce salad was the perfect side.

 

Summer always speaks to me of potato, macaroni and pasta salad so I made a small batch of potato salad and prepared ground beef with Montreal steak seasoning and chopped onions for cheeseburger patties on the side.

 

Sometimes preparing things just because that happens to be what sounds good led to a plate of yummy pot stickers and egg drop soup for another light and easy supper.  Leftover wonton wrappers led to eggs rolls and leftover soup.  I love when my leftovers can morph into other meals.

 

Home canned soups, salad and bread was a mainstay as well.  So were simple meals like grilled steak, salad or a vegetable on the side.

 

I made deviled eggs and a cool summer peach dessert as well.  I found that as the heat rose my appetite did not and one large meal for lunch with an even snack like deviled eggs, fruit or yogurt was more than enough to keep me going.  I also made a lot of iced tea and drank a lot of water to keep cool and hydrated.

 

Meal preparation was really hit or miss, but I was able to get the job done without much fuss.  What meals do you find yourself gravitating toward in the summertime?

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 224

 

Another week has whizzed right on by and for me it was a busy one.  Are you finding yourselves rather busy these days too?

 

Friday afternoon I handed over the keys to Laverne’s new owner and she is now off to a new life.  It was a surprisingly easy handover for me as I want her to be used and loved.  It was a dream to for me to live in her in retirement, but life has a way of changing things and I’m adaptable.

 

She sure came in handy!

And, much to my amazement, I also sold my truck on Friday.  This past year I had been waffling back and forth as to whether to let it go or keep it.  After I got the Subaru however, I found I wasn’t driving it as much and it was sitting quite a bit.  I just don’t drive enough to justify two vehicles right now and vehicles simply do not do well if they sit for long periods of time.  So, with a somewhat heavy heart, but not really, I offered it for sale and it was immediately snapped up.

 

I didn’t go into this week expecting to sell two vehicles, definitely not on the same day, but now that it is done I feel that it was the right decision for me in my current stage of life.  Along with that I put some other items on Facebook Marketplace to sell because they are no longer needed.  I’d say I’m taking this round of decluttering pretty seriously.

 

It was HOT on Friday and over the weekend with 100°+ temperatures so I hunkered down inside with the A/C on and drank a lot of water throughout the day.  With the exception of power washing the driveway I only ventured out to check on the chickens and water my garden and flowerbeds.  I’m not too sure my garden is going to make it through the next two weeks of extreme heat.  My poor plants are struggling.

 

Tuesday was much cooler, thank goodness.  We even got a spit of rain.  That morning I had to take the car in to get one of the tire pressure sensors replace and then headed over to one of our senior living centers to be a judge at their Mac & Cheese contest.  It was so much fun and rather tasty too.

 

Wednesday I was back to doing some decluttering and cleaning and was able to wrap that project up.  It felt really good to be done and know that I have now streamlined things to a much more manageable amount of crap in the house.  I’m sure I’ll find more stuff to get rid of in the coming months.  It’s crazy how you just keep finding stuff.  On Thursday I loaded up a laundry basket with donations for our neighborhood food pantry.  I had been working on that project for a while and now I can check that off my list as well.

 

I felt so good after this week, a little sad about my precious truck, but just like the motor home it needs to be used and driven.  I had a good 29 year run with it.  Now someone else gets to enjoy it just like the motorhome.  Laverne’s new owners are in love and have even sent me pictures.  Win-win for everyone!  I hope you are all doing well.  Be sure and tell me what have you been up to lately.  Have a great weekend!

My Adventure Mobile

 

I love to spend time outdoors and I love to go camping.  One of the things I don’t love is pitching a tent and sleeping in it which is why I bought Laverne.  However, Laverne can’t get to the places I like to go, off the beaten path, and she costs a lot to drive so that is why I sold her.  When I got the Subaru last year one of the things I really wanted to do was make it into my new adventure mobile.  It’s more affordable to drive and I am easily able to get where I want to go.  With a motorhome I am much more limited as far as where I can take it.  Last summer I tried it out and it worked beautifully!

 

With the backseats folded down the Subaru is surprisingly roomy and long enough to completely stretch out.  In the back I am able to put my bed on one side and line my gear up on the other.  There are plenty of nooks and crannies for me to tuck various things into from bug and bear sprays to hiking boots.

 

Instead of a cooler I upgraded to a 12 volt refrigerator/freezer.  I can use it either way, but for now I only plan to use it as a refrigerator.  I have a solar powered generator with panels for charging and I can also use the car adapter to charge while I’m driving.

 

The pop up shower tent with the collapsible potty can lay on top of my bed without taking up much space at all and the window covers are stored underneath where they are protected when not in use.

 

For the most part I keep my gear fairly simple.  A camp chair and a folding table, a single burner stove, an axe and a folding hand saw for firewood, a bucket, etc.  I’m not too fussy, but I do really do appreciate my comfortable bed, complete with sheets and blankets, to sleep in.  That’s the tour!  I hope you enjoyed it.

 

Refreshing Summer Dessert

 

As the summer is heating up I thought I’d share one of my favorite refreshing summertime desserts.  There are still plenty of hot days ahead, not to mention the Labor Day holiday, where this dessert would be perfect.  It is super easy to make.

 

Low Carb Peaches & Cream Dessert

 

1 large 6oz. box of sugar-free raspberry gelatin

2 c. boiling water

1 cup cream

1/2 cup cold water

1 can sliced peaches, drained

 

Completely dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Place in refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes to cool and just start to set.  In a deep dish pie plate arrange peach slices.  Combine cream and cold water.  Whisk into cooled gelatin until frothy and creamy.  Pour over peaches.  Place in refrigerator and chill a minimum of four hours overnight is best.  Slice chilled dessert into wedges and serve.  Serves 8.

 

Variations:

 

Orange Creamsicle = use orange gelatin with a can of mandarin oranges, drained.

Strawberries & Cream = use strawberry gelatin with 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries.

Raspberries & Cream = use raspberry gelatin with 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Strawberries & Cream

 

You can use regular gelatin with sugar if you don’t want to use the sugar-free versions.  You can  also put this into a graham cracker crust if you wished and top with whipped cream.  I like to serve it as is and then squirt a big pile of canned whipped cream on top.  Any way you decide to make and serve it, I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 223

 

Hello my friends!  It has been another quietly productive week in retirement.  On Friday I got the garden fertilized and watered, cleaned up the chicken pen area a bit (stirred up a mouse in the process) and got the A/C units installed upstairs, one in each bedroom.  They will stay there and cool the house until Labor Day weekend, give or take.  Looking ahead at the weather report we were slated to have hot weather and we did.  With temps in the high nineties and tickling eh century mark I was super grateful to have those two units installed and cooling my home.

 

One of my rehabbed dolls in a holiday dress I made

Saturday was Independence Day and we stayed home with the kitties because they get anxious with the neighborhood fireworks going off.  The chickens seemed like they could care less, same with the bunny.  We celebrated with a grilled steak and a salad for a late lunch/early supper and some ice cream for dessert.  It was a nice, definitely not a quiet, low-key day.

 

Downstairs I kept the air cool with a new addition.  Last month I invested in a portable swamp cooler.  The upstairs A/C does a good job keeping the entire house comfortable, but when we have those marathons of one hundred plus degree weather the lower level can get stuffy, especially when the overnight temps don’t get low enough to cool it down.  Adding the cooler downstairs has been really nice to have.  I just fill it with cold water and add an ice pack to the tank to keep the air chilly.  It works so well I sometimes have to turn it off for a bit to warm up.  First world problems!  LOL

 

Another new summer addition to my home this year is a new set of ice trays, but not just ordinary ice trays, the ones that make the big round balls of ice.  I love them.  I also love that I just need to grab one ball of ice to keep my drink cool and it melts slowly so my drinks don’t get as diluted as with regular ice.

 

Empty bins!

Inside, I continued decluttering, I cooked, I cleaned, mopped the tiles and vacuumed the carpet, did my laundry and washed my bedding, including the pillows and mattress cover.  I binge watched the entire ten episode season of Dexter New Blood.  I also did some sewing and made some “new” cleaning cloths after cutting up an old bath towel I had in the rag bin.  I went around the edges so they won’t fray and sent them through the wash to test.  That will work!

 

A big project here last week was to completely go through and assess the LTFS.  Monday I was able to clear some items, pack it up and send it home with the BFF.  This will make it much more manageable for me as I often find the volume of it a bit overwhelming at times.  It is a lot of work to dust, keep inventory and rotate items to make sure the older products are up front and get used.  At this time we have no plans to add to it any further.  Unfortunately he wasn’t able to transport any of the frozen food, but thinning out the shelf stable food and some of the nonfood items feels much more balanced to me and I’m quite happy to share the load.

 

I still have plenty of home canned foods

Since then I have restocked my working pantry as well as the freezer in the kitchen from the LTFS to keep me going throughout the month and well into August.  I’m also going to focus on consuming more of the home canned items I’ve put up over the past two years.  I am so well stocked right now that I do not plan to do anymore canning for the remainder of the year.  After reorganizing and reassessing my current inventory it simply isn’t necessary at this time.  One, or two, can only eat so much.

 

I had to ask the BFF to stop buying me coffee 😆

As it sits I am feeling tremendously thankful and rather pleased after all of the hard work I’ve put into the LTFS over the years and I’ve really enjoyed the process.  Right now I feel like I’ve won the lottery as I’m able to use and maintain it, not just for me, but also another entire person as well.  For me, it is going to help a lot to bridge the gap from when I left my job to when I get my first Social Security check in October.  Knowing I do not have to worry about buying groceries anytime soon is absolutely priceless and I am so thrilled.  This is what a LTFS system is for and I get to put it to the test.

 

I am storing items for a future yard sale in this closet

I hope you all enjoyed a blessed and happy week as I did.  Nothing too terribly exciting happened and that’s AOK!  I’m rather content to just calmly and peacefully make my way through the week one day at a time.  I much prefer a drama free existence.  How was your week?  Anything exciting happen?