Travels in Time

I have finally finished cleaning, reorganizing and packing away my living history gear from my recent event. I was happy to get back to one of my favorite pastimes. Last year almost all events were cancelled and I was only able to attend one public event. So when the opportunity to travel to Indiana for the Bridgeton Rendezvous presented itself I quickly talked some friends into going and we were not disappointed. 

When we arrived in Bridgeton I realized I had visited this charming place before. My husband and I had explored many of the covered bridges in this area several years ago. Bridgeton is a very small historical town in Indiana southwest of Indianapolis. Indiana boasts many covered bridges and the Bridgeton covered bridge is famous for the only bridge over a waterfall which makes for very scenic photos. The current bridge was rebuilt in 2006 following a fire that destroyed the bridge. 

At the foot of the waterfall is another notable historic building, the Bridgeton Mill. This is the oldest continually-operating mill in the midwest and has been family owned since 1823. The current owner continues the ongoing restoration while milling corn and wheat with 200 year old French Buhr stones. Samples of his milled products are available for purchase as well as other small items in the Mill store. 

The sleepy town of Bridgeton was placed on the National Register Historic District in 1992 and boasts shops, homes, an original 1822 log cabin, post office and other buildings. Many shops are only open on weekends during the summer or during festivals. The Bridgeton Covered Bridge Festival which begins the second Friday in October and lasts 10 days is the biggest event of the year with approximately 2 million people reportedly visiting the area. 

The event that drew our attention was the Bridgeton Rendezvous, a re-enactment of the 1750s to 1840s time period. The event is hosted by the Case family and centered around the original Case 1822 Log Cabin. In addition to vendors selling period appropriate items there were also activities for the reenactors to participate in such as a black powder shoot, bow shoot, skillet throw, Friendship fire and a shared meal. 

We arrived on Thursday afternoon to set up our tents and unload our supplies. The weather forecast predicted near freezing temps that night and some rain over the weekend but I was prepared. It was a little chilly that night but I slept well underneath multiple layers of wool blankets. When I awoke one of my fellow campers had already started the fire and made the coffee. Thank you Scottie!!!

Most events such as this host a "schooldays" on the Friday before the event with local school children attending. Unfortunately it was cancelled this year so we dressed in our 18th century finest and walked the historic streets to scope out the town and mill. We talked with the owner of Bridgeton Mill and learned the history of the building and what work is taking place in the restoration, purchased buckwheat flour, muffin mix and blueberry syrup. The owner gifted us a sample of the buckwheat pancake mix. This made for a very tasty breakfast the following day. 

We also talked with Celia Case who had been the one to invite us to this event when we met her last year. Her family owns the 1822 log cabin which is original to the county but has been moved to the current site. The cabin was built by her great grandfather and has been in the family ever since. During the event she informed visitors about the history of the cabin and town, cooked on the hearth and directed the events. 

The other reenactors were all well known to each other but a friendlier group of people you could not imagine. We must have interacted with each and every one as they stopped by our camp to say hi and share stories or information. 

Also present at this event was a couple that I have seen at previous events. They are always entertaining and provide portrayals of several different personas. This weekend they were present as Parson John and Maggie Delaney, his indentured servant. She gave a presentation in which she told her story as an Irish immigrant that arrived in the colonies as an indentured servant with her family and all the hardships she had endured. It is a very moving story and based on historical accounts. Parson John delivered a religious service on Sunday morning with a good message. A few years ago I encountered this couple portraying body snatchers. They do such a fantastic job portraying first person characters that I follow them on Facebook and watch their videos on YouTube. You can find them on Facebook by searching "Parson John & Maggie" and a search on YouTube of "Maggie Delaney" will provide several videos of Maggie's impersonations. 

As always some of the best times during these events is sitting around a campfire late at night talking with friends, eating food cooked over the campfire and spending time with like-minded people who enjoy history and realize the importance of it. We learned that onions roasted in the coals make a tasty treat and you can't always count on weather reports as, thankfully, the rain held off all weekend. 

Too soon, Sunday afternoon arrived and we had to take down our tents, pack our gear and start the long drive home. As I usually do following the fun I try to reorganize and reassemble my gear in a more efficient manner for the next event knowing full well that there is no perfect way to pack for these events. This took me a few days and then I have to rest up and begin thinking about the next Reenactment!

You may have events similar to this in your area. I encourage you not only to attend but interact with those that are portraying historical characters. We love to tell our story or give you information that you may not have learned in school. And although we can never know exactly what it was like to live in another time we can gain some perspective of what they experienced in day to day life. 

Scottie and Bob at the Case Cabin

me in front of our camp

Our gang

camp of a voyageur

Celia Case at Skillet Throw

Chicken on the hearth

Spinning demonstration

Hand knitted caps and other goods

Links for further information: 

http://www.bridgetonindiana.com/attractions/index.htm

https://www.coveredbridges.com/covered-bridges

Catching Up

 

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." Walt Disney

Hello again from the almost retired. Apologies if anyone missed reading my ramblings but last year dragged on entirely too long. Just as we all thought we were conquering Covid it reared it's ugly head again. My brain could just not invent anything fun to write about. As 2020 dragged on the outlook for fun and entertainment was bleak. Even Christmas seemed to have less sparkle than previous years. Now we have started a New Year and I am trying to build up my enthusiasm. 

Since last I wrote I blew right past another birthday. We spent a month camping off and on at our nearby state park in October. Our daughter's family camped some also and we managed more than a little fun. I finally loaded my pack and went backpacking. I think I had been wondering if I would enjoy it as I had years ago. Thankfully I did and now I'm eager to follow this up with more backpacking adventures. My husband and I have been working at the new grandparent role of overseeing remote learning. That's been interesting to say the least. I continued to feed my sourdough starter and explore various recipes for it's use. I also spent a wonderful weekend with my living history friends camping and and cooking out in the fall. 

I have to say that overall we managed far better than a lot of people during this time. We have managed to be able to stay close to our family and avoid illness at home. It's one of those times I've been thankful for living in a small, rural town close to nowhere. 

Last year had so many differences from all years prior. Most notable was the feeling of unfulfilled dreams. The year did leave me with a lot of time for thinking, planning, researching, etc. My husband and I talked a lot about retirement plans. It boils down to this: I don't have so many years left that I want to continue to waste another year doing mostly nothing. While I've always dreamed of retiring to travel to other countries, I am eager now to head out and explore everything there is to see here in the USA. And then there's the simple things I want to enjoy such as figuring out how to sleep late, learning a new language, working with my herb garden, spending time with my family, reading a good book, or just walking in the woods. So I have once again turned in my notice to retire effective late March. This time there were no questions or doubts in my mind about it and IT WILL HAPPEN! 

For now I am focusing on getting in a little better shape. I started the Noom program for weight loss and have to say it is going better than I expected. I have been walking around my neighborhood or at the park 2-3 miles almost every day. Rain or cold has not stopped me and I miss it now if I don't have time to walk. (Work really gets in the way with these short winter days.) I had been learning Gaelic but couldn't think of anytime I'd ever use it and recently switched to Spanish. I've done a (very) little bit of clearing out clutter but I have big plans to get moving on that project this spring. And I pulled my camera out of the closet in hopes to improve my very basic photography skills. Most of all I'm counting the days until I say goodbye to my coworkers and clean out my desk. 

So I hope any readers will hang out a little longer and see what kind of misadventure I can get into when I finally begin retirement. 

Crazy times call for crazy decisions

What a crazy time we are living in right now. Never could I have imagined in our age of modern medicine that our world could be shut down by a virus. This situation has caused many people to take a look around them at what is important, what is essential and what they can do without. Three months ago few people thought twice about where their food came from or worried about availability. America is the land of plenty after all. Now people are stockpiling food and essentials like the best doomsday prepper. What next? I pray for a quick resolution and lives to be spared. Until then America WAKE UP and follow recommendations. Please maintain safe distancing as directed (still don't like the term "social distancing"). 

It's hard to follow recommendations when the spring weather is calling all of us to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and warmer temperatures. Nothing says we can't do these things but we have to be careful in order to stop the spread of the virus. A simple thing would be to just open your windows and let fresh air and sunshine in your home. Take a walk staying away from public areas and anyplace large numbers are likely to still congregate. Clean off your porch or patio and sit outside reading a book, writing letters, cooking out or starting a container garden. In the spring there are plenty of rainy days. Use that time to clear out the clutter in your house or try new recipes. Focus on a healthier lifestyle. 

I have changed all my short term plans for retirement because of this virus and the situation it has created. Number one of which is ... I'm not. Retiring that is. With the economy in a slump, stocks dropped, no travel possible, etc I decided to continue working but I will be cutting my hours in half. It was such a big decision to retire and now at the end I'm backing out. Today was to have been my last day of work and I have been ambivalent about whether I'm making the right decision. I believe it's the right choice for me now though. Plenty of people retire only to find another part time job to help with expenses or other reasons. To me it just made more sense to keep the job I already know but reduce the hours. So in actuality I'm not fully retiring but I'm also not fully working either. This is the bright side for me. 

I will now have more time at home than at work to enjoy the things I've been planning to do. Confined to our home I have been doing my usual online research and shopping. I'm planning my garden and researching hiking and backpacking. These seem to be safe activities that I could enjoy right now. I'm researching how to be more historically accurate in my living history passion and updating my kits and clothing for this. I will eventually be able to participate in this activity again and hopefully will be better informed and prepared. I've gotten out most days to walk the dogs or take a short hike. Travel plans? Well, that's still up in the air or better stated - I'm still grounded. But planning the adventure is part of having the best experience. The time will come when we can fly the friendly skies again and I'll be ready to go. 

The other positive about not fully retiring at the present is that I will ease into living on less income than I'm used to. With my salary cut in half I will have to make adjustments same as if I were living on my planned retirement income. By the time I take down my shingle for good I will hopefully have a more accurate idea of what my minimum monthly budget will be. I've already been thinking longer and harder before making even simple purchases. Planning meals and shopping lists is the new normal also and one that should allow some savings each month.  

I'm not sure at this time how much longer I will be working. My financial adviser asked me this very question. My only response - time will tell. First will be adapting to a new budget and work schedule. If it fits then this part time option may continue for awhile. But I don't plan on work holding me back from all that I want to enjoy with my family and friends. If it is then it will be time. For now I will be embracing the change and I continue to look forward to the future. None of us can ever know what is in store for us around the corner. 

Stay healthy, stay safe and make wise choices. 

Hiking with family in Shawnee National Forest

History Nerd

I learned to love history when I was in college. It was required to take at the college I attended. I had transferred in and was catching up on basic requirements so I took two different American history classes the same semester. I had two wonderful instructors that knew how to get your attention and keep it. In addition to dates, places and important events they taught social history. We explored how people lived and why new developments were important. I can even remember having to clean a raw cotton boll to demonstrate the importance of the cotton gin! It opened a whole new world to me but it took years to evolve into my passion of reenacting. 

In my hometown there was an annual reenactment that was a big event and I never missed attending. As years went by I joined a group that served as vendors during the event and began dressing in my interpretation of period clothes. Then, a casual friend offered to take me to participate in an event as a reenactor. She got me hooked and became one of my dearest friends in the process. How could anyone sleeping on the ground under a tarp in the rain with no shower and only portable toilets have so much fun? Following this I inquired about joining the local reenactment group which portrays a French military unit of the French and Indian War also known as the Seven Years War. I have evolved from sleeping on the ground under a shelter to a cot and tent but the best part is that I have made so many more great friends with this same passion. I hope I can continue to enjoy this hobby for many years and will be sharing my adventures into living history with readers here. 

          

Then

... and now

Last weekend a small group of us went to the Seven Years War Conference. This is an annual educational and business meeting for members. I chose the option of learning about 18th century quill making, writing and paper making. Our instructor was so knowledgeable and I left wishing I had more time to pick her brain. The weekend also included a dinner and dance in period clothing. It was a fun weekend and the location at Spring Mill State Park in Indiana was beautiful. I'm wanting to go back sometime with my husband to camp and check out all the other great things the park has to offer. 


              











Spring Mill State Park is in southern Indiana not too far from Paoli Peaks and French Lick. One of the main features of the park is the Pioneer Village which contains a water-powered grist mill built in 1817. Besides the mill there are 20 log cabins set up as homes and places of business. The log buildings were restored mostly in the 1920s and 1930s by the CCC. In the summer they have various interpreters staffing the shops as merchant, apothecary, carpenter, etc. Unfortunately it was closed for the season during our visit but definitely worth a trip back to see. 

The park itself is beautiful and has many natural features to explore. One area known as Donaldson's Woods has native trees more than 300 years old. There are short hiking trails, mountain bike trails, a lake and caves. Accommodations include a campground with or without electricity and shower houses with flush toilets or the inn which is open all year and has a delicious dining hall and rooms available for events. If more modern history is your thing there is the Grissom Memorial which honors Virgil "Gus" Grissom and houses the Gemini III capsule and spacesuit. Grissom was an early pioneer of the space program and local hero raised in nearby Mitchell, Indiana. They also have an Olympic size swimming pool with pool house in the park and indoor pool at the Inn. If you're near the area I encourage you to visit the park for a day or stay the weekend. 

For the Love of Grandchildren !

Grandchildren are on my mind this week. There is almost always something going on when you have them. 

When you think you have life somewhat figured out grandchildren turn your world around and change your perspective on what is important. Before I had grandchildren my husband and I took some marvelous vacations, just the two of us. Our kids were older and no longer wanting to travel with us and we had so much fun with that freedom. Then the grand kids started coming. They were all born in North Carolina and lived there for 6 years before moving back home. All of my vacations from that point forward were geared toward visiting them. Sometimes we worked it into a vacation such as meeting halfway or going to the beach with them. I wouldn't trade those trips for all the European vacations in the world. I hated leaving them and returning home and hated the thought that I was missing out on school music programs, ballgames and overnights at my house. I can see why many couples retire early and move to live closer to their children. I was so fortunate that my family moved closer to me. 

Like any grandparent I LOVE my grandchildren. I think having grandchildren is one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I can't say that I love them more than my own children but I do love them differently. Again I can look at children and see their unique talents and wonder at how their lives will develop and who they will become. I marvel at their imagination and eagerness to learn and do new things. The treat is that I don't bear that same responsibility that parents feel toward their children. But I do have a responsibility to them. Grandparents should show children that love is unconditional and reinforce to them their originality. We should help them to develop self esteem and self confidence that they can rely on in the future when they are adults and facing difficult choices. And we can share family stories that only we know. 

Our world has gotten so mobile that families don't stay together like they used to in the same community, sometimes even in the same house, for generations. I wonder frequently and think we've lost something by having such a mobile society. My grandmother lived a block from my house and 2 aunts/uncles lived in houses between ours and hers. Both my parents worked but when my sister and I came home from school or during summer break I had my grandmother and 2 aunts that were close and always home to watch out for me. No need for a strange babysitter. And it was free. I paid them with my love. And I'm sure Mom and Dad did favors for them in return. What a great system that was! Flash forward to the next generation and I didn't live quite so close to my parents but did remain in the same community to raise my children. My Mom and Dad came to see their grandchildren almost every day. They even moved closer to me to enable more time with them. I can't imagine what I would have done without them and all the assistance they provided in raising my kids. Not just babysitting but transportation, meals, homework help, teaching skills - in truth just being there when needed. 

So I am glad my children live in this same community and I hope that I can be half as good a grandparent as my parents and grandmother were. And spending more quality time with my grandchildren is high on my bucket list when I retire. 

I think I'm learning as much from my grandchildren as I hope they are learning from me. I've learned how precious time is when I see how fast they grow and change. My whole outlook on healthy living has changed so I can hopefully be around longer to watch them continue to grow. I've learned that a clean and orderly home is not necessary. It's much more important to spend that time with them or my husband or doing something rewarding for myself than it is to spend time being a slave to my house. I've learned to be creative and live in the moment. I can see life through a child's eyes again and it's a wonderful thing!

I started out saying they were on my mind. I should have said on my mind, in my house, eating my food, etc. Of course, I love it. This weekend started with overnights and ballgames. Friday my oldest grand daughter cheered, played basketball AND sang the National Anthem at her grade school's games. She was wonderful. She made all A's on her report card too. Then she woke at home yesterday with pain in her abdomen. It turned out to be appendicitis. She's had her appendix out now and will be released today to go home. My husband and I watched the 2 younger ones so Mom and Dad could be with her. So yesterday was filled with golf, basketball, hover board and pizza! It was hard not to be there at the hospital but as grandparents we do what is needed and I'm glad we're here for them. I'm sure she'll pull through and be back to her usual self soon. 

heading out for shopping and lunch

mastering chopsticks

fun on the hover board

team spirit

The journey begins ...

Hi fellow retirees and retiree wannabes

I am about to embark on the adventure of retirement after 40 years of working. I turned 60 last year and had that moment of awareness that there was less time ahead than behind. My first step was to meet with a financial advisor to see if I could feasibly retire and accomplish everything I dreamed for retirement. Thankfully the answer was yes!

This blog is not about achieving financial security so that you can retire. There are numerous websites and videos out there for that. My only suggestion on this is to find a retirement planner that understands you and your goals and then research as much as time allows. Make that bucket list! In the end, trust that your financial advisor will have your personal goals in mind. If not, find another. Then, take a leap of faith.

This blog is about how to truly live a meaningful and enjoyable life after retiring.

One of the main things I plan to do initially in retirement is traveling. I want to get in as much traveling as possible as long as I physically can. To me it's all about making memories. I have to admit I am an internet search and YouTube addict. I love learning new things and studying the best methods. So I immediately turned to the internet for information on where, how, when, etc. I have to say I was disappointed that most of the travel blogs were geared toward a much younger audience. There were very few YouTube videos for seniors such as myself. And, let's face it, there are differences in how we travel. So my journey began with blogging and maybe eventually embarking into the realm of YouTube to bridge that gap.

Besides travel there are plenty of other topics of interest that I'd like to share including cooking, reading, camping, gardening and family life in general.

As a newbie to retirement (and to blogging) I don't have a wealth of experience to share - yet. But if you want to follow my adventures and misadventures as I navigate through unknown territory ahead I welcome you to come along on this ride with me and we can learn together how to live a happy, active life after retirement.