Last Day of September

Is just great to have 2 nights of blissful, deep 8 to 8.5 hours uniterrpuninterrupted sleep.

Yesterday after failed cable company install.  We did a bit of thrifting.  We wanted a couple of metal sculptures or signs to hang on DH shop.  We found couple cute metal signs. 

I planted mums and painted an old concrete hog that looked tattered and shabby.  I will have to post photos when we get internet.

Today I am painting 2 light fixtures and a ceiling fan outside on our porch. They were all rusty and faded, had some discoloration,  being white.  I am painting all gloss black to freshen up.  Putting new globes.  Easier and cheaper than replacing.

I pray that I may lay myself open to the healing touch of God. I pray that I may not falter or faint by the wayside, but renew my courage through prayer.  My healing is fully underway.   I pray for those who are hurting.  Today, mostly my Granny, my Uncle and my friend N.

Cable Television

Today, slept in.  Leisurely coffee.  DH new paper was in the driveway.  I got a call confirming the 1pm to 3pm cable appt.  We ran and got small TV for the kitchen.   It was great.

Then, reality.  The cable installer was 3rd party.  He had different order than I had taken an hour or so to set up 2 weeks ago.  We called the company.   They said "that price is not available ". The 3rd party installer had no authority.

We told him nevermind.

I will either take the TV back, or set it up with an antenna so I can watch news and public tv.  Lots of scripted and cooking shows on public tv.

We are going to talk to the provider in person Monday.  And if we make no progress on price,  we will either have just one tv on cable or just do internet.

I am more angry at myself for falling for the gimmick.   I think the bait and switch is part of the cable carriers ' business plan.

I love to read and I love music. 

I am leaning toward just internet

First Day of Retirement 1.0

I am saying 1.0...because,  well...I like to have options.

Slept in, 15 min later than usual.  Walked 1 dog.   Enjoyed coffee and packing up our room.

I will write about my last day of work and my happy hour tomorrow.

After coffee I took Male dog to vet, checked his glands.  They are ok, he must be itching dye to allergies.   Makes sense, the grass around hotel is about a foot tall.

Made a phone call (anonymously) to room above us.  I have started doing this regularly and it gives me a re as l boost.

Got gussied up and put on a dress.  Going to DH retirement luncheon now.   It should be mostly nerve racking,  but hopefully last time I wear a dress for at least 3 months (I am going to an NYE wedding).

The weather is beautiful! Sunny and 65.  Perfect for a drive 4 hours to retirement home later today.  I can put on my audio book and just relax.  I will have one of the dogs.   The other two will ride in suburban with DH.

Have a great Friday!

Last Day at Work

I did not come here to make friends.  I did not even plan to have any friends here.
At my last job, I left with my head down and my tail tucked.  The End.  No more contact.  No goodbyes.  No nothing.  It was horrible.  I know work friends are not like close friends/family.  But in my 20's through my mid 30's - this job was everything to me.  It still hurts me.  The finality of leaving.  The why, along with the how.  The continuing sadness and second-guessing.  Maybe someday I will have the courage to write more about it.  Suffice it to say, much of the news in the last couple years has brought back a flood of memories of my corporate experience from 1991 through 2005. 

A FLOOD of memories.

Anyway, I can say things here in this blog and the thin veil of anonymity that I do not feel free to say on social media.  My good friends can only feel so sorry for me for retiring at 51.  But the truth is, I am terrified.  My current work friend pointed out, "...you should not be afraid of retirement...[it] should be afraid of you..."

I am going to miss this guy, and many people I work with.  Some truly treasured and valued friends.  More on that, when typing about it does not make me cry.

I am going to let that be my mantra.  My Rosetta Stone, one of my professors used to say. 

Have a great Thursday, everyone!  I know I will.  Today is my last day at work.

10 Things I Have Learned from Staying 3 Months in an Extended Stay Hotel

1.  Not having a house to take care of leads to less stress.  We were high on the relief of selling our city house and I thought that relief would carry us farther.  It lasted less than a week, adjusting to reality of the challenges of the hotel.  But over all, that relief has been profound after having 2 houses to take care of for 4 years.

2.  I need much less stuff than I thought I needed to make me happy.  I have about 2 feet of hanging clothes this whole time and 2 jackets.  About 6 pair of shoes.  1 pot, 1 pan.  Full size fridge.  This has worked fine, esp for mostly summer weather. 

3.  Less space means less choices, forcing me to be creative about privacy and relaxation.  I have been exercising most of my life, lately, it truly is an escape for me.  From the tiny room.  When I need a break from my spouse, I either go somewhere alone and exercise or grocery shop. Spend time with friends and family more.  I have even become very adaptive, in that I put headphones in and listen to an audio book or relaxation music  with my eye pillow blocking out light.  I turn away from said spouse if I am in a huff.  This helps me too when it is noisy and I have trouble getting back to sleep in the middle of the night.

4.  Less space is easier to keep clean and frees me up to do other things. No further explaining needed here!

5.  It takes me at least 3 months to adjust to my surroundings.  Now that many of the things that were driving me nuts before, I am getting used to.  However, new pet peeves abound.  Still cannot wait to get out of here.  But, I am proud of my ability to adapt.

6.  I have more confidence in my ability to deal with an environment I do not like.  I have joked that if DH and I can get through this, we can get through anything.  I really was joking.  However, the adjustment to retirement - at least the big immediate leap, seems like a dream now.  We will obviously have much adjusting to do, long term.  But, we are going to be elated for a couple of months, I think!

7.  I have less affection for fellow man and simultaneously look forward to having more solitude.  This is huge.  I have never really been introverted, but I am now!

8.  I have gratitude for the comfort of my retirement home.  I loved our RH the minute we walked in.  Now, it will seem like pure heaven.  I will do a post soon about the things I will never miss about the extended stay!  Haha. 

9.  I am forced to plan more and be more creative for meals.  I do not need nearly so much groceries or kitchen equipment. I took a bunch of photos.  I will have to organize and post these!  When faced with the prospect of 4 small cabinets above and 2 large ones below, along with the task of carrying all the bags from car to elevator - while using a card key for 2 doors...you buy way less!

10.  It is easier to get ready since I have much less clothes, shoes and jewelry. I have been mostly just taking home dirty clothes to wash and not bringing much back.  It will not be to difficult to fit what is left in my much smaller closet in retirement home.  But, I still have too much and not enough order there.  So, this has been helpful.  I will truly only keep what is comfortable and functional and makes me feel good about wearing it.  I also plan to shift to mindset that everything I have is every day wear (except for some dressy stuff for special occasions, weddings, funerals, church - if I need to work, etc).  I will never truly be a capsule wardrobe kind of gal - but I have REALLY cut down.  That is a work in progress.  The biggest change of all - I don't care about clothes shopping at all.  I will have to watch my online shopping.  Welcome to the 21st Century, huh?  Don't a lot of us!

2 more nights.  Have a great hump day!

Retirement and Money

Talking about retirement is incomplete without talk about money.  It is a weird topic for me.  It certainly comes from my upbringing.  I guess most of us do carry some emotion around this topic.  I have listened to Dave Ramsey and Suzi Orman - they are just dynamic and accessible.  Less accessible is honest, not perfect, real everyday people and their stories.  At least specifics.  Most people will talk in generalities.  Actually, some of the more specific numbers I get are other bloggers.  Whether they are accurate is no way to tell.

I looked at some statistics...According to the Motley Fool, 40% of Americans do not have enough money to cover a $400 emergency.  This same article says that the ave American hh savings is $16, 420 while the median is $4380.  That means most Americans have closer to the $4380 figure.  In another article, this same source indicated that ave retirement costs a bit over $700,000.  It also indicates that 1/3 of American hh do not have ANY money saved for retirement.

This tells me that we are a bit above average.  We have more saved up and less debt and also DH has a small pension which is a trend of a bygone era. 

For us, our goals were simple.  Pay off our house and credit cards.  See if we could anticipate our budget needs, both bare bones and with a little flesh for wiggle room.  6 months emergency fund.  2 months immediate emergency fund for Oct and Nov - before pension and SS start.  I have our taxes saved up for house/personal property that is due in Oct.  I also have a year of homeowners insurance ready to renew that policy in mid October.  We have gotten everything in the house the way we want it (kitchen flooring and lighting).  No other home improvements for a while.  I have cash to buy a TV for my kitchen and I have paid off our NYC trip.  What else? 

Another way that makes us stand out, is that DH is 13 years older than I and I can and will go back to work.  We have decided that just for the time being, we are going to take a break and see how we do on this reduced budget.  I can start looking in 2019 or 2020.  I don't really care what career track I am on, so I will be fine reinventing myself. 

We have decided we are going to sell our old suburban and my motorcycle.  If we sell my Harley, we may get a small cheaper bike I can hop on just to go to the next town, or just scoot up the road.  The suburban, we will keep that money and save it to eventually replace DH older car.  We are still paying on my Toyota truck, but that fits in budget fine and we need reliable vehicle to be able to drive back to the city to see my Granny.

I am using my last paycheck for spending money in NYC.  I can't think of a more fun way to celebrate that!

Our Last Monday

Before the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land, they spent decades wandering the desert. That’s where God cared for His people so much He provided manna in the morning and quail at night. (Exodus 16:12) But God only provided food six days of the week. Moses said, “Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none” (Exodus 16:26, ESV). And, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD … ’” (Exodus 16:23a).

Yesterday was a day of blissful rest.  We went to a friends to watch football.   We took a pizza.  My friend sent us home with enough pulled pork for 3 sandwiches!

Even last night I slept great.   But I sure am grouchy today.  Still fighting this site throat going on 3 weeks now.

But my thoughts this morning are on two things.  How God has always provided for me and how quickly time marches on, making me want to relish in gratitude this morning.  Even as we are counting down the days, we are still aware just how much grace in our lives we have received. 

So, even when I am grouchy.  I have to laugh because I know I need to reign in my inner 5 year old, when things don't go my way.  After all, I did not get bronchitis or even a sinus infection. 

When I read this post I paste above, I had to knock on wood mentally, because while I assume we will have good health the next 3 months (with more rest, relaxation, less stress, less eating out) I certainly could be wrong.  So it is with God's will, we have good health.  And my wish is for any of you who read this to also have good health.

We drove by our old neighborhood yesterday, our favorite neighbors had some mail for us that had not been forwarded.  We got to catch up with them real quick.  We just love these people to bits.  Then we lounged at home and talked about our plans this week.  We decided after dinner wed night we will do the bulk of our room pack up.  Which leaves me time to sleep in Friday, since Thursday is my last day at work. 

What are your plans for this week?