Introduction

Introduction: Mapping Out a Plan for the Rest of My Life and Enjoying the Journey

My Golden Years are an extension of the life I have lived up to retirement which began on December 1, 2011. I have organized this blog to include the top ten relevant topics shown below in the right side column in General Topics. Just click on one and you will see all that I have written on that topic. Click on the Most Current tab for chronological order of all entries.

I have addressed each topic in no particular order other than what is currently on my mind on the day I am posting. I started each topic by describing where I was when I began this blog and then exploring the possibilities of progression and any goals that I would like to meet. After that, I write about the path to reach that goal as it happens. Sometimes I just write about what is happening now.

I welcome any comments and questions either on this blog or email as I travel these paths and hope to share my growth with interested persons who may find some common elements in their own path to the rest of their life. I hope to use my skills as an appraiser for nearly 30 years to continue to observe different perspectives on a subject and reconcile into a conclusion that is of value to me. Please join me whenever you like. Email notice of new posts is no longer available so just bookmark the address.

The Blog Archive tool is helpful to find posts by year. Of most importance to me is the confidence developed in my intuitive skills over the years and it is that part of my character I am trusting to define value in my life. I believe change can be good and I can be enriched by believing in my true self using my intuition. The analytical part of my life no longer has a financial grip and I can let go of what absolutely made sense at the time in favor of what feels right now. I have done a lot of work since this blog began in 2011 and I hope you will join me as I explore this approach in My Golden Years.


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Sunday, December 4, 2016

5th Retirement Anniversary - Home and Landscape

One of the advantages of writing a personal retirement blog is the ability to look back on posts and reflect on the paths I have chosen that led me to where I am now and where I'd like to be in the next five years.  I am happy that I organized this blog in a way that allows me and the reader to see my goals' progress in the top ten categories of relevance to me.  Many of my posts cross into more than one category or "Label."  It is a good time for me  to look back from the first post in each category or "Label" and summarize the highlights to see the level of progress made in my first five years of retirement.  I can more clearly see a path ahead and adjust or make new goals.

I will write ten posts on this 5th Retirement Anniversary addressing each category or "Label." I can also see the stats and which posts have had the most public views.  At this time, my blog had 22,400 views.  That's about 100 views per week in 18 different countries around the world!  It is very rewarding to know that there is interest in what I have to say.  By helping myself I must be helping others with similar interests.  It is an incentive to continue.

Here are my brief summaries of the first five years of retirement and goal adjustments I want to make at this time.  If you want more information on a subject, please scroll down on the right side of the main page and click on the first months in 2011 where you will see where I'm coming from.      
My journey continues....

Home and Landscape


Definitely a noticeable difference around our home and landscape since I retired!  Much of it is still ongoing but has accelerated in this past year due to my husband taking advantage of a Social Security marital strategy that adds to his full time income that is earmarked for home improvement.  He wants to do it all himself and does very good work.  There's just a lot to be done yet!

The landscape has a lot more concrete and block terraced walls completed.  The goal is to make the yard easier to get around and maintain.  We now have sidewalks all around the house.  Drainage is improved with a new rain garden.  I think we now have about 22 terraced areas.  The rough area at the edge of the yard has been cleared and a fruit orchard has been planted.  We have always loved gardening and landscape work and we are now seeing the end of projects that began 30 years ago when we moved to this house.  Of course, we like to change things too and likely will continue to enjoy playing in our yard.  I think the final structural project is complete for the most part.

The house has many major remodeling projects in the works.  We have started this year with the kitchen and likely will be done this winter.  Other projects in the works include new flooring, bathrooms, and heating/cooling system.  On the outside, plans are being made to replace the deck, siding, and guttering.  There's talk of a sauna still.  It has all gone slower than I expected from what was planned five years ago but my expectations are not so urgent anymore.  It will get done when he wants to get it done.  If it doesn't get done in the next couple years, it likely won't get done and we will live with what we have which isn't so bad.  If it becomes intolerable, time to look around and make other choices.  Change is good.


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