So, this sabbatical is sliding into its glorious finish – the holidays. At this point, the house is as clean as it’s going to get, and honestly, that’s pretty clean. My hubby made a huge pot of homemade chili last night which means dinner is done for tonight and outside of trimming cat nails today, my docket is a bit empty. Gifts have been purchased, wrapped or otherwise prepped. Champagne is in the wine fridge. Groceries have been prepped, as much as they can be six days out. I’m even ready for renovations to start up again on Saturday. Yep… time for my reindeer games.
Now, truth be told, my reindeer games were supposed to be better. But my husband’s work has gotten really busy and my sister, who was my retirement example, has been busy in court. Yep, no buddies for me. Up until now, it’s been me and the cats. They’re fun, but not that much fun and Biscuits is particularly mad about getting his nails clipped.
Still, today dawns with little obligation. If there was a day for me to distract myself with fun and games, it would be today. What to do… what to do… .
My best guess? I need a book. I’ve been down this road before but I didn’t find one. I think I’m going to have to lower my standards and find a “good, but not great” book to read. Otherwise, I could likely drive this whole family crazy over the holidays.
But since it’s not yet 9:30 a.m. and I have all day to go out and find my book, I’m also going to take a little time and daydream… just a bit. Honestly, the sabbatical was my living daydream. But, I always knew there would be life after sabbatical. This time? I’m dreaming of life after renovations. That’s when the real reindeer games will start.
Up until now, our lives have been super busy. During the winter months through March, we have been focused on finishing up interior renovations. Then, it’s garden time with our mini grow operation and our two huge gardens. Summers are filled with outdoor work, including landscaping our yard, taking care of our gardens and just mowing and trimming nearly two acres of grass. Fall brings with it canning season and an incredible amount of leaf cleanup. I really can’t even describe how much leaves we have to clean up. (And for those saying, “let them be,” let me just say this: in an area prone to tick-borne diseases, you don’t let leaves be when you are surrounded by woods. Cleaning them up creates a natural barrier keeping the ticks in the woods. We both get bit a few times a year by a tick.) Finally, we slide in late October with our slates temporarily clean. That’s just enough time to prepare for the holidays, make a holiday-timed trip to New Orleans and get ready for the next round of winter renovations.
Are you exhausted yet? I am.
But… .
Well, this big push should mostly clear the decks of renovations. IF we get done what I hope we will get done, the rest can get done in just a couple of weekends per month, finally giving us some free time. Then, we have a tentative deal about our summer garden. Essentially, my husband has agreed to a much smaller garden this year. In turn, we will focus on replacing our back deck. The completion of said deck means exterior renovations will be largely done. With a smaller garden, canning will be much easier this fall and while leaf cleanup is what it is, the advent of our bagging system does make it easier. Finally, when we slide into next fall, we should not have to prep for winter renovations again.
And where does that leave us? Well, last year I bought a mountain bike to go riding with my husband and sisters. I’d like to do more of that. I also want to cross country ski and hike on the weekends this winter. It would be great to do some family pot lucks over the spring when there isn’t a lot yet to do outside. And sometime next year, we are squeezing in another vacation. We sound like normal people, right? That is the WHOLE point. Time to stop being slaves to our house and be just a couple of old farts enjoying the back side of our careers while staying healthy and having a little fun. Now that sounds like the real reindeer games.
So today, once I make up with Biscuits after trimming his nails – he is REALLY mad at me right now – I can move on to my book. And once we finish renovations after the holidays, I can move on to my life. Let’s make this happen!
The Yuppie Homesteader 