1. Where I went: I went to my weekly knitting get together. I went to a fancy schmaltzy get out the dress for success clothes fundraising luncheon (for future apartments for homeless women). I hit my weekly homeless volunteering gig and weekly volunteer gig where I man the front desk and then do bingo for the housebound residents.
2. What I spent: I spent a hundred dollars mainly on meat and produce. I took a side trip to my favorite consignment store on the way home from volunteering, and found some cool jewelry and a very pretty Vera Bradley wallet that could hold my phone and had a wristlet for $22. Unplanned, but as I shared elsewhere, I am not a purse person. I pledged a significant amount for me to the above cause which is near to my heart to be paid out in the fall. I had my weekly McD's breakfast biscuit on the way to morning volunteer gig. I ordered a new journal on Amazon. Pretty good over all I'd say.
3. What I made: I finished that tote bag for my knitting. I worked some more on the knitted vest for my niece. I cut three good pair of pants that were getting loose into capris and shorts. I chose beads from those gifted to me and set them aside to try and make my first pairs of earrings tomorrow. Aside from being fun and maybe frugal, all of the above fall under the heading of my 2018 goal to be more of a maker and less of a user.
4. Other things I did this week: I watched a mini series based on the books by Steve Martini on Amazon Prime. I read two books, one of which was disappointing even though it was a favorite author. I watched a half an hour class on drawing and one on the history of the Eastern Europe through the Great Courses Plus. Since this was the first week of eighty plus and even ninety degree weather, I spent an unusual amount of time on in the patio and yard with the dogs. And through a class on Craftsy plus I'm experimenting with free motion quilting ( all those wavy designs that go on the top of a quilt).
5. What I didn't do/missed out on/wish I had done: We've given up our Wednesday dinners out to new restaurants in honor of no spending and future vacations.There was no happy hour after knitting this week. I overslept on the study brunch class (which tells me this is not for me), and I deliberately missed my Friday day trip and lunch on my own. Both because I wanted to do concentrate on a project, and because I will be on my own Sunday and amusing myself. When you have family in the restaurant business, Mother's Day is always celebrated at another time!
6. What we ate: Crab cakes, salad and fruit. Pulled pork and sides. Burgers and fixen's. Pasta with pesto sauce. Leftovers of all the above. Grocery store pizza and salad. And tonight? Slow cooker Greek chicken breasts. Chicken breasts simply cooked in Greek salad dressing and topped with feta and Greek olives.
7. What's challenging me this week: I'm feeling extremely frustrated on the aerobic exercise front. My walking unevenly leaves me in pain after my forty minutes of stepping out. My secondary method of exercise is walking in the heated rec center therapy pool. Which has a busted boiler and will be out of commission for a month. The end result? I haven't walked probably more than 2500 steps all week. Not a good solution, obviously. The regular pool is simply too cold for these joints. Now if I could only find the motivation for early morning Silver Sneakers or a Utube exercise program. The good news in all this is that I regularly do weight and strength exercises, as well as chair yoga. Sigh.
And there you have it, my week in Retirement.
As you heard, I am on my own on Sunday. One person in this house works in the restaurant industry. The other works in a huge plant/landscaping store. In both cases, Sunday is the busiest day of the year. I plan on going to church and coffee hour, then heading to the gourmet meat and seafood market. Where I plan to get a pile of shrimp (I live with folks with allergies) and three or four of those mini gourmet desserts. Add some wine, and it's a picnic of sorts. Trust me, I'll be just fine!
3. What I made: I finished that tote bag for my knitting. I worked some more on the knitted vest for my niece. I cut three good pair of pants that were getting loose into capris and shorts. I chose beads from those gifted to me and set them aside to try and make my first pairs of earrings tomorrow. Aside from being fun and maybe frugal, all of the above fall under the heading of my 2018 goal to be more of a maker and less of a user.
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| Tis bright! |
4. Other things I did this week: I watched a mini series based on the books by Steve Martini on Amazon Prime. I read two books, one of which was disappointing even though it was a favorite author. I watched a half an hour class on drawing and one on the history of the Eastern Europe through the Great Courses Plus. Since this was the first week of eighty plus and even ninety degree weather, I spent an unusual amount of time on in the patio and yard with the dogs. And through a class on Craftsy plus I'm experimenting with free motion quilting ( all those wavy designs that go on the top of a quilt).
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| Learning as I go. |
5. What I didn't do/missed out on/wish I had done: We've given up our Wednesday dinners out to new restaurants in honor of no spending and future vacations.There was no happy hour after knitting this week. I overslept on the study brunch class (which tells me this is not for me), and I deliberately missed my Friday day trip and lunch on my own. Both because I wanted to do concentrate on a project, and because I will be on my own Sunday and amusing myself. When you have family in the restaurant business, Mother's Day is always celebrated at another time!
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| The yard work, it has begun! |
6. What we ate: Crab cakes, salad and fruit. Pulled pork and sides. Burgers and fixen's. Pasta with pesto sauce. Leftovers of all the above. Grocery store pizza and salad. And tonight? Slow cooker Greek chicken breasts. Chicken breasts simply cooked in Greek salad dressing and topped with feta and Greek olives.
7. What's challenging me this week: I'm feeling extremely frustrated on the aerobic exercise front. My walking unevenly leaves me in pain after my forty minutes of stepping out. My secondary method of exercise is walking in the heated rec center therapy pool. Which has a busted boiler and will be out of commission for a month. The end result? I haven't walked probably more than 2500 steps all week. Not a good solution, obviously. The regular pool is simply too cold for these joints. Now if I could only find the motivation for early morning Silver Sneakers or a Utube exercise program. The good news in all this is that I regularly do weight and strength exercises, as well as chair yoga. Sigh.
And there you have it, my week in Retirement.
As you heard, I am on my own on Sunday. One person in this house works in the restaurant industry. The other works in a huge plant/landscaping store. In both cases, Sunday is the busiest day of the year. I plan on going to church and coffee hour, then heading to the gourmet meat and seafood market. Where I plan to get a pile of shrimp (I live with folks with allergies) and three or four of those mini gourmet desserts. Add some wine, and it's a picnic of sorts. Trust me, I'll be just fine!
Wow, you are so busy and organized that I get worn out just reading about all you cram into your week.
ReplyDeleteLove your knitting bag. That turned out well. I can't knit in warm weather but I wish I could. I spend too much time on the computer when I don't have a hand project going.
I'm not following your no-spend May rules so need to back track. If you feel successful them that's great.a special treat for uourxelf? Sounds pretty nice. Happy Mother's Day.
ReplyDeleteOk, just reread your plan. No spend on non essentials. You've got a great approach.
DeleteMy family were in the restaurant business and so I totally get the “celebrate” differently theme for Mom’s Day! I will not go near a restaurant on Mother’s Day! Often we will do a hike and make a picnic although this year I have a bit of an odd Spring cold and will probably just hang out back on our patio with some wine and pasta..Home is where the heart is! Happy Mother’s Day to you,Barbara!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good week and lovely plans for your Sunday alone. I asked my son and his fiancee to spend the weekend with us which they are doing. Then FIL landed in the hospital Friday so we will not be taking any extended day trip until he is out. I too wouldn't go near a restaurant on Mother's Day but we are going to one on Saturday night.
ReplyDeleteLife is full, no doubt. I enjoyed 3 days at home after 2 full weeks so it was easy to have no-spend days. Instead of spending money, I spent my energy on yard work. If snow means slow, the rest of the seasons mean go, go, go. Activities for various organizations are gearing up including the amateur rodeo (scheduled for early July) that the community association hosts. I took on the advertising strategy so lots to keep me busy. And of course, the end result is a culmination of the responsibilities of others so it's more mental work than anything. Spring means yard work and gardening, including maintaining a local cemetery. I'm one of the youngest who shows up for the work bees and I'm in my 60's. It's time to recruit the next generation. My mom just had the second cataract surgery and those are days of hurry up and wait after the 1.5-hr drive to the medical facility. I hadn't seen my granddaughters for >2months and they arrived with their dad this w/e. Oh, joy! The artwork they did on some leftover plywood will be a great reminder of their visit. They're off today to a trail ride, a fundraiser for an organ donation society in support of a family friend who had a double-lung transplant 7 yrs ago and an extended family member who had a kidney transplant last month. I've seen crocuses & robins; the perennials are poking their way out of the soil; we enjoyed the first bbq last night with friends; my friend & I embark on a road trip to the Qu'Appelle Valley soon. Life is good.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had a good week to me. I too can't walk for any length of time without pain. But what is strange is I can ride on my stationary bike for up to 45 minutes with no pain what so ever. I can't explain why but it works. It's still quite cool up here in northern Ontario, Canada but my plans for mother's day is to go out and get some raking done. Have another good week and be blessed.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I cannot unprotected my knee so biking is painful afterwsrds, even recumbent. I'm designing a seated program and will do what I can walking wise and do some silver sneakers till the pool opens i suppose.
DeleteCan you sit in a chair and do the walking in the chair? My friend did that. I tried it and it is hard but my knee does not hurt doing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on designing myself a half an hour seared exercise program, we'll see how it goes.
DeleteIt looks like you live in Denver -- have you considered topical cannabis cream? I use it on my knees, spine and mastectomy scars every day, and it makes a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteHi donna, I've added your blog to my reading list! I have alot of success with medical edibles for nighttime. While I continue to experiment with topical, they are not as successful except that they smell so good. I deliberately do a dispensary rather than mail by the way as my guys and gals have given me some good advice over the years.
DeleteAnd I should add, not just a bum knee. I have complete leg degeneration so I will always walk unevenly and always have groin pain afterwards. I blame it on all those early days on doing pt in combat boots on the tarmac before the army got a clue.
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