Getting there - slowly

We've been working on our new house for almost four years now. Thankfully, we are down to a few small details now and I do my best to work on something each week. The house is a delight to live in and with the delivery of some new furniture is feeling a lot more finished these days. 

Today, as the sun streamed in beautifully through the large south facing dining room windows I snapped the first picture of the completed room. 

The bridge overhead separates and spans the living and dining rooms. It leads to the grand kid's playroom. In the back corner is the hollowed out tree with a 'secret' staircase leading upstairs.

Planning for our old age

Today, on the radio I listened to a financial wealth manager. His advise was that we should live sparingly, putting as much money aside for our old age as possible. He suggested that if we wished to travel when we got old we would need extra money for that purpose.

His advise while fitting for some I suppose it struck me as wrong for us. We know so many people, not many years older than us who have health issues that keep them from travel. Others who do travel don't have the energy to to do the things they dreamed of. Still others travel alone as the person they wanted to travel with is now gone.

I firmly believe we should definitely live within our means, and save for a rainy day. But I also am a firm believer that we should travel, if we are so inclined, when we are as young as possible. In my opinion we should live life as a grand adventure and collect as many wonderful memories along our journey as possible.

As for us, we are planning our next trip, soon to take Phoebe and Becke to DisneyWorld, for their first visit. It's going to be fun! One more set of memories will be gathered to retell in our old age.

My your next year be (even) better!

Through the decades we've had great years and years that were a little more challenging. I think it started when the kids were small and we were just starting our business. If someone wanted something and we couldn't swing it the promise was 'It will be better next year.' That little saying was stated often and eventually became our family motto. 

Now, at our house instead of Happy New year we say 'next year will be better. The last year was great but it's our hope for an even better one in the coming twelve months.