Cold Snap and Finding a Few Dollars

 A quiet patch.  Some sort of bug had a hold of the man.  Not good.  I have washed my hands 1000 times, cleaned and cleaned (with gloves on) and sprayed disinfectant on all shared surfaces.  I also have done all the cooking and the cleanup.  Which wasn't bad at all, considering he didn't eat real meals for several days.

I had to learn to run the snowblower (wasn't hard) plus do all of the everything.  But he seems to be over the worst of it today. He's way behind at work but him stressing about it is worse than the actual work required. 

A text from kid #3 today that we will need to travel to a tournament he is in.  Might like to fly there instead of a  800 km drive.  UGH!  Then hotels and meals. ugh.  We have the funds, I just don't really like going there.  In thinking about it, the car rental or taxi/ubers would be way more than the gas to get there.  Also, if it's -30 I don't want to be hanging out waiting for some random car to take me where I need to be.

I caught up on some errands.  Library, Credit Union, Bank, insurance broker, pharmacy and groceries.  Plus did a 30 min yoga session. Sitting in the sunshine now, appreciating the quiet.  I pulled out some frozen chicken breasts for tonight.  All of my meal planning that I did for last week turned out to be for only 2 small meals.  I made them so that the fresh vegetables didn’t go bad, and then I ate the leftovers. Ugh (I dislike leftover anything except chinese food and chili and that isn't what I made!) Tonight I'm using the Chefs Plate recipe, but with all of my own stuff. Chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and fried zucchini. The broccoli is looking a little wobbly so we will have a lot of greens.

Need to do a Costco run, but the big carts are too hard for me to maneuver with my back and shoulders.  (Its the turning) I used up all of my brown sugar, need paper towels and tissues, sweet potatoes and grab some chicken thighs. When the man is back to normal we will go some evening next week.

We did a little outing and met up with another couple that I haven't seen for 4 months.  It just didn't work out to get together with them. Again the "what do you do all day?"  "Whatever I want"

Watch movies, do laundry at 2 pm instead of all evening, take my time meal planning and cooking.  Have a nap, read a book, go for coffee, yoga, cleaning, meditating, more deep cleaning.  Take family to medical appointments, play with babies.  Endless options really.

I do not miss work one bit.  I met up with a couple of former coworkers and I really want no part of the frustration and constant do more with less time and resources. 

In my errands the other day I closed out an account that was about to become inactive.  I was using it for insurance reimbursements for many years.  Now that I'm retired, I dropped my optional extra coverage that I had through work since the man has way better coverage than I do. I didn't get a paper or electronic statement, I just had it in the background, knew about it but just "turned a blind eye" for 8 years.  I thought it had a couple thousand in it.  I was happily wrong!  I have enough to buy my yearly TFSA and put a good dent into maxing my RRSP amount for 2024!  Whoohoo!

For some reason as well, my parental units gifted me a significant amount after New Years.  When I asked what was the occasion, I didn't get a straight answer. Nothing comes without strings attached so I am quite leery.  That too will be invested.

Travel this year is being put off. Perhaps back to the west coast, or see the east coast of Canada. The time will be spring.  I've been to the east coast of the US a couple times, but not here.  I think I would like the Cabot trail.  But we will see.  I have nothing but time to plan!  I love seafood so either coast is awesome with me!!  I have a folder on my computer adding tours/restaurants/hotels to.  Its fun! 

I need to meet with my investment guy for our pre-tax season plan. This time the man thinks that he should maybe do some RRSP's to avoid paying tax this year.  A lot is unknown as to how my retiring partially through the year will affect things.  I just find it all so very very dry.  I have to make myself pay attention.  That's the reason that I started this blog forever ago.  Track where I have been, and plan for the future.

The good things:

Unexpected bucks!!

Babies 

Things that suck:

-30

wicked virus' going around