Learning to Take Your Time
It took me years to slow down. Even now, Greg says I'm always in a hurry, but trust me, this is my slow speed.
I'm nothing like I was a few years ago.
One of the reasons I try to accomplish so much is because I'm hardwired to be prepared. Nothing bites you in the butt faster than being unprepared for the inevitable monkey wrenches into what should've been an easy day.
Employers used to marvel at how easily I handled unexpected problems. They didn't know I had all my grunt work done hours ago. Giving me extra work at the last minute was no hardship. --of course I didn't tell them that.
But today, I'm retired. I don't have to do laundry right this minute or clean out closets if I don't want to.
I do have to mind the weather though. If I have window of no rain and reasonable temperatures, I get myself straight to work outside. Once 10am rolls around it's almost unbearable. The time to weed, mow, and harvest has to get done right then, or suffer the consequences.
If I have any beef, it's preserving the harvest. Even with careful planning, most fresh produce doesn't like to sit around waiting to be processed. I hate being stuck in the kitchen trying to dry, ferment, can, or freeze food.
I'm trying to be a little smarter about preservation too. Quite by accident I discovered that growing squash and tomatoes in pots as well as in the ground made them grow at different rates. For once this year, I won't have too many squash and tomatoes at one time.
Next year, I'll try to do it more deliberately.
Greg doesn't hurry about anything. Talk about opposites attracting. LOL! How does that happen?
We were talking only the other day what other retired people do if they live in the suburbs. What would we do with all this extra time if we lived in the suburbs with only a mini garden and no animals? Someday when we're really old, we'll find out. 😎
What about you? Are you more the tortoise or the hare?
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Now I am more like the slug and Karl has decidedly become a combo of hare and tortoise depending on his level of commitment to the job at hand.
We hated living in the suburbs and plan on never ever doing so again since we are lucky enough to within a 30 mile radius have plenty of options available for necessary shopping needs.
Luckily only about 4 miles if all we need is the smaller stuff.
Besides online shopping means never worrying about things we don't need immediately.
My retired, elderly guy is becoming the neighborhood handyman, and mostly does little fix-it jobs for just whatever the parts cost. This week he's helping a family by teaching them how to clean their condenser and evap coils, and otherwise maintain their unit. This after their "trusted friend" who works for a residential A/C company told them they needed a new compressor. Old compressor is fine, btw.
I expect you and Greg will do a variation of the same -- couch potatoes are not you two. :)
I like them far away though. But I'm already beginning to see expansion. More people are moving to the boonies. I understand but I still like my quiet.
Like you, the suburbs were not for me.
Like your fella, Greg is the expert handyman in our little neighborhood. If he can't fix it for you he at least has the tools and can show you how to fix it