I'm Baaccckkkk...lol...

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Well, we've been retired for over 7 months now (actually only about 4 since I did some contracting for my previous employer for a few months after I left from full time employment).  Here's an update of what's been going on...

Our pet sitting business is growing rather nicely.  We've actually turned down some work when it has overlapped activities that we had previously planned for ourselves.  The way I look at it, if you have the foresight to schedule in advance, we'll have the courtesy to hold the date.  But last minute requests, which I consider to be a week or less notice, may be risky for you.  After all, we are retired. :)

Tudor and Tasha, two of our clients' furbabies

We've also been putting quite a bit of effort into downsizing by picking one room/area of the house at a time and attacking it with gusto.  This week's project has been our study.  There are 7 sets of bookshelves in the study, along with a grand piano and a low, long filing cabinet.  I've purged 5 of the 7 units (hubby is in charge of his own and I still have one to go).  I've gotten rid of about 300 books - most of them how-to, but also a fair number of novels and cookbooks.  The way I see it, unless it's a very special book, I can either borrow it from the library (if it's a novel) or google what I need to know (if it's a how-to/self-help).  Not even my cookbooks were spared.  I saved the ones that I know I use and that were special gifts, but all the ones that I've collected over the years have gone on to better homes. We have a local branch of the American Association of University Women that got a boatload of them, and the rest will go to the Friends of the Library.  Here's a picture of the ones that are headed to the Friends of the Library.

More books for Friends of the Library

I plan on taking the bookshelves with us when we move, but I also know that our storage space at the condo will be very limited, and I've got other plans for shelf space, namely my photo albums and scrapbooking supplies.

And here's another picture of my neatened up cookbook bookshelves and the other side of the room (hubby's shelves are on the far left...).

After the purge (hubby's books on left)

Cookbooks that made the cut

I still need to attack the file cabinet, but it's only Wednesday...

I should add that we are on baby watch - our youngest daughter, Laurin, and her husband, Eric are expecting their first baby (our first grandbaby) any day now and our plan is to head to southwestern OH to be there for Jack's birth, God willing.  So some of the cleaning might have to be postponed for a few days while we welcome the new little one.  More about that later!

Updates

OK, so I guess you could say I've fallen off the blog-wagon.  But I'm back, and  with lots of updates.  Gonna go in the easiest direction, which is forward, starting from my last post in September.  

In October, Larry experienced a spontaneous hip fracture, which was repaired with three stainless screws and about 10 weeks of non (well, toe-touch) weight bearing using a walker.  He's now going to PT 2x a week and faithfully doing his at-home exercises, so we are back on track to full mobility, and hopefully to our bike riding plans for when the weather breaks.

In December, we both gave notice to our employers of our intent to retire effective January 4.  We enjoyed wonderful holidays with our families near and  we began to really feel the retirement train headed down our track! In the meantime, we continued setting up the groundwork for our pet sitting business - we joined PSI (Pet Sitters International) and signed up for their certification course; and we've been easing into advertising and the nitty-gritty of opening up bank accounts, getting a tax id, registering the business name, creating a website (www.sitstayfetchllc.com), etc.

I spent 2 weeks in Arizona in January for my mom's 75th birthday - my sister and I had a surprise party for her and she was truly surprised.  They were good times!   It was rather cold the first week - a low of 18°, but then we had record highs the second week - 81° two days in a row.  Got some shopping and golfing in and had a nice, relaxing time out there. 

Yesterday we had our first pet sitting appointment and I am happy to say we have our first (and second) jobs lined up.  That's exciting!!  Meanwhile, I am working a few hours a week as a marketing consultant with my former employer and loving the fact that there are days that we don't even have to get out of our jammies if we don't want.  

Our next big event is our oldest daughter's wedding in Cape Cod in June, and along the way, we're continuing to work at downsizing the old homestead in preparation for a move to a smaller place.  

I do have a recipe to share - it's one for some yummy granola that was featured in the December 2012 Better Homes and Gardens.

Quinoa Pumpkin Seed Granola (registration required)

Great News!

Our annual report came today...looks like things are in place for our plan to retire at the end of this year!  It's worth celebrating, yet I'd be a fool to say that I'm not just a little scared.  Nostagefright. Nostagefright. Nostagefright.  If I say it enough, it should take hold, eh?   I think we will celebrate tonight with a little wine!

We're also putting our plan in place to start a pet sitting business once we leave our 'regular' jobs.  The thought is that we'll ease into it up here, and later, in a couple of years, when we relocate to a more urban area, we'll be ready to spread our wings in the new location.  I've researched the name we want to use, and also little things like which association to join and how much of a budget we'll need to get started.

I should be honest and say that I am counting down the days...almost giddily...

Move-In Day

Moving day for daughter dear...


Yesterday was move-in day for our youngest daughter and her new husband.  They moved into their new/80 yr. old home.  Another 2 1/2 hour trip to southern OH and we installed another ceiling fan/light fixture.  I must add that during the past week, we did much research on the old style 'knob & tube' type of wiring before committing to this install, but we're confident in the results. They have one bedroom left to go, but they're going to wait and see if they still need a fan after the AC gets installed this week.  

Less than half a year to go til our 'd-day' and it's looking better all the time!  We've tentatively decided that we want to start a pet sitting service and I've begun to do some research about that whole idea.  We've had two different services that we've used here and both are willing to chat with us about the business.  It seems like a good fit for the two of us - particularly if we can partner with another business or two to cover for each other when one is not available.  


Enchilada Casserole for dinner tonight:


1 lb ground beef
small onion, diced
clove garlic, minced
1 T chili powder
1 T vinegar
1 t salt
1 can black or pinto beans, undrained
10 oz can enchilada sauce
8 small (6") flour or corn tortillas
1 can rotelle tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
2 c shredded cheddar cheese


Brown ground beef and drain.  Add onion, garlic, chili powder, vinegar and salt and cook until onion is translucent.


Grease 3 qt oval casserole dish.  Pour 1/4 c of enchilada sauce in bottom and spread  around.  Layer 2 tortillas, 1/3 of meat mixture, 1/3 can of tomatoes, 1/3 tsp of cumin and 1/2 c cheese.  Repeat 2 more times.  Top with last 2 tortillas, remaining enchilada sauce and 1/2 c cheese.  


Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.  


Serves 6...thinking the kiddos may stop by on their way back to northern OH...