Tag: new experiences

Photo-a-day 20: Tell your story.

writing ink clock notebook
Even if it’s to yourself. You will be surprised how many insights and realizations will pop up, not to mention special [and possibly long concealed] memories.
There have been countless times when I wished I had sat down with my mom and dad to get more of a sense of their early lives.
Do yourself and your kids a favor–revisit your life on paper.
And here’s a little nudge to get you started…
Some highlights:
  1. The memoir’s tone should be largely celebratory.
  2. You don’t have to be a great writer.
  3. You can write your memoir any way you want.

***

I’m working on a short book about lessons and realizations during my first year of retirement.

If you’re interested in this and/or
and a fun [in development] community site for retirees, just add the information below.

 

A promise: Your email address will not be shared and will be used to inform you of the book’s status

Photo-a-day 19: Treat yourself today.

cinnamon roll apple pie swirls in crust
Apologies for lousy photo composition by amateurish [or hungry] photographer

Yes, ‘treat yourself’ is all part of my ‘try new’ crusade.

In this case, on a sunny January Saturday, we headed to Benton County Pie Company.
I heard about it on Wednesday and knew immediately a day trip was inevitable.
Fortunate that the weather gods shined upon us, we hopped in the car and drove west.
After a recheck on directions [Thank you, Alsea library ladies!], it was hard–even for me–to miss the turnoff. [Better yet, there is a sign along the way telling drivers that pie was just 3.14 miles ahead. But let’s not get that confused with January 23, National Pie Day, though I would say it’s imperative that pie be celebrated on both days.

Benton County Pie Company road sign

Once there, we checked into the not-so-imposing headquarters and picked up our cinnamon roll apple and key lime pies and made a beeline for home.

The leftovers in the fridge would have to wait a few extra hours…

key lime pie with zest and whipping cream
Breaking news: Dinner was served much later than usual last night.

Fellow retirees: If you’re looking for a more extended road trip, check out these suggestions.

And if you’re really into pie, this show remains firmly planted on my DVR for repeat viewings. I just love the heart and soul of the people [and the pies] highlighted here.

***

I’m working on a short book about lessons and realizations during my first year of retirement.

If you’re interested in this and/or
and a fun [in development] community site for retirees, just add the information below.

 

A promise: Your email address will not be shared and will be used to inform you of the book’s status

A new retirement weekend goal: 10 new ventures [updated]

buddy on my chest caption

Let’s define ventures : forays into something new.

Goal: At least ten new ventures for the weekend. I’m giving my Do Something Dice a week off. Hey, we retirees write our own rules! Here is the list so far…I’ll be adding incrementally through the weekend.

1. A Reading to Fight Hunger  Magic Barrel

2. Friday afternoon: Attended the dedication of statue to Dick Fosbury, the 1968 Olympic gold medalist from Oregon State University. Fifty years ago today, he revolutionized the high jump event with his patented flop.

3. Start a new board game design. Lots of mental math involved, that much is certain.

4. The crust is made, the apples from our backyard tree are sliced/diced, now it’s time to explore:  https://www.delish.com/cooking/g326/apple-pies/  And the decision is ‘Apple Pie with Salted Pecan Crumble  with some variations. I used hazel nuts instead of pecans and I added plumped-up dried cranberries.

salted pecan crumble apple pie

5. New place to walk Buddy, our recently-adopted Aussie Shepherd mix.
buddy new walk

6. New TV Show: The Rookie. I liked the characters, but didn’t need the gritty gore.

7. New music to listen to—I started with a new playlist on Spotify: Good Morning Jazz. That led me to Kokoroko, an Afrobeat Collective

8. A new breakfast burrito for lunch at La Rockita, along with their quality chicken torta.

9. New books:

Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process

The Wizard of Foz [Subject: Dick Fosbury]

How to Bake by Paul Hollywood

10. A new tofu cheese recipe from Green Evi . No, it doesn’t completely replace real cheese, but I like the flavors and the protein and the lower fat content. [i.e. less guilt].

11. A Sunday where I read only the comics. Done! 

12. Two new biscuit recipes. Sweet potato biscuits and savory herb biscuits. As I usually do, I improvised by adding cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and maple syrup to the sweet potato version. My starting point is usually Bert Greene’s  half-white flour, half whole wheat Sky High Biscuits recipe from The Grains Cookbook.

I opted for bite-size for more concentrated flavors…and less guilt.

[Same calories….but less guilt.]

biscuits bisqettes

 

 

My weekend of retirement…left to chance–Round 3

Here is my itinerary for the weekend…

October 12-14 copy

Do Something Dice.

Roll for your next adventure.

According to this roll of the dice, over the next two days**, I should aim to:

  1. Visit a museum.
  2. Dessert. I can live with that.
  3. Running. [Perfect. We just adopted an Aussie Shepherd who seems to prefer a higher gear than we’re used to.
  4. Comedy [Time to pull out Dave or Ghostbusters.

How did I do last weekend? Grade: D

  1. The whole weekend was redirected to adopting and acclimating Buddy the Aussie Shepherd.

**I actually count Friday afternoon as the beginning of each retirement weekend.

My retirement weekend itinerary

Here is my itinerary for the weekend…

colored dice with images signifying various activities
This is weekend two of letting the dice decide my fate.

Last week, I started posting photos of what my Do Something Dice suggested I do for fun during the upcoming weekend.

According to this roll of the dice, over the next 2+ days, I should aim to:

  1. Attend a live sporting event.
  2. Go out to see a movie. In my book, Netflix doesn’t count.
  3. Workout at a gym. [Sorry, the garage with my exerbike and resistance bands is my ‘gym’.]
  4. Dine at a fancy restaurant.

I’m most interested in our choice of restaurants and which movie we will choose to see. It’s been years since we went to the local cinema.

**I actually count Friday afternoon as the beginning of each retirement weekend.

My weekend of retirement…left to chance–Round 2

Here is my itinerary for the weekend…

October 5-7 weekend

Do Something Dice.

Roll for your next adventure.

According to this roll of the dice, over the next two days**, I should aim to:

  1. Go to a sporting event. [Maybe I’ll stop for five minutes at a high school soccer game en route to our fancy restaurant–die #4.]
  2. Go out to a movie. [Netflix at home doesn’t count. Will probably see what’s at the Darkside Cinema.]
  3. Go to a fitness club. [Sorry, not going to join one just because some silly wooden cube is telling me to. My garage works just fine, and for less cash, as a fitness club, though I haven’t yet installed my juice bar or sauna…]
  4. Fancy restaurant. Hmmmm…Taco Vino [tonight’s plan] doesn’t quite qualify. Maybe I’ll order their gourmet plate [if they have one].

How did I do last weekend? Grade: D

  1. Go running. [How about walk and waddle?]
  2. Visit a museum. [I looked up the best online museums to visit. Yes, it’s cheating. But I didn’t get to those either.]
  3. Listen to live music. [Meant to find some downtown buskers, though Imagine Coffee has someone almost every night. Will try that again.]
  4. Order or make pizza. [I made a Serbian flatbread–lepinja–that served quite capably as a pizza. 

 

**I actually count Friday afternoon as the beginning of each retirement weekend.

My weekend of retirement…left to chance.

Here is my itinerary for the weekend…

dice weekend

I shelled out an exorbitant 75 cents for this fun approach to weekend planning.

They’re called

Do Something Dice.

Roll for your next adventure.

According to this roll of the dice, over the next two days**, I should aim to:

  1. Go running.
  2. Visit a museum.
  3. Listen to live music.
  4. Order or make pizza.

Let’s see how I do. [I’m hoping that fast walking will satisfy the invisible ‘retirement judiciary”s expectation of running.]

**I actually count Friday afternoon as the beginning of each retirement weekend.