Thursday, September 25, 2025

Retirement, take two.

 We came up six panels of siding short, so we had to order more. Tim picked it up this morning, and has been working between rain showers trying to finish the job. It isn't going to happen, but we have tomorrow.

It has been cooling down here -good news- and we had more rain this week than we have had in the last month. Looks like more on the way. All good news.

So the siding is nearly done. How on earth will we entertain ourselves now? 

Yesterday, I needed to pick up a phone card. I always stop into the discount grocery on my way through. You can never tell what you are going to come across.

I spent $35 there, and quite honestly, nearly half of it was on cheese. It is all vacuum packed. It will store.

When I was done there, I headed to the Walmart to get my phone card. 

My niece messaged me. She wanted to know if I was able to make yoga that night. We have been trying to mesh schedules, but with our 4 kids' birthdays in 3 weeks, getting the siding up, and her trip to Virginia Beach, it just never seemed to work out. 

She normally goes in the mornings, but fresh from vacation, she missed yoga and had a spur of the moment idea to do an evening session and texted to see if I could make it. 

I could, if I hustled, so hustle I did. I am glad I went. The class was small, the instructor good. I discovered that I am still pretty flexible, and although the instructor was concerned about my knee, I wasn't. I made it clear that I had no intention of pushing it.

There was only one exercise I could not do, putting all my weight on that knee while extending the opposite leg and flexing the knee I was kneeling on. Everything else was very 'doable'. It even felt good. 

At the end of the class, the instructor asked what I thought. I said, 'I think this is something that will be very important.' She was pleased to hear that. I think she was also relieved to see that 'if I couldn't, I didn't'. I think she had been awfully concerned about an injury.

I did a stupid thing though. I lost my wallet. I did not realize it until I went to add my minutes to my phone. 

I was pretty sure that it had to be one of two places. My phone was out of service and it was too late to call anyone anyway. So, it was a fretful, sleepless night, but it worked out just fine...it was in my niece's truck. 

'What's the limit on your credit card?' she wanted to know. I explained it was a debit card and she was limited to the buck-98 I had in the bank. I mentioned that it always happens when I get in a rush, and mused about brain yoga.

She said, ''You were juggling a yoga mat, a water bottle you phone and a wallet. You're fine."

I responded with *there, there senile old lady...it's okaaaaaaaaaayyy*

This morning while Tim was collecting the siding, I enjoyed a leisurely cup of coffee while re-reading 'Sense and Sensibility'. Pumpkins were roasting in the oven to make pumpkin butter.

It felt like what I thought retirement would be like.

37 comments:

  1. Finally, you're feeling retirement! It's been hectic up to now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also always look for the discount deals! And cheese is the best 😄So glad you made it to yoga class- it’s been too long since I last did it, though occasionally I follow the free sessions from Adrienne- have you seen those? If not, I’ll send you a link. Also I’m curious to hear if you tried the lentil soup recipe- hope you liked it! Xo, Rigmor

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't. I like the classroom setting but Adrienne sounds like a good wintertime alternative. It has not been soup weather here, but has cooled down quite a bit. I saved the recipe, so I forsee it happening in October.

      Delete
  3. Good you find that wallet. I would have been retracing all my steps.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly what I did. I knew it had to be at my sister's house where I met Ange, or in her truck. Of course there was always the small possibility that it fell out of the truck. That is what kept me up all night.🤮

      Delete
  4. The only time I lose things or don't function well is when I am under stress or rushing, which it the exact time when you need to function well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just need to be more mindful during the rushing stuff.

      Delete
  5. I'm so glad your house is done and retirement can begin.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yay for retirement!! So close on the siding. I need to find a friendly yoga class.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Catching up with you, and i had to catch my breath! Cats, siding, yoga, roasts...busy times at your place. I am so glad the kittens are all rehomed, and perhaps peace will settle, a bit warmly, at your house? The stew sounds amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gotta tell you, Maytag leaves for his new home tomorrow. He really is just as cute as he can be but what a little terror! He aggravates the big cats something awful.

      Delete
  8. Retirement. Now there is a thought for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know why it never occurred to us before! How is Lacey?

      Delete
  9. Yay for retirement. I’ve enjoyed my first year of it. Made a dent in cleaning out my clothes closet today, and that felt great.
    Bonnie in Minneapolis

    ReplyDelete
  10. The move has really forced us to do a majore cleanout.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That sick to the stomach feeling...glad that wallet turned up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Especially when the realization comes at o'dark-thirty. Ugh!

      Delete
  12. Red Fox cheese is the nicest brand of Red Leicester I have ever tried. That should set you up nicely for some more yoga sessions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a nice bedtime snack, a half dozen crackers with a square of good cheese. The texture is entirely different from American chefdars.

      Delete
  13. I had no idea that the UK exported cheese. Pleased your wallet turned up

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our Aldi has Irish butter. I can't really think of what else, but I know there must be more. Best get that kind of thing before our dear leader has another brilliant idea for an executive order.

      Delete
  14. Retirement isn't supposed to be sit on the couch and watch TV and rot until death. Maybe for some it's that, but for me, it's do what I want, when I want; it's the ability to be spontaneous after living life on a schedule. I go to the gym, walk, ride my bike, hike, craft, pet sit sometimes, cook, and do things with my friends. Your day sounds just like what retirement would be for you, Debby! Now that the house is done, there can be more of that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think, for me, it is a chance to find new interests. So many times, I wanted to do things, but never had the time to give over to it.

      Delete
  15. I have been retired for about 40 years, the last couple have mostly been sitting on my chair watching TV and becoming upset with the content. I love to read but my eyes aren’t very good for reading so it is a slow go. I have loved being retired, especially in my 50s 60s and 70s. Now not so much. You will find ways to keep from becoming bored, there is always something to do. Enjoy the process. Gigi

    ReplyDelete
  16. At last - almost! - you can begin to relax, in the way you find best.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yes. This is time for you. Finally.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am glad you are finding time to sit down with a book and aren't up a ladder, holding the end of something heavy (and not something you want to fall on your head!) I haven't stopped all day, and I AM a retiree but being on my own means every job has my name on it!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is something that just feels different about doing things for yourself...you prioritize them yourself, no one tells you what to do and you can take your breaks whenever you want!

      Delete
  19. Retirement will hopefully be more like that when this house is finally finished! Glad you found your wallet. I hate that sinking "oh no" feeling when I've misplaced something.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing worse!

      We will always have something we WANT to do, but that is very different from having things we NEED to do.

      Delete
  20. You will keep busy...and I think you will love retirement! Doing things you want and love to do just because is fantastic. ;)

    ReplyDelete

I'm glad you're here!

Retirement, take two.

 We came up six panels of siding short, so we had to order more. Tim picked it up this morning, and has been working between rain showers tr...