My Retirement Journey

I am telling you, what is happening in the nation, drives me crazy.  The Supreme Court ruled today that a person could deny services to a transgender couple.  Of course, there would be problems if it was racial.  So now the hateful has outwardly given the ability to be discriminating against another group.  I thought we changed things in the 60s, but I am proven to be surprised and naive once again.  Another thing, if I went for a job and announced I was indicted twice or tried to overthrow the government... and one had 37 charges brought against me, do you think I would be hired?  Heck no!  Am I crazy for thinking having someone like that running for president is a bad idea?  No... I am not!

Well, the heating/ cooling system is in and I feel special.  They are putting our water heater right now.  I am always anxious when people are here doing things.  The heating system this morning was 4 to 5 hours long.  And now the water heater installers.  I got to tell you... the furnace was original and I was paying close to $300 each month in the winter.  Next year, who knows.  With this system it will be more efficient.  The water heater was dated to 2000... 23 years old.  They tell me it was leaking in 3 places.  Not good, especially since it is located in the house.  But, at the end of the day we will have two things done.  Not bad.

The heating guy came out and looked at what we are working with.  The water was put in 2000 which makes it 23 years old.  We are living on borrowed time.  If the water heater leaked, it would flood the inside.  And the heater is 37/ 38 years old.  It still works, but it's not efficient.  Electricity has gone way up.  So we got a water heater and  water pump coming.  Lots of change and we were tired last night.  

Brady went to Lake Washington to Gene Coulon park for his friend Angel's graduation party.  We dropped him off at 1 pm and took off for 3 hours of a mom/daughter day.  We first went to a Panera for lunch.  It was delicious 😋  Then there were 2 plant stores that we decided to check out.  The first was only for buying outdoor statues or birdbaths.  So we went to downtown Renton, which we don't love... but things have changed since Covid.  The place was new but very expensive. We went next door to a new coffee shop and the drink Kari got was delicious.  That made it worth the try.  You never know.

Today I am setting up quotes for roofing, a new furnace, and a water heater.  The roofs first quote was $9,400.  Tomorrow will be another.  Tomorrow evening they are coming out to talk about a heater.  Busy

Riley went to CA last Monday to spend more time with his grandfather and family.  It wasn't planned but as we thought about where he is in life, and where he's going, it seemed like a good opportunity.  He will be there until July 9th.  I miss him a lot but I know he needs to get out and do somethings... he will be 20 this August.  

Found these cards on Amazon, and they come today.  We worked on separating Brady's gift cards and money from his party.  Now our focus will be writing and mailing out thank you cards.  He received a total of $1183.  Plus he was given a new laptop,  smartwatch with band, and a CD player.  So there is a lot of gratitude.

It was a wonderful party and celebration filled with food, games, presents, and smiles!

This story was written by Booth Tarkington at the beginning of the 1900s.  I find it intriguing as the American society was adjusting to the changes new inventions were bring to people, and how not all the changes would be for the better.  They talked about the horseless carriage changing the landscape, as well has how people behaved or found important. I was amazed that the author could understand there is a price to pay when something comes to help make our lives easier.  What would he think of all that has come into our lives... Cars are bigger and faster, there are highways and freeways, planes, trains, washers, dryers, dishwashers, vacuums, echos, smart phones, watches, TV, and computers.  There's more too that has been invented to make our lives better and to save us time.  But they haven't. This is was is written about what was:  " Too slow for us nowadays, because the faster we're carried, the less time we have to spare." I guess nothing invent

On Saturday, we celebrated Brady graduating from high school. It was cool but the rain held off.  Then in the afternoon we had a party at Deborah's house. More pictures to come.

The moment Brady was named and graduated with his AA degree.  Tomorrow is his high school graduation.  Sunday is Father's Day. Juneteenth will be Monday.  I will be back Monday too.  Stay tuned for more pictures etc.

Eva is arriving today from Costa Mesa, CA and we've been getting ready.  Jerry, Kari's dad, arrived yesterday.  Riley is already at the hotel this morning to have breakfast with him, while Brady has his last final.  Meanwhile, I am cleaning, getting groceries, and doing whatever is needed.  I haven't seen Eva (my stepmom) since before Covid.  She married my dad when I was 18.  Our relationship has evolved to where we have our own relationship.  Technically she's my stepmother, but I am 67.  She's family.  Above is when Kari graduated GRC in 2014 with Eva watching the event too.

My belief too.   I know people can be judgemental and hateful but believers have no place to being that way to anyone.  I want to send this church neat the college a Thank You note.

Last Friday was the Retiree's Social at GRC for those of us that retired in this school year.  My table was Lonnie, Sue, Sandra, Spunky, Irina, Deb, and Brady.  I feel as if I am now leaving GRC in the past and planning my next three to six months.  Of course, I will be sharing my next steps.

Calm Please.  Brady and I have found ourselves in craziness.  Didn't know about the English Nominee Finalee until a week before... and the winner?  We don't know.  The Rotary Club's event we found out in the morning and went to the luncheon without knowing what was going on.  Last night Brady was surprised with another scholarship without information  or amount.  Today we went to get the graduation tickets as told and was told that only the morning will they be given out.  So we have to plan to go back again early but I decided to get groceries too when we are out.  All has been for great things, don't get me wrong.  They could be organized better.  I am not sure if it's because it's post Covid and doing things again after years, or busyness, but it's something.  Too many mishaps from various places.   Well, tomorrow it's my Retiree Social.  I can't wait.  We will talk about it next week.

Today we went over to GRC because Brady was a Nominee Finalee with the English Department.  He received $25 Amazon gift card. Tonight we went to his high school where he received his high honors cord, and another scholarship (more on that later... it was a surprise).   We are in the thick of graduation stuff now.

June 6 is my sister's birthday.  She would have been 51 years old, but she succumbed to her injuries from a car accident at the age of 20.  Krista, it's been 30 years but you're not forgotten.

This quote is found in Alice in Wonderland.  Kari and I resonate a lot with it and it is displayed in our home.  Things in the world have seemed to be upside down or "mad".  I will often say this quote to others when I find things strange or if I can't seem to get it together.  🤔 

Today my best friend Barb, whom I adopted as a sister, has been gone for a year.  Meeting at a Starbucks was often our thing to do.  She was my first friend in Washington.  She took me to Pikes Place Market to introduce me to Seattle.  I was her Maid of Honor, was there when her kids were born, and was there in the room when her husband died.  She was younger than I am and never made it to 60 yrs old.   Last year she began to have pains in her stomach and they found a mass.  It took her most of May to find out what was happening exactly but finally she told me it was liver cancer.  At the beginning of June 2022, she started turning yellow.  The mass had blocked her kidneys etc and dialysis didn't work.  June 5th 2022 Barb left us and went on to heaven.  I am happy she's not in the terrible pain she was in, but I sure miss her.  Grieving her loss has changed me.  Her death reminded me what was important in life, and it was one reason I retired.  I also ha

I had a few minutes to try to take a selfie with my sunglasses on for the first time this year!  I finally found them in the car.  I was so pleased because this means summer is coming!!!

  In one of my posts, I talked about rediscovering interests that has laid dormant for decades.  Retirement is the perfect time to rediscover those interests.  Today, I am reminding myself about current interests that I haven't been able to keep up with during the busy times.   One of those is beading.  I self-taught myself how to bead, you might say.  I started by creating what I called "dangles" because they were a strand of beads that one would hang on your car mirror, or in a window for color.  I would make bookmarks, and during the pandemic I took to making lanyards for ones mask.  Now that the pandemic is not as serious as it was, I have thought about making work lanyards or sunglass lanyards.   I have a pile of felt to create felt ornaments plus I can add beads.  I haven't done this for a while, but I am still interested in it. I feel it is more a winter project. I love stones.  Ever since I found a polished stone on the playground at school, I have