Sam Squared

                   I copy the previous week, delete the old and updated as I go along the week as a way even when busy and not in a blogging mind set I'm accountable to myself. Good thing some of us ordinary people accept accountability for ourselves, good or bad, unlike those that work in a certain large city without a state.  Here's my recap of Friday, May 23 to Thursday, May 29. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs I moved my 1/2 day sub pay right to the sinking fund account. As I thought, they are under withholding because of the threshold of pay. I don't want to be caught off guard next tax time and I don't need the money for bills.  Spent Intentionally Wanted to help my daughter pay off student loans that had previously been interest free; that's now cancelled. We've got a couple hoops to jump through but hope to settle it tomorrow when she and I are together a bit. We had taken a small loan each semester to help cash ...

          Photo by kaboompics.com at pexel       Trying for a accountability, I'm checking in on my lack of progress. Still, awareness is a start.  Lose five pounds. Still just that same o ne pound since the beginning of May. Walk 10 miles per week.  I'm back on track with my walking.  Strength and weight resistance exercise two hours per week. Using my exercise bands and some hand weights, it's something but not rigorous. That's why I my putting as yellow.  Ensure I have at least six fruit and veg servings per day with at least three being vegetables. No issues here as grabbing carrots, celery, cucumbers or a piece of fruit are my go to snacks plus I eat portions if veg at supper that are two servings.  Not a bad week but the pounds aren't shifting yet. That's likely due still to too many calories so will focus there for June along with both cardio and strength exercises.  *  I've been using the old templa...

    Photo at Pexel.com       It's the last week of May and it's been an expensive month. I'd like to avoid any additional grocery shopping until perhaps Saturday and even then, just what is absolute needed in the house. My son can fend for himself, but I'd like to leave some easy grab and heat meals to help his cash flow as well. We'll be out of basics like almond milk, bagels, bread, cheese, eggs, chicken thighs, and frozen or fresh vegetables, and fruit, but that's all I'd like to buy. So with intent to put in the freezer a few things he can pull out and reheat here's a few things I'm planning or already made. Pulled pork burritos or bowls ( I made up two burritos with leftovers and froze. Chili with rice (made Friday, froze two portions of the chili and a mixed chili and rice in a divided meal prep containers) Chicken tortellini soup ( freeze a large portion) Lentil dal, which I'll probably do Saturday ( or leave for her to do Sunday) since da...

      Thank you to all who served and made the ultimate sacrifice. I hope this country's residents get our collective act together to be worthy. May we mark this day with reverence and not just the start of summer.       April and May might do me in financially. Not really, but I've been hemorrhaging money with nothing coming in other than the determined monthly retirement payments starting for June. I've still got a wedding, a graduation, and a couple commitments that will require an extra tank of gas. My trip with my sisters, while planned and funds set aside for, will still be out going. I have not taken the good advice to live austerely after retirement to get a feel for my real costs, but come June 6, the day after I'm home, I must cut all nonessential spending for the rest of the month, if not rest of summer.       There's still one more wedding and graduation gift giving before September, then, the big party that I guess will...

           Ten boxes of my husband's clothing will hopefully find new homes with either veterans in need or if resold, proceeds going to services for vets. The Disabled American Veteran (DAV) truck picked them up yesterday, leaving me with more floor space in a corner of the family room. I kept his run shirts and a box of sweatshirts my youngest still wanted to go through. Included in the donation was two full packing boxes of items with tags still on. I hope those go to vets in the various residential homes in the state. It seems appropriate that the random set up date for the pick up, based on when they'd have trucks in the area, is just the week after my brother's (a vet) funeral.       I added a bag of my clothing discards as well, plus a box of assorted clutter, useable stuff for others hopefully. It was a process getting out to the end of the driveway. Those boxes get heavy when stuffed full so I was happy my son did the job. ( The...

                 I copy the previous week, delete the old and updated as I go along the week as a way even when busy and not in a blogging mindset I'm accountable to myself. Here's my recap of Friday, May 16 to Thursday, May 22. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs I was annoyed I didn't fill up when I realized gas went up 50¢ a gallon overnight. I waited a day and it went down a dime, plus I had a 20¢ coupon. Still annoyed, but the sting wasn't as deep. I do not understand how it can fluctuate that much!  Drove my daughter to the airport so she wouldn't need to leave her car. It was very early drop off, 4:00, but I went back to bed once home.  Did the best I could using up the gallon of milk I got two weeks ago instead of my normal 1/2 gallon in baking, soups, and hot dishes. Why when I have a 1/2 gallon, I run out by weeks end but this full gallon just never seemed to end? ( It was on sale less than 1/2 gallon size) Meal planne...

         Photo by kaboompics.com at pexel       Tryin for a accountability, I'm checking in on my lack of progress. Still, awareness is a start.  Lose five pounds.  One pound since the beginning of May. Walk 10 miles per week.    Being under the weather over the weekend cut into my walking but Monday  had a lot of steps .  Strength and weight resistance exercise two hours per week.  I'll keep this at yellow. I'm doing something, plus a lot of lifting and moving things out side. Ensure I have at least six fruit and veg servings per day with at least three being vegetables.  This was just yellow attempted but not fully successful the past few weeks.  *  I've been using the old template and updating. 

      I've been lazy and I'll admit it. I'm just so darn tired. I think it's a combination of allergies, a bug, and renewed grief after losing my brother. Time is what I have now, so there's no deadlines to answer to other than ones I set myself and of course, Mother Nature. I moved new planted and a purchased hanging flower baskets to the porch as we started last night with a rainy wind that's keeping on today. I didn't want to get beautiful petals blown away. The rain is supposed to linger through tomorrow morning then Thursday dry. I'll need to mow and weed whack, but I like those chores. I suppose more dandelion pulling will be required too.       I have done minimal inside housework and even more minimal purging. It's garbage day tomorrow though so want to make sure I get the throw stuff out and later I'll get a donation dropped off. So today, where I was going to drive to the lake, instead that's what I'll do. I kept the big dog day...

      As extended family and friends do after a death because we don't have all the burdensome and often messy follow- up, I'm back to my day to day routine. Well, not quite as I hadn't developed a routine. I should rather say I'm back to figuring out my retirement life. I honestly can say I do not miss my job. Sure, I miss some of the interaction I had, good people, but there's no feeling I'm missing out or boredom. Granted I was quite busy with family, but that just meant the list of things I want to tackle just got deferred and longer. Here's a bit of a catch-up and it feels like a long one.  Health      I'm not sure if allergies, a seasonal cold, or a bug but by Thursday night I was just feeling kind of sluggish and lousy. Saturday was the worst, but I tried to keep busy as best I could, but other than walk the dog and put something in the mail, stayed home. I'm way overdue for my RA check-up, but I did have a full physical with blood back in I t...

                Usually I copy the previous week, delete the old and updated as I go along the week as a way even when busy and not in a blogging mindset I'm accountable to myself. As the last two weeks I was not here mentally, I'm capturing what I can recall from two weeks. (Meals will just be one) Here's my recap of Friday, May 2 to Thursday, May 16. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs I had picked up the bill almost two years ago when I met this friend and another for wine and appetizers. Not that we keep tabs but friend both wanted to treat me for my retirement and recalled my check pick up from before ( to squash my argument) so my happy hour was no cost for me.  Entertainment was Derby Day, bookclub, and cards all rolled into one at my sister's. I brought tortilla chips and a jar of the DT salsa and the previous purchased (March) sangria from the winery road trip. I was planning to make a pasta bake for what ended up being the last ...

           I wouldn't do justice to the kindness you all showed in trying to reply to all the comments. This post is just to say thank you all for being friends and holding my family in your thoughts and prayers.       I took this photo last week of the blooming, yet still small, apple trees my daughter planted almost two years ago. There's something about saying goodbye when spring is in all it's beauty that seems a bit poetic. 

      I last blogged on Monday. This was the day before my brother passed, peacefully at home, at 3:38 a.m., May 6th, 2025. My SIL and his daughter were by his side, with one of my sisters near on the same too small loveseat I had tried the night before to catch a few minutes of sleep. It was important that this sister was there as my brother had been the one to drive her five years ago to the hospital in St Paul after her husband's massive heart attack, he being transported by ambulance. He, like my husband, likely never made it to the hospital in time to be revived, if even possible. She was widowed at 59, just two years older than I was.       While circumstances are very different for my SIL than for myself, her pain and learning to live as an "I" and not as a "we" is still there. She has three children with children of their own, a total of nine grandchildren. They will keep her busy as well as her siblings, us as she chooses, and her huge extende...

      I was so tired when I got home earlier from a night and morning of care. Neither my SIL or I slept much...we were preparing for the end as his breathing was so low and soft, though he's hanging on. I'm betting SIL will cat nap at most today, but I laid down and sleep nabbed me for nearly an hour and a half. When I woke, I had Little Miss cuddling.       The day was gorgeous and I needed to move. The small bits of sleep last night was on a very old and uncomfortable, much too small for my longish limbs, love seat at the end of his bed, or me resting my head on the bed when sitting by my brother's side. First I took the big dog on a long walk, then pup on a much shorter, but good for his 14 year old legs.       These three, plus when the other cat visits or I visit him at my daughter's, melt my heart. Pets are an incredible gift and I'm thankful for them all. 

           I've been thinking that I need a better way to focus with my new schedule. Obviously things are challenging to plan as I want to be as supportive to my brother and his family as possible, so that comes before most other goals. I like how The Hawaii Plan organized her monthly goals so copying borrowing her format. I hope you don't mind Financial: Stay on top of getting HSA reimbursement for May insurance premium  Follow-up to understand an additional post retirement benefit fee/ deposit and how I utilize this. It was related to the medical flex account but my understanding was that was done when I left employment.  Update budget/ cash flow for the two confirmation, one graduation, and wedding gifts this month  Only committing to one sub job but if things change, may be open to a second. Family: Take as many care shifts as needed. Do one fun activity with each or kids collectively  Fitness: Lose 5 pounds Use the various walking...

              I copy the previous week, delete the old and updated as I go along the week as a way even when busy and not in a blogging mindset I'm accountable to myself. Here's my recap of Friday, April 25-Thursday, May 1. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs Tried to keep groceries to needs and easy meals for here and to bring to my SIL.  Used a 20¢ gas coupon to fill my tank for a nice $2.60 savings. Yes...waited until I was quite low, which I don't like to do, but wanted to maximize the ample discount. My garden Weasel cracked and one of the three prongs snapped off when I was getting some rough patches thatched up for grass seed in front yard. My first instinct was to run over to the hardware store to replace. Then found the two prongs left were still doing the job. I'll make due for now but keep my eye open for a replacement in coming yard sales or at least best price new. Spent Intentionally Bought one bag of grass seed to start some gro...

      There is  power in music for all of us. This is true in our final days. My brother is an ardent music collector, decades of artists, wide range of genres. He used to have a huge reel to reel system. He and I had a shared love of a few artists, The Band, the old Bee Gees-pre-disco/Saturday night fever, the Beetles, and CCR jump out. When I babysat, he often set up a play list for me to listen to after his kids went to bed. He long transitioned to CD's but the discs are in the hundreds if not reaching 1000. We are going down the alphabet as he has them stored. A small CD player gave out, but my SIL found my nephews from 30 years ago upstairs, and we are now using a big boom box/cd player. We are on the second Beatles CD in the organizer. When The Beach Boys was on, he was mouthing words to Wouldn't It Be Nice . I have not looked at what CD is the last in his collection.