The Saga Begins - Post #1 in Rediscovering Ourselves

So a little back story dump, which isn't allowed in novel writing but I can dang well do on my own blog without an editor's red lines.

What do you do for retirement when the main financial contributor to the household has been out of work for three of the last five years - thanks to the not quite a depression of the last several years - and your retirement accounts have been cut in half due to the same state of affairs? I ask this question knowing so many others have found their life to be in the same fix. Do you work until death do you part? After considering that, we said no.

Lance and Christie

Two years ago, in the midst of wondering what the last half of our life would be like, my son, Lance, called and proposed we join forces, create our own little commune. Oh, I liked that - always wanted to try that life style way back when. After considering the pros and cons of living under the same roof as our son and his lady, we came up with a plan to do just that.

Am I nervous - only a little. Am I anxious - a lot. Am I excited - oh yes.

And that's what I will be blogging on for the next year. You'll hear all about our trials and misfires and what works. Maybe my glimpse into retiring with nothing in the bank but love will inspire or scare others in the same boat. Keep the bucket handy for bailing. Oh by the way, the retiring part is my husband. I will still be toiling away at my writing career, which is in its infancy - but I work hard!

This will be the "before" picture

Let the cleaning begin!

Now the first chapter - The four of us purchased a home on an Arizona prairie complete with a dirt road. It's 2100 square feet with a split floor plan. We get the master bedroom and bath, they get the other 3 bedrooms and small bath. The huge kitchen and living/dining room will be communal. Outside we have 2.2 acres where we will farm for our own consumption. Hmm...Frank says he does not play in the dirt. That leaves three of us. We'll find suitable work for Frank to compensate us! There are rain gutters to install and all the handicap ramps to remove from the last owner. We have what we affectionately call the orchard - 12 new trees. It's winter and it all looks rather bare but spring is right around the corner. So before we move in - let the cleaning begin.

Living room

Kitchen

Back patio

Sunset to our west