Last Mowing, Day 7

Hopefully our last mowing this season.  Then we are going to winterize the mowers.

I am going to make brownies for DH to take with him for deer hunting/poker.  I haven't decided if I am doing yoga tonight, I am still pretty sore and will get tired from mowing too.

There is a cartoon in the paper this morning of a man who has a voter sticker on and clothespin on his nose.  While I agree choices are what they are,  I know there are good people out there running for office wanting to do their best public service.

"ShrineofStJude: We pray that political leaders may live lives of integrity, seek to protect all citizens, & provide for the needs of their people."

We are supposed to get hard freeze Saturday.   I will be able to cut down my peonies and prep that bed for winter.  I am trying to enjoy the leaves that are still left.

Day 7 and I am grateful for the country I live in and all the sacrifices of those who gave it all.

Selling!

I have 45 pair of shoes and boots of my friend's sister listed...not a single sale yet until this week.  Then I sold one pair of boots and 2 jeans.

It is funny how it sort of cascaded once it gets started.  Can be Amy project.  Clearing out clutter, organizing, rearranging,  selling, even giving away.  Once I get started, it flows.

I also went through box of photos of my neice and nephew.  Kept just few and plan to photo and transfer to electronic storage and otherwise incorporate into my current photos.

Then I divided them all up to give to neice and nephew.  Thus freeing up a large box.  I also went through a big pile of picture frames and prepared for donation.

While DH is away at deer hunt, I will declutter even more.  He did agree to donate 2 huge speakers...so that is great!

This morning, I worked on clearing out some cabinets and I am going to store some glassware in more long term way...if I dont find myself using, I will donate.  Then I dusted and watched birds till DH got up.

We have to drive to other side of the county for his lab and my dr.  My dr appt I set back in May or so, funny how the lab got put on same day, conveniently.  I hope my new specialist is good, I will miss my doctor in the city, but not the huge medical facility challenges that came with her.  But with huge medical facility comes cutting edge knowledge and strategy?  Will I be giving up quality for smaller practice?  We shall see.

I am grateful for my health.   It us generally very good, at least I seems to be something I can engage in and affect holistically.   My body allowed me to complete a pretty challenging class last night.   Today I feel it!

Rain Idea, Day 5

Yesterday we put up couple bird feeders.  I have an Ace Hardware coupon, I will get some bird feed today.  We try to get big project stuff at larger town big stores, but try to give day to day grocery and small project needs to local Ace Hardware and Grocery stores.  This morning I had to take the pup to get her last booster shot.  Appt was at 8:30.  I woke up at 8am and realized suddently.  It took me 10 min to get ready and dressed, out the door.  I was still there in 5 min.  Our vet is literally 4 miles tops.  In the city we drove 35 - 45 min.  This is such a treat.  In 7 weeks or pup has gained 10 pounds!

Sat night,  rain falling ..gave me an idea...for a rain chime.  I quickly googled whether something like that existed.  Our bedroom windows are on north and east sides, in NE corner of house.  Our bed is between 2 windows on north side.  The north side of our house is a tall pitch with no gutter, so the water drips down and is loud.  I like it.  I also like that our bedroom is the coldest part of the house.  At City House, bedroom was hottest corner of house and we had vaulted ceilings which magnified the temperature disparity.

There are such things as rain chimes.  You can google.  I am not sure how to attach a picture of a google image search.  I will try.  They are basically a line of metal objects (small bowls or baskets/chain that gathers the rain and channels it downward, amplifying the sound of water.  I am going to be on the lookout for old brass candle holders at the thrift store.  I found a tutorial on You Tube.  I am going to have it/them empty into a rain barrel.

Coming this spring!  Have a great day.  Today I am gong to relax and fix us something healthy to eat.  We are both feeling like kids the day after Halloween binge.  We will still have cake for breakfast once in a while.  But that needs to be the occasional treat, not the norm.  Then I think I am going to plant my other 2 mums and gradually begin my shift to Christmas décor.  Help DH get his hunting trip packing/prep finished.  Walk the dog, if the weather allows.

I am having a little stomach nausea going on 3 days now after my flu shot.  Figuring this is normal.  I have only had the flu shot once or twice before.  Don't remember.

I was on the phone with a family member for an hour this morning, catching up.  I have a few family members that are struggling with physical, mental burdens right now.  It is heavy and I pray for them.
I am grateful that I have a day to day walk with God and I can go to him for support.

Our First...And Second Hikes!

Yesterday started out not going my way...I got up and drove to yoga, happy to be making up a session since I missed Halloween.  I get there - class cancelled.  Darn.  So, what do I do?  I buy donuts.  You know, makes sense!

My day turned around fast!

Then had coffee with DH and we decided to take a day drive and look at the leaves before they are all blown off the trees.  We were going to do more trim painting and it was not hard to change our minds!

We picked a general direction and started driving.  We saw a park at a lake and stopped and found a trail that was showing on an app I have and we were glad we stopped!  It was beautiful area.  It is a state park, but it is within a national forest.  DH said he would love to come back and try out our kayaks.  I added that I want to stay in one of the cabins.  I added it might be a little creepy because they close the gates at the main road.  DH laughed.  Obviously I watch too much 48 Hours and Dateline.

We did about a 2 mile hike in a fairly steep area, skirting the lake.  We just enjoyed being out and I told DH that this was why I wanted to move to this state.  He agreed.  The leaves are past the prime color season, but there all still lots of yellows and oranges.  I took some pretty pictures.  When I did the search on the app for trails, there are like 250 in my corner of the state.

After the steepish hike, we drove some more.  I stopped at a restaurant for catfish.  It was wonderful.  They even served green tomato relish.  We are close to another town that I had gone to graduate school 20 years ago.  But the area is so much more grown up it is unrecognizable!

Then we drove about 20 more miles to another really nice state park.  This park includes a museum and battlefield.  This battlefield was key in the civil war.  We visited all the stations and watched a video, looked at the displays.  Then we walked the 1.5 mile circuit.  Just beautiful.  And the history really made us grateful.  That we live in such a wonderful, complicated country.

Then we drove home and DH told me he would think twice next time I want him to look at leaves with me...he was worn out!  I think I wore our or big dog too.

Hope you are enjoying fall.  Happy end of Daylight Savings!

P.S.  By way of update on our antenna...we have personally run new cable to the living room and kitchen from our existing antenna and we get all the major local stations and several public TV stations.  We actually think we had a bad cable.  We are also enjoying the ease of watching Amazon Prime and Netflix.  I am so grateful for the beauty of nature outside, but also my warm cozy house and a bit of TV for entertainment on a cold rainy fall evening. I am happy we have cut that cord and saved that expense.

Queen

We never see movies on the day they are released.   But today I noticed that even the new releases are shown early in the day, so we went and voted early, got our flu shots and went to a 1:30pm show.

From Wikipedia:  "
Farrokh Bulsara, known professionally as Freddie Mercury, was a British singer, songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen...Mercury was born of Parsi descent on Zanzibar, and grew up there and in India before moving with his family to Middlesex, England, in his late teens."

We saw Bohemian Rhapsody yesterday and I truly enjoyed it.  Then we watched TV and had chili from the crockpot.

Today we hiked, TWICE!  We are tired.   I will write about it tomorrow.   Gave a great Saturday night!

I am thankful for my DH, my best friend.

Day 2, Friends

Alicia Bruxvoort in my Proverbs 31 Ministry email today wrote about friends...

"...He goes before us, and He stands behind us. (Psalm 139:5)
He walks beside us, (Isaiah 41:10) and He dwells within us. (John 14:17)

And, according to Joshua 1:9, when we’re short on courage, it’s in His presence that we find our pluck!
“… be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am your God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

So next time we’re overwhelmed by the challenges that stretch before us, let’s remember the Faithful Friend who stands beside us."

I had several texts yesterday and this morning from friends checking in.  Saying hi.

We decided yesterday that with our dogs acting out a bit over so much change and our old boy sleeping so hard...we are wondering if he is soon leaving us, or if this is just a new stage...

Anyway, we will stagger our November visit back to city and not hire pet sitter and still be money ahead.

DH goes next week to play golf with his one brother and deer hunt with the other.  I automatically wished I had scheduled a girls weekend like we used to do...but very soon decided I would relish my solitude.

I can still text my girlfriends...

Have a wonderful Friday!  We are feeling so much lighter...we got 2 of our 3 new income streams going...AND DH received his earned time off monetary pay out.  Whew.

I am grateful for friends.

30 Day Gratitude Challenge, Day 1

Now that we are retired, I have time to do some challenges...I am going to do the 30 day gratitude challenge on my blog, not on social media.

I read a great post by Karl Staib on Becoming Minimalist.  He is also considering mental clutter, which I want to consider now that everything about my life has changed due to retirement. Old, unhelpful,  negative thoughts...

Karl wrote:  "...I admit I have a long way to go, but each day I work on clearing clutter from my mind and my home. I’m getting better at noticing these thoughts and not letting them dictate my actions. I’m also noticing the recurring negative thoughts and combating them with the most powerful mental habit known to man.  Gratitude.  Choosing to be grateful for what I have and not feeling like I need more has provided a big improvement in my outlook and overall happiness."

DH and I did absolutely nothing yesterday.  I did some laundry and fixed a couple shelves on my side of the closet, but that's all.  I did not even get dressed properly (sweats) and no make up. 

We watched TV and movies.  It was great.  It rained all day.  When it got dark, I lit a candle and we turned out the lights. I had left overs for lunch and DH had left overs for dinner.   

Today we are going to get our haircut and get some coffee at Sam's.  I finally sold my velvet blackout drapes. 

I am grateful for this opportunity to explore doing, having, thinking less.  Helping me to get to know myself.  Have a wonderful first day of November. 

Trim before (medium brown)

                                                  

Trim after (white)