Catherine the Great by Robert Massie (1)

Since this book is 575 pages long, it will be a while before I actually finish it but I plan to give updates on the book as I read it.  I am now on page 80 and have decided that it is much nicer to live now as an ordinary person than it was 250 years ago as an empress.  For one thing, people got sick and died early and often.  Another is that as an heir to the throne, you'd better watch your back--literally.  Marriages among nobility were arranged for political advantage and to heck with love and affection. 
 As of page 80, Catherine (born Sophia) has been called to Russia by the Empress Elizabeth to marry Elizabeth's nephew Peter.  That Peter had some physical and emotional issues is at best an understatement (but given his early childhood, quite understandable).  The wedding has taken place amid spectacular finery but the marriage is an unconsummated dud.  That's where I left off and we will pick it up again in another 100 or so pages.

Retirement Social Life

One of the aspects of retirement that I am enjoying very much is the opportunity to have more of a social life.  I've never been one that needs a crowd all the time but while I was working, I withdrew from most activities that required time and energy.  It seemed like all I could to to keep house and work.  Then when I retired, it took me about 6 months to just rest, unwind, and get enough energy and enthusiasm to decide what to do.  It was (and still is) a joy to wake up and not have to jump in the shower, grab something to eat, and be out the door and off to work.  In the past, the holiday season was very stressful with the hospital usually full, staff short from illness or PTO, and all the holiday stuff to get done on top.  But not this year.  We have socialized more this holiday season than in many, many years and it was just plain fun. We had a party for my birthday, a lovely family Christmas dinner, the neighborhood New Year's Eve Potluck at our house, and this weekend a fun birthday party for JMM.  Another way that we are socializing more is that we can be more active in our church.  We have a great Adult Bible Fellowship group of people our age, all boomers.  What makes it so nice is that we are all old enough to have had life's happenings knock the sharp edges off and we can just love and support each other.  And finally, I have joined a book club at the library and found a congenial group of biblioholics. 
Can you tell that I'm taking to retirement like duck to water??

Fourth Quarter Financials

This was a really good quarter for us. We increased our Emergency Fund by $3500 and our total retirement funds went up by $44,500.  We continue to have no debt. 

We are thankful that we are in good health and that JMM is fully employed.

BHAG for 2012

We have decided to double our giving this year from what we gave last year.   Since I retired last year, our income was cut almost in half.  It will be a stretch but looking at the numbers, it looks doable.  Living debt free makes it possible.  We have already doubled our January giving so only 11 more months to go.

(BTW, a BHAG is a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. )

2011 Reading List

AFruitful Vine by Carrie Bender

A Winding Path by Carrie Bender

One with Christ by Hudson Taylor. 

In Siberia by Colin Thubron

The Greater Journey by David McCullough

A Joyous Heart by Carrie Bender

The Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz

Lucy by Ellen Feldman. 
All through the Night by Grace Livingston Hill
Next to Love by Ellen Feldman
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. 
The Greater Journey by David McCullough. 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  Audio CD.  Didn’t finish.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Allan Bradley.

Haiti after the Earthquake by Paul Farmer.

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchey.  Audio CD.

Lost in Shangri-La. by Mitchell Zuckoff

Beechwood Acres by Carrie Bender

One Amazing Thing

That Used to Be Us by Thomas Friedman.

One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downs.   

The Gift of Good Land by Wendell Berry. 
Henrietta's War by Joyce DennysHenrietta Sees It Through by Joyce Dennys. 
A Test of Wills by Charles Todd. 
Good Evening, Mrs. Craven by Mollie Panter-Downes. 
Second Nature by Michael Pollan.  
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. 
The End of Normal by Stephanie Madoff Mack.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsen.  Boomerang by Michael Lewis. 

Second Nature by Michael Pollan

  Scattered through the verbage, the wordy points much belabored, the repetition, there are parts of this book that are humorous, thoughtful, and worth reading.  What should have been a 150 page book with clarity was actually a 320 page exercise in seeing how many times he can make the same point.

Waste of paper and ink.

Goals for 2012

The week between Christmas and New Years Day is a good time to set goals for the new year.  I've found that I accomplish more if I plan specific, reasonable goals for the year and hold myself to them.

Goals for 2012:

I.  Physical

          A. Maintain weight

                   a. Healthy eating

                   b. Gentle exercise

          B. Physical Exam

          C. Mammogram ; Gyn exam

          D. Dental Exams

II.  Spiritual

          A.  Church and ABF

          B.  Bible chapter each day

          C.  Spiritual book each month

III.  Professional

A.   Renew License—done

B.   Continuing Education hours

IV.  Financial

A.    Continue funding JMM 403b

B.    Savings

1.    Complete saving for Yard Scooter (Golf Cart)--done already thanks to a totally unexpected windfall.

2.    Begin saving for Sprinkler system

          D. Maintain debt free living

          E.  Increase charitable giving--We have decided to double our giving this year even though my retirement last year cut our income almost in half.

V.  Personal

          A.  Monthly haircut

          B.  Spring and fall clothes

          C.  Read good books

          D.  Go birding in Brownsville

          E.  Quilting

          F.  Expand Rose Garden

          G. Travel—NYC and/or Washington, D.C.