Retirement and Spring

   Spring is here! The grass has been turning green for a few weeks now and it is spreading throughout the fields. The robins and spring pond geese are here also. We had our first really good get on your toes tornado warning stuff Saturday evening. You know where you watch the tv and see which way it is going or when to gather your things and head for the rabbit hole or down the road the other way. I can see I need to refresh my tornado go bags. Things have changed and they need to change also. We mainly had some pea size hail with some nickle and marbles tossed in. The rain was really different this year. It would come in absolute pouring can't see anything waves every 30? minutes or so. Did that about 4 times I think. It was so loud one time I couldn't hear the person I was talking to on the phone. I was tickled it didn't knock off but forsythia bushes yellow blossoms, That is my favorite spring blooms that and daffodils ! I love the color it is such a happy cheery color. 
   Lets get started with retirement. There is a lot to be said about that. It is a hard adjustment to make for sure. When your used to stepping out your door every morning and going to work or looking out the windows to "check things" or driving down the road to check fence and cows pretty much .... being your ever waking thought........ it is for sure different! Driving around checking fences the other day we notice some bozo stole 8 fence posts! I told hubby the good part about that is he doesn't have to put them in ! All he had to do is call the new owners and let them do all the muscle work!
     He gets pretty bored so far. He says frequently... I think I'm going to drive to town and clean the truck it's dirty or whatever little something like that. 
    Me I am having a hard time adjusting to not being right there beside him every day or on the tractor doing something. Weird. So I am going through every room in the house slowly but surely. Starting with the kitchen. Every time your life changes your kitchen changes. All those things I have been wanting to do and was either too tired after helping or couldn't get into spring cleaning mode now I can. Like I said it's slow. Even though we have a really good retirement income I feel like every dollar or 100's of I spend is too much when it isn't coming in on a weekly paycheck. What goes out needs to come in to be replaced by equal income to my way of thinking but I haven't figured that out yet. Hubby says I'm crazy. I told him I could have a few million in the bank and feel the same way!
    This house has over 20 years of accumulated good stuff in it. Some I still use, some I have outgrown and need to donate to a child or grandchild. I figure if nothing else if we ever decide to relocate it should be easier for sure. 
     Everyone is getting into this "If it gives your JOY " decluttering thing. I can tell you right now there is not much in this house that gives me this so called "JOY" crud. I need a change. I don't know if I will ever get it but never know. I might get that lake house with a professional kitchen yet!
    I stopped at one of the fancy kitchen stores with wolf ranges etc. My kitchen isn't tiny but it sure as heck isn't big enough for real quality appliances either! Even if I had a boat load of loot to spend it wouldn't do a bit of good in this kitchen and I'm not about to remodel something I don't really want to live in any more. 
  I have been looking at homes and I love the ones with lots of windows and sunlight coming in. I like the taller ceilings and open feel. I walk into one of the office building in OKC with lots of windows and I actually feel so much better. 
    Speaking of feeling better. I quit eating pork, beef and lamb last Tuesday the 19th and I can already tell a difference. My breathing machine is lasting 5 and 6 hours instead of 2 or 3 hours. I walked around lowes and I could do it so much easier without having to stop and rest. I could tell I still had issues but not like before. What do you expect after years of being seriously ill ! Since then I have also been reading up on gluten and trying to avoid it. I found a really informative website 
 The 14 Most Common Signs of Gluten Intolerance 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/signs-you-are-gluten-intolerant  

   Since I have cut back on wheat my tummy has been feeling a lot better. I don't feel so bruised for sure deep inside. Trying to change my diet suddenly without having made a trip to the store isn't easy at all! I will even have to change my baking to the King Arthur Measure for Measure stuff. It ain't cheap but cheaper than a ER bill if it improves my breathing that much! It is all a adjustment but if I can do it I think I will have a lot of improvement lets just hope I can get off these cortisone spray things too soon. Shoot I have known I have allergies and fairly much allergic to a lot of things but boy this sure does narrow the chow field down for sure! 

    Will let you know if there are any drastic improvements for sure. I so am impressed with this information anyone with COPD or asthma should be tested for ALPHA- GAL tick bite / meat allergy ( if your have ever been bitten by a tick) and for gluten / wheat allergy. I think if I had know this 40 years ago my health would not have been ruined as it is today and I would be a totally different person. 

Love

Ranchmama