Seasidegal's Scrimpy Retirement Diary!

Seasidegal58

@milann - I hope you have a great time next week with the family - I know how much you and you DH have missed them from reading your diary - especially the DGC. 💕

Thanks @ rugbymadfamily - I agree - the coastline around here is really spectacular - nothing better on a sunny day with the deep blue sea. 😀

Hi @BalanceBy50 - it was lovely seeing DD again - before journeying up here this time, it had been the longest period of time where I have not seen her.  And re the long days, DD and OH sometimes go for walks during the summer here around 11pm when it feels like daytime outside!🌝

The Giant Puppy is adorable @doingitanyway - he is so big you forget he is only a pup sometimes and think he is a mad adult dog when he is going through one of his jumping up and down babyish moods!🤣

We had a nice day yesterday - in the afternoon we had a run out to another village to visit some friends of DD and OH. When DD and OH started visiting this part of the Highlands some years ago they used to stay in this rather lovely guesthouse and are now very friendly with the family who run it. In fact it was where I used to stay as well when I used to join DD and OH for New Year.  Since then they just run the business as a cafe and let out the self catering accommodation that was linked to it. What they have done though is to turn the house (which has quite an historic past) into a small museum and filled it with their family possessions passed down over the centuries. It's very interesting and truly stunning how they have arranged it with great taste.  It was lovely seeing them again as I had not seen them since last August. 

Soon we are off on a drive to Inverness as DD and OH have some things to pick up. I have also ordered a single blow-up bed from Argos which we are also picking up. This is for little nephew as he, DSis and OH are visiting for the first time next week. If we have time I would like to look at a new laptop and iPhone but I want to do it with DD's OH as he is the techie expert. 

MSE Scrimpy Retirement Things
Apart from the blow-up bed which was £20 (down from £25) I haven't spent anything else. I hope to be cashing out £25 from Opinium soon. 

I have been budgeting for the phone for a while (I have a 'Tech' category in YNAB) and the cost of the laptop will come from my last employment bonus.  Both phone and laptop are quite old now - the camera on the phone (which is a 6) isn't very good now and the laptop is 10 years old and is very slow with a defective battery. 

doingitanyway

The little family museum sounds so nice. What a great idea. 
The longer days and scenery are enviable
I really miss Scotland

Seasidegal58

Thanks @doingitanyway😃. This was the sunset on the local beach at around 10pm last night. Glorious!

We picked up our bits at Inverness yesterday and had a pizza and Peroni on the way home. I bought my laptop, but ran out of time for the iPhone so will get that when I return home. 

Today the weather was beautiful,  sunny and hot. We drove out for afternoon tea with some friends of DD and OH at a lovely hotel on a beautiful loch. I have seen the hotel featured a few times on the TV and have always wanted to visit.  The afternoon tea, hotel and locale came up trumps in my expectations - afterwards we had a wander around the hotel's grounds and extensive kitchen garden - they also have their own herd of Highland cattle that was grazing in a field close by. The scenery on the journey home was again spectacular - lots of camper vans, cars and motorbikes around as it's the bank holiday weekend and the weather here has been so amazing that people want to take advantage of it. 

I'm relaxing now - DD, OH and Giant Puppy are at the beach - it's gone 9pm and still feels like mid-afternoon sky-wise - a flock of wild geese have landed in the field next door - lots of honking at the moment!🤣🦆

MSE Scrimpy Retirement Things
I got £100 off the laptop as it was the last one they had and had been on display though looked brand new - so pleased with that bargain!👍

NSD today as I was treated to the afternoon tea!🍰🍾

Sunshine_girl2

The sunset is glorious, the weather has been beautiful today . Have a great time away your day sounded delightful. 

beanielou

Sounds like a fantastic day 

Sun_Addict

Beautiful sunset. Glad you’re having a fabulous time.

in_need_of_direction

Love the photo. It sounds like you are living the retirement dream or does it still feel a bit like a holiday?

milann

It definitely sounds like the retirement dream SSG. The sunset is just stunning- that’s one of the things I’m hoping to see next week as the sunsets over the Thames Estuary are much nicer than the pink sky interrupted by buildings we get at home. The afternoon tea sounds rather delicious too - I’m quite partial to afternoon tea myself 😋😀 

HairyHandofDartmoor

You sound like you're really enjoying your retirement SSG. I feel slightly jealous although I know I shouldn't wish my life away.

 I'm glad you're having a lovely time in Scotland with DD, what a glorious sunset 🙂. I'll miss the beauty of the highlands now that my sister has moved to be near Edinburgh, although I can look forward to exploring a new area.

You've been so sensible paying off your mortgage and your debts so that you can afford to enjoy your retirement  🙂.

Seasidegal58

Thank you everyone!😃

@in_need_of_direction - I still feel like I'm on holiday - which is true currently.  I can honestly say that I do not miss work at all! 

@milann - the sunrises/sunsets over the estuary are what I used to enjoy on my walks to and from the station when I was working.  Actually, unless it was teeming with rain and blowing a gale at the same time, I took pleasure in the walks at any time of the year - the vista was always changing - both weather and tide wise. 

It was still glorious sunshine yesterday - as it was bank holiday Monday the village was really busy as the local big campsite and holiday chalet site were full to capacity.  DD and I went to the local 'sell everything' shop for a couple of bits and the owner had completely sold out of barbecue meats and commented that he had been run off his feet right the way through the weekend!  He said he was so glad of the business though and wasn't complaining!  I would have thought that the butcher did really well too!  In the early evening we drove out to a wooded trail with Giant Puppy.  There were three duchshunds out for a walk too who immediately started barking at him. He gave a couple of barks back and then decided to stay aloof from their nonsense! 😀. In the evening we went very retro-1970s and watched Bruce Lee in 'Enter the Dragon' - I must admit it's the only martial arts film that I like!  He was quite amazing!  I always liked the shots in the film of 1970s Hong Kong. 

Today it has been overcast and breezy, although warm and the sun keeps trying to break through the cloud. DD and OH went to the dump this morning to clear some rubbish from OH's office which was left over from the previous tenant.  I hung some washing out to take advantage of the wind.  That's what I miss at home - having somewhere outside to actually hang one's washing to dry - it all has to go on the clothes horse. ☹️

Just relaxing now - DD and OH are working.  I'm starting a new book - it was given to me by one of the party that we had our afternoon tea with the other day. He writes Scottish-Noir thrillers that are set in this area of the Highlands - I really enjoyed the first and this is his second - both had good reviews - he is currently writing the third.  I do love a good 'Noir!"😃

MSE Scrimpy Retirement Things
Yesterday was a NSD. Today will be the same. I've updated YNAB as most of my DDs are paid on the 1st of the month.