June 2010 - by Irish

Beautiful June is here! June is the month when our trees gets their leaves back in full bloom, in Northern Minnesota.

I plan to spend as much time as I can enjoying their beauty! June is also officially summer month.

As a young girl I always wanted to live in a tree house, even though I have had a lot of dreams I have made come true that one never made it to the drawing board. Or maybe I just never owned the right tree for one.

I did find a little tree house the other day and I planted it in my big oak tree, even thought I will never live in it. It is as close to my dream as I will ever get! “Me thinks”.

Saturday 5th

I got up early to enjoy some beautiful early morning colors!

The sky over our apartment! at 5:30 in the morning.

The rainbow at the same time over Edina’s million dollar apartments looking the other way.

What a rainbow!

Then we got the rain. I love the rain drops!

Sunday 6th

Bright sunny, and beautiful Sunday Morning here in Edina Minnesota. I stayed in bed after sunrise! I am sure you are glad you do not have to see any more sky pictures today.

9:30 we went to yoga, then it was Bloody Mary time, and lunch. In the afternoon we went to Menard’s to do a little shopping for everyday stuff, and then to visit with family!

We had a great weekend, rain, sunshine, good food, good company, but I did miss my first family back in the old sod.

Thursday 10th

I was up early to catch a few minutes of a beautiful sky over Edina! Ok this is the last picture of the sky this month. “Me thinks”.

Friday the 11th

We are packed and ready to go up north to our lake lot. We have taken half a day off work so we can get to the lake in time for happy hour.

Saturday 12th

We bought a new electric fireplace for our garden house.

On a rainy cool Saturday night we had happy hour in the garden house enjoying our new fireplace.

Now get this, Scott had a few glasses of wine and decided he would entertain me. Should this man drink wine.. you decide?

Sunday 13th

We are back home in Edina after a fun weekend at Crow Wing 11.

Monday 14th

I just had to take a picture of the roses in front of our patio at our apartment they are beautiful!

Thursday 17th

WOW! what a fun day it was my 32 year anniversary working for this company. Scott took me out for lunch to celebrate my accomplishment!

I also was surprised with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my coworkers. It was not the Company that made my day, it was my coworkers! Thanks everyone. You are.. along with my paycheck the only reason I have made it 32 Years.

Friday18th

Scott and I had the day off work today to go to the dentist in Mankato. After the dentist which went as good as going to the dentist can get we went to Scott’s home town in St James to visit with his mother and father to do some upkeep project on their home.

Read Scott’s blog on his project there. Great Sump-man!

Sunday morning we got served a great breakfast of fruit, and home made banana bread. I shouldn’t forget to mention Scott’s father’s Baileys Irish Cream for his coffee which I took advantage of.

“Happy Fathers day Neil”

With hugs and many thank you’s for helping with projects we are off, heading home to our apartment in Minneapolis to start another week of the boring grind of our day jobs.

Friday 24th

Scott and I only worked half a day today at our day jobs. WHOOT! WHOOT! We were leaving after work for a long weekend up north at our lake lot. We are getting everything ready for a weeks vacation we plan on spending there next week!

Saturday 25th

We woke up to a beautiful fog to start our weekend at the lake.

After a cup of coffee and an hour or two to enjoy our morning, something we cannot do when we have to go to our day jobs we went into the little town of Walker Minnesota to get a part that Scott had to have to repair our boat. After we got our part we did a little window shopping. I heard Scott saying I just have to have one. If you have been reading my blogs you know by now that I am into the clothing line of ” Life is Good”

Now Scott wants to have his own clothing line with the saying “Life is Crap” so you guessed it he bought a shirt!

for the first time in a long time Scott took some time out to do a little fishing on the end of his dock.

I am glad I was not hungry for fish today Scott! “Just joking”

After all that work fishing it was time for tea on the deck, an old Irish custom that I still enjoy!

Next job on Scotts list was to wash and wax our Jeep, another job he has not had time to do for a while.

So this brings us to the end of another month. What better way to end it than with a perfect man, having happy hour by our first perfect bonfire of the year 2010, many more happy hours Scott says!

“Spend Your Life Wisely”

May 2010 – by Irish

Saturday 1

May Day! It’s one of my favorites days of the year. I also got a special gift this year! May Day came on a weekend since I am still working a day job and off only on weekend. A Saturday May Day was a big lottery win for me! Happy May Day everyone!

Sunday 2nd

We started out our day enjoying breakfast in our place. Then it was off to yoga. After yoga over a bloody Mary we talk about our new goals and dreams for this next year in our life.

I told you in my April blog that I would update you on why we decided to work in our day jobs and rent a different apartment for another Year. Even though we have made our financial budget that we set seven years ago and we do have our Dutch Star almost ready to hit the road.

Bottom line we are just not ready yet, we are also not sure we have enough money saved to keep us in a comfortable manner for 30 something more years.

We also read a lot of blogs of people who have quite their jobs sold everything and took off in their motor homes. Most of those people will tell you to just do it you will never be sorry. But then again, so many of them turn into, in my books beggars. Come to my rally, click on this, click on that, buy my stuff, use my name just whatever gimmick they can use to get money to support what they call their great lifestyles. Well that is not us, even though we want to see and do everything that is out there to see and do. We even do not mind a little work camping or volunteering we just do not want to beg.

Why the new apartment? The old one we lived in was so old and dark it was also depressing. This one is new and bright it is a place we will enjoy coming home to after work.

Scott washed the Jeep today for the first time in our on site car wash. It works great and it’s free with our apartment. We can have a clean jeep for a year!!

We had a good week. A friend of mine came to visit me at my new apartment.We had a beer and a nice visit on my new deck and chairs!

I went to a boring work conventions with my dear husband Scott. I enjoyed it.

Visited a family member tonight Friday after work.

It has been raining the last few days and nights. I just love the rain!! I want to go jump in some of those rain puddles.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness, has never danced in the rain.

Saturday 8th. Off to yoga!

Sunday 9th we went to St James Minnesota to spend the day with Scott mother and father for Mothers Day. We had a great time !! Scott's mother made us a great breakfast!

The rest of the morning Scott spent giving his mother digital camera, and computer lessons.

Tuesday 11th

“Margaret time” – update: Tonight I lit a good smelling candle and I soaked my tired body in a nice hot bath, in my brand new smelling bathroom.

Thursday 13th

Had a great week so far, worked on all of my goals and even made some progress on my health goal! Two nights without wine, wait the weekend is here.

We are off work Friday for a long weekend. We are going up to Northern Minnesota to get our Dutch Star out of its winter storage shed. We also have to get new tires on it. I will let you read Scott’s blog on our expensive weekend. The Coach gets out for Summer!

Saturday morning was beautiful! I was up early to take picture of our first beautiful sunrise over Crow Wing 11 in 2010.

After Scott and I had breakfast we went outside to start getting our yard mowed and dock in.

I worked on doing some more downsizing of stuff we have stored in our garden house, just in case we would ever need it. Now we know we will never need this great stuff again.

Off we go to town to donate our good stuff to a charity in Park Rapids. For a short while I felt a bit liberated. Hold on now! Then we went to our favorite fleet and farm store to get a very small part for Scott to finish up his busted well pipe.

There it was a riding lawn mower that we always wanted it was a very small Snapper mower. Within seconds we bought it. That new credit card we just got works great even in Northern Minnesota! After we got it home to our lake lot Scott tried it out.

Then I tried it out it worked great! Then we put it in our garage until next trip up North and our next mowing adventure. We will see if this was a mistake or a pleasure by the end of the summer.

Ok now… what should we do with that push mower that we spend so many year hating every time we tried to start it. We put it out on the side of the road with a free sign on it and guess what? The mower that we hated for so long became someone’s treasure within an hour, they even took the sign.

Friday 21

My goodness what a busy day at work today, but its over now. Scott started the weekend off by getting us a bottle of wine, oriental food and a beautiful plant to enjoy out on our deck for our Friday night. We made it another week time to party! Yes I know we make everything a party!

Saturday 22nd

We had a great Saturday! I said happy birthday to a friend, went to yoga, we walked to get groceries, walked to the library, and walked to Barnes and Noble so Scott could buy some work learning books It’s a place we can walk to for everything we want. I love it here.

Sunday 23rd

It started out a real fun Sunday morning, breakfast, reading some blogs on all the beauty sights here in Minnesota! The North shore There and Back and making it through another yoga class.

Now for they sad news.

My dear husband Scott has to go to New York for most of next week.Now I know many people would say how Exciting! New York! You see, he has been there many time and we are just not into the solo travel thing any more even for work, but it will have to be done every once in a while until the last curtain fall. Have a safe trip Scott!

Monday 24th

What a day! It’s 95degree here in beautiful Edina. On they way home from work one of my car pooling friends announced that she is retiring on the 30 July. I am so happy for Karen, because I know how hard it is to make that commitment!

Tuesday 25th

Scott my husband my friend has been in New York since Sunday.

Over the last few month you might have heard me say I thought the reason that I have so much trouble making my health goal was maybe my husbands Scott fault.

Well I am now going to confirm that yes indeed he is the bad boy of my health goal!

Since he left our apartment Sunday for New York I have not had one glass of wine and I have had some very healthy salads for supper.

Wednesday 26th

My great car pooling friend came to my apartment after work for a beer! Sonja is the reason I have been able to hold on to my job for as long as I have. Thank you Sonja for always being there for me you pink lady!

We brought May to a close with a three day weekend up in Northland Minnesota on our Lake lot in our Dutch Star. Did we have good Month of May?

This Picture says it all!!!

Read Scott’s Memorial weekend blog coming soon.

April 2010 – by Irish

Today is April fool day and I hope Scott is not playing an April fool joke on me?

Seven years ago we set out on a financial goal a savings number that we thought we could live on, when we do not have our full time day jobs. Scott my finical adviser just informed me that the goal that we set up then, we had hoped to accomplished in seven years we just made in February 2010!! *** WHOOT WHOOT!!!!

What we did not plan on seven years ago, was that we would be on a two week vacation in sunny Arizona by a beautiful pool to celebrate. When we did meet that goal!

Thanks to Scott mother and father for inviting us there.

Now for the rest of my goals for the month of March.

My “Life is Good” wardrobe also got completed!

This two week vacation in Arizona marks the beginning of my retirement celebration. It is not official or have I set a final date yet. I want to walk in this new journey in life, while I am still crawling out of the old one.

I also get to start wearing my Life is good wardrobe. It’s all starting to feel so good!

Coffee in the Morning outfit!

Friday 2nd

Good Friday was a beautiful sunny day here in Surprise Arizona! We went on a long hard hike today to White Tank Mountains Regional park.

See Scott’s blog for highlights of that hike. Ford Canyon

Saturday the 3rd

We just had a very laid back day at the Sunflower Resort. We went for walks, wrote some blogs on our hikes, and spend some time enjoying the pool and having wine.

Sunday 4th

We enjoyed Saturday so much that, we did a bit more of that today. We took some pictures of the beautiful flowers around here.

Fountains

We also had a special table set up at Scotts mother and father place. To have our wine and supper to celebrate our good luck in this beautiful mountain we are climbing, called life!

Monday 5th

Now life is going to change a bit today, unlike Saturday and Sunday just hanging out and doing one of life greatest pleasures nothing!

Now I have done this hike many times before, But the big test today is can I make it up to the top of Squaw Peak after getting a little bit older and a lot out of shape. Read this blog Scott did a few years ago on our hikes there. Squaw Peak

I made it, but not by much!

Thumbs up on the way down!

Scott took me to an Irish Pub for a Black and Tan after our hike to celebrate my success!

Scott was such a supporter of me doing this hike, there was times I truly wondered if he had a big insurance policy on me.

After a black and tan at the Irish pub, I thought I would confront him with that question here is his answer.

Tuesday 6th

As we move into our last couple of day of a great vacation we decide to relax and enjoy each other, and the sunshine, in a very comfortable spot by the pool!

Wednesday 7th

Not much good news today, we are traveling to the airport to end a great vacation!

Thanks Enie and Neil for inviting us to your little piece of heaven!

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We are back in Minnesota at work safe, but not sound.

Saturday 10th

Scott just gave me our first piece of bad finical news in a year. Many year ago the corporation that we work for gave us some stock options. For many years the little bit of stocks we had in the company made money. Then came 2008 and the big crash. We lost money in our company stocks then, and again this year. But life is good!

Sunday 11th

What a beautiful Sunday here in Minnesota! Scott and I went to yoga this morning and did some groceries. We put off a great walk in favor of watching the Masters. It was my first time ever to watch golf. It was worth it to watch Phil kiss his cancer stricken wife with a tear in his eye how beautiful!

Saturday 19th

Finally! the weekend is here it was a long hard boring week.

We are getting ready to move into our smaller, but new apartment!

I am also taking advantage of this move to do a little more downsizing! I will update you on the reason why we are moving into this apartment for a year in our May goals update:

Sunday 20th

What a great day we had here in Minnesota! We went for along walk in the park, went to yoga, we had happy hour in the sun in our back yard, and got some stuff ready for our move next Friday and Saturday.

Monday 19th

“Margaret time” update: I soaked my tired body in a nice warm bath!

Tuesday 20th

We sold our dining room table, chairs, and server today it was a beautiful set. Sad to see it go, but I must say I feel very liberated not to have to store it, or ever move it again.

Friday 23rd

Today Scott and I are leaving work early to get the key to our new apartment, that we hope to enjoy for a year! **WHOOT!

Saturday 24th

We are moving!

Monday 26th

OMG what a weekend even with all the downsizing I have done over the years we still moved stuff for three day.

Our new apartment looks really great. This will be our life for the next year!

How do I get in here no handles on the doors?

Friday 30th

It seems like every time we move we always have to buy something. This time it’s patio chairs and a little table since we have not had an outside deck for a while. Tonight we went shopping and now we are all set up to enjoy our awesome deck and view for a year, except for the flowers!

As April comes to a close it truly was a month filled with great memories and accomplishments for us!

Quote of the Month

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved and were loved!