The Big Adventure

Goldiegirl

I hereby undertake to be the MFW scout in the new world of retirement!

I only hope that I don't revert to my teenage habits of sleeping until midday - it won't be very exciting to write about!

But I am looking forward to some days when we do very little.

I just want a some time to 'be' rather than 'do'. I think that could be a challenge, as it's so different from a working life. I reckon it could take a while feeling comfortable having a day with nothing planned.

Seven sales on eBay so far:T

gallygirl

Goldiegirl wrote: »

I hereby undertake to be the MFW scout in the new world of retirement!

I only hope that I don't revert to my teenage habits of sleeping until midday - it won't be very exciting to write about!

But I am looking forward to some days when we do very little.

I just want a some time to 'be' rather than 'do'. I think that could be a challenge, as it's so different from a working life. I reckon it could take a while feeling comfortable having a day with nothing

Sounds just what I'm looking for :T:T:T

Karmacat

Totally agree about the being and doing - I've got quite a few clients looking at this (we've all aged together!!!) and its a real live issue.

Well done on the ebay sales!

Goldiegirl

It's been a strange old day here


Mr Goldie has that cold that has been going around. His nose is running so much, he's now using a loo roll to deal with it! (possibly TMI)


I think I got out of the bed on the wrong side - I'm not in a very good mood. No real reason for it, I've just got the hump.:rotfl:


My mood wasn't enhanced by putting in a £116 Sains order. As usual at the moment, I'm taking advantage of offers and buying extra for next year, so my orders will stop being that high within a couple of months. Plus we'll be exploring the other supermarkets.


Actually, I think this is the root of my odd mood today. I just want to get on with my new life.


I have restored my mood a bit. I went out for a good walk. It was warm for the time of year, sunny and breezy. In fact ideal walking weather.


Also, my mood has been enhanced by the activity on the bird table. We've stopped the wood pigeon hogging the table by a few well placed twigs. This means all the smaller birds are flocking to the table. We've got the usual blackbirds and sparrows, a pair of collared doves who can just fit in, a robin, a wren, some blue t1ts, chaffinches, and new today, a goldfinch.


The nut feeder is close to the bird table as well, so the word seems to be out that this is a good place to stop by.


NSD today, and one more eBay sale.


This evening I'm going to have a go at just 'being'. A relaxing bath, and then Downton Abbey:T

BookWorm

Hi Goldie

Sorry to hear Mr Goldie has succumbed to the germs that are doing the rounds. Hope you don't get it too!

I've been watching the birds today as well. In fact, I had a robin come for a visit which was lovely as not seen one for such a long time.

It's natural to feel unsettled and impatient for your 'next chapter' but you are on the home straight and the time really will pass so quickly.

Enjoy your evening

Goldiegirl

Mr Goldie's cold is a bit better today, and he's gone off to work. He has a meeting today, so I think he'd have gone even if he felt rough.

I hope I'm immune from the germs BW, as I think it was me that passed it on to him:rotfl:

Today I'll do the eBay parcel run. It'll have to be a trip in the car, as the parcels are all quite large, and too much to carry if I walked.

Then I'll get some housework done and more washing on the line (washing is never ending). This afternoon, I'm going to have a bit of a financial inventory, and check the rates of our savings accounts. Some are in fixed rate, fixed term accounts, which will be ok, but I know there's a couple of accounts which have rates that can be improved.

Our dinner this evening is left over chicken, from yesterday's roast chicken. I've also frozen some of the chicken for my sandwiches when I go to work.

I'm still on the 'keep it simple approach' to meals. Also, the freezer is gradually emptying of meals put in there prior to the low sodium diet. There's some things that i feel have to much salt, so Mr Goldie has those, while I have fish, other things I feel are still ok to eat.

I'm building my supply of spices and herbs, so everything is progressing.

But, as with most things, change doesn't happen over night, it's a gradual thing.

Lunches are the thing I find most difficult.

My lunch time staple was ham or cheese sandwich. Ham and cheese are both off the menu now, so I've been looking for alternatives.

At home, I've had the odd jacket potato, or an egg roll or sandwich, or poached egg on toast.

But I seem to have settled on toast with jam - I'm enjoying that at the moment, and have ordered some Nutella and some honey to make a change.

Work lunches or packed lunches are a little more troublesome. Egg sandwiches are too smelly - I don't want to upset the people around me! Chicken is fine. I've tried cold beef or lamb from the weekend's roast, but I don't really enjoy it that much. Sometimes, if all else has failed I have a cole slaw sandwich.

I'll have to ponder for tasty packed lunches, on a low sodium basis.

Karmacat

Marmalade would ring the changes from jam. Its coming up to marmalade making season. Yum, is the only word for that

Hope your day goes well

Goldiegirl

Karmacat wrote: »

Marmalade would ring the changes from jam. Its coming up to marmalade making season. Yum, is the only word for that

Hope your day goes well

It's been a very pleasant day here - it's so warm I've had all the windows open. A couple of weeks ago it was like late November, now it's back to early September. Very confusing


I had forgotten about marmalade - we have a few jars of semi-home made marmalade in the cupboard. Mr Goldie makes it from a shop bought base, adds sugar and boils it up. It makes 6 jars. I'll add marmalade to my lunch list. Today I had left over 'low salt' pizza with salad leaves and a spoonful of cole slaw, which was nice.


I've done my financial inventory. I was pleased with some of the rates we are getting on the fixed rate term savings accounts. Rates were obviously a bit better a couple of years ago.


But as I suspected, there are a couple of accounts which are paying a very poor rate, so I'll be taking action on those. Some will go in the interest bearing current accounts that I'll be opening, and the rest can go into this year's ISA for the time being at least.


It's also been some time since I added up the balances across all accounts. I was pleasantly surprised, as it was more than I thought!


I must admit I find this whole interest rate checking thing a bit tedious. I'm rather old school with savings accounts. Back in my day, you'd open an account, the interest rate might go up or down, but the rate was the same for new and existing customers, and wouldn't be withdrawn after a year!


It's also the start of a new financial month as my pension and Mr Goldie's salary has hit the account. I'll work out how we did next week when all the info is to hand, but it's looking promising.

Karmacat

Nearly all of that is great news, isn't it! I started the rate-checking thing last week, and some of them were good surprises too. It takes a while for the changes to percolate through, but it really is worth doing - like I was prattling last week, one change that took me half an hour or so gave me an extra £120 over two years! And changing those unit trusts to a NISA might save £800 or so in tax.

As for forgetting about marmalade: the family saying we have is "I like bread with my marmalade"

Goldiegirl

I have visions of inch thick marmalade!:rotfl:

After a positive day, something not so positive, unfortunately.

When I went around opening our windows today, I wasn't able to open one in our room, the handle seemed stuck.

So this evening Mr Goldie had a look at it. It opened, but the handle has now jammed in such a position, that the window can't be fully closed!

So I've got to ring the double glazing company that installed the windows, to get a man round to fix it:mad:

For the past few months there been something, whether it's wills, dentists or repairs, which means we have to raid the contingency fund.

It's good that we have the money put by..... But I'm getting fed up with paying out!

Also, I'm a bit fed up about not being able to fully close the window when ex hurricane Gonzalo is due to arrive:eek:

We've tied the handle to the radiator below the window to make sure the window doesn't flap about:o

Fortunately, the window is at the back of the house - so if we do have to go out, any burglar would have to carry their ladder over the locked side gate! But it's not ideal

Hopefully I can get 'a man' round here fairly quickly.

Honestly, sometimes it feels like one thing after another