What’s top of my mind: Congratulating myself for my forethought.
A big part of being attracted to the Financial Independence/Retire Early idea is that we are all people who are actively using forethought. We can see that although we may like what we’re doing for a living now; we may not want to be still doing it a few decades later.
Part of the reason why I bought The Best House in Melbourne was the overall design. One of the neighbours told me that a daughter and her Dad built it. It’s perfectly designed for adults to share the house without having to trip over each other all the time.
Here’s the house plan from the sales brochure:
The only shared spaces are the kitchen and the laundry. I knew as soon as I saw the listing online that this would be a perfect house for Boomerang kids. You know, adult kids who move out for a while and then move back because they’re either wanting to save money for a deposit or because something unexpected has happened.
Ryan27 boomerang’d back home about 3 years ago and now it’s Tom30’s turn.
He’s been out of home for 7 years, living with a friend from school. They’ve known each other for around 15 years. Anyway, on Saturday night this housemate broke one of the most fundamental rules of the Bro Code, so their friendship is over. Tom30 is moving back in with us for the next few months.
I’m so very glad that I have the space to be able to offer my boys a safe haven when things turn dicey. This whole ugly situation would’ve been far worse if he’d had nowhere to go on a moment’s notice. This way he can move in, catch his breath and work out where he wants to go next, without being forced to grab the first thing that’s offered.
Where I’ve been: David28 and Izzy’s engagement party.
Yes, six months after popping the question, the engagement party finally went ahead. Izzy comes from a very large, exuberant Italian family, so my family was definitely in the minority! We ended up sitting outside because my brother, who had a very serious stroke a couple of Christmas Days ago, was worried that if we stayed inside he’d be at risk from covid. He’s booked for a procedure in hospital next week and he didn’t want it put off again.
I hope we didn’t look like snobs…
David27 and Izzy are very much in love and they were both so HAPPY! But gee, David27 is a good brother. He left his own engagement party early to drive back with us to Tom30’s place to help move things back to my place.
Where I’m going: For the next few days – nowhere.
And I’m happy with that. I really like puddling around here at home.
What I’m watching: the red light blink on my aircon.
*sigh*
That red light blinking means that it’s going to be expensive, I’m sure.
What I’m reading: ‘The Hush’ by Sara Foster.
I don’t know where I saw the recommendation for this one, but I’ve had it on hold for ages. I finally finished the Murderbot books, (thanks to whoever it was who recommended them to me in the comments – I really enjoyed them!), and now I’m reading this as a change of pace.
The plot is that it’s set around 2030 in England and there’s a horrifying virus/bacteria/disease that is making otherwise normal pregnancies end up with a baby who refuses to take a single breath. The stats for these pregnancies is slowly growing. Pregnant teen mothers are disappearing and society is becoming more repressive as people’s fears grow.
Of course, the protagonist is a pregnant teen.
I’m only 100 pages in so far, but it looks ok. These dystopian novels set in the near future are interesting.
What I’m listening to: Shandee’s Story.
Now that I’m commuting, podcasts are taking longer to work my way through. I mentioned this one a few weeks ago – a journalist investigating a cold case of a young woman brutally murdered up in Queensland in 2012.
I was slowly working my way through the episodes, but then WHAM!!!!! The most shocking development I think I’ve ever heard of has happened and I was gobsmacked. I’m a couple of episodes behind, but with all of the to-ing and fro-ing from Tom30’s place to mine, I’ve been able to listen to quite a few episodes so I’m nearly up to date.
This is the sort of project that gives journalists a good name.
What I’m eating: Homemade bread.
Now that Ryan27 is working, I’ve been making bread rolls for him to take for lunch. For those of you with a thermomix, I’m using THIS RECIPE. The rise on the dough is amazing and the texture of the bread is really good.
I make a batch and put them in the freezer for him to work his way through. Every now and then I leave one out on the bench to defrost for my lunch.
Yum.
Who needs a good slap: Tom30’s flatmate.
‘Nuff said.
What I’m planning: my next Little Adventure.
A friend of mine from work suggested a place for me to take a little holiday in the country and I’ve started to look into it.
What has made me smile: the adaptability of the Little Woofs.
So far (touch wood) I haven’t missed a day of my morning yoga practice with Yoga With Adrienne. I finished the ‘Move’ series and now I’m working my way through through the ‘Breathe’ series.
Part of being successful with new habits is creating a routine around when you want to do them. My ironclad rule is that I can’t have breakfast until I’ve done my yoga.
Most mornings, unless it’s going to be really hot and I want to water the gardens early, is that I’ll feed the dogs, then unroll the yoga mat in my room while they’re outside. When they come inside, I lift them onto my bed and I start the day’s practice.
Jeffrey and Scout have now started to come inside and then go straight to my bedroom, waiting for me to lift them. Poppy always optimistically goes to the kitchen in case some rump steak or a cow carcass has suddenly fallen to the floor while she’s been out for 5 minutes.
It makes me smile to see Scout and Jeff sitting by my bed, wagging their tails. They have no idea why I’m doing these weird movements every morning but hey. They’re more than happy to have a snooze while they wait for me to finish!
Dad joke of the day:
What’s so great about Switzerland?
Well… the flag is a big plus. ??.
Oh, I hope Tom is OK. So sad when long standing friendships break down. 🙁
Well, not all friendships are meant to last a lifetime. But yes – he said that it’s probably like a divorce.
Hello from California! I have been reading your blog for about 6 months and I wanted to comment and let you know how much I enjoy it. I am a 57yo recently retired divorcee with 2 grown children. We have a lot in common! Being frugal way before hearing of FI/RE, gardening, home projects, sewing….. and I love your idea of Little Adventures! Anyway…. sitting here reading your blog while enjoying my morning coffee on a lovely day and wanted to reach out. 😉
How lovely to hear from you!I have a cousin who lives in California, and another in Brooklyn. 🙂
I had the same blinking red light on the air conditioner back when I could not afford an expensive replacement. Turns out it was a $60 module and it’s still going strong 10 yrs on! Hope I didn’t jinx it, but thanks to FI(RE), it wouldn’t be such a problem to replace it now. Maybe yours turns out to be nothing much too.
ooo. I’d better call the repair people. I keep forgetting.
Your house design really suits the adult living with adult children. I thought of your little adventures when I picked up my current book – The 52 Week Project: How I Fixed My Life by Trying a New Thing Every Week for a Year by Lauren Keenan.
I’m just starting it but it has me thinking up a list of things I’ve wanted to do or places I’ve wanted to go.
I’m starting to get a list together too. 🙂
Maybe I was the one who recommended “The MurderBot diaries” books? I certainly enjoyed them all.
I am currently reading the “Bannon and Clare” mysteries by Lilith Saintcrow (first one is “The Iron Wyrm Affair”, then “The Red Plague Affair”, then “The Ripper Affair”). I describe them as Victorian gaslight steampunk with magic. I am enjoying them, too!
My son (26) has moved back in with us temporarily, like your Tom. But that’s because I broke my shoulder and my husband has a motor neuron disease, so we needed some extra help for a (relatively) short while. It has been wonderful to have him back for a while, and such a relief! I think he has liked it, too, after working from home in a small bachelor apartment for months on end.
There’s nothing so comforting as living in a houe. Those bachelor pads can get really depressing.
I enjoyed the MurderBot series too and may have recommended them, but in any case, glad you liked them!
How hard for your son to have such a big upheaval in his life. It’s sad to lose a long-standing friendship like that so I guess the offense must have been severe. It’s good he has a place to go to figure out his next setup.
I’ve been doing Yoga with Adriene too, she is a monster!!!!! Yoga is HARD. I’m following her 30-day series, but only actually doing it once or twice per week (trying to walk or run the other days). I suppose I might get less terrible at it at some point but it’s hard to believe.
I’m amazed at how good my balance is! I’ve been doing it every day for a month and a half and I’m definitely paying more attention to posture and how I breathe.
It is wonderful when home is a safe haven for kids, regardless of how grown up they are. Our 3 girls returned home at the start of the pandemic and lots of snippiness as everyone found a place to work. But over the last 2 years it became a very blessed time as we had long quality time with my mother and husband before losing them both.
Your blog has been an inspiration to me to move forward and find new ways to enjoy retirement this spring in the US.
Quality time is something that can’t be surpassed.
With Tom30, I ‘suggested’ to him that we cannot under any circumstances talk politics – we REALLY but heads over our views. If we steer clear of that, we should get along really well. 🙂