Good things are abundant even when winter more than overstays it's welcome. We attended the National Honor Society banquet and induction ceremony last night for DD2. She remains stretched with school and activities but the thought of giving up anything bothers her more.She has put her private violin lessons on hiatus until track season is done. My older kids have adult challenge like bills to be paid, rent increases, with stagnant pay, but they are independent and making lives for themselves, pushing to not settle for just a paycheck. I admire them both in this. They both too find their happy places, beaches and parks, and quiet spaces in their modest homes. DH is starting to think about life after retirement. Granted, it's more than five years away, but we know that will come in a blink, and figuring out how he will spend his days when I will have probably at least another four years in the work place is a lot to ponder. He will do much of that pondering on Wednesday nights and Thursdays at the lake, his happy place.
Wherever you find solitude, peace, and comfort, I hope you get there this week. If like me, it i just a glimpse of it in a photo, keep thinking about that place. I'll be there soon.
I hope to find my happy place this afternoon... But who knows?
ReplyDeleteI hope you did, Val. You have had a crazy busy week-but aren't they all for you?
DeleteWe had snow on the weekend, it was awful having to scrape layers of snow and then ice off the car again! We might get some milder weather later this week but I won't hold my breath!! I had a 5 year plan for retirement and it went by lickety split so it's good DH is thinking about this already.
ReplyDeleteYou're a retirement living inspiration to me-you and Wendy in the UK. You balalnce your family, firends, travel, and invest your money where it matters.
DeleteI remember a line from "The Long Winter," and I used to repeat it to myself when we lived in New England, when I didn't think I could face another day of cold, gray weather. It went something like "Winter doesn't have a choice, it has to quit. But we don't."
ReplyDeleteEven here in the PNW, it feels like winter has gone on too long--that is, what we call winter. Still, you don't need to shovel rain! We had to make a compromise--DH couldn't stand the summers of the south, I couldn't bear long winters, so we wound up here.
As DH makes his five year plan, and I'll have quite a bit of vacation time by then. we are looking at where we might find our reirement home. We nkow we need water, but does not have to be an ocean and oculd be jsut a place with many lakes and green spaces, or recreational river communities. this 6 months of full on winter is no joke. I love four seasons, ut woudl like winter to be the shortest!
DeleteYou both definitely should think about life in after retirement - everything including a retirement budget. How much you want to travel, if you want to live in the same spot, what will fill your time. We did a retirement budget which is considerably lower than what we make right now - achievable but neither of us want to fully retire. I think we will both work pt just to keep our brains straight.
ReplyDeleteCollege costs and rasing DD2 costs aside, we are starting to figure out what a true two person household budget might be. With no kid activities, unless we end up with grandchildren nearby, we may be wanting to spend more on entertainment, or we may decide what we spend time on is actually relativley cost free like more time at the cabin. I do want to fully retire form the kind of work we both do now, but would like to keep some sort of income stream for another decade at least post retirement.I'm clueless what that could be though, but I know I could proably tap inot some short term project management work as there is always a need. I'd like something more passive and flexible though as that too would committ me to a other peoples time clock.
DeleteIt is now well into April and we should be having nothing but warm temps, and it is just not happening. I have no transitional clothes because spring is usually just an eye blink before true heat begins. Not so this year, so all my winter duds are packed away for the year and all my summer things are hanging neatly, unworn. Meanwhile I literally have 2 outfits to wear until it is warmer. Glad I kept a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeve teeshirt out so I have something to wear while my 2 outfits are in the washer. I am not generally fashionable, but this spring I am not even wardrobe functional. Whoever thought I would need warm spring clothes in Alabama?
ReplyDeleteMy weight has been up and down and while I have plenty of clothe, my mantra bout not buying any is waining. I think once we truly get spring, even if second hand, I a going to invest in a few bright cheery pieces that make me happy!
DeleteAnd it is snowing here right now, April 10th. Not unheard of for here but still......enough is ENOUGH!
ReplyDeleteMother Nature is playing dirty this year........
I think all of us norht of the mason dixon line are feeling the pain, but the south seems to also have a bipolar weather system as I read Anne and others posts and comments. Like Meg B quoted witer "has to quit, but we don't."
DeleteI feel for you Sam. The weather can really get to me also.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I was born on March 24th 1958 during a terrible snow storm in Fargo ND. My dad took a wrong turn and ended up going over a bridge into Minnesota.As mom was not due for a month and in trouble dad just went to the first Hospital in Minn. It was twins! Sis, was 3.4 and I was 2.11 so I was born in Minn. Have never wanted to live there. Sorry, I do pay half of my Aunts rel estate taxes on a lake lot out side of Menohman.
Wow, her lot is really up there in the north. Overall, I love where we live. Summer and fall can be absoluter paradise. Spring, once it truly is spring, is lvely as well.
DeleteSame here. That's how I got sick last week - out in the snow, although I do remember one year we actually got a huge dump of snow in May - it broke my awning. Anyway, chins up ladies, spring is definitely on its way - or at least that's what the magnolias in Geneva are trying to tell me.
ReplyDeleteI recall I think 5 years ago a May 2nd snow storm with feet of snow. It melted within five days, but still, so ridiculous. I want to see green and budding leaves,a nd flowers not in a green house.
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