What did you do today? 2016 version

[HFWR]

ImageUploadedByEarly Retirement Forum1452782582.583086.jpg

[braumeister]

I got news today that a friend won the Powerball!




OK, it's just $4.00 but shouldn't I expect him to be generous with his winnings?

[lem1955]

Tuesday - I went to a volunteer orientation at the VT Refugee Resettlement Program in Colchester. There's an application process so I've applied to become a "Family Friend" which means I'm paired with a newly arrived family and help them with anything that comes up. Since most refugees to VT are from Africa just about everything having to do with living in the USA is new and different. And besides it's winter, snow and ice everywhere. There will be a lot for me to do.

[rodi]

baked chocolate chip cookies at elder son's request. Now I need to hide them from myself.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister I got news today that a friend won the Powerball! OK, it's just $4.00 but shouldn't I expect him to be generous with his winnings?

That would buy a couple of happy-hour domestic drafts at the local pub.

[Bamaman]

We're in the process of buying a foreclosure house, and we went over to see what reconditioning will be required. Most retirees downsize, but we're upsizing.

The house is 5000 square ft. with 5 bedrooms and 5 baths in a great neighborhood. The man cave is 35' x 47' in size. And at the price we're paying, it's actually a pretty stable investment.

[grasshopper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lem1955 Tuesday - I went to a volunteer orientation at the VT Refugee Resettlement Program in Colchester. There's an application process so I've applied to become a "Family Friend" which means I'm paired with a newly arrived family and help them with anything that comes up. Since most refugees to VT are from Africa just about everything having to do with living in the USA is new and different. And besides it's winter, snow and ice everywhere. There will be a lot for me to do.

Your help will be a blessing for you and your family friends.

[grasshopper]

We put up tongue and groove on the ceiling of the entertaining portions of the ranch. I got to w**k on a scaffold with my hands over my head all week pickling the pine. Ms G now knows why I swipe the shower caps in the places we stay. She would rather I put the gutters up after the AZ room overhaul, but I keep telling her that there is one more part I need.

[pb4uski]

My neighbor pickled his first on sawhorses and then put it up.

[grasshopper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski My neighbor pickled his first on sawhorses and then put it up.

We did that with the T&G on the AZ room ceiling. We had someone install for us, went right from the trailer to the saw to the ceiling, besides it was in the 30's and I didn't want to fool with it until I was inside and warm.

[Hermit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshopper We did that with the T&G on the AZ room ceiling. We had someone install for us, went right from the trailer to the saw to the ceiling, besides it was in the 30's and I didn't want to fool with it until I was inside and warm.

How about a picture or two?

[photoguy]

Enjoyed sunset at La Jolla. Then went to a free screening of Pride, Prejudice and Zombies.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman We're in the process of buying a foreclosure house, and we went over to see what reconditioning will be required. Most retirees downsize, but we're upsizing. The house is 5000 square ft. with 5 bedrooms and 5 baths in a great neighborhood. The man cave is 35' x 47' in size. And at the price we're paying, it's actually a pretty stable investment.

What a gigantic house, Bamaman!! You are going to have more space than you can shake a stick at, as the saying goes. That man cave is HUGE. And I think that if you want to upsize instead of downsizing, then more power to you. It's all just figuring out what we really want in life, and making that happen.

I hope your new house and yard need less reconditioning/work than you expected. The inside of my dream house seems perfect/dreamy to me so far and apparently needs zero work, much to my surprise. The work on my yard has been going on all day every day for quite some time. They are making great progress with this big job!

We are already so happy with my new place, and F comes over once or twice every day for a few hours just to "hang out" which we both enjoy doing. It's really a terrific setup for us to be right next door to one another like this. When the yard is the way I want it, I will be even happier with my new digs.

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoguy Enjoyed sunset at La Jolla. Then went to a free screening of Pride, Prejudice and Zombies.

It was very pretty last night. We live just east of La Jolla and saw the sunset over Mt. Soledad. Vivid colors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman We're in the process of buying a foreclosure house, and we went over to see what reconditioning will be required. Most retirees downsize, but we're upsizing. The house is 5000 square ft. with 5 bedrooms and 5 baths in a great neighborhood. The man cave is 35' x 47' in size. And at the price we're paying, it's actually a pretty stable investment.

Your man cave would fit TWO of our granny flats in it with room to spare.

Just curious - do you hire out housekeeping? There is no way I'd want to keep up cleaning a house that size. Seems like vacuuming and dusting would never end... and that's too much like w*rk.

[harley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi Just curious - do you hire out housekeeping? There is no way I'd want to keep up cleaning a house that size. Seems like vacuuming and dusting would never end... and that's too much like w*rk.

Our MD home is ~4500 sf, so I can give my impression. We clean ours ourselves. We've lived there 8 years, and we mostly live in about 2200 or so sf of it. We never even go upstairs unless we're going to have guest, and we've got a great room and a dining room we pretty much never go into. So we don't have to clean those sections too often, although when we do, then yes, it's a lot of work.

We know we've got more house than we need, or even want these days. Especially since we've gotten used to living in a 1200 sf house half the year when we're in FL. But the location and the view is such that we aren't going anywhere any time soon. And sometimes we do use the whole thing, when family and friends come to visit. Except for the dining room. If I ever build again I'll have a large breakfast nook for meals, and no dining room at all. I keep trying to get DW let me put a pool table in there, but no luck so far.

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley Except for the dining room. If I ever build again I'll have a large breakfast nook for meals, and no dining room at all. I keep trying to get DW let me put a pool table in there, but no luck so far.

But then you'd have to add that to the list of rooms to clean. LOL

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley Except for the dining room. If I ever build again I'll have a large breakfast nook for meals, and no dining room at all. I keep trying to get DW let me put a pool table in there, but no luck so far.

At my old house, I turned the large dining room into my home gym. That worked out very nicely for me.

The dining room in my new home is too small for that and it is the least used room in my new home.

[photoguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi It was very pretty last night. We live just east of La Jolla and saw the sunset over Mt. Soledad. Vivid colors.

The sunset was gorgeous. Here's a picture from yesterday (I'm still working on it).

All I can think of is that this is just awesome. In San Jose, it was a real chore to get to the coast especially with traffic.

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoguy The sunset was gorgeous. Here's a picture from yesterday (I'm still working on it). All I can think of is that this is just awesome. In San Jose, it was a real chore to get to the coast especially with traffic.

Yeah - it's nice to get to the coast often... It's why I walk the dog on the beach most days. If I need to walk the dog - and it's convenient to do it at the beach - what an awesome way to handle an otherwise boring chore.

[Khan]

Added some backyard papaya to the mead for the second ferment.