My Tireless Retirement – Weeks 225 thru 231

 

I have worked my butt off in recent weeks to get myself to this point.  In the first twenty nine days leading up to closing I sold, gave away, tossed, recycled and donated so much stuff.  I made decisions, some really hard ones, and I won’t lie, there were some tears along the way.  I found a new home for my chickens and that story is so cool I will be writing a separate blog post about that.  I said good bye to our eight year old bunny when age caught up and her health took a turn, I agreed to allow one of my cats, my oldest daughter’s fourteen year old tabby Stella, to go live with my daughter’s good friend from high school and all at the same time I was getting rid of so much more of my stuff.  By the time all was said and done I was down to just what would fit into a single U-haul transport cube, some things in the back of my Subaru and my beloved cat Jack.  It was a crazy and wild ride!

It felt a little strange leaving the closing with only
a car key & a key for the padlock on the U-box

 

Jack handled travel & hotel life remarkably well

On August 11^th at 9:00 in the morning I signed at the title company in Boise and officially made myself homeless, but I had an idea of where I wanted to go and possibly where I wanted to live.  So Jack and I climbed into the car and started driving across the country on a three day multi state road trip.  The U-box with what remained of my belongings would meet up with me later.  We stayed in pet friendly hotels along the way and I ate crap I don’t usually eat.  Se la vie.

 

I found this lovely Mexican restaurant & the food is delicious

When we arrived at our destination I had booked a one week stay at the Quality Inn and that became home while I investigated and made sure this was where I wanted to be and as it turned out, it was.  I had spent enough time in this state during my life to know I wanted to land here someday and although I was seeing it for the very first time, this particular small town in the mountains was exactly what I had hoped it would be.  The small town vibe reminds me a little bit of the town I lived in when I was a young, newly divorced single mom.  I quickly began to appreciate the slower pace and lack of steady traffic.  More importantly, I was able to embrace the peace and quiet.  I could finally hear my ears ring, not that I necessarily wanted to, but I could.

Home Sweet Home 😍 Full tour coming soon!

New keys!

Immediately I was able to make an offer on a potential home I had discovered just prior to leaving.  It was accepted and after an extra two day stay at the Quality Inn we closed and I got to put our things back into the Subaru and check out of the hotel.  We headed to the next town over, only five miles away, and moved into our new home.  I let U-haul know my new address and arranged to have the U-box delivered.  Then it was time to start making this house my home.

 

I brought a box of cleaning supplies in the car with me

I began by cleaning every square inch and making a few minor repairs.  The biggest project I took on was to replace the bedroom carpet.  Once the U-box arrived I was able to unload what I had chosen to bring into this new phase of my life and start to put things away.  There was grocery shopping to do and a couple Wal-Mart runs for some household items.  I also placed quite a few online orders to furnish my home, not the least of which was a brand new bed and a cute little dining room table and chairs as well a brand new washing machine and dryer.

 

Day 1

My initial goal was to simply get things relatively close to where they belong.  I had the U-box for a week so plenty of time to unpack and now I have even more time to organize and settle into a new routine and way of life.  I’m sure a lot of things will be moved around and reorganized as I settle in and figure it all out.  Right now I am able to function so I have no complaints.

 

My new porch rocker, perfect for relaxation

I have begun meeting my neighbors and their respective doggies.  I am also getting eager to explore my surroundings and really get to know this beautiful place I have chosen to live.  So far I can tell you the sunsets and cool evenings are delightful as I sit in my new rocking chair on my new front porch and wave to people as they walk by or enjoy a chat when they stop.  This is the lifestyle I’ve been eagerly waiting for.  Now I don’t have to wait anymore.

 

Happy Birthday To Me!

 

Well, I didn’t get to go on my vacation as planned, but you know what?  I am completely okay with that because now I’m on a permanent vacation and I absolutely love it!  I celebrated my 62^nd birthday yesterday and I was definitely in my happy place.

 

Life has a funny way of working out sometimes, but if you are open to possibilities life can be pretty amazing.  An opportunity presented itself and I took a complete leap of faith that it would all turn out alright.  And it did!

 

I remember when I was in high school I would sit and daydream of a little place of my very own, surrounded by trees with a creek nearby and trails to explore.  A tiny little place in the woods for me to call home.  I have that now.  On August 21^st, ten days after I closed on the old place, I signed on the dotted line and purchased my new home.  My very own tiny house in the mountains!  It couldn’t be more perfect.

 

I am no longer in Idaho and that, in and of itself, feels rather surreal.  I made this decision on my own and went where I wanted to go in hopes of finding just the right place.  At long last, it happened!  That young girl with all the dreams bouncing around in her head finally got her wish.  Best. Birthday. Ever!!  Stay tuned for further updates.

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.