Some advantages to retirement

Just remembered a couple of things that those of you who have recently retired or plan to soon might be interested to know. I have discovered that my car insurance went down because I no longer use it to go to and from work. It is now considered to be used for pleasure!!

My other big surprise was that the interest and finance charges on my credit card were not charged for 4 months because I retired. All of your payment applies to principle for those 4 months.

my eBay listings

For some reason I can't get this to upload into my link so I thought I would try it this way. I haven't some great Bath and Body Works items listed this week.

GO GREEN - SAVE THE PLANET

Just wanted to take a few minutes to remind you of how simple it can be to “GO GREEN” or do a little bit to help “save the planet”. On the Today Show this morning Meredith, Ann, Al and Matt carpooled to work to show some of the things that we need to be doing to help the planet. It was really pretty funny since each one seemed to feel like he/she needed to provide something for everyone (coffee/doughnuts/orange juice). I have not carpooled in years but I don't remember it working quite that way.
I started thinking about the things that I do or have done toward this end. Whenever I buy a new appliance, I buy the one marked Energy Star (I'm not sure you can even buy any other kind these days). I have changed the greatest majority of my light bulbs to the energy-saving fluorescent ones. I have requested that my name and other family members' names be taken off the list to receive junk mail. I try to recycle as many items as possible – our recycle system with the city is not set up to handle all of the recyclables. Anything that can still be used, I make an effort to donate to a charity – Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, ARC, Medina Children's Home, etc.
A couple of summers ago I tried making a compost bin. I was not very good at remembering to keep it wet, turn it over, etc. so it has gone by the wayside. I try to mow the leaves with a mulching mower and do not bag grass clippings. It always amazes me to see how many bags of clippings are put out for the garbage collection.
I have found a couple of websites that have some suggestions for GOING GREEN! Check them out and then think about all of the little things that you are already doing to save the planet. The web addresses are: www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/green-eco-friendly-tips0606 and www.worldwatch.org/node/3915.
Let me know what you think!

Cedar Pollen in San Antonio

I thought I had escaped the worst of the CEDAR FEVER that strikes San Antonio like a plague each year about this time. Unfortunately, because of all the rain that we received this past spring and summer it seems that we now have a "bumper crop" of cedar pollen! Every time the wind blows out of the North - we get a big dose!!! I have spent the last three days just trying to breathe. I have been to the doctor's office and gotten some shot that seems to help a little and taken all of the allergy medicine possible. I am still trying not to go outside if I don't have to. I wonder how well I will make it through the next couple of weeks since there does not seem to be any relief in sight.

OLD STANDBYS & NEW PRODUCTS

I am beginning to feel that I have enough time to try cooking some new (for me) recipes. I have been going through all of the cabinets in the pantry and finding aids for cooking that I have never used. I used a FOOD PROCESSOR for the first time yesterday! I know that it is hard to believe that I have never used a food processor but it was always one of those things that I was going to try SOME DAY. I tried a recipe for Tortilla Soup from a cookbook for diabetics. It turned out great - with the addition of a dollop of sour cream and chunks of avocado.

Today I am going to try cooking with a clay pot - SCHLEMMERTOPF. I vaguely remember my mother-in-law baking chicken in it about 30 years ago. I have looked it up online and see that there is still plenty of information out there on using it and lots of recipes. I plan to try baking a chicken today.

I have been busy using REJUVENATE on my tile floors. They were in serious need of some help and the bottle promises to restore and protect them. I decided that I could not do it all at once --- soooooooooo it has taken over a week doing just a small section at a time.
I found the bottle at Home Depot and was carefully reading the directions to see what other items I needed - Pro-Clean Super Cleaner and Clean & Revive Neutral Floor Cleaner along with a Rejuvenate microfiber mop. I wanted to at least know what they recommend to use with the product even if I decided not to use all of the components. Much to my surprise they did not have ANY of the other items. When I asked a salesperson, his comment was, " Oh, you read the back of the bottle? I never even looked at that." I'm not sure but I think I would have thought of something to say like "We are out of those today"!
Anyway my floors are starting to look much better. I used my Scooba on them first with vinegar water solution and then applied the REJUVENATE.

??? FLAPPER VALVES??? Who Knew?

Today was my day for the PLUMBER to come and straighten out as many plumbing problems as possible. Since moving into our 40 year old house -I have become good friends with the plumbers! I originally tried making repairs myself. However, after a few near disasters I gave in and called on THE PLUMBERS! After attending a workshop on apprenticeships for plumbing (among others), I know that plumbing can be a very dangerous job. They are exposed to many germs, etc. that scare me just to hear the names.

Today was about FLAPPER VALVES. They become misshapen and need to be replaced. On various service calls, I had been told to put a bottle of Lime-A-Way in the tank once a month (into the tube where the water enters the tank) to help prevent calcium/lime buildup that can keep the flapper valve from settling in the hole tightly. I also understand that I need to put a box of RID-X into the sewage system once a month through the toilet. This should keep us from having to have the septic tank emptied as often.

Who knew that a seemingly simple thing like a toilet could need so much care? Certainly, not me! We have already replaced two of our 1960 something toilets - hopefully newer models are not quite as susceptible to problems.

Back to my theme from yesterday - Yes, I should take a minute and be thankful that we have toilets to take care of and repair! I know that there are many people in many different countries and in our own who would love to have such a modern convenience. I do remember when a few families in our town (when I was very young) still had outhouses.

Return to Normal???

January 9, 2008
I'm sure everyone is spending time trying to get your house/life back to normal after the holidays. I still have a box and cooler full of dishes that my mother gave to my daughter. Mother thinks that it is critical that all of her grandchildren have a nice set of china. At this point, I believe she has purchased about 17 sets of china!!! She is finding that she does not have enough cabinet space to accommodate all of it so she is giving each grandchild their set. My daughter lives in an apartment with a small kitchen - no room for china!! I have made two or three suggestions as to where she needs to put her china to store it. So far, it is still in the breakfast room floor (11 days later). She is afraid that it could get chipped or broken if it is just put on cabinet shelves.
There is an extra computer set up on the dining room table complete with orange extension cord draped across the floor. It is hard to believe that with two laptops and two desk computers (one with Windows XP and one with Windows Vista) we still need one more set up on the dining room table. There are only 3 people living here.
There are still piles of mail on the kitchen island. No one has moved theirs – thrown any away or taken it to their room or even their apartment. I'm sure it will all live on the island until I decide to get rid of it. Even though I have put our names, etc. on the lists to not receive all of those pre-approved credit cards - we still get them daily. Often 4 of the same kind addressed to each of us. So many trees are being destroyed just to tell us that we can have a credit card to spend more money that we don't have to get into more debt and do more damage to our already struggling economy.
I know I have promised myself to turn everything into a positive! Hmmmm! I am thrilled that: my 80 something mother still has the health, time and energy to select china for her 10 grandchildren; we are fortunate enough to be able to afford an extra computer; we still live in a free country where we can have the choice to receive mail and offers of pre-approved credit cards.
I have finally decided that I have to relax and be patient – my house is not going to go back to normal all in one day. Maybe not in 1 month or even 1 year!!
Now I have wonder what is "normal"? Will I ever be considered NORMAL? Would I want to be "normal"?
HOW BORING!

Well Today is the BIG DAY! I have finally decided that if I am going to learn to Blog I have to jump right in and start. I have been contemplating this adventure for many weeks now. It has become a little like diving off the “high dive” for those of you who are my age and remember the “high dive”. The first time I went off – I was pushed! I am beginning to think that I have made starting a Blog into something much scarier than it really is.
I plan to write a lot about how my life has changed since my retirement with a few side bars on my various adventures (cleaning the inside of the fireplace with lemon juice/baking soda/salt combination). This idea came from BBCAmerica on “How Clean Is Your House?” and I couldn't resist trying it out. If you have never watched the show – it is definitely worth checking out.
I have been retired for 6 months now and it seems like 6 weeks at the most. I made sure to have the right tools (my IROBOT Scooba and Roomba) in addition to my new DELL computer with Windows Vista to get me off on the right track. I am amazed at how fast the weeks have flown by. I often feel disoriented without my trusty day planner and am not sure what I should be doing. My husband reminds me that I don't have to do anything on a deadline – there will always be tomorrow.
I love my Scooba and Roomba – they always make me feel like I am getting at least double the amount of housework done (triple if I have them both running at the same time). I had a battery problem with my Scooba and had to wait for a new replacement (on backorder) for a month. I think I suffered from withdrawal symptoms – luckily I got to go on a trip for two weeks of the month. I have really liked having my own computer set up at home instead of work (that imaginary place that I don't go to anymore). I am still getting used to Windows Vista and not having a computer tech on hand when I need help.
The first few weeks, my honorary granddaughter and her cousin stayed with me a couple of days a week. We are very lucky to live in the city of San Antonio, TX and have easy access to public transportation. I bought bus passes and we rode the Via instead of driving in the car and having to park. I love downtown San Antonio with all of it's historical sites and shopping/restaurants, etc. but the cost of parking has shot through the roof in the past couple of years. Back to more positive thoughts: we often rode the Via downtown and then used the trolley to get around. We visited the Hemisphere Park, La Villita, Market Square, and Rivercenter Mall. The girls especially loved riding the trolley – there were some bumpy streets and they quickly discovered that they got an exciting ride (off the seat) if they sat on the back bench. They are still talking about it six months later and making plans for this summer.
At the end of August and into September I was able to go and spend my mother's eighty first birthday with her and my family. We were able to surprise her by having my brothers and sister take her to Nashville, TN for lunch. She thought that was a little strange since she had been asking to go to Paducah, KY . My niece picked me up at the airport and we met them at the restaurant. Mother was totally surprised and a little overwhelmed. I stayed with her for two weeks in McKenzie, TN.
I started playing a little bit with selling on Ebay. Fun – but much more work than I thought. I love being able to make my own postage labels and visiting with new people on Ebay. Everyone has been great!
Fast forward to the end of September and we took my husband to Port Aransas, TX for his 60th birthday. From there it was on to the HOLIDAY months with my mother visiting for Thanksgiving and my family going to Tennessee for Christmas. Here we are in January, 2008 – time to START THAT BLOGGING!