A Month of Retirement

 Tiring week last week. I accomplished virtually nothing.  I think that we had COVID.  Not sure as I don't have any tests left, but it wiped out the 3 of us.

The week started with a sour cookie! I opened a box of cookies and had one and it tasted sour.  Gross, must be a bad cookie. (Is there even such a thing?) So I tried another.  Gross, sour!  Gave what was left to dh, he tries and tells me that my tastebuds are whacked.  I wasn't hungry after that.  Then a tiny sore throat.  Then the chills, bone rattling, teeth chattering chills.  Then the sweats, then the chills and repeat for 24 hours.  Tylenol helped, then the sinus pressure.  Cold medicine helped.  Somehow 3 days went by and I didn't get out of my pj's.  Dh had same thing except no chills.  Now we both cough with the slightest exertion.  Kid 3 that spread it to us is still coughing too.  He's had bad headaches.

Oh well!?  At least I didn't have to go into work feeling like garbage.  I am doing all of my paperwork tomorrow.  Quite a few pages and several required ID photocopies to get the pension started. I have decided not to pull anything from my retirement savings for at least 2 years. (If even then) As it will lift me up into the next tax bracket. After speaking with my investment guy I will be buying RRSP's for the next couple of years to make sure that I don't have to pay any income tax.  Plus it will fill the gap when my bridged pension reduces. Not a large amount, but $200 per month at least, then more at tax time if required.  It will be the 2025 taxes that will tell the tale.

Other than the brush with VID it has been a nice summer.  Hot and not terribly smokey for a change.  The yard is starting to smell like fall with a hint of dry leaves in the air.  We got a lot of work done with some much needed maintenance to the shed and the deck.  I also touched up some outside house trim, and had dh do the stuff I couldn't reach.  The apple tree has had a truckload of apples this year.  Too many!!  The week of sickness was really the prime time for picking, many have hit the ground and then into the compost bin.  So far I think it has been 30+ gallons of apples pitched. (I load them into a 5 gallon pail and then haul them) There is still likely another 20 gallons on the tree, but I would need a crane!  Next year I will get an arbourist to hard prune it back after it flowers.

I made 6 big apple crumbles.  A new recipe that has pecans ground up in the topping.  I thought that I would give it a shot, and it was fantastic!  It is also gluten free for the celiac in the family and I can't tell the difference.

Easy Gluten Free Apple Crumble (No Oats) - Well Fed Baker

I have added more pecans to my topping after trying the first one.

Days are busy and not busy as I get into the new swing of things.  I really am not regretting retirement at all.  In fact loving it so far! The extra sleep has made me feel like a new person.  I haven't set an alarm for a month and it has been wonderful.  I still wake up early, but I don't have to drag myself to make a lunch, do hair and makeup and drive to work.  I have a ton of work clothes, but I am holding on to some of them for now.  I *think* that I will be doing a couple days a week volunteer work in a school, just waiting to see what the logistics would be like and I will need a criminal record check done before starting.

The grandbaby is beyond precious!  Loved to bits by all of us.  I'm fortunate to live so close to them.  Just starting to sit up and having big laughs and smiles.

 We are also planning a week long get away the end of next month.  The first annual empty nest vacay.  Hopefully another couple will be joining us, so that will spread out the driving.  Off to the mountains we will go.

The Good Things:

Feeling better

Babies

No Alarm clocks

Things that suck:

Taxes

COVID