Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Coming Up For Air

I do  know that there are words we can use that will get us a lot more traffic. Cuss words work as do anything about being a snowbird.
Yes that is me in the left lense!

Knowing that, I just want you to know that I will not be cussing or talking about retirement today. Keywords be damned! (Opps)

Here is the deal. My husband usually move a lot. We do not paint a house the second time for ourselves. We paint the second time so that someone else that enjoy our really clean and fresh house. Then we move and repeat the process because no one else does what we do!

I just need to let you know...we are not moving. The question is, "Will I actually clean and paint just for myself"

There are other options and I seem to like them a lot more than cleaning and painting.

  • I could change the header on my blog. I have some very cool new pictures.
  • I could go outside.
  • I could to Ace and choose paint samples and never buy new paint.
  • I could invite friends in and ask their opinion.
  • I could invite my daughter in and ask her opinion.
  • I could just keep moseying along and not change a thing, even though I am bored to death.

What would you do if you were a little bored and considered moving just to keep yourself entertained? I am interested
...and a little nuts!

b+


Sunday, August 19, 2018

Did it All Happen in a Week? Time Flies!

Live from Hillsboro, Oregon:

This week was full. I don’t know exactly what happened but we are loving it.

We have decided to be a little more organized when it comes to the wineries we visit. No repeats probably ever...there are so many that we will never get to each and every one. Here in the Willamette Valley, wineries are all the rage and Pinot Noir is the big wine of choice. In fact at many wineries, that is about all the they have.

The week we visited two very good tasting room located about 10 minutes apart.

 The first was the Ruby Winery. They grow all their own grapes so the wine has a uniques flavor only their own. I for one loved it.
Ruby Vineyard

Then we visited the Ponzi Winery on the other side of a small valley. Of course Ponzi is a household name for those here in the valley that like wine...it is so glitzy. They serve some very good snacks including cheese trays with wine to accompany them. We took advantage of the whole thing and took some time to enjoy the view.

Ponzi Vineyard Grounds
We visited the doctor over on the eastside of Portland recently and then stopped at a bakery for a quick lunch. I loved this sign...thank heavens I read the small print!

Addie Jo doesn’t always smile but when she cries it is no surprise. She's been sick for a few days so we understand.


I do love the summers here in Oregon. :)

b+




     






Friday, August 10, 2018

Retirement Lifestyle: New Computer Requirements

I have always had an Mac computer...since the beginning of Steve Job's computer life we have owned a Mac or Apple or iMac or an iPad or an iPhone, an iWatch, etc. (Is there more?) I don't think it is a religion but it might be. I do feel compelled to scoff at PC users as they do me. But that is not a religion is it?

Anyway, times they are a-changing for me. I am not that fired up about change most of the time and it is not necessarily welcome. So that "changing" did not happen overnight. There was a big bang that started it all. The chain of events went like this:

My computer (the big iMac) was smashed on the way home of Arizona and now has a big ouchy on it's upper right hand corner. In this particular case, the Gorilla glass just couldn't take the punch it received. In hide-site, I think that the security people at the airport opened my bag, unpacked my bag and then repacked my bag and did not secure the computer the way it was secured when we packed it. There was a note inside telling me they had taken a look but I think they did more than that. The suitcases shifted in the back of the van so when we arrived home and my grandson opened the back hatch door, the suitcase fell out. Thankfully it did not hit and kill the grandson. It did hit the concrete on it's corner. The suitcase was just fine but the computer was not. The suitcase cost less than $100 but the computer was well over $1000.


Yes, I called everyone imaginable but no one could/would help. Sooooo. I was in the market for a new computer. That was on April 25.

I have been thinking about this since. Because the really broken Mac still works fine, I had the luxury of time. But, my husband and I both knew that the Mac could not take another trip on the airplane. If I was going to write for the six months we spend in the desert in the winter, I was going to need something to write on.

Yesterday, we went to the local mall and we visited the Apple Store. It wasn't until I stood in front of the computers that I realized I did NOT want another computer. I wanted more.  I wanted the luxury and portability of an iPad and its touch screen plus the functions of my computer.

Bottom line, we bought a 12 inch iPad Pro and a keyboard that attaches. It is absolutely beautiful and will do just what I want it to do. When I opened the online Blogger App it was exactly the same as my computer. I felt right at home.

I did struggle a little bit setting it up. I forgot the passcode, had to learn to restore the device, forgot to write down the passcode a second time but I finally landed on my feet. We are set to go. So here I am writing on an iPad and not noticing any difference. Isn’t that wonderful?

Have your needs changed at all? Are you still using the same computer as always? How old is it? Is it a PC or a Mac? Keep me posted.

Have a beautiful day!

b+

Friday, August 3, 2018

Retirement and Time on Your Hands

These children are part of
why I am useful...and boy
are they fun!
Being retired does not mean that you even want to call your life your own. Really, a totally self centered existence is meaningless.

I suppose that is the reason for volunteers and hiking clubs. In my case six months of the year are all about our family and the other six are all about friends and staying healthy. We are flexible and can change that routine at anytime. WE ARE RETIRED AND WE CAN DO THAT! But it has taken me many years to figure it out.

Actually inventing the way to fill the days with something worth doing is a very new job when a person retires. I suppose even the thought of "being the boss of me" is frightening. After all the retirement dream is one of being your own boss I suppose. Happy retirement depends on whether a retiree can be a "good self-boss" or not.

I thought it might be a good exercise to see how those people who know about such things describe a perfect work boss. Google has some good ideas as to what that person would do so I copied the list verbatim. It looks like this (yawn):
  • Communicates Clear Vision.
  • Connects Vision to Daily Tasks.
  • Sets Clear Performance Expectations.
  • Provides Consistent Feedback and Coaching.
  • Cares About the Employee as a Person.
  • Shares Personal Information.
  • Makes Work Fun.
  • Fosters Team Development.
The trick is to edit the list and yet keep it's central meaning. A child might say to the boss, "you are not the boss of me" or "you don't get to tell me what to do". But when it comes to "self-talk" the shoe is on the other foot. You are bossing yourself around. Can you in fact make yourself do what you want or expect to do?

If you were to pick four of these being a good boss ideas, which would you choose?

I personally thought the list was ok but I really don't like the language at all: 
We love spending time with
our family AND we love the wine in
our part of the world. We have
fun by combining the two.
  • (Connect Vision to Daily Tasks) Do you even have an idea of what you would like to accomplish daily or even hourly? Are you being realistic about your expectations?
  • (Care About the Employee as a Person) Do you see yourself as caring for or about youself? While liking yourself is pretty basic and an over-used concept, it still remains important. If your work life simply sucked the life out of you, now is the time to put the life back into yourself.
  • (Foster team development) Remain connected to people. Honestly, being lonely is in most cases a result of choices. It may feel good to be away from people but only do that as long as it is healthy both physically and mentally.
  • (Make Work Fun) Never forget that having fun is a good thing in our retirement life. Honestly, going swimming or playing a game of tennis or pickle ball is a lot of work and takes effort. But, why would you do it if it were not fun?
There are things that we have to do. Cleaning the toilet and sweeping the floors are tasks that have to be done or maggots will grow on the junk and ants will come crawling on the floors. Make those tasks routine and don't think too much. Take pleasure in the results. As for the rest of the day remember what I just said:
  • Honestly, going swimming or playing a game of tennis or pickle ball is a lot of work and takes effort. But, why would you do it if it were not fun?
Make all of your life like that.

Have a wonderful day and let me know what you think.

b+





Featured Post

Things that Go Bump in the Night

Do you live alone? Are you afraid? Do noises make you jump? My little dog is a barker and noises make her jump. She barks at her reflection ...