Our local school superintendent announced an 8.5% minimum pay raise for the upcoming school year. My coworkers are super excited about their soon-to-be bigger paychecks. Yes, any raise is certainly appreciated, but the extra couple hundred bucks a month I’d receive isn’t going to convince me to stay – not by a long shot. The siren song of early retirement is much more compelling.

Let’s hope the mask mandate for public transit is now gone for good. It should be a traveler’s choice whether they mask/glove-up for travel. Traveling by air with a mask on for 8 hours certainly isn’t fun. I LOVE to travel and curtailed all air travel except for one trip last summer to Kansas City.

Suitcase is ready…where to next?

Rocky Mountaineer – American Southwest (overdue anniversary trip with hubby)
Garden of Quilts @ Thanksgiving Point – Lehi, UT (my quilty grand adventure for 2022)

According to Wes Moss over at the Retire Sooner podcast, you should have at least 3 of them to be happy in retirement. Here’s my top 5:

(1) Therapy dog activities with Sadie

(2) Quilting, sewing and general craftiness

(3) Travel

(4) Reading

(5) Exploring local trails and hiking spots with hubs & Sadie

Today, I reached out to schedule reading related therapy dog visits with a school somewhat close to home. Visits wouldn’t start until after Labor Day and would happen biweekly. This is right up in my wheelhouse.

Earlier this week, I scheduled sew time in my studio with two of my coworkers. I can’t wait!!!

Last week, my SIL asked if I wanted to go to learn how to tear down a vintage sewing machine and put it back together. Yep! I think September will be the month we go.

Getting very, very excited about the next steps!