I’ve gotten so good at retirement since I’ve been practicing that I’ve transitioned to semi retirement. The main thing I’ve learned is that we expect retirement to look like this…
In reality, it looks more like this…
Cook, do dishes, clean house, rinse, repeat.
Ben asked me the other night why I learned to cook after he left home. I told him I always cooked for him as a kid. He reminded me he knew when to come and eat because the smoke alarm let him know it was done. 🙄
Now you know: The background check for positions in the White House ask if you have ever been “suspected” of breaking the law.
I read this morning where Governor Holcomb activated the Indiana National Guard to help with hurricane relief efforts. Around 400 soldiers will be coming together today to be in Florida this week. Indiana Task Force 1 — a team of 80 central Indiana first responders — are already there and will be located just outside Milton’s cone for deployment once the storm passes through.
Those living in the south certainly need all the help they can get.
I spoke with another friend on Tuesday who said Duke Energy is sending employees to Florida, as well. It’s heartwarming to see people — and companies — helping other people.
The problems faced by many in Florida make my challenges seem small.
Thinking you might loose your home sure puts my current challenge into perspective. Heading to Seymour every day to get another house on the market is not fun — but the house is probably not going to be washed away this evening.
When you make a home your own, you paint the colors you like. You may choose a paint color to match furniture rather than stay with neutral walls. In many cases, that’s not what will help sell a house to others. I’m soon to begin painting like it’ my job. For this girl who continues to practice retirement… I guess it IS my job. 😉
Now you know: In 1900, a physician named Jesse William Lazear wanted to prove that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes. He allowed an infected mosquito to bite him, and he became infected with yellow fever, proving the hypothesis correct. He died 17 days later.
Right before all the rain from Helene started here, I brought in a few plants that I was afraid would blow over with high winds. One of the plants in particular is in a pot that’s in a dish. The dish was dry and I didn’t think it would hurt to set it on my Nanny’s old sideboard.
I was wrong about that.
The dish was evidently porous enough that it made a pretty ugly — and large — ring. I had someone tell me to use mayonnaise and claimed it worked for them. Said they were canning and put jars on a towel on their table and those rings were miraculously gone with a mayonnaise application. I tried it.
It didn’t work.
Before I hit this thing with a light sand, I’m going to try it once again following directions this time around. I didn’t know you’re supposed to apply a thick layer and lit it set for at least 12 hours.
I guess the egg yolks, oil, and vinegar, in mayonnaise work together to remove water stains. I’m going to try it again and let it set for its 12-hour timeframe… hoping Merida doesn’t lick it all off before morning. 🙂
I’ll share the verdict soon!
Now you know: Sir Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Bhanji but changed his name and noticed an immediate uptick in job offers, from “We don’t quite know how to place you” to “When can you start?”
Delays are often seen as setbacks, but they can be a natural part of any process, as long as you stay committed to finishing. Pool closing was slated for last weekend but it didn’t happen.
It’s my fault… I incorrectly believed it might stay warm enough to get in the water just a couple more times this week. Nope. It was too darned cold unless you love polar plunges.
We crossed the finish line — the pool is finally closed.
Leaves are falling like crazy although we’ve not yet had a frost, and they were peppering the top of the pool water consistently. After vacuuming and skimming leaves at least 2 bajillion times, closing chemicals were added and the cover is on. After losing that thing to wind gusts many times over the fall and winter last year, we anchored it to cinder blocks in addition to everything we did last year. I have high hopes for better results.
It took all day because breaks were required.
There’s a time lapse between chemical additions and Dharma had plans for those gaps. Belly rubs were required no matter how hot it was outside (over 90°).
Of course, each time lapse also meant we had to skim the top for leaves again. I appreciated Ben’s help and hated that he had an encounter with a wasp. And, I tried hard not to laugh when afterward he jumped up when a horsefly got close to him. 🙂
Now you know: The heart beat of blue whales have been recorded as low as one beat every two minutes – the lowest for any mammal.
I saw a meme on X.com (formerly Twitter) that said the following:
“I’m not saying I’m old… but when I was in school, we made ashtrays for our parents in art class.“
#1: Sadly, I was one of the PARENTS who received one of those ashtrays — that’s proof I’m mega old. I also still have it proving that old people can still be sentimental. 😉
What meme verbiage could best describe how old you are?
I’ll go first for the #2 thing proving I’m too old.
“I’m not saying I’m old… but when I was in school, students parked their trucks near the front entrance with guns on racks in their back windows.“
I also remember end tables with built-in huge glass ashtrays. My Aunt Shirley had two of them and was darned proud to display them in her living room.
Having thought of all the above, I figure I should pass my lawnmower duties to Perry, hire a housecleaner, and crown Ben the ‘Pool Cleaning Czar’. In my decrepit state, I only need to think about when I’m having my next bowel movement. 😳
Now you know: Sixteen people survived inside the collapse of the World Trade Center, and they were all in Stairwell B of the North Tower, in the center of the building. The survivors were spread out between floors 22 and 1.
