Turkey hunting

All I want for Christmas is a turkey dinner, and I may not get it. There isn't a decent turkey in this town. The local grocery had a huge one for $42 and change, but that's ridiculous. I'm not paying that much for a turkey. I have two steaks in the freezer and they are my fallback plan. Anyway, I'm going to cross the state line and go turkey hunting this morning. 

We had our first snow of the season a couple of days ago. It barely covered the ground and didn't last long, but I was glad to get to see it. Apparently, it was done for the early riser because it was gone by eight o'clock. 

This year, 2023, is winding down. It wasn't my best year ever, but it was close. I was happy with my garden, and I'm pleased with the amount of firewood my cousin and I have on hand. I did better with my writing in 2023, but I still have unanswered questions. That is to say, I have decisions to make. I blogged about it at Between the Keys. One of those decisions is whether or not to keep Between the Keys and Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway separate or to go back to posting only at Between the Keys. When I was working, I viewed my writing life as separate, but now that I'm retired it's a case of my worlds integrating. 

Between now and the first few weeks of January is typically the time I rest and make plans. This year is no different. It's time to make choices and choose a road to travel. I know that if I choose the wrong one, I can always backtrack. That's one of the gifts of growing older. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

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Sunlight on the hillside

I'm in a bit of a funk at the moment. The last several weeks took me away from doing the things I wanted to do and left me doing what I didn't want to do. I retired for a reason and yet I agreed to fill in at the old job. It hasn't left me feeling warm and fuzzy. 

My life has been spent working for others. I got my first part-time job when I was sixteen. I wanted a car and cars cost money, ergo, one works to earn money. I didn't stop working until I turned sixty-five. 

Yes, those years are now paying dividends. I'm not rich, but I have retirement funding. More importantly, I have time to enjoy my home. And what do I do? I say "yes" to filling in while a girl is on maternity leave. Someone should beat me over that. 

Yesterday morning I was reminded of WHY it's important for me to be here tending to my hearth and home. I'm working on a new story and I'm spending a lot of early mornings in my office, which happens to be the sunroom. I glanced out the window in time to see the sunlight hit the hillside. It's in these quick, quiet moments that I know I belong here on the manor. 

I live on the west side of the mountain. To the west of the manor, I can see the pink sky and the small town in the valley. The townies already have full sun, but I'm in the shadow of the mountain. It is on the hillside that I first see bright sunlight. It starts with a sliver of brightness that grows as it makes its way down the hill. It is constant, there in all seasons, present in every day, even on cloudy days when the rays of light slip under the clouds for far too brief a moment. These moments soothe the ache in my soul. 

I did the right thing by agreeing to fill in at the old job. But if they reach out again, the right thing will be to say no. I know this because of the quiet early morning hours and something as simple as the sunlight on the hillside. 

The Lady of The Hideaway

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Just when I thought it was safe to be retired again

It was going so well - for thirteen days. I thought I was finished and in the clear. My lovely protégé had given birth to a little girl, enjoyed her maternity leave, and was back at work. I was FREE!!!

Back it up for a moment. The poor girl was back to work for three days and came down with Covid. They called me to ask if I would do this one specific task. Just the one thing. And I said yes. 

The good news is that [probably] unbeknownst to the higher-ups, my protégé had it about fifty-percent finished. I just needed to tie up a few loose ends, correct a few typos, and voilà! It's done. I'll drop off a few printed copies and, please Lord! - I'm retired again. 

I hope it lasts this time!

The Lady of The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, retirement, country lifestyle, rural living, 

A minute here, a minute there

Today was a "catch up" day for me. My To Do List always has a few small items on it, ones I thought of in passing and hastily scribbled down. The scribbling has taken over the list and it was time to renew it. That means, for me, it's time to do those small jobs that aren't critical, but they bother me being undone. 

Early this morning I tossed a load of laundry in the washer and sat down to handle my mother's correspondences. Deuce and I walked two envelopes down to the mailbox and Cousin Dave came out to chat. 

Home again, the laundry went in the dryer and I lit a match. The burn ring had collected some wooden debris, pallets and such, and was an eyesore. It's gone now and I can report the old well still works great. 

Housework gets neglected in the summer months, so I put some things away in the pantry and straightened up the shelves. A thorough vacuuming job followed since Deuce is shedding at the moment. Then the clothes in the dryer were hung, folded, and put in the closet. Little chores were finished and crossed off the list. I felt like I walked in circles, and I did, but I dutifully stuck to the items in the order they were written. 

A quick call from a girlfriend netted me some old candles. I'll use them to make fire-starter this winter. The Lord of the Manor was working in the shed, and when I checked on him, he put me to work. FedEx saved me when they delivered a roll of woven ground cover from Grower's Solutions. 

I started dinner prep and then went to the computer to do some quick promos. That led to blogging at Deuce's Day and Between the Keys. Dinner went into the oven, and I watered the garden while it baked. 

After dinner, it was time to write a new list, which led to blogging here at The Hideaway.

Some days I wonder why I'm tired at the end of the day. Maybe tomorrow I'll sit in my garden and listen to the bees. More likely, I'll start working on the new list. 

The Lady of the Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, rural living, country lifestyle, To Do List, retirement, gardening, homesteading, blogging, a writer's life

A patch of morning sunlight

Early morning is by far my favorite time of the day. For years and years, I've gotten up early to greet the day, resenting those working mornings when I had to rush to a day job in a congested city. Saturdays and Sundays were mornings I relished in silent gratitude. 

Times change. I've retired and my housemate's sleeping habits have changed. He gets up when I do, which doesn't exactly please me. I'm sure my being home all day every day doesn't please him, either. But I do miss the solitude of those two mornings a week. 

I see a wider perspective now. I have time to sit on my sunroom porch and observe the habits of deer, foxes, squirrels, and human neighbors. I mark the patterns of the sun as it comes over the mountain and the sunlight as it slips under the cloud cover. And some days I see a spot of magic as if the sunlight is saying, "Visit there today and see what awaits you." 

And while it speaks to me, I think it's better to leave the magic undisturbed and simply enjoy it for as long as it lasts.

The Lady of the Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, mornings, sunlight, magic, rural living, country lifestyle, woods, cloud cover, deer, fox, retirement

The state of retirement, one year in

I've been thinking about this post for a while. I officially retired May 22, 2022, but I still have close connections to the people at my former job. We keep in touch via email, text, and a monthly meet-up for lunch. I signed a one-year contract to be an "administrative consultant," and although that contract is expired on paper, in real life it continues. It's a good thing, too, because my protégé is pregnant and I'll be filling in for her when she's on maternity leave. 

Not everyone is fortunate enough to leave a job on good terms. A friend is retiring at the end of this month. She'll have her last working day and then two weeks of vacation and some personal leave that should put her official date at July 31st. Her job has made her miserable, so it's a good thing for her that she's doing this. I'm not a professional, but I think her mental health needs the break.

Has retirement aided my mental health? To some degree I think it has. I'm sleeping so much better. I'm more relaxed now. Working on my own schedule presented a few challenges at first. I attempted to do everything all in one day last summer. Now I pick and choose what needs to be done in a day. The weather plays a part in that, as does whether or not I have a helper available for some of the bigger jobs. I also give myself days off.

One disappointment is that I'm not writing the way I thought I would. It's taken a while for me to get caught up with homestead chores, not that one ever does get completely caught up, and settle down to writing time each day. 

The biggest adjustment has been spending so much time with my partner. Nerves are wearing thin. I'm much less concerned about saving gas and wear and tear on my car than I am with getting away for a few hours two or three times a week. Even a trip to the landfill is welcomed. Juuuust saying. #men

I look around the manor and it's easy to see I've worked hard. The wood processing area is a little messy with a few rounds and such that need cut and split, but it's always going to look like that. The grass could be mowed again but that's a weekly cycle. And speaking of grass, I went against the man's wishes and sprinkled some fertilizer around back in February or March and the grass looks better than it has in twenty years! I wanted a garden for a long time and now I have one.

All-in-all, being home is a true blessing to my inner life. I'm glad that I retired and moved away from someone else's daily grind. I simply have a few wrinkles to smooth out, and I know once that is accomplished, new ones will appear. 

It's easy to go with the flow when it's only your flow you have to deal with. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, retirement, homestead, rural living, country lifestyle, mow grass, gardening, a writer's life, inner life

Forty years ago today

On February 25, 1983, my mobile home burned to the ground. I lost everything except my two cars and a load of clothing that was in my mother's washing machine. I wasn't home. I'd gone to town with my parents that evening, and luckily, my dog was at my parent's house visiting with their dog. My two cats were not as fortunate. 

When someone chastises me for allowing my cat to have outdoor access, I like to tell them how I had to pull those two little corpses out of the wreckage and bury them. yeah. Go ahead and judge me. 

I've come a long way in forty years. I built a house in the same location so I wouldn't need a new septic system and well, not to mention put in a new driveway, and subsequently paid off that mortgage. I traded a faithless husband for a caring life partner. I've been a published author for over the last twenty years. I retired from a lucrative position that provided me with a good income and now a good pension. 

 The low point of the last forty years was burying my father in November 1983. He didn't live to see my new house. My mother is now in care with Alzheimer's Disease. My partner, a good man, is now in a wheelchair from a degenerative condition. 

My life is a good one. Forty years ago I wasn't sure how I'd survive, but I made it through. I don't normally mark this day, but for whatever reason, when my calendar opened this morning, the fire is what immediately came to mind. 

I guess forty years is a milestone. It certainly isn't a millstone. I don't own one of those. 

The Lady of The Hideaway

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It may be time to panic

Gardening season is fast approaching. I've jumped ahead and have begonia cuttings growing and Marigold seeds sprouting. They make me happy but they're only the beginning. Now is the time to organize. 

The shelving unit with wheels I got last year for seed trays is in the basement housing empty canning jars. I need to tidy up my stock room and get the unit up to my sunroom office.  

I need six bags of potting soil for the Greenstalk, and I need to paint the base I'm sitting it on. My first little greenhouse needs a makeover. The plastic has disintegrated but the frame is still good so I'm going to set it behind the newer greenhouse and cover it with a shade cloth so I can use it for something that likes a bit less sun.

I need to order a load of mulch for around the edges of the woven weed cloth that I purchased from Grower's Solutions. I need to get twenty T-posts to install deer prevention measures (fencing). I need to check growing times and mark down when I should start which seeds. 

As with just about everything, once the job is broken down into pieces, it doesn't seem so insurmountable. I did have a moment of panic the other day when I realized it was February - like February doesn't come around every year or something. 

Breaking it down, it will take maybe half an hour to straighten my stock room and bring the shelves up. Painting the base will take place over the course of a few days but only because the paint needs time to dry between coats. One trip to town will acquire potting soil and T-posts. One quick phone call will get mulch on order although I will have to make sure the ground is firm before I hop on the John Deere to spread it where I want it. Researching planting times will be a fun project for one evening. Planting the seeds in the trays is a couple of minutes on each appropriate day. 

Installing the T-posts will take the most time. I may need to enlist the help of a cousin for that as it may require more muscle than I possess. Even then, it won't take long. 

So it's not time to panic. It's time to stop and think it all through. It all will be done. I may even do the work in my stockroom this evening to get the shelving unit ready. 

I keep thinking I'm retired and I should be relaxing.....

The Lady of the Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, gardening, greenhouses, panty, stockroom, deer prevention, planning, organizing, retirement

Eight Weeks

Eight weeks ago today, I walked out of my office for the last time. Where did the time go? 

I like to stop and take stock of where I've been and what I've accomplished. It helps me plan what I need to do next. I don't sit and commiserate about what I haven't done. I may reprioritize a few things, but that's what these moments are about. 

In the last eight weeks, we've actually crossed a few things off our ever-growing To Do List. 
-Purchased a van for the spousal unit
-enlarged the paver pad where the van is parked
-painted ramps
-cleaned and reorganized the shed
-canned four projects
-installed three raised beds
-re-stoned area around the heat pump
-firearms practice
-met with a tree trimmer
-gardening

-pension paperwork, etc.

-write and blog

-lunch with former CEO

There are a few smaller, more incidental items on my list, things we do all the time like going for a haircut or doing the laundry. Suffice it to say, I'm amazed at how quickly my days fill with activity. 

One thing I've not accomplished is settling into a daily walking routine. On May 29th, I took a tumble in the creek and I still have pain from that. It's not curtailed my daily activities, but I've walked the trails just enough to know the injury was far worse than I thought and is not yet fully healed. I'm sure I'll get there, but it's a slow process. 

To sit and ponder on the fact it's already been eight weeks brings to light just how quickly my impression of time passing is changing. Eight weeks seem to have passed in the blink of an eye. It's already mid-July and the hours of daylight shrink with every passing day. We're in that stretch when it's hazy, hot, and humid every day. But this will pass and I need to be ready when it does. 

This is a year of transition. Some things I need to allow to unfold. I'm adjusting to a new normal, a normal that will continue to change. Sitting on the sunroom porch and watching the hummingbirds feast on the bee balm passes for excitement, some days. I'm not at all unhappy about that. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

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I thought it might take longer...

I've been retired for six weeks, and this is the week Lazy came to visit. She's not a welcome guest, but since her visit does coincide with the beginning of the Dog Days of Summer, I can't fault her timing. 

It's too hot to be outside during the middle of the day. If I'm going to do anything, I'd best be done no later than about ten o'clock. That's why it took several mornings to paint the porch ramps. As soon as the sun rose above the trees, I was finished for the day. Seriously. 

To make it worse, the spousal unit and I didn't do anything productive during the afternoon hours, but quiet time spent together likely did us a lot of good. Being together 24/7 is a big change for both of us. Not even during the Covid lockdown of 2020 were we always home together. I escaped every weekday to go get the mail and check to make sure the office was still standing. No one else was in the building so I accomplished a lot - A LOT - in a short amount of time. 

Today I met a co-worker for lunch, which was very nice. We chatted and she caught me up on the latest gossip. It was a pleasant interlude, but I was happy to hop into my car and make my way home. 

So I could be lazy for the rest of the day.

It was raining by the time I got home so that last statement isn't as bad as it seems. I've been working since I got my first part-time job at the tender age of sixteen. That is a long time to be gainfully employed. 

I knew Lazy would arrive. I can indulge her for a few days, but no more. She won't get the better of me. 

Oh, but doing nothing feels as good as I always dreamt it would. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

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The State of Retirement: One month in

Today marks my being retired for one month. How's it going? Holy crap...

If I'd had any inkling I'd be on the go from six in the morning until past dark, I may not have retired. I'm working waaaaaay too hard! Falling in the creek didn't help much either. 

Having a sore hip hasn't stopped me. The roses and peonies needed tending and the garden needs to be watered daily. June started out with a completely blank menu, the planning of which involved the spousal unit (not conducive to the speedy completion of any project). 

We sold our beloved 2011 Chevy Silverado and began in earnest our search for a van. That was not a good experience until we stopped by Stakes in Fayetteville. It's amazing what sort of junk the dealerships in Frederick and Sykesville are attempting to sell for top dollar. But at this little place on Route 30 just outside of Chambersburg, we got red carpet treatment - and a van. 

We've mowed and mulched, burned the brush pile, and installed three small raised garden beds with an eye to the future. I've canned butter beans and plan to can baked beans next. I had a little royalty windfall and did a major shopping trip to bolster the pantry. 

It's been a very busy start to retirement. I'm truly not complaining. The last thing I want to get is bored, and that has not been, nor does it look to be, an issue. The old adage that busy hands are happy hands is proving true. The only complaint I have is that I've not had enough time to write on a regular basis, but now that we're not running all over four states car shopping, that situation should improve. What I'm missing is rest. 

I thought I'd have time to laze on the patio in the afternoons, but no. It hasn't happened. I think that to have a true day of rest, I'll have to stay in bed! With a book! 

That would not be a bad thing.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

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A little luck never hurts

Several days ago, May 29th to be exact, I took a tumble in the middle of a creek. I'm lucky I didn't break a hip and lie in cold water for hours until someone came looking for me. It was just one of those careless things that happen when you have a big dog. Deuce tells the story over on his blog, Deuce's Day. Anyway, I sustained a really deep bruise on my left hip and it's taken this long for it to start to feel better. 

A little luck never hurts. I was able to get up and limp home. It could have gone in a very different direction and I'm grateful it did not. It would not have been a fun way to start my retirement years. And if my retirement is off to a limping start, that's really okay. At least I'm on my feet. That's a good thing.

About five days ago, I pushed it and walked with my cousins. Big mistake. It may have set my recovery back a bit because I started to hurt all over again. Today, it's much better so I tried it again and it was just Deuce and me on our walk. We went back the old homestead lane, a walk that is always a balm to my soul. I spent summers back at that homestead as a young girl, and every twist and turn in the road brings back a memory. The woods are so green and the sunlight is dappled and glorious in the early morning. No one else was on the trails and it was so very peaceful. 

We made it home in good time and I set about filing the pictures I took. I decided to make a Photoshop collage of some of them. It was a good occupation for an afternoon that turned to rain.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

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Scary things - a blank June calendar

The spousal unit and I share a Google calendar entitled, "What's For Dinner." Supposedly, it's to be used by both of us but he never seems to add anything. I use it to loosely plan meals so I can grocery shop more efficiently. Now that I'm retired, it's even more important to 1) have a plan and 2) stick to the plan. I'm far from destitute, but wasting money and food isn't something anyone should embrace. 

So here we are at June 1, 2022, and there is nothing on the WFD calendar. No hints. No suggestions. No clues as to what the man will eat or wants to eat. 

Damn it.

I'm going to take this as a carte blanche to start to eat the way I want to eat for the next month. 

Oh, yeah. It's going to get scary - for HIM. 

For me  - it's a chance to dive deep into the pantry and rotate some stock. I'm going to start with the oldest items in the freezer and go from there. This may actually be fun! What better way to kick off my retirement than spending time assessing the items in my pantry? 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

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When the clock ran out

Do you know what is meant by the expression, "the clock ran out"? It's an old expression that predates football. Letting the clock run out means something is effectively over. 

I've been watching the countdown clock on my phone for many years, and today, the numbers went to zero. Time has run out on my working days. The reception for my retirement was earlier today and it was quite the sendoff. I was deeply touched by the end of it. 

Perhaps it was the generous parting gift that will be attached to my last paycheck, but I think I was equally touched by all the kind words. We often don't know our own worth or how much others value us. It would have been nice to hear some of the words earlier, before leaving. 

It is of no matter. The clock ran out, and a new day has dawned. I'm ready to embrace it. 

The Lady of the Manor (The Hideaway)

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The Dawn of New Days

My permanent office complete
with "staff" members

Today was to be my last day in the office at the day job. It turns out that yesterday was the day. I managed to walk out with no fanfare at all, which is what I wanted. A big scene would not have pleased me. That's not who I am. 

I'm finally retired. It seems like this has been a long time coming. Yesterday, I wrote a bit about this over at my writer's blog, Between the Keys.  This morning, it seems rather anti-climatic. Go figure that one out because I don't think I can. 

Home has always been where I'm happiest. I enjoy my country manor, all tucked away from the eyes of passerbys. Of course, Google Earth knows where I am, but it doesn't often take my picture. We're very private except to the eyes of the next-door neighbors who are all family.

I thought I'd have a sense of elation this morning, but that's not the case. It's Friday, and it's a day like any other day. It's rainy, so Deuce and I didn't go far. He doesn't like rain. He'll roll in the creek but if it's raining? He turns into a couch puppy. 

What to do on this first day? Items on my spreadsheet await, but I think that today I'll be better served with reflective pursuits, like this blog and planning the June menu. I still have a "reception" to get through so maybe being retired will feel differently after that. Maybe it will feel more final. 

And maybe it doesn't feel final because my employer offered me a consultant deal for the next year. I have a contract to be a resource for my protégé until she's completed the yearly cycle. I don't expect to hear from her very often. She's a smart cookie and will figure things out by looking at what I've done in past years. 

Yes, this new dawn definitely calls for reflection - of where I've been, where I'm at, and where I want to go. The first two are easy, but the last calls for thought. Do I today want to go to the same places I imagined I did a year ago? Do some things no longer matter? Are there new ideas to examine? Yes, there are. 

I'll take the time today, because when tomorrow comes, I want to begin my new era with an open heart. The past, the present, and the future deserve no less.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

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The first rose of 2022

Life has taken on a surreal feel. With only four more working days left at the day job, I can't decide if I'm excited or dreading the loss of so much structure in my life. As someone who has been gainfully employed for fifty years, I may have been brainwashed, or at the very least brain-trained, to believe regimented days are a good thing.

Nope. That's not it. I simply want the next four days over and done with so I can finally, finally, finally move on and get on with "retirement." I have a set of lists, you see.

There's a list, actually a spreadsheet, for outside work, inside work, tractor work, gardening work, pantry work, equipment maintenance, and items to improve the humans in the house. I do so love a good spreadsheet when the cells get filled in with the color of completion! 

But there's one thing I can't put on a spreadsheet: remembering to take the time to slow down and enjoy the fruits of all my labor. 

Yesterday, late afternoon, the sky darkened and a front swept through bringing rain showers. The spousal unit and I had gone in different directions puttering at small tasks, and the rain sent us inside to the television. I glanced out the front window and noticed the season's first rose was blooming. How wonderful! 

The sunshine reappeared while the rain continued to fall. I love when that happens! Spring's green world glows! I snatched my phone and stepped outside to record a short video to share with whoever is interested but to mostly have to look at any time I remind myself it's time to stop and enjoy the roses. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway) 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVS9UTXQWzo

Easter weekend 2022

As the daylight hours continue to lengthen, my days of gainful employment shorten. It's Easter weekend. Today is Maundy Thursday, and I won't check in with my protégé until Tuesday. I'm not worried about her, though. She's definitely up to the task. I kid you not, this young woman is me if I were twenty-five again and knew what I know now. I'm very impressed with her. 

The fallout from the Covid pandemic shut down in 2020 and 2021 continues. I wanted to purchase a ham for Easter dinner but quickly abandoned the plan. I don't need a ham badly enough to pay $52 for a five-pound ham. I'll be at the grocery on Monday to see if they go on sale. They should because I didn't see anyone lingering at the ham case to choose one to take home. Heck, if the sale price is good, I'll get two for in the freezer. We're going to have a $7 ham steak and be happy about it! 

And speaking of freezers, I'm re-thinking getting a small one for beef. I think I should get one of equal size to what I have now. I can put meat in one and everything else in the other. That may work better. 

What has me leaning in that direction? Right now I have a lot of items in the freezer but I need to get some meals pre-made and frozen, and space is really tight. I need to up my freeze-drying game and get some of the frozen veggies into Mylar. Sometimes it's good to practice what I preach about preparedness. Being prepared to get a quick meal on the table is part of that for me. I like to cook once and eat four or five times! Just because I'm going to be "retired" doesn't mean I plan to cook every day for the remainder of my life. 

But cooking is my plan for this weekend. I'm going to put the Crockpot to work with some of our favorite dishes, bake a few of our favorite breakfasts, and get the freeze-dryer working to clear some space. Being a multi-tasker, it can all happen at the same time! And unless I have something in the oven, I can work on getting the buckets and growbags ready for the garden, too. 

I don't mind being busy "feathering my nest." It's what makes me truly happy. Only 20 workdays to go!

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

Apparently, it's difficult to let go

I learned a new phrase: contract knowledge. It wasn't what I thought, that being someone who has knowledge of contracts. As it was suggested to me, it's someone who retires but agrees her replacement can continue to call her for assistance at an agreed-upon rate.

Let's just say that blind-sided me. What part of RETIRED do you folks not understand? 

As of today, February 6, 2022, I have no more than 57 workdays left at my place of employment. With a few vacation days due me, Friday, May 27, is my very last day. It could even end up being May 20. We shall see. 

This notion that they will be able to call me for help is for THEIR convenience, not mine. I've already put it out that I do not carry my cellphone with me everywhere I go here at The Hideaway. If I'm outside, it's not in a pocket where it could get damaged. If I agree to their proposal, it has to be at MY convenience. 

I'm not hardwired to be one of these people who can't let go when it's time to move on. I've seen a lot of pain caused by people who can't let go and force relationships into a swamp, and I refuse to allow myself into those situations. 

I think a clean break is best, but perhaps I should give them until the end of this calendar year. It has been a good job with an excellent pension. What I won't do is sign paper on the deal. If they won't trust me, there is no deal. 

It feels good to be the one in the "position of power."

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

What's next? Do I have a plan for 2022?

stock photo

This time of the year just about everywhere one goes on the web you can find a recap of the year just past and "resolutions" for the year so recently begun. 

I typed that sentence and sighed. Surely that means something. 

I'm not in a good place about the year just past. I turned in my letter of resignation and then allowed myself to be talked into staying on with several concessions. It's my own fault. Now I'm dealing with an unhealthy attitude about what has been a rather good job, one with an excellent pension plan and health plan. Nevertheless, my official contract expired on December 31, 2021, and hell will freeze over before I sign a new partial year contract. In fact, with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 wreaking havoc in my community, I may be exercising a few of those concessions starting Tuesday. 

Now is the time to consider the plan for 2022. 

IS there a plan?

There is a plan. I will be eligible for Medicare and that is the only remaining hurdle to jump to retire. The cost of health insurance was the determining factor for continuing to work. Retirement will happen.

I have seeds purchased and have the calendar posted as to when I need to plant them according to variety. The garden corral worked great last summer and I learned a great deal. 

The spousal unit is researching small vans to serve the dual purposes of transportation for him and the ability for us to do some overnight trips, stealth camping if necessary. I hope to record some videos of our "adventures" and post them on YouTube. 

My three-tiered pantry is up and running. The last item to cross off the list was the purchase of a HarvestRight freeze-dryer. Once retired, I'll have the time to do some serious meal preservation. We'll eat well on our sojourns in the van.  

I've been a published author for twenty years and I will continue to write. At what level I'm not sure. My focus has been on prepping for retirement and the future. Once I'm settled in, I hope the joy of writing returns. The hot summer afternoons will be the best time to hole up in my office and compose prose. 

And then there are those individuals I want to reconnect with. Working for a living pulled us in different directions. I take some of the responsibility for not calling them, but the phone works both ways. I plan to reach out and see what happens. 

Those are my plans not only for 2022, but for a few years to come. I realize I have a big life change ahead and I'll give myself a little wiggle room on how fast I hop on the phone or on my computer. I think the first thing I need to do is RELAX. I'll have to learn how to do that because I'm not sure it's a skill I possess. 

So there it is in black and white. I've written it out for the world to see. There's no going back on it. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

One hundred seventy days

I have a countdown app on my phone, and this morning I checked it to see how many days until my official retirement. It still looks a bit depressing, but there's good news there once one digs deeper. One hundred seventy days is less than it looks. It's only 122 weekdays. The key to unlocking it is in the week and weekday counts: 24 weeks.

I don't work on Mondays, so subtract those twenty-four Mondays off the top and we're left with ninety-eight days. 

Take another four days off for scheduled 2021 vacation time and we're down to ninety-four days. 

I don't yet know what my 2022 vacation package looks like, but doing the simple math, I should get nine days vacation to use next year. That puts us at eighty-five working days. 

That's actually a bit scary. 

I've been counting down the days for several years, and the knowledge of having only having eighty-five workdays left brings a mixed ball of emotions. It's a big change in both mindset and lifestyle. My biggest worry is that after twenty-seven years together, the man of the manor and me won't be able to co-exist peacefully within the new paradigm. It's going to get interesting. 

There's the exhilaration that my goal of being the Lady of the Manor full time is within reach.

There's fear something unthinkable will happen and I'll die two days shy of the mark. 

There is the question, the big question, of what new "adventures" do I want to have? I've been grappling with this one. 

Yes, I plan to pursue my DAR, not just for myself but for those in the next two generations. I know my five times great-grandfather signed the Oath in what was to become the State of Maryland to support the colony's bid for independence. That's not in question. I need to formally present the documents that show he is indeed my 5x great-grandfather. 

Yes, there are friends I want to reconnect with, at least once. It's on me to make the initial contact but after that, it has to be a two-way street. I'm prepared to be disappointed by some of them. 

Yes, there are so many things I want to do to make the Manor even more of my own personal paradise. To suddenly have time for that, to think that I'll have time, is almost overwhelming. Being occasionally compulsive about some projects, I know I must pace myself carefully to accomplish anything and not burn out. Or even flame-out, which could happen. 

And perhaps the biggest question of all, the one that is looming over me every time I sit at my desk in my lovely sunroom office - will the joy of writing return after I retire?

It's a lot to ponder on a Sunday morning before the sun has risen over the mountain and my coffee gets cold. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

Christmas Eve update - 79 working days

January 14 update - 68 working days