Tag Archives: house

Holiday at Home

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DH is slowly improving. He is still going to the hospital twice a day but they have decided not to go ahead with surgery and just treat with antibiotics. He has a bit more use of his hand this morning but I think it will take a while till its fully healed. So I am doubtful he’s going to be able to paint or do the work around the garden we had planned for spring. I’ll need to step up and do a bit more I think.

I decided yesterday that I would take a few weeks leave. I had been saving it but I think I would feel better if I can get some spring cleaning done, possibly some painting and also work on losing some more weight. So I’ll be off work for the rest of the month. Here’s my ‘To Do’ list for October:
  • clean and re-organise the pantry
  • finish sorting clothes 
  • take donations to op shop
  • organise sewing room
  • paint the hallway, bathroom, toilet
  • reach 88kgs weight
  • general spring clean of house
I’m looking forward to getting my house back in order and having some time to myself during the day. Today I just need to do some emails this morning and then I’m ready to get started. 

Holidaying at home.

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Earlier in the week I made a big pot of split pea soup and froze eight individual serves. I love soup and its been my breakfast each morning this week – its been quite cold here with some light snow about half an hour away so soup for breakfast really hits the spot. 
There were a few good specials at the supermarket this week so I will be doing some more cooking for the freezer this week as well. 

After 10 weeks working from home (12 for DH) we are both taking a week off – we’re having a holiday at home and I’m really looking forward to getting some work done around the house.

When we made the decision to change our downsizing plans and stay in this house when we retire, it meant that we will need to do different work on the house than if we were selling. We’ve been making plans for a big vegetable garden so that we can reduce our food costs when we retire. 
I love gardening and years ago we had beautiful gardens including a veggie garden out the back. But both of us had a few significant injuries that slowed us down a lot and now, after years of neglect,  we just have an overgrown mess to transform. I’m excited to get started! I’ll be quite happy to spend my retirement pottering about house & garden all day, and having the time to work in the garden.
Yesterday I made a list of what I’d like to get done before we retire and I’ve added it as a new page at the top of the blog. We need to update kitchen & bathrooms, get solar power put on and make the yard easier to manage. Theres painting to do and insulation needs to be re-done.  We still have quite a lot to get done to be ready to retire and so this week we’ll be getting started on that list. I don’t plan on spending huge amounts and we’ll DIY as much as we can. 

…doesn’t time fly!

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I was shocked to realise how long it is since I’ve posted here. The last six weeks has been quite hectic and it will continue for another few months. So its time for a bit of a catch up.

My plan is to transition from working face to face to working as a consultant online part time after I retire from my job. My manager has really encouraged each of us to be building an income outside of work so we have something in place if we get laid off. So I am doing a US based course (which means I get up in the middle of the night one night a week) to up my quals and get started on setting up my new business. Its going well and I feel confident its going to be successful. Its just going to be a juggling act for a while!

Financially – we’ve used the redraw for business set up costs, training courses and also for some work around the yard. It’s also slowed down our mortgage payoff for a while.

So when I’m not at work I’m studying or building my website or writing content or working on marketing plans. I’m really enjoying it so I feel happier and less stressed about work. I have been taking time off pretty regularly as I am tired, but overall I’m happier.

We’ve been working on the yard and the painting inside. Each Sunday we spend a few hours working together outside, we’ve chopped down trees, cleaned out garden beds and I’ve had another round of decluttering clothes. I feel that we are starting to move into a retirement mindset, we’re detaching from workplace issues and enjoying pottering about together. DH working less hours and me taking days off here and there is giving us a feel for whats to come – and it feels good!

So for the next few months I’ll still be busy with training and business set up and then I’ll have a bit more time for myself and more frequent blogging.