Normal week?

New labels I made for my purses 

Since I don’t have a retirement routine yet, I’m not sure what is a normal week.  It’s certainly not like the M-F, 8am-6pm routine!  Now it’s more like here are the things I generally do between 7am and 11pm, and there’s usually not a schedule.   And what’s not to love about that?

But the strong work ethic still prevails.  Where can you dispose of this anyway?  Some days I would like to be a slug, but I just can’t!    I still judge my day by what I got accomplished which generally means something with the house. 

So as retirement ‘schedules’ go, I guess  the last week was a normal one…

Work in the kitchen continues.  The island is being anchored to the new floor, and Mike is running a conduit for an electrical outlet(which is something we've wanted for a long time).

Island in need of a permanent home

I try not to gasp when I see this hole in the new floor!

And now I'm ready to move onto the next room, the screen porch.  The porch needs some structural work as it's been supported by metal beams for a couple of years.  We plan to tackle this job during the summer along with building a new deck.

But in the meantime we want to enjoy some nicer evenings on the porch and decided to find some new outdoor furniture.  After measuring the porch space, measuring furniture, visiting almost every store in Indy we finally purchased a lovely table and chairs.

Cardboard prototype of new patio furniture...what can I say?

And if you are married to an engineer, you get the fact that everything must be prototyped.  So here is a cardboard mock up of the new table and chairs, which by the way totally confused our cat, Wendy, when she stepped onto the cardboard and then promptly fell to the floor.

The new furniture will be delivered later this week!

Starting to get the hang of wire wrap earrings

And then there's usually some time for crafts including some recent jewelry work...

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 5-11-2013

Finally living in Indy this year, we are able to take advantage of Indy 500 activities during the month of May.  So on a cold and blustery Saturday, we decided to pack up and head to the track for Opening Day of Indy car practice.  Although a bit chilly, with some food, drink and a few other hardy fans, we got to see some great practice laps including a 220 mph lap!

Practice run

Enjoying the day despite clouds and cool weather!

And then there's one definite advantage of retirement, having time to hang with friends.  When I was working, and Mike and I were traveling back and forth between Des Moines and Indy, it was challenging to have quality time with friends.  Now we are making time for friends, AND enjoying some great restaurants in Indy.

Over the past week, we had a great fondue meal at The Melting Pot with friends Kevin and Kathy.  Everything was good (far better than making fondue in your own home), but the chocolate fondue was AMAZING!

And while the guys had their monthly Boys Night Out meal, Melanie and I tried a new restaurant, the Sabbatical in Broad Ripple.  We sat outside on a lovely, warm evening and enjoyed a wonderful tapas style meal.   And much to my surprise, I found they served Templeton Rye, the "legendary" whiskey made in Iowa that we often searched for and could never find when I lived there.  Seems a bit ironic to finally taste it at a restaurant in Indy, but it was worth the wait!  Great stuff!

Pink blossoms in backyard

And as you might expect, my camera is like a magnet to the beauty of Spring time...

Pine by the driveway

Little creek in the neighborhood

Check out the bees enjoying these beauties!

And what camera could resist these clouds?

And now that I think about it, I didn't really WORK that much over the past week, so let me retract my earlier statement about my strong work ethic.  Maybe it IS FADING AWAY...

Take care and have a wonderful week!

Diane