A life less ordered

Meh. The snow can wait.

 I'm happily retired. That should be clearly understood. Still, there are times that I notice how the lack of order in my life is something to be overcome. I am generally self motivated, but now that there is always free time in the schedule, it becomes easy to delay the hard stuff, or at least the stuff that I enjoy less. For example, when I was working, clearing the snow after a storm was something I scheduled. Now it's much easier to throw another log on the fire, or have another coffee. 

I also find it more difficult to keep track of appointments and other scheduled items. I wake up every day thinking my day is up to me, and it often is not. It's so strange that I assume that now, and even putting most every thing in my phone calendar doesn't always work. 

I wonder if my less ordered life has completely affected the way I think, and the way I approach life in general. The freedom is amazing, and I'd never go back, but there is something to be said about having a general life plan for 30 years. 

We always had a vacation schedule, generally knowing where we were going and when, months in advance. Now, we happily plug along at life, always thinking that we'll get to planning a trip at some point. We haven't travelled much yet, but we have been on vacation since September of  2020.

The weather has been steadily improving as the days are noticeably longer. Another thing I have noticed is that I enjoy the cold less and less each year. I had thought that retirement would allow me to more embrace the seasons, since I was not forced to go out in it, but in reality there are plenty of times I need to go out and deal with the cold and snow. 

Ouch!

On the repair and restore front, someone decided to hit our Toyota, and of course, not leave a note. Luckily, it was mainly scratches, with one small dent. I was not inclined to contact the insurance company, and file a police report, so I decided to see what I could do with a quality scratch remover. I was pleased with the product and after a bit of work, it looked pretty good. There is a minor dent that is hard to see. I may call the ding and dent remover company, but I suspect it is not one they can fix.

Better

The irony of the situation is that I purchased an insurance policy with he pervious car, that covered this type of damage with little or no deductible. I never used it. Despite that I was interested in getting the same policy, but it was no longer offered. Oof. Bad timing.

It's becoming time to start planning spring projects. I think a permanent fence and perhaps a storage shed may be in order. I'm at my limit for things I can store in the garage, and a boy needs room for his toys.

Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Yes, late, I know, but better than never. Same as this blog I suppose. The last entry was back in August. As usual, plenty has happened, and projects completed, but I just haven't taken the time to sit down and write. My writing has become more spotty since retirement, which is exactly the opposite of what I expected. I think it's due to the complete lack of structure in my life now as there are no looming work shifts on my horizon. Retirement has afforded me a "What shall I do today?" daily outlook, and somehow blogging really never comes up. I continue to photographically document our travels and projects, and I use those almost as a daily diary to see where we have been, and see where I left off.

Custom cabinet door. 
Note the stripped 
floor.

On the home improvement front, I finished the pantry, with the help of Cindy. All of the chocolate brown paint has been stripped off the walls revealing the beautiful bead board. Then I put on a polyurethane sealing coat so they can be easily cleaned.  I repaired the holes in the walls enclosing the half bath, stained and sealed the door frame, and built a nice access door to the bathroom plumbing. Finally, I unassembled, stripped, stained and sealed then reassembled the pantry shelves.  Finally, I painted

Cabinet.

the door we installed over 3 years ago. I did strip a small section of the floor, but it was just too much work. We will either have it professionally done, or repaint it. I'm really pleased with how it all turned out.

Traveling continues to be limited due to the pandemic. We did attend a beautiful wedding in the Chicago suburbs. I was lucky enough to be the best man for my brother and his lovely bride. We wish them all the best. The wedding allowed us to have a day in Chicago. We hadn't been there in quite some time and it was kind of sad to see how the pandemic had decimated the downtown business district. The Miracle Mile is not what it used to be. We also had a pleasant trip to Wildwood and Cape May. Out third of the year. Our general plan of attack is to monitor the weather, an when a nice stretch seems to be expected at the shore, we pack up the car and take off. The benefits of retirement.

Finally, we took another quick trip up to Saratoga Springs, for a bit of Christmas shopping, eating and drinking. Saratoga is a place that everyone should try to visit during the holiday season. The main shopping district is a throwback to the old days of small, shops, friendly service, and beautiful decorations. There are numerous restaurants and taverns, many cozy with working fireplaces and relaxed atmospheres. Our favorite, The Olde Bryan Inn, was built in the 1700s. That place alone is worth the trip. Pro tip: Avoid the area during racing season. Standard hotel rooms can go for $800 a night and everyplace is packed. 

Our favorite seats at the Olde Bryan Inn. Yes, I am a mug club member.