Retirement Day 1

Not a bad start to the first day of the rest of my life. After sleeping in until gone 0800, we started the day with a homemade coffee (saved $10 on that versus our normal Starbucks run) by the pool.

Plan is to spend the first couple of weeks adjusting and trying to get back to healthy habits (thoughts, food and drink) so took the time to set myself a few goals for the first day.

1. Fast for 24 hours to kick start the weight loss and healthy eating habits I need to build. Yes I know fasting isn't necessarily healthy but I also know that I need to lose 80lb and that I have struggled with my weight for over a decade. The one thing that I have found that works for me is switching to a keto diet and experiencing the instant gratification of the immediate weight loss that comes with it. It's much easier (for me) to lose weight if I can visibly see the effect while I work to build healthy long-term habits

2. Inspect my bee hives. I've neglected them for six months now so need to go in and see if there is anything left to save.

3. Spend some time relaxing in the sun. Hoping that an increase in Vitamin D and sunlight exposure can also help me to improve my mental state and energy levels. Research has shown that sunlight can have a huge impact and,, despite living in the Sunshine State, I have spent most of every day for the last six months indoors. Misery begets misery.

4. Make Pork Pies. If we are serious about building a homestead we can actually use to generate income (think River Cottage USA but on a smaller scale and without Hugh Fearnley-longname) then I need to build and improve my cookery skills. Having learned how to make pork pies at River Cottage in February and having a freezer full of the pigs I raised, harvested and butchered last year, I figured pork pies were a good place to start. Well, that and Daren's love of pork pies which you can't easily get here in Naples.

5. Feed my family. Now I don't have a job, I have zero excuse not to cook properly so I am going to make a reasonably nutritious dinner for the family 4 days a week. Meal plan for today is Pork Sausages (Again made using my own pork), mashed root veg (potato, celeriac and swede), homemade Focaccia and Heinz baked beans

6. 6 No alcohol or Gummies - If I'm serious about getting my life back on track then I know I need to stay away from alcohol. Previous experimentation has shown me that alcohol effects my mood and coordination for at least 24 hours after I drink it. Even one drink has an impact. It also makes me retain water and losing that water will also help boost my Day 1 weight loss.

Beekeeping

Coffee and daily goals decided, on to the bees. First trick - to find all of my beekeeping stuff that is scattered around the den and barn as I haven't used it for six months. Once I'd located the majority (still missing a hive tool) I lit my smoker, put on my suit, loaded up the bee cart and headed out to the hives. I wasn't sure what I was expecting so was extremely nervous as I opened the first hive. Turns out my bee keeping mentor was right - bees do best if we leave them the fuck alone. Quick inspection showed that they had been collecting and storing pollen and starting to build out comb. Capped and uncapped brood present so hive likely has a queen although I didn't see her. Dropped in some Apivar (just in case - don't lecture me) and closed the hive up. Moved on to second hive. Again, this one looked healthy and I saw the queen (unmarked) so all I did was remove the queen screen so she could get up to the next box to lay in the comb the workers had already created.

Need to move the second hive inside the fence so moved it two feet to the left today. Plan to continue moving it tomorrow and to make up some sugar solution to give my ladies a head start.

Pork Pies

Bees done and a 30 min soak in the pool later, it's time to begin the pork pies. River Cottage recipe obviously. First make the hot water crust pastry and leave to cool in the fridge. Then season the minced pork. Leave both in the fridge for 30 mins then begin constructing the pies. This is the hard bit - my crimping skills need improvement

Once crimped it's time to egg wash them and make a hole for the steam to escape and then into the oven

30 minutes later and it's time to take the pies out of the oven. Et Voila!!

Not the prettiest pies ever but not bad for my second attempt. Now need to let them cool so I can inject the jelly

Most of my 'to-do" list accomplished, I decided to take a stroll around the garden. Our peach tree has actual peaches!!! I'm a very proud mamma.

Rest of the day progressed as planned. All in all, a successful introduction to retirement