My Tireless Retirement – Week 165

 

May has been a full and busy month for me and it seems to have gone by in a blink with tomorrow being the first day of June.  The temperatures here are on the rise as we head into the summer months.  I have high hopes for the month ahead with quite a few fun things planned.  After a busy and rather hectic week prior I began this one on a quieter and much more relaxed note.  With Fridays being the one day a week where I am at the senior center all day I put no pressure on myself to do much of anything else.  I arrived home that evening hungry, tired and ready for a three day holiday weekend.  I gave myself the evening off to just sit, journal and watch a little TV in my quiet and lovely home.  By myself.  Ahhhhh, I am breathing again.  Big full breaths.

 

I find I am quickly slipping back into my regular routines and schedule and it has been very nice.  I really enjoy a slow quiet morning sipping a hot cup of fresh coffee and doing a bit of writing on my laptop and that is just how I started my Saturday morning.  As the sun was coming up I was able to enjoy the sunrise and my hummingbirds at the feeder that hangs just outside my living room window.  They have been back for a couple of weeks now and I really do enjoy them.  Watching them at the feeder makes my heart happy.

 

I was honestly expecting it to be worse

After a week of scrubbing, cleaning and laundry I was able to get into the laundry room and give it a good cleaning.  It had been a while since I had pulled the washer and dryer away from the wall and I wasn’t quite sure what I might find back there.  Fortunately it wasn’t too bad.  When I had kids at home I would always find a few missing socks but this time around the only treasure to be found was a missing bathroom hand towel, a few dust bunnies and a bit of dryer lint.

 

Squeaky clean!

Outside I pulled up some weeds and removed all of the spent tulips and daffodils from the flowerbeds so I could assess my next step.  I have lovingly named the spot where the maple tree was as the crater and I’ve noticed the vinca has tried to take over that area.  I love the pretty purple flowers on those vines.  I didn’t get as much done as I would’ve like due to indecision as to exactly what I want to do out here.  Sometimes I think I know and other times I’m not sure.

 

My supervisor stopped by for an inspection

Items I decluttered

While doing all of that laundry I did the previous week I realized I have way too much bedding and now that I’ve made the decision not to allow people to stay with me long term I know I don’t need to keep that much on hand anymore.  I decluttered a set of sheets, two pillows, a set of curtains, a sofa cover and a bunch of other stuff I collected as I was cleaning.  I also went through a bunch of empty binders a friend had passed on to me, kept two and added the remainder to the donation bag in the garage.

 

Junk drawer looks good

Utensil drawer - I use everything in here

I had the opportunity to go through all of the drawers in my kitchen and get the last of them cleaned inside and out.  I purged a few things that I no longer use including a food storage container with a cracked lid that I added to the recycle bin and then reorganized them.  I took inventory of my food wrap supplies and determined I am well stocked and need nothing.

 

More than enough food wraps

Freezer containers and lids for my Mason jars

Our weather has dramatically warmed up so during the heat of the day I found myself inside doing something I haven’t done in a while.  Crafting!  I got busy and made myself a new planner.  I have big plans coming up so I thought I’d use up some of my craft and office supplies I already had in my house and make myself a new planner.  I had a ton of fun making this.  I’m not quite ready to share my plans yet, but when I do you’ll be the first to know.  I had a blast though creating this planner.

 

I made myself a new planner

With pretty tab dividers

At work on Thursday I took a group of seniors to a restaurant and then we went to the theatre to see a live production of Little Women.  It was a fun evening and another work day where I feel so blessed to get paid to take people out on the town and have a good time.  I’m super lucky.

 

It was a wonderful week of slow living and just being in the moment for me as I took in my tidy, clean home and relished my aloneness.  I made a few really tasty and nutritious meals that gave me enough leftovers to keep me well fed so there was definitely no pressure in the kitchen.  How was your week?

 

This Month's 2025 Grocery Spending – May

 

I am super happy with how I did this month.  I found a lot of good items on sale and markdown plus I was able to utilize a lot of digital coupons to save me even more over the sales and marked down pricing.

 

This month I focused quite a bit once again on stocking up the deep freezer and my LTFS.  I also managed to keep my refrigerator well stocked with a lot of fresh produce and dairy.  A really good sale on cheese allowed me to add two 2# blocks to the refrigerator at only $4.99 each.  Since they have best buy dates in July I felt really good about making this purchase.

 

My best buy this month was a NY Strip roast that I purchased on sale plus with an additional digital coupon at only $5.99 a pound.  I cut the roast into seven individual steaks, vacuum sealed them and put them away in the deep freezer.  I will use these steaks for upcoming celebrations like my birthday, Christmas, New Years and even Mother’s Day next year.  By purchasing a roast and cutting the steaks myself I was able to save a lot of money as these steaks came in at only $3.86 each!

 

I have really been enjoying this milk to make my yogurt with

 

I was able to vacuum seal and add two more pounds of butter to the deep freezer and stock up on organic milk which I was able to use to make a couple batches of homemade yogurt.  Most of the cheese I bought will be grated and repackaged for the freezer as well so it will last me a good long time.  I also bought some crackers to have on hand for making appetizer platters for entertaining friends as well as to take camping.

My nonfood purchases this month included chapstick and razors for the toiletry shelf in my linen closet and a package of dental flossers I wanted to try out.  I was also able to finish restocking the scrub sponges I use for cleaning and washing dishes.  At Dollar Tree I picked up three bottles of Fabuloso all purpose cleaner.  I spent a total of $16.60 and will rollover what I didn’t spend to use next month as I have more nonfood items to restock.

 

My food purchases came in at an even $115 which is over my $100 monthly budget but because I had extra funds in my Fun & Leisure budget I was easily able to cover the extra.  I will rollover the deficit into next month along with the $10.84 deficit from the month before for a total deficit of $25.84.  This leaves me with a starting budget of $74.16 for the month of June.  Since my stock up list to expand my LTFS is getting steadily smaller I think this will work out well for me.  Unless I come across a really good deal I just can’t pass up….  So we shall see, but I am hopeful I can get back on track.  I don’t really like being over budget.

 

How did you do this month?  Any great deals you just couldn’t pass up?  How are the rising prices effecting your budget?

 

Keeping My Costco Membership

 

I have decided to keep my Costco membership and renewed it for another year.  Even though I don’t shop there a ton, I do enjoy going there and I like a lot of the products that they sell.  The clothing section is where I think I spent the most time last year as I replaced several worn items I needed as well as some much needed updated bath towels.  Plus, as you all know by now I really love their rotisserie chickens.

I didn’t do everything I planned initially.  I didn’t buy tires for my truck yet (I've put less than 200 miles on it so far this year).  I didn’t get an eye exam or new glasses yet.  I didn’t stock my freezer with their good quality meat.  Yet.  I have enjoyed their frozen produce quite a bit and I am planning to restock the deep freezer with more of that.  I do get some of my medication there too, at a significant savings.

 

So while I may not be using my membership to its fullest I do enjoy having it and have decided that I’ll keep it as my main “luxury item” for now.  I do think as I head into the coming year that I will be using it more and more, especially as I continue my journey on the REAL Food path.  I’ll let you know this time next year I how did and if I actually end up using it more.

 

Vintage Cookery - Hot Milk Cake

 

This cake recipe is an oldie, but a goodie.  I was first introduced to it in, of all things, a Taste Of Home magazine back in the early nineties.  I believe it was published by a woman who said it was her aunt or grandmother’s recipe, but don’t quote me on that.  Since then I’ve seen this recipe in countless other recipe books, especially the church cookbooks that are put out as fundraisers.  So I’d guess it has been around for a fair amount of time.

 

I think the best part about this cake is that it uses simple ingredients and simple techniques to prepare it.  This one is definitely my go-to whenever I need to make strawberry shortcake.  I also like to use it in thin slices in place of lady fingers when I make tiramisu.  You can easily half this recipe to make an eight inch square or round cake too.  I hope you give this one a try.

 

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 164

 

Once again I have been a very busy girl.  This past week I worked quite a bit at the senior center which was very enjoyable and always gives me a sense of joy and accomplishment.  I always seem to leave at the end of my shift with a very full heart.  I am so blessed to be able to spend some of my time there, especially this past few months as it has definitely helped me to keep my sanity.

 

Flowers from my boss!

Friday is my favorite day to go to work.  I work all day and I LOVE the crew I work with.  It is a day I look forward to very much.  Last week they held a very nice employee appreciation lunch for us old timers/part timers and gave each one of us a gorgeous hanging basket of petunias.  Mine fit into my outdoor décor perfectly!

 

Over the weekend I managed to get into the garage and give it a good sweeping.  It has been so windy and rainy here lately that every time I open the door the wind blows in all kinds of leaves and debris.  It felt so good to get that messy floor and all of the corners where stuff had accumulated cleaned out.  I also purged some things while I was at it filling up half of the freshly emptied wheelie bin.  I freshened up the brooder and spent quality time with my rapidly growing chickies.  They are so darn sweet.

 

Jack likes to hang out with the bunny 😊

On Monday I bid farewell to my houseguests and then I got really busy as I began to put things back in order.  It has been a crazy and wild ride around here lately and I can’t help it, but I’m so glad it’s over.  All last week I was focused a lot on getting everything back to ground zero so I could feel at peace and start to breathe again.  One thing I am doing differently than my usual go-go-go is that I am pacing myself.  I don’t have to build Rome all in one day because I have plenty of time to get things done around here.

 

I know I still need to spend time with my fur and feather babies as well as take care of myself.  It has been a lot of work, but I’m making progress.  In the process I am giving myself grace for allowing certain things to happen and the time I need to make it right.  No unnecessary pressure.  I am taking the time to fix myself healthy and nutritious meals and to hydrate.  Pampering myself with a well earned bubble bath in a clean and shiny tub was just the ticket I needed after a full and busy day.  A little bit of a spa treatment is always good for the soul.

 

I had worked all day on Friday, then again Monday and Tuesday.  My only day off during the week was on Wednesday and I worked again on Thursday.  Those days at work helped a lot to give me a break and something else to focus on besides cleaning and reorganizing.  It was really nice.  All week, especially on my day off I spent most of my time scrubbing and cleaning, doing laundry, and putting things back in their proper place.  It feels so good to have order back in my home once again.  I am elated.

 

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying some warm and sunny weather.  How was your week?  Let me know what has been keeping you busy lately.  In the meantime enjoy a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

 

I Got My House Back!

 

Oh my gosh you guys!  The past twelve weeks have been absolutely nuts around here!  At the end of February a dear sweet friend of mine filed for divorce to end thirty one years of marriage and once her husband was served things got a little sticky.  She called me in panic and needed a place to stay along with her adult daughter still living at home due to a variety of health issues.  Of course, I said yes because at the time I knew in my heart she would do the same for me if I was in a bad situation.  Initially she thought she’d only be here for three to four weeks, but we all know how that goes.  I was more realistic knowing it was likely to be longer, while I think she was just being hopeful.  This past Monday they were able to move into their own apartment (housing here is ridiculous) and I now have my empty nest all to myself once again.  Hurray!

 

Having long term houseguests completely threw pretty much everything into a fair bit of chaos.  In more ways than I could’ve imagined.  Making concessions to accommodate for their needs, making space for them and all of the stuff they brought, working out showers, extra laundry, extra housekeeping, all of it.  My guest room is also my craft and sewing room and I have had no access to that room at all.  That was really hard for me.  I’m not going to lie.  Add to that the disruption to my daily life, my routines and schedules while trying to be a patient and supportive listener as the drama unfolded (not really my strong suit) plus a fair bit of lost sleep because they’re night owls and I’m a morning person.

 

Thankfully the guest room was plenty comfortable for them

As was expected there was a lot of drama, a lot of emotions and upheaval, a lot of conversations on repeat.  People going through a divorce don’t always act appropriately.  There are things I learned about my friend that I did not now, would never have imagined and I’d honestly rather not know.  There was a scary moment over a missing handgun her soon to be ex was in possession of followed by a police report.  Then he disappeared for a week and no one knew what happened to him.  A lot of craziness happened all at once and it didn’t really go away.  As an outsider you see the objective and practical side of things so watching and listening to all of this without interjecting your own thoughts on the subject can be challenging.  I strived to be a good listener and drew on my patience.  I am also forgiving.  I prayed a lot asking the Lord to give me strength.

 

I love the "stuff'" bag 😄

It was a huge sacrifice not only of my home life, but as it turned out even my social life was dramatically affected.  I had to put a lot of my plans on hold while they were here.  My BFF did not want to come and visit because there were too many people (women) in the house and he wouldn’t be comfortable, plus he thought I was completely nuts.  Nice, but definitely nuts. Another friend had to postpone her visit because the guest room wasn’t available.  At one point I cancelled a dinner party because there was too much drama going on and I didn’t want my dinner guests to have to deal with it.  A lot had to be put on hold.  I think this situation would be hard for anyone.  But!  And this one is BIG because as some of you may recall I happen to have a certain super power that ordinarily would make this type of a situation nearly impossible for me.  I had to work really hard to keep it together.  And I did it!  In fact, I did it pretty darn well.

 

There were also some great milestones.  We were able to figure out on paper how my friend can save and invest and get ready for retirement by age 65 once the dust settles and her divorce is final.  Her daughter’s health dramatically improved while she was here (less stress at my house).  In the middle of their stay she broke up with her boyfriend and handled it better than we expected.  Even more impressive she applied for and got herself a new job, actually two jobs and she had to choose one.  The one she chose is a really good one with the county using her college degree.  We are so proud of her.  She also ventured out and started socializing with her friends and trying new things like playing pickle ball.

 

I found out quick that this fridge is too small for 3 adults

You guys, I’m super proud of myself because this was definitely a big test of all my learned coping skills.  I didn’t get hyper focused on all the things that weren’t “normal” (there were a lot!) and managed to work my way through messiness and clutter.  They are good, considerate people and they did their best initially to pick up after themselves and give me my space but as time went on they got a little complacent which I think is normal for most people.  They made themselves at home, moved my stuff around without asking and got really comfortable there at the end which was tough, but I managed it.  Again I think it is normal and a testament to feeling comfortable in my home.

 

To celebrate their move out I got busy cleaning my entire house so I could put everything back in its proper place the way I LOVE it.  It is a work in progress, but it FEELS SO GOOD to have my home back to myself and soon it will be set up just the way I like it.  The peace and quiet around here is deafening.  A huge load, not to mention a lot of tension, has been lifted from my shoulders and I’m sleeping better again.  With my OCPD I do really well with weekend visitors and even week long visitors, but twelve weeks?!  This was a huge milestone of my own!  I can do hard things!  I do know this about myself and I also know that what I did for them is on no small scale.  It was BIG.  Would I do it again?  NOPE!  Not on your life!

 

I am very grateful I was able to help them out in a time of need and I learned a lot about myself.  There were a lot of positives here for my own personal growth, but I won’t be doing it again because being immersed in someone else’s unhealthy drama isn’t good for a person.  Plus, I need my own life and my own space and that was all too apparent to me in the final weeks as I counted down the days until they moved into their new apartment while praying that nothing would happen in the meantime to prevent that move.

 

I did not crack up!  Whoo hoooo! 😛

I have accepted that I am a unique person with my super power and that I’m really not suited to having non family members staying with me long term and I’m okay with that.  I know I need my home to be how I need my home to be.  I also know I need my crafting and sewing space because it is a HUGE part of who I am and not being able to do the things that I love to do was really hard for me.  My schedules, my routines, my quirks and little idiosyncrasies are all important to me.

 

Now things are settling down and I am getting back into my regular everyday life.  My life is no longer on hold.  There is calm and peacefulness in my home and all is right in my world once again.  I love my friends.  I love my family.  I love it even more when they all live in their own homes.  Thank you God for getting me through this and safely onto the other side.  I made it!  Amen!