My Tireless Retirement - Week 221

 

I began this past week by meeting a friend for dinner at a favorite restaurant, The Tavern at Bown Crossing.  A French Dip made with Wagyu steak, yes please!  Every bite was delicious and we had a really nice time visiting.

 

I ordered some fence post mending plates from Home Depot to fix a couple posts that had busted at ground level after a recent windstorm.  They are supposed to be a really strong alternative to a complete post replacement so I was eager to try them.  Over the weekend I took my time and puttered about fixing my wobbly fence and quickly found out these don’t do what they claim and I wouldn’t recommend them.  I used one and will be returning the other one.  Additionally, I was able to finish up and fine tune the above ground irrigation system for my flowerbeds.

 

Saturday afternoon I took a carton of eggs and spent some time with a friend helping her get plants from the nursery to put out on her apartment balcony and then repot a bunch of her houseplants that had become root bound.  With fresh soil and more room they all seemed happy once we were done.  It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.  We visited and even took a break midway to get some dinner at a nearby restaurant.

 

My Sunday supper

Sunday I spent the morning going through and reorganizing my pantry.  I was able to consolidate quite a few items which allowed me to take a bunch of empty containers out to the recycle bin.  I also went through all of my plastic freezer food storage containers, gathered up all of the worn out ones and added them to the recycle bin as well.  It felt good to get that done.  That afternoon a friend stopped by for a visit and I sent him home with a carton of eggs.  The girls have been busy so I’ve had plenty to share.

 

Getting rid of more crap!

My little pantry project led me to go through other areas in my house to thin out, consolidate and declutter.  As a result I was able to take quite a bit of packaging out of the house and get it into the recycle bin.  I was also able to declutter a few more things too as well as take an inventory of what I have on hand.  Things look really good right now.

 

I made a sugar free low carb banana cream pie

My posts may be a little boring now as my days are much the same, filled with quiet slow mornings sipping coffee and watching the hummingbirds at the feeder just outside my window.  Most of my days I just putter about tidying, doing laundry , crafting, doing mini projects, running a few errands, taking care of my animals and fixing my meals.  I hope you will still find it of interest.  I am creating a slow and simple lifestyle for myself and it feels really good.

 

I have been feeling rather proud of myself for having had the courage to leave my part-time job in the manner that I did and the way I am processing what has happened since that day.  I am moving on in a very healthy way with no guilt, regrets or hard feelings.  I have not second guessed any of my actions even once.  I know deep down that I have done the right things and as a result I am able to live with peace, contentment and happiness.  I’m ready to leave all of that behind me now as I look to the future with optimism and excitement.  My life is very good.

 

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 208

 

Last Friday was an absolutely lovely day.  With sunshine and warm temperatures I enjoyed a relaxed morning because I didn’t need to go into work, if you can call it that, until 4:30 in the afternoon.  When I did show up for work, it was to take a group of seniors out to dinner and then to the theater for a live performance of Austenprov.  It was rough, let me tell you.  Not!  To add some drama to the drama however, our bus doors had a switch malfunction which I had to sort out on the fly.  I managed to outfox the faulty switch and get the doors to close.  My group of seniors was rather impressed with my killer improvisation skills and they let me know.  It made me feel pretty darn good, I must say.

 

I carefully created a short list of needed items for yard work and gardening this year and instead of wasting fuel and going to Wal-Mart (which I hate) I did an online order with FREE shipping.  In less than twenty four hours my items arrived and I was able to get right to work.

 

I have pulled A LOT of weeds!

Saturday and Sunday were just as lovely as Friday and I enjoyed the weekend by puttering about the house tackling small tasks, doing a mini meal prep for the week ahead and taking loads of time to enjoy my fur and feather babies.  I was able to get my fruit trees sprayed before the leaf miners and tiny moths take hold and lay eggs.  I dug up another big pile of weeds for the chickens too.  I spent a fair amount of time outdoors, which I love.

 

Chicken salad 😂😂

Monday and Tuesday I worked for a few hours in the afternoon.  Sadly, it seems the toxic one is struggling to keep her $h!t together.  My “heart to heart” talk with her the previous week seemed to do absolutely no good and to be quite honest, I wasn’t expecting it to.  At the end of the day I know there is little I can do and it is completely up to her to make the changes necessary.  I am just going to sit back and wait to see what happens.  Thankfully, this month I am scheduled to work very little with the toxic one and next month she has several vacation days scheduled.  Whoo hoo!

 

In order to maintain my sanity and still get to work at my dream job I have been strategically plotting out some much deserved time off and got those days scheduled off.  Along with that my supervisor has been scheduling me to do more senior activities with less time with “you know who”.  I think I’ve come up with a good healthy plan for me to personally deal with this situation.  Boundaries have been established and I am holding the line.  The cost of holding the line, however, is putting up with her increased frustration.  I do believe, in the long run, it will be worth it.

 

One of the things I’ve been enjoying when I stop and take a break or come home from work is the television show The Equalizer starring Queen Latifah.  I watched the original series back in the day and wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this newer one, but it turns out I really do.  I love when I can discover a new to me series I can sit down, relax and enjoy.  It feels like a big reward.

 

Because I am focused on cutting back this year I got resourceful with a little repair project.  My beloved Pampered Chef egg slicer I’ve had for nearly thirty years broke.  The little plastic nubbin that is part of the hinge broke off so it made it hard to operate with just one hinge.  My initial thought was to hop on eBay and see if I could find a replacement, but then I got the idea to go through my can of miscellaneous screws and see if I could find a short stubby screw.  I drilled a small hole and after screwing in the stubby screw it created a new “nubbin” and now my egg slicer works perfectly once again.  Money saved, nothing added to the landfill, I used up a screw that had been lying around in the garage, but more importantly I’m back in business!

 

With the change in weather I am still able to keep the main heating off in the house.  I didn’t even need the fireplace, but one morning to take the chill off.  I also layered up when it was chilly in the morning, but for the most part the house has been quite comfortable.  I’ve been able to open the doors and windows and let the fresh air in on several occasions.

 

Grilled tuna sandwich (low carb sourdough bread) 😋

It was a really good week.  I was able to get some good sleep, keep up on my housekeeping and laundry, eat good healthy food and accomplish quite a few tasks around the house.  I was conservative and resourceful bringing in far more money than what ended up leaving.  I call that a win!  Have any of you done some conserving of your resources lately?  Have you done any repairs or fixes to avoid having to replace something?  I’d love to hear about what you are doing around the house these days.

 

Thank You 2025!

 

It has been another great year in my tireless retirement life.  I think each year is better than the last.  This past year I feel like I have really settled in and embraced this new phase of my life and truly become my own person.  A person I am very comfortable with.

 

I accomplished a lot in 2025, but not too much.  Taking on projects in small increments and doing them “one bite at a time”, season by season, with no hard deadlines seemed to make a huge difference for me this year.  I went at a much slower pace and when I was tired or hot or it rained or I simply ran out of time I took a break and tackled it later, plugging away at it until it was completed.  In the process I found I enjoyed these tasks so much more and, surprisingly, they seemed to turn out better.

 

For the third time I did another whole house declutter including the garage and the yard.  In the process I took a total of three loads of stuff, one very large load, to thrift stores for donation.  I filled up the trash wheelie bin twice and the recycling wheelie bin four times.  I shared food items with friends and co-workers and took a few loads in to set on the FREE table at work.

 

A huge and very unexpected blessing was the Subaru.  I popped out a couple dents, scrubbed and scrubbed, shampooed and vacuumed to make the car shine after years of neglect by its previous owner and I gave the truck the attention it deserves after twenty eight years of loyal service.  I am hopeful to be able to enjoy these two vehicles for many years to come.

 

I was able to sit down and do some planning for my future and come up with some solid ideas and goals.  I did the hard tasks too like my end of life planning where I updated my will, got it signed, witnessed and notarized and filed away.  I filled out and registered my Advanced Medical Directive in case I’m ever incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions.  I took care of what I needed to as far as what I want done once I am no longer living and how to go about it.  I also had those conversations with the people I am closest too.

 

Even some unplanned projects last month, including a flooded bathroom, didn’t derail me. I took those projects head on and was able to complete them in a one week period of time.  Doing the cleanup and repairs myself saved me a lot of money as I headed into the holiday season and for that I was incredibly grateful.

 

This past year I have been to several live theater productions, I went on a sleigh ride to see an elk herd, whitewater rafting, mini golfing (I got two holes in one!), out to lunch and dinner quite a few times with groups, picked fruit at the orchards, danced, sang, hugged and laughed so hard I cried all thanks to my wonderful job with the city of Boise.  I often find it hard to believe they pay me money to do this!

 

Me on January 1, 2025

I am so happy with how this year went and all that I was able to do and accomplish.  With all of the hard work I put in, my home is in good working order, I am at peace and feeling content and happy.  No BAD days!  My very part time dream job continues to be a dream and I am ever so grateful for that.  I am thankful to have everything I need and most of what I want, which really isn’t all that much.  I am prepared, I am healthy, I am fulfilled, I am happy and I am truly, truly blessed.  Thank you 2025!

 

Things I've Managed To Use Up This Year

 

Since retiring my goal every year has been to use up what I already have on hand before purchasing anything new.  I had stocked up my home in anticipation of retirement and college kids so I had a lot to work with at the begging.  This year however, I took it a bit further as I have re-evaluated each item I stock prior to repurchasing with a new set of eyes.  I needed to determine whether or not I even need this item and if so, how much I truly need.  It has been both rewarding as well as eye opening.

 

I tried the store brand sponges this year, but I like Scotch Brite better

At the beginning of the year I still had a lot of cleaning and laundry supplies in the linen closet.  I also had a fair bit out in the motor home so I decided to remove everything from there except the toilet paper as it is RV specific TP and added it to my stockpile in the linen closet.  The supplies in the motor home have been out there for a few years exposed to the elements so I decided I should probably use them up before they aren’t usable any longer.  With all that I was able to use up, along with some calculations on actual usage, I now feel like I have a good grasp on what I realistically need to keep on hand moving forward.

 

I haven't needed to open this yet, but soon 😀

I no longer have a plethora of open, partially used cans of Comet in my home.  I got them all used up and now I only keep one can under each bathroom sink plus one backup can in the linen closet.  I used up the last of the dishwasher tabs this year and replaced them with two new containers on sale with a digital coupon.  I finished up a refill bottle of dishwashing liquid along with the bottle from the motor home purchasing one new refill jug on sale at Costco.  I bought three small bottles of Fabuloso at Dollar Tree after using up what I already had on hand.  I used up one and now have one partial bottle that I am currently using under the kitchen sink plus one backup bottle in the linen closet. I also picked up a ten count box of Swiffer duster refills and one container of Lysol wipes both on sale with a digital coupon.  The Swiffer duster and Lysol wipes are not necessities, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little luxury in you cleaning repertoire as long as it is practical and affordable.

 

At the beginning of the year I had used supplies I already had on hand to make and fill a half gallon Mason jar with homemade laundry detergent.  I used that up this year along with a leftover bag of laundry soap pods my daughters did not need while in college as well as a box of dryer sheets.  This year I replaced my homemade laundry detergent with two jugs of liquid detergent I purchased on sale with a digital coupon after determining it would be more than enough to get me through 2026 and was less expensive than buying new supplies to make my own.  I also picked up two boxes of unscented dryer sheets, again on sale with a digital coupon, which will keep me going throughout 2026 as well.

 

I used up the last of the diluted shampoo and conditioner to refill the pump dispensers I keep in my shower and bought a new bottle of shampoo and conditioner to replace them which are still in the linen closet.  I still have a partial tube of toothpaste and some flossers in use and one tube of toothpaste, a package of flossers and four toothbrushes in the linen closet.  I also used up an open box of cotton swabs and I have a large unopened full box of cotton swabs in the linen closet to refill the container I have in the bathroom.  I did use up two bottles of Bath & Body Works lotion, two bottles of shower gel and several small bars of soap from my soap jar under the bathroom sink.  I no longer have the soap jar full of hotel soaps after I decided to let that go.  I still have plenty of lotion, gel and bar soap to work through in the coming year.

 

Behind the paper towels (I only used 1 roll this year) is the
10 pack of Kleenex (unopened) I bought at Costco this summer

My pandemic TP hoard has really been reined in and I am now down to just five packages of twelve jumbo rolls plus a few rolls under each bathroom sink.  Knowing how much TP I actually use each year now that it is just me living here my plan moving forward is to only keep one case that is open and in use and one as a backup.  I only plan to keep a dozen boxes of tissue on hand too as I use about one a month.  I did purchase a replacement package of ten boxes of tissue at Costco this year because it was a super good deal.  I now have enough TP and tissue on hand for 2026 and I’m sure I will not need to purchase anything new until the end of the year, possibly not until the first of 2027.

 

I made a lot of gifts using my craft and sewing supplies this year and I still have a lot more to work with in 2026.  I did not purchase anything new this year.  I also used up quite a lot of my office supplies, used up a stack of colored papers for journaling and making journals and was able to consolidate it all of my office supplies into one drawer.  I made a point to use those post it notes and cute little notepads I’d been hoarding for making my grocery and “to-do” lists as well as for notes.  I only purchased one package of loose leaf notebook paper this year, a bottle of Elmer’s glue and three rolls of tape.  I also made a good dent in my gift wrapping supplies and probably still have plenty left to use in 2026.

Shelf liners

I made myself some gifts as well by first finally making the flannel shelf liners I had long wanted for my shelves in my kitchen cabinets.  Then I made myself a couple of aprons that I use a lot, especially when I am meal prepping.  I love, love, love these aprons and the shelf liners have been absolutely wonderful!

 

This area holds canning supplies, pet food & pet supplies

This area holds everything I need to maintain the
house & vehicles plus the deep freezer

In the garage I used quite a few of my supplies to do maintenance around the house and on my vehicles.  It was really nice not needed to run to the store every time I worked on a project so for that I was really grateful.  I reused containers and lids that I already had on hand after decluttering this year to reorganize areas throughout my home and in the garage.  I have streamlined and consolidated that area of my home a lot this year.  I also got rid of a ton of “just in case” cardboard boxes I had been storage sending them off in my big blue recycle wheelie bin each week until they were gone.  Along with that I gathered up all of the Amazon bubble mailers I had been saving and let those go as well.

 

Kitchen freezer

Garage deep freezer

My long term food storage area

We added this small freezer last month to extend the LTFS
It has been really helpful to keep things better organized too

As far as my food stores I was able to pretty much use up or pass along a lot of things I was overstocked with because I wasn’t consuming as much of those items as I thought I would.  Pasta was a big item I was able to move along as well as some extra canned goods.  I have since modified my pantry list now so I am no longer overstocking on things I don’t eat that much of and increasing the amount of some items I do use more often.  I’m also utilizing the pull and replace method so as I am not running low or out of anything as well as the first in-first out practice so that everything is new and within date.  Nothing languishes and gets too old or freezer burns and ends up going to waste.  Thinning down my open condiments in the refrigerator was also something I focused on this year.  In addition, I did a two month pantry challenge and even put a moratorium on meat purchases the month after just to make sure I used things up and didn’t overstock.

 

Holiday decor, BBQ supplies & camping equipment

Canning supplies

This month I restocked the vacuum sealer bags & replaced
the canning lids I had used on my latest projects - pull & replace 😉

This year I really simplified and streamlined what I use to clean and maintain my vehicles, my home, do my laundry and even what I use each day to keep myself clean and well maintained (looking good!).  I let go of a lot of items that have just been weighing me down rather than being all that useful or enjoyable.  I have come to realize that I just don’t need that much stuff anymore to get the job done.  I have also saved quite a bit of money this year by not needing to purchase a bunch of stuff which has really gone a long way to help me stay on budget.  Bonus!  I also really enjoy the extra space I have in my closets, cabinets and drawers.  It feels surprisingly serene.  What did you manage to use up this year?