So Much Time ---So Much to Do !

I think I need to write a book on how to retire.It isn't as easy as one would think. Of course my retirement was complicated by the preceding illness. The first challenge is bed time and rising time. This got messed up when I was sick and complicated by my discovery of Pinterest and staying on there until rooster hours. There were some books read on the Nook that caused this too. I finally solved this by setting an alarm for 2 hours later than my work time used to be.Getting up late but getting up in time to enjoy the day. A fellow retired friend calls me about an hour after that and we plan our separate days together and then check at the end of the day to hold each other gently accountable.

The next challenge is meeting appointments and planning the time.I still have check-ups scheduled to reassure me and my doctors that everything is good now. I had delayed regular check-ups and dental appointments etc that I needed catching up on.

Now I am finally able to help my hard working families . I have driven grand-children to camp, helped my DIL set up her first classroom, and helped my other son and DIL get settled in their new home. I fix dinner every Monday for one family and for the other family on Tuesday. It is so nice to have time to step up and help relieve the kids from a few of the stress they face. It does my heart good I look at them in wonder remembering the years of homework, sports teams, scouts etc. Every parent is an invisible hero.

  I had a list of things I planned to do when I retired . It was extensive. I think everyone begins to fantasize about this kind of plans when times get stressful in our later years working. So its a long list and the time is theoretically unending.The attitude of infinite time is the main confusion.

I have been finishing some projects, learning some crafts and trying some things I have been wanting to try. In addition to these I have taken up couponing, trying new recipes and trying to organize my home. Ok, so I am demonstrating my scattered Gemini traits. Eventually I will get projects completed and when I learn to photograph them you will see them here.

Last week I made a bracelet sold on Etsy for a wedding this month.I also began quilting. I learned it from a You Tube video. I  got the top completed .This week , I visited a friend out of town, crocheted the crocodile stitch that I taught myself last week, I made a bracelet, learned to do the viking knit with wire, shopped with coupons and cooked a family meal with one of those new recipes from Pinterst.. Hey, that doesn't look so bad! The house still needs more organizing, mostly I am pinning ideas for this (it is easier than doing it)

Here is an image of the crocodile stitch in the completed form I will list the tutorial for you too.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LiH9Wk3rHc  The one I am making now is promised but I will be making things for my shop soon. I have a great book on these items  http://www.amazon.com/Crocodile-Stitch-Fashions-Lianka-Azulay/dp/159635397X I met this author and she signed my book. At the time I didn't even know how to crochet. When I couldn't read the diagrams I found help on You Tube.