Thinking About Retirement

 A colleague is retiring tomorrow after 45 years here, and it has me thinking about my own retirement. I'd planned to work another 10 years, but now I'm mulling over whether or not early retirement would work for me. It's both fun and scary to think about, you know?!

I've started a pre-retirement bucket list--why wait, right? Most of the things on this pre-retirement list  are health-related goals. I didn't plan that, it's just worked out that way so far. I want to be well enough to enjoy retirement (whenever that is) for many years!

New Year's Resolutions

 As usual, I made some New Year's Resolutions recently. I gave them some thought ahead of time, and so far, things are going pretty well.

One of my main goals is to work on improving my health. For years, I've worked on this, with varying results. Staying healthy has been a struggle during the Covid-19 pandemic, but I've been fortunate not to get Covid-19 yet. I signed up for an eight-week nutrition class, which meets twice weekly on Zoom, and I've started tracking on the Lose It! app. 

For years now, I've been wanting to learn a new musical instrument. Growing up, I took piano and violin lessons, but want to learn something different. I have an alto recorder, but haven't been inspired to work with it yet. I read an article recently about different instruments, and reasons for learning them. The writer suggested learning the guitar if you like bringing people together! Wow! So, I've been researching acoustic guitars, and they aren't terribly expensive for a beginner like me. I'd like to buy one in the next few months and start taking lessons by the end of the year.

Another goal involves reading, one of my favorite hobbies. In addition to my regular bookshelves, I have an Amazon Kindle. I've added a ton of Kindle books over the years, and quite a few of them have slipped through the cracks. I forget to start them, or start them and don't finish, as other books catch my interest. So, I'm going through my Kindle and playing catch-up. It's been nice to pick some books back up, or to give myself permission to delete them if I'm not interested anymore.

House Hunting

 This past week has been a big one for me! I got pre-approved for a mortgage AND met with a real estate broker! I feel so grown up, buying my first home, except that I AM grown up! I'm both excited and nervous, which I hear is natural. I hope to find a home that I can retire in, though I'm still about 10 years away from retirement. 

I've been looking on realtor.com mostly so far, and a house came on the market a couple of days ago that I really like. It's an older house (built in 1958) that's had some good cosmetic upgrades, but my brother-in-law suggests I find out more about the pipes and the wiring, if this house continues to stay atop the list (and doesn't get snatched up too soon!).

What Feels Like Home to You?

Relaxation Feels Like Home to You

You believe that your home should be your sanctuary. Life is stressful enough in the outside world.
You take it easy when you're at home. It's the place where you feel like you can truly be yourself.

You are the type of person who has deep hobbies and interests. You treasure your alone time.
You could spend all day at home if you had to. You always can find plenty to do around the house.

( I took another Blogthings quiz, and this sums it up most days for me during the pandemic, definitely after work and on the weekends. Of course, with the pandemic in place, I'm spending a lot of time at home, and I can't wait to travel again!)

The Power of a Book (and Girl Scouts)

 

Yesterday I finished the book Troop 6000, The Girls Scout Troop that Began in a Shelter and Inspired the World. I borrowed this book from the library via OverDrive, because I enjoyed Girl Scouts as a kid, and continued to be interested in the organization. 

This book turned out to be about homelessness too, and that was a strong and stirring message. Families in this book (like thousands of other homeless people) really struggled, despite working hard and asking their families and friends for support. I thought this book was going to be a lighthearted book about Girl Scouting, but it turned out to be a lot more (and eye-opening) for me.

I've done some research on homelessness in my area, and there are some ways to donate and volunteer. Meanwhile, I've bought/donated cookies from Troop 6000.

New Year's Resolutions: Weight Loss

I've decided to work on my weight in the New Year, and I'm sure I'm in good company! This is a recurring goal every year, but it feels more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic! In an effort to keep things fresh, I've signed up for premiums features of Fitbit, LoseIt, and MyFitnessPal.I'm trying all three out, but I don't know if that's sustainable. We'll see which one I like best over time.

Self-Quarantine

So, here I am, already at home, feeling lousy. Last night I took advantage of my local telehealth option, and part of the medical advice was to self-quarantine for two week, and perhaps get the COVID-19 test. Well, I'm home (and working from home) anyway. The good news is that I don't have anyfever, and I'm not in respiratory distress. This afternoon, I called my doctor's office to let them know, and to find out what my next step should be. I talked with a nurse, since the practice is currently closed to patients. She gave me a local number for a testing hotline--yay! She's also passing along my symptoms and concerns to my primary care physician.

We're in such strange times. The work and home lines are very blurred. (And what day is it, by the way?!)

Self-Care

In a year where I'm working on taking better care of my health, now the COVID-19 (coronavirus) is making the news. There have been a lot of cancellations in my area to help prevent the spread of the virus. I'm hoping that all the precautions being taken will help!

As for me, I'm taking extra vitamin C, trying to eat well and get enough sleep, and (of course) washing my hands a lot! I'm also trying to relax at home and take a break from the coronavirus (and stock market) news.

How are you taking care of yourself?

All the Books

I've been on a mission lately to whittle down some of the many Kindle books I've purchased, that are just hanging out on my Kindle and Kindle app. SO many books! Some were on sale. Some were recommendations or passing interests. But they're there, almost begging to be read, and I'm growing hesitant to buy MORE books before I finish some of the Kindle books I already own.

For quite a while, having so many Kindle books "on hand" didn't bother me. They were a comfort, in fact, much like having a bookcase full of interesting books to choose from without gathering dust or (in theory) running out of room. Last year was so challenging personally, since both of my parents passed away. I never knew what I'd be in the mood to read, so it was nice to have a wide variety on hand.

Now, though, I'm ready to add some newer books to my Kindle arsenal, but not without dusting off some older purchases and taking them out for a spin. It's taking some effort sometimes, almost like reading for a class assignment or something. It's all good, though, because I'm making progress, and keeping track on Goodreads.

Want to follow my progress on Goodreads? Click here.

Boning Up on French

Over the past several months, I've been reviewing/learning French on a website and iPhone app called Duolingo. Duolingo makes the language learning process pretty fun! There's a little green owl called Duo that pops up periodically with words of encouragement, which I find cute.

I've also tried my hand at Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and most recently Latin, on Duolingo. The French is easiest for me, since I had French in elementary school, junior and senior high, and a semester in college.

I hope to use my French some day during a trip to France!

My 1,000th Geocache Find

Lesley with Steely Dan

I took a vacation day last Friday to make it an extra long weekend (with July 4th on Thursday). The highlight of the day was finding Steely Dan, my 1,000th geocache! George was a big help with bushwhacking through the woods and navigating to the cache.

This (1,000 geocache finds) has been a goal for several years. Goals are good. So what's next?

Easter Weekend Trip to Delaware

A few weeks ago, I decided it was time for a weekend adventure--a nice change of scenery, as well as something to reset the brain. Work has been good but challenging, and my sister and I have been planning our father's graveside service and interment of ashes. All important stuff, but I needed a break. I thought about it, and made a hotel reservation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Why Rehoboth Beach? First of all, a beach location sounded great! Next, I've never been to Delaware. And it was driveable. Another big lure for me--finding a geocache in a "new" state!

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

My boyfriend had planned to join me, but wasn't feeling well late last week. So, with his blessing, I got up early on Saturday morning and headed north toward Delaware! Between home and Reboboth Beach was a big bridge-tunnel that I was a little nervous about, but looked to save me some travel time. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is 17.6 miles long. I thought I'd be nervous about it, but once I got started, it was really nice! Each side of the bridge (north and south-bound) was two-lane, with plenty of room. The two tunnels were one-lane each way, and little more nerve-wracking for me at first. By the time I came through south-bound, though, the tunnels were a breeze! Whew! The views of the Chesapeake Bay from the bridge were lovely, to boot.

Old Northampton, VA, Courthouse, Eastville

On the way up, I found a geocache in the pretty little town of Eastville, Virginia. The cache was located in the area of the old Northampton County, Virginia, courthouse.

Once in Rehoboth Beach,  I checked into my hotel, found my first Delaware geocache (yay!), then went to dinner at the Pickled Pig Pub (cute name award!). Back at the hotel, I hit the sack early.

Sunday (Easter) morning, I got up early, and decided I couldn't leave without seeing the Atlantic Ocean and the famous Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. I drove there after checking out of the hotel, and arrived about 7:30 in the

Korean Noodle Stirfry at the Pickled Pig

morning. It was so pretty and peaceful, it was a perfect thing to do! I'm so glad I made the effort.

Afterward, I found another geocache nearby, and then headed toward home.Along the way, I found two geocaches in Maryland and another in Virginia.

This trip was just what I needed, some much needed time away, with the challenge of geocaching. That being said, I was very

glad to get home, which was a good sign!

Planning a Graveside Service

My sister and I have been planning our dad's graveside service for our dad, who passed away in January 2018. The planning has been draining, but also cathartic. I'm mostly excited about visiting with the people who are coming. My aunt from England wins the "farthest distance" award, and I can't wait to visit with her! After my dad's memorial service in January 2018, we had a visitation at the house, and that was definitely my favorite part. So here's to bringing family and friends together!

Cleaning Out the Financial Cobwebs

For a long time, I've been thinking about streamlining my finances. They aren't too complicated, but maybe more complicated than they need to be. It feels good to research better interest rates and makes positive changes to my personal saving goals. (SmartyPig and CapitalOne are my favorite online spots for saving so far.)

I'm also enjoying (for the most part!) learning how to invest. I'm using a couple of online brokers right now, trying to figure out which one I like best. Some of the terms are still fuzzy to me, but I've decided to wade in, a little at a time. My purchases so far have been mostly S&P 500 index funds.

Our Trip to Charleston

George and I visited Charleston, South Carolina, for the few days leading up to Christmas, and we had a fun time! It was our first time there, which made it even more special.

We stayed in the lovely Belmond Charleston Place, a great introduction to Charleston hospitality. We got a room on an upper level,which qualified us for the Concierge Level food and drinks, which was nice!

We ate at several nice restaurants, including Hank's Seafood, High Cotton, and 5Church. We also enjoyed a horse and carriage ride through town, as well as a boat tour of Charleston Harbor.

It was a great time, and I hope we go back for another visit! My photos are here.

What Kind of Friend Am I?

You Are the Optimistic Friend

You are the friend who always sees the bright side. Your friends turn to you when they need a little cheering up. You give everyone a chance, and your friends feel like they can be themselves around you. You aren't judgmental or critical.

You are an easy person to be around with and rarely complain. You feel like it's almost impossible to have a bad time if you're with your friends. While you are glad that your pals appreciate your positivity, you'd like to see some in return. Life isn't as bad as people make it out to be. 

From Blogthings

A New Camera in the House!

I'm excited about my new camera purchase, a Nikon D5600! I've been saving for about a year and a half for it, and finally purchased it last weekend. I was going to buy it from Amazon, but had a good recommendation for a local camera store, Southeast Camera.

I first called the Carrboro store to see if they had this camera in stock, and they did not. I called the Raleigh store next, and thank goodness they had it.

Alas, it's still in the box, but I hope to break it out soon. Maybe I'll even have it working for our upcoming trip to Charleston!

Milestones

Today's my birthday, and it's the first one without both of my parents. My dad passed away in January, and my mom passed away the day after Thanksgiving. This is the first of many firsts without them. What's normally a day of celebration is a sad one, too. It's nice to be remembered, though. And it'll get easier. One of my Facebook friends posted Happy Birthday wishes, along with the hope that the next year doesn't suck. Me too. There you go.

Meanwhile, here's Mom's obituary, which my sister, brother-in-law, nieces, and I worked on collaboratively.

Big Game Weekend

George and Lesley at Wallace Wade Stadium

George and I went to TWO Duke sporting events over the weekend! On Saturday, we went to the Duke-UNC game, on a pretty, but nippy fall day. Duke won, 42-35, in an exciting game (especially for Duke fans!).  At half time, we got to visit with former Duke classmates Jennifer and Debbie, which was fun.

Yesterday afternoon, we went to the Duke-Army basketball game, which Duke won 94-72. It was an exciting game, too!

Who's Still Blogging?

I've been thinking about blogs and blogging lately, as I jumpstart this blog and hope that it draws

some readers and a community of sorts. When I first started blogging, it seemed like a hip thing to do, and I was riding the wave. I blogged often (between several blogs) and enjoyed following and commenting on others' posts.

Nowadays, I wonder if blogging is a thing of the past, not so hip anymore. Some of my favorite blogs have been officially retired, and some blogs just seem to be dead, their writers busy with other phases of their lives. I know that's happened to me. Some of my blogs (like the one about going to graduate school) are done, because I don't do that topic anymore (like graduate school or running).

So, I'm looking for new blogs and bloggers to follow. Any ideas? What are your favorites?