Tommy commented... "Downsizing does give you a breath of fresh air, and tends to make u ask yourself "do you really need that second shovel or this 30 pair of socks...."


We have so many socks... Downsizing may be good for my soul.

There is another troll in the neighborhood, and hints of fall are visible in the trees.

Five trolls created by the artist Thomas Dambo can be found in the Seattle area.

The weekend was quiet. On Saturday, we had lunch with my cranky mother-in-law, who tends to complain loudly about various aspects of her life. She often expresses dissatisfaction with the food at her retirement home, although it’s unclear whether her complaints are entirely justified. These unresolved issues contribute to a growing bucket of resentments over time. Her eyes lit up as she told us about another unresolved issue and how she was going to complain even louder.

In the afternoon, we explored West Seattle, a neighborhood we’re considering for retirement. It offers stunning views, a welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community, ample shopping opportunities, and proximity to friends.

Currently, we reside in a fantastic home in a great suburban neighborhood. While we enjoy being next to a large park, we must drive to go shopping or visit friends. If we move to West Seattle, we’ll need to downsize to a smaller house with less parking.

I’ve come to accept that I have one-percenter problems.

After our West Seattle tour, we had dinner with our friend Tap. We discussed our situation with him, and he advised us to give up space and move somewhere smaller. Tap recently downsized from a larger house to a smaller condo and has no regrets. The change has provided him with more free time.

On Sunday afternoon, I cooked beef bourguignon—a fancy name for pot roast. In the evening, we hosted Evan and Allan for dinner, played games, enjoyed each other’s company, and savored the food.

Last week was hectic. At work, we had people in from all over the world for an on-site meeting. I've worked with many of these people for years, yet this was the first time we've met them in person.

Over the weekend the Husband and I spent the night at a pleasant little costal village. A friend of ours has owns a house there with an attached apartment that he rents out. The apartment was vacant, so we took the opportunity to spend the night.

At dinner there, we met the local gays. For a small town, there is a surprising number of gay couples. These locals, for years, have been recruiting other gay couples to move there-- especially couples who are nearing retirement. Housing is much more affordable. Shopping and services are surprisingly close. Nearby there is a high-speed ferry to downtown Seattle.

This did prompt the husband and I to have a good chat about where, when and how we want to retire.  We know that retirement is in our future, but we don't have a specific plan. Just a few concepts-- we want to travel, to live someplace nice, to retire with enough money to not worry about our finances, to have something meaningful to do with our time. 

 

We also have a new troll in the neighborhood. But that's all good.

This morning a bear dropped by. It rummaged through the garbage cans alongside our house and then vanished. 

The fact that it vanished is more unnerving than the fact we have a bear. An arborvitae hedge separates our house from our neighbors. I think I see a place where the bear may have pushed through. I'll discuss with the neighbors later. 

Summer is winding down. The weather has been fantastic though peak summer has passed. The shadows at noon are getting long. Its pleasantly cool over night and into the morning. Plants are drying out. The more fragile are withering. 

My parents seem to be doing well. They have enough support to get by, or at least enough that they are not complaining. I have a trip booked in October for my mother's 80th birthday. Hopefully all stays well till then.