TWO MORE MONTHS!! I felt at times we were never going to get through June, and have a feeling July is going to sort of feel like a slow Thursday, with one more day left in the week to go after we finish. Still, the finish line is getting close!
Brett and I are finally on our own in the apartment complex – no more grandkids to watch, or family nearby. We miss them but the peace and quiet, being able to operate on our own schedule, and lots of no-drive days are frankly wonderful. It does feel empty to be here on our own – I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that our daughter-in-law is not downstairs anymore – but between continuing to get ready for our move, books that need reading, and Kaipo and Tilly we are staying somewhat busy.
Our big project this month will be getting a couple of bundles of moving boxes and getting started on our end of the packing. The movers will be packing all of the kitchenware, including small appliances, and the art work, but we are going to pack everything else on our own. Our goal is to do at least two boxes each day – more if we feel like it – so that it’s done by the time the movers show up. We purchased the dogs their travel crates for the trip. They had to be an exact size specified by the airline, and we ended up having to buy them on Amazon. Neither dog has actually entered one yet, but Tilly is almost there. Kaipo hates small enclosed spaces and getting him into his carrier will be a challenge, right up to the end.
We’re still trying to decide whether we should aim to stay in Oregon, and where, or whether we should maybe choose someplace else with better winter weather for a goal. We’ve firmly decided that although we could buy a home or a condo, we don’t want to be tied to a mortgage again at this point of our lives. Renting has worked out well for us so we’re going to stick with it.
Anyway, here’s how we did with our goals in June:
- Continue to walk every day and increase our distance a little more. Also, I want to find more ways to add steps throughout the day. Right now I’m getting around 7,500 to 8,000. The heat, humidity, and allergies brought an end to my walking. I just can’t deal with it and it’s only getting worse.
- Do something special for Brett on Father’s Day. Our DIL gave Brett a gift certificate to Red Lobster so we got a seafood boil there and shared it. It was pretty good! Otherwise he refused to be waited on.
- Read at least three books. I finished a Louise Penny mystery, The Nature of the Beast, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (who rightfully won the Pulitzer, the National Book award, and the Carnegie Medal for it), and State of Terror by Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny. It was a page turner!
- Finish emptying the pantry and food stockpile. Done! All that’s left are a few unfinished bottles of different things (vinegars, oils, etc.) and some sugar and a little flour. All the CookDo sauces will be moving to Oregon.
Here are our goals for July:
- Get boxes and start packing!
- Make a firm and final decision about whether to sell the books or not.
- Read at least three more books. I’m currently reading Yesteryear and enjoying it, and then have a Lucy Foley’s The Midnight Feast to read as well as John Updike’s The Witches of Eastwick.
There is no menu plan for July. We emptied the pantry in June and didn’t want to buy any more ingredients at this point so we bought already prepared foods for next month, stuff from Costco and Trader Joe’s freezer and deli, spending $435 for a freezer and refrigerator full of meals (and a few extras) we’re looking forward to. Brett and I have successfully been getting more protein into our daily diet along with eating less carbs and we stuck with those guidelines when we chose meals yesterday. We have mostly given up sweets but bought six half gallons of Tillamook ice cream when Krogers had a BOGO sale we stumbled on, and Brett discovered a blueberry custard pie at Costco that had to go into our cart as well. We’ve been pacing ourselves with the ice cream and will do the same with the pie.
Just finished Yesteryear. What a wild ride.
Your food plans are so sensible. I don’t think I was ever that good at eating down the pantry. And prepared meals are a great idea at this point. I often think I need more of them in general. Especially in this awful heat. I haven’t turned on the oven in weeks, maybe months.