H.A. Larson's Blog, page 6

Enjoying the Finer Things in Life

 

Wine, Cheese, and Fruit: 1857. John F. Francis, American. On display at the Art Institute of Chicago.

If it weren't evident by the numerous posts about wine and charcuterie that have started to be a major player here over the past few years, I enjoy the finer things in life. Don't be fooled, you'll still find me near the pit at a metal show or throwing down at a redneck party, but as I get older, I'm sliding a bit more into the slower and more refined things in life that I enjoy. 
Delving deep into the wine passports of Nebraska and Iowa has given me a taste for wine outside of the cheap, terrible wines that can be found at any corner gas station or grocery store and mostly drunk by girls in their early twenties who are trying to be posh. My love for cheese has blossomed in the city over the years as I've learned that there's more to life than American cheddar, Colby, and Mozzarella. And, my appreciation for the Blues has ignited a new love for Jazz and a reintroduction to Classical and Theater.
I believe there's a place in life for all of your passions, mine included. There's nothing wrong with enjoying things that fall on different ends of the spectrum. To that end, I have a wine club membership to a local winery. My best friend, Rebecca, and I split the membership to save costs. For this, we get four bottles of local wine at a discount every quarter. The winery has a special event for the quarterly pickups where they provide entertainment, free food, and one free drink. We've done three events now and it's incredibly fun.
Last year, I attended to a blues/jazz show at a fancy-ish jazz club downtown (where I saw JoyAnn Parker) and saw the Tina Turner musical at the Orpheum Theater downtown - a place I've always wanted to go to. 
Recently, I started another membership to a local wine merchant here in town. Once a month, I get a carefully curated bottle of wine, a nice cheese, and a small loaf of French bread. As a wine (and cheese) enthusiast, this allows me to expand my palette and learn about wines (and cheeses) that I have sometimes never heard of. 
I've been to the symphony and have eaten at a few fine dining establishments. The only thing I haven't done yet is see an Opera. I'm going to see about getting to a production of one this year.
                        

Cheers!

The Long-Awaited Return to Europe

Ever since I traveled to Ireland in 2014, I've been aching to return to Europe. My love affair with the continent began as a child so my visit to the Emerald Isle was a dream come true. I planned to return but didn't think it would take a full decade for that to happen. Alas, it did, but that's not going to stop me from relishing each and every single moment of my return. In October, I'll spend 10 days in (mostly) England, and saying, "I can't wait!" is truly an understatement.
This time, I'm older, wiser, and have made an art form out of credit card churning - a skill that has allowed me to travel for nearly free. Two years ago, I realized that I could build up the points and miles I would need to travel abroad every other year, which means that this is the year to travel abroad. 
So, what made me choose England? Well, I firmly believe, as an English-speaking citizen, that one should start traveling to foreign countries by going to ones that speak the same language. This allows you to learn how to travel internationally without the language barrier. This is precisely why I started with Ireland. But, since it's been a decade since my last trip out of the States, I figured I should start again with another English-speaking country. That, and I have always wanted to go to London.
When I returned from Ireland and started posting about it, I said the following:
When I took this trip, I thought to myself, "This might be your only chance to go to Europe." I might be right, but I hate to think so. I fully intend on seeing as much of the rest of the world as I possibly can one day, and experiencing a bounty of other cultures, foods, people, and history. I'll be back for you Europe...one day.

     I am finally coming back, Europe. See you soon!

A No-Buy Year

In the few months leading up to the holidays (and during the holidays themselves), I spent more money than I had planned and had saved up for. This is why I recalculated my sinking fund for gifts and realized that I needed to make some adjustments. A great idea, to be sure, but I still need to solve the immediate issue of the overspending I did. 
I have to take care of the additional expenses I've incurred. So, I decided this year is going to be a no-buy year. What does a no-buy year entail? Well, it's where you only spend money on necessities, and nothing else. Necessities are things like rent/mortgage, groceries, utilities, gas for the car, household supplies (like toilet paper & shampoo), etc. 
Now, granted, I know how difficult this might be, even if the only money I wouldn't be spending is my meager "Fun Money" category. Still, I want to give it a go because it's not just holiday overspending on my mind. So, if I don't have any fun money to spend, won't I be bored this year? 
Not exactly:
1. I can, and will, utilize all my skills of taking day trips, indulging in free activities, and getting together with friends only using booze/food I already have. 
2. I purchased a concert ticket in 2023 for a show in May, so I have that to look forward to. My change jar has a good $40 in it, so I will hold on to that to buy a few drinks there.
3. My son lives a mere 45 minutes away so getting away for a weekend there won't go out of my fuel budget.
4. In October, I'm taking a trip overseas for 10 days. It was bought and paid for in 2023 (story on that later this year). The spending money will come from my Travel sinking fund which is a normal monthly expense that is part of my budget.
5. My budget is already calculated to include my two wine memberships: A quarterly wine club with a winery over in Iowa, and a monthly wine & cheese membership with a local wine merchant.


So, this whole exercise shouldn't be too difficult. Every few months I will update you on my progress!

2023: The Year in Review

Can you believe that it's 2024? Me neither. 2023 was a great year for me. In fact, it was the best year I've had since 2019. So what made it so great? Lots of things.
* I started the Iowa Wine and Beer Passports at the beginning of the year and spent time working on them, including a fun overnight trip to Des Moines.
* I had a two-week vacation where I: got to take a boat ride on the Mississippi River, visited the stunning Maquoketa Caves, had gin from Iceland, and spent time with good friends.
* I went to the Nebraska and Kansas City Renaissance Faires like I do every year.
* I (slowly) got back on the low-carb diet and hiking bandwagons.
* I joined a Wine Club at a winery in Iowa.
* I took a day trip to see the Bridges of Madison County.
* I spent a fun day at the Missouri River Expo, something I've wanted to do for years.
* Had a blast at not one, but two redneck parties.
* Spent many Friday evenings on the porch of Soaring Wings, my happy place, listening to live music, drinking wine & small-batch beer, and eating charcuterie.
* Spent the night on a riverboat hotel and took a dinner cruise - both on the Missouri River.
* Became debt-free.
* Took a fun charcuterie class with a great friend.
* Finally got to see the annual Sandhill Crane migration.
* Celebrated living in Omaha for 20 years.
* Made it back to my all-time favorite restaurant.
* Booked a flight for next year so I can finally return to Europe.
* I hit menopause. 
* Had many other fun weekend adventures doing a lot of fun things.

More than all the fun things I did, my kids and I came back together as a powerful family unit. I became closer with my friends and made another good friend. I made it a year and a half in my new (and third) position at my job where I continue to grow and improve my skills. Last, but certainly not least, I tweaked my finances to the right mix and balance. 
I hope you had a great 2023 and that 2024 will be even better...the best year yet!
Until next time, friends.
-H.A.






 

The Month of November

Here's what my November looked like this year. 


My daughter spent a week with her brother in Lincoln at the tail end of October, so in early November, we met up halfway so she could come back home. Halfway is Schramm State Recreation Area - another place mentioned here many 'o times.


I walked around the hatching ponds while I waited for the kids to show up.


A lovely fall shot of the old hatchery that's now a museum. I've taken many shots of this building before, just from a different area like here, here, and here. It's always beautiful, no matter what.








After the kids showed up, we walked into the trail for a little way before it got dark. We've hiked this trail hundreds of times, and this was the tree we'd always have to stop at so the kids could climb all over it. It was nostalgic to see them on it again - it's been far too long.








The waning light in the distance as the leaves crunched under our feet just brought me joy. It's my happy place.




My bestie, Rebecca, and I share a wine club membership at a local vineyard in Iowa. We get a 15% discount on four bottles of wine that we pick up once a quarter at the vineyard. They always have a special members event on the quarterly pickup that includes food, a free glass of wine, and some kind of entertainment. 
Rebecca couldn't go to the November pickup, so my other bestie Libby went with me.


Member events are usually when they debut new and special edition items. They had a slew of new ciders, all delicious! Since the weather was gorgeous, we sat outside with a flight. Mine had a red wine, a port wine, and three ciders. Yum!


One day, I made it out to Neale Woods for my first long hike in quite some time. 


Absolutely a stunner, like always.




Sometimes the clouds would come out and hide the sun a little bit.




Fall was starting to wind down at this point, but there was enough color around me to fill my nature heart.






Just look at it.


I could just sit here and watch this forever.


You can just barely make out the Omaha skyline in the distance, off to the left.


There, that's better.


Rebecca's birthday was mid-November and since she can't have dairy, Libby and I took her out to Modern Love. When I was vegan, I would eat here about once a year. Anyway, we started with their fried cashew mozzarella. OMG, yum.


My cocktail, adorned with star anise.


Similar to the prix fix meal I had here on NYE 2019, I got the fried chik'n (except it was made with mushrooms instead of tofu) with mashed potatoes, smothered in mushroom gravy, and served with homemade slaw.


Two of my favorite people in the world!


My dad really, really loves the Trans Siberian Orchestra, so my daughter and I attended their annual inaugural show in Council Bluffs with him the next week. The day after the concert, I showed him some interesting landmarks over in CB. First, we took him to the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and the Black Angel statue. Just down the street from the statue is the Lincoln Monument, which was new to me as well. 


The sign on the monument explains its purpose.




From the bluffs, you can see the Omaha skyline. Afterward, we went to Lewis and Clark Park just a few miles away. Not new for me, but new for my dad.


I picked up an Aldi wine advent calendar this year. It's the neatest thing. You scan a QR code on the box or one of the wine bottles and it takes you to a website to tell you about the wines. Number one was Ortuga Cabernet Sauvignon from Portugal. 


Aldi also happened to have this delicious stout so I picked up a six-pack of that as well.


The following Friday night at Rebecca's, we enjoyed two more of the wines along with a monta more and gruyere I also picked from Aldi for a charcuterie board.


I made it out to Neale Woods for a second time the next day.


The trees were definitely more bare this time around.




Still gorgeous.


Advent wine of the day: Paper Dreams, a white blend from Hungary.

On Sunday, I trekked out back to Schramm just to climb the hill and make some coffee in the woods. 


It was quiet, it was peaceful, and it was beautiful.


I had something sweet with my coffee that day....it reminded me of my grandma.


After coffee, it started to sprinkle a bit, but I went across the road to take in the Platte River in all her glory.




Advent wine #5, baby!


My mom surprised me by coming for Thanksgiving! We enjoyed advent calendar wine (hehe) and let my kids do all the cooking.


My son gave my mom, myself, and my daughter an electric throw blanket. Man, is this going to save me come January.



Whew! That was quite the photo essay, huh? It was a great month, honestly.

Until next time, friends. 














 

A Financial Tune Up

Recently, I decided that I needed to sit down and do an annual financial tune-up. Sure, I go through and manage my finances roughly one hour per week, but that's to evaluate my day-to-day and monthly financial situation. What I realized I needed to do was start looking at the bigger picture - beyond my monthly bills and my retirement funding. So, I did just that.
First, I sat down and worked out my next five years, or my Five Year Plan. This is where you decide what you want to achieve in the next five years and set a date for when you want to accomplish these goals. I wasn't sure where to start so I began by printing off a yearly calendar for the next five years. Then, I made a list of things I'd like to accomplish then inserted them in the calendars where they made the most sense to me. While most of these goals are financial in nature, some of them aren't.
Next in my financial tune-up was to calculate the numbers for the big financial items that need to be completed in the 10 years that remain before I retire. I plan to buy land, put a small, off-grid home on it, and have it paid off by the time I retire. But, what does that mean in numbers? How much do I want to pay for the land, the home, for how many years, and how much will that cost per month? These were all things I needed to work out.
I also needed to calculate how much my retirement investments would be worth by the time I retire so I know about how much money I can take from them each month. I also figured out my estimated social security so I have a good idea of what my monthly income will be in retirement. 
I admit, I felt a bit overwhelmed at first but I understood how important it was to do these things. It's hard to have goals, let alone reach them if you don't have a game plan for them. If you don't have that plan in place, it's easy for those goals to just become something that will happen in the future but never actually materialize.
Knowing what I want for my retirement helped me lay out my five-year plan. Obviously, for my finances to be where I want them in retirement means I need to know when certain things need to take place. Like how much and when I should have my down payment saved up; which in turn dictates when I need to find property; which in turn dictates when I need to move out of my current housing situation. It also gives me an end-point for when I should have it all paid off and how much I need to pay each month - and if I can afford to do so.
Doing this financial tune-up was eye-opening and made me feel accomplished. It gives me a sense of relief and excitement because now I know the whats and whens of my goals. I will definitely do this tune-up at least once a year so I can keep my plan on track, adjust anything, and add new goals as they pop up. Until then, I can rest easy.








 

It's a Matter of Time

Patience has never been a strong suit of mine. I've always been in a hurry to get things done, get the work day done, make supper, get back home from an outing, for bills to clear my bank account, for this, that, and the other thing.
A few years ago, however, (most of) this changed. Out of necessity, I had to learn and exercise patience. From this, I started to see the positive impacts it had on my life. I applied patience to other areas of my world and found that I was less anxious, less stressed, and generally felt happier. I quit being in a hurry, quit rushing trying to do everything, and started to appreciate the slower pace of my life.
This has also been the catalyst for embracing more in my life. More meaningful relationships and more experiences. After all, life is short. The finite aspect of life is absolute and there's nothing we can do about that. What we can have control over, however, is how we want to relegate the time that we have left in this world. 
With such a fleeting and ultra-important commodity, do we really want to spend it racing around in traffic trying to get somewhere a minute or two earlier than the slower people around us? Do we want to spend our time angry over insignificant things? Do we want to avoid doing things or going to places because we just don't feel like it, which leads to many days of simply sitting at home investing time in things like TV shows? 
What I'm getting at here, is that you can choose what you want with and how you want to spend your time. Choose wisely. You only have so much of it.

Breaking up with my Crap

Over the past few months, I've been on a mission to go through my belongings and dispense with things I don't need or use. I started with my closet. As I looked through it, I decided that anything I hadn't worn since I moved into my apartment had to go. I mean, if an item has sat in there for two and a half years without being touched, why keep it?
The other day, I got down on my knees to look behind my muffin tins that sit on the bottom shelf of a deep cupboard. I knew there were things behind it, but I couldn't remember what. I found two deviled egg trays that hold 24 each...what on earth was I doing with these? I've made deviled eggs exactly once since moving into my place and they were for me and me alone. I also found a large plastic serving tray that I obviously haven't used in 2.5 years along with a cool charcuterie-type nesting tray that I love and would have come in handy many times over the past few years. I got rid of the deviled egg containers and the serving tray, but I moved the charcuterie-type tray to a place where I can access it (and won't forget about it).
This great purge didn't just start recently, though. Rather, it began when I was moving out of the old rental house in early 2021. After twelve years of accumulating so much stuff that the walls were closing in on us, a month of reckoning fell upon my ex-husband and me. As we waded through this daunting sea of accumulation, I was flabbergasted at the things I didn't remember owning. There were postcards that I collected in a large pile at the bottom of a storage cube - the reason long forgotten. I had amassed a treasure trove of makeup, jewelry, perfumes, and hair care items that I bought to use for special occasions that never happened - either because I forgot about them when I got ready for special occasions or because I used the stuff I normally used to get ready with. Oh, but there was so much more.
I spent a few months sending those postcards to friends and family, and I made cute gift bags with the makeup, jewelry, etc for Christmas for my girlfriends (using the Ipsy bags I had also collected over the years, of course - gah!). We had a big garage sale, listed things online, let our friends & neighbors pick through things, and, finally, put whatever was left on the curb in a free-for-all attempt to be rid of the junk.
I made a vow, after that, to never put myself in that situation again. I didn't want to be burdened by stuff anymore, so unless it's a consumable (or incredibly useful item), I won't buy it. I ordered my loved ones to never, ever, gift me any kind of home decor again - with the exception of candles because I like those, and are technically consumable.
I've kept that vow. Logically, then, it makes sense that I have decided to go through the things I kept from the old house. After all, in a few years, I'll be moving again and I want the process to be easy, quick, and painlessly free of cumbersome crap. I want to own my things, not be owned by my things.
As for my charcuterie-type nesting tray? It's sure going to come in handy at my annual holiday party next month.





 

A Perfect Autumn Weekend

In mid-October, my son turned 24 on a lovely weekend with near-perfect weather. My friend Audrey drove up that Friday evening and, after a gut-busting big breakfast the next morning, she, my daughter, and I headed an hour west to Lincoln to spend the day with the birthday boy. 
As if to harken back to a time when my kids were little, I took them to a pumpkin patch where we rode some rides, played "spooky" mini-golf, and had a hard cider made just for the pumpkin patch by one of my favorite cideries: Glacial Till.



After pumpkin patch shenanigans, we headed to a winery east of Lincoln called Deer Springs. For the past few years, it has been the place where my son and I stopped for a glass of celebratory wine on his birthday - although I first discovered it with my friend Libby. This year, as a surprise, I also got tickets for their Fall weekend hayrack rides. We sat around a bonfire beforehand, where we enjoyed a glass of wine. The hayrack ride was not only fun but informative; the owner gave us a history of the place before taking us to the edge of the property where another bonfire and s'mores-making awaited.

It was a nostalgically fun day, and after dropping off my daughter who decided to stay for a few days, Audrey and I headed back to Omaha. We arrived late, but happy. 
We visited for a few hours the next morning over another gut-buster before she left to return home. Since it was another beautiful, yet slightly drizzly day, I thought it would be the perfect time to combine an autumn drive in the Loess Hills with a mini-hike. It struck me then that when I had talked to my dad earlier in the week he mentioned that he and my stepmom were taking a Loess Hills drive that very day.
I called him up and asked if he was headed North or South - an important distinction as he lives north of me. He said they were heading south so I offered to drive north where we could meet later in the day for supper at a mid-way point.
Plan in hand, I set off. The first stop was a perennial favorite - Hitchcock Nature Center. I decided to leisurely walk the boardwalk, soak in the brilliance of autumn colors, and snap a few photos.


















No matter what time of the year, but particularly in the Fall, there's something so transformative about being surrounded by nature. Seeing the trees frame an impossibly majestic background that seems to stretch for miles, with a gentle breeze blowing through your hair and rustling the leaves, while a bird chirps off in the distance; provides an experience that cannot be properly encapsulated in words.
The sky was sprinkling down intermittently by the time I got back to the car, which was fine by me as I was headed up the road.



I stopped along the way to take this photo. It's actually a shot I've wanted to take every time I've driven by it so I felt accomplished in my success. 
My second destination was the Harrison County Historical Village, another favorite place that I've talked about here several times over the years. Today my goal was to walk on the trail they have up in the Loess Hills behind the Village.



Pluviophile that I am, nothing makes me happier than an overcast, misty day.



As I weaved my way along the trail toward the top, I turned a corner and was treated to a full rainbow! I can't even remember the last time I saw one of these beauties.






As I moved along, I could see a hint of a double rainbow at one end. 






The sun would peek out occasionally from the clouds, the rain cleared up (for a bit), and the rainbow began to fade away.



A view from the top provided expansive views across my beloved Iowa Mountains.












The Sun, briefly.

After my little hike here, I drove into Missouri Valley and met my folks for supper at a local bar and grill there. We lingered over a shared meal and conversation before going our separate ways. It was a perfect autumn weekend.








 

An Perfect Autumn Weekend

In mid-October, my son turned 24 on a lovely weekend with near-perfect weather. My friend Audrey drove up that Friday evening and, after a gut-busting big breakfast the next morning, she, my daughter, and I headed an hour west to Lincoln to spend the day with the birthday boy. 
As if to harken back to a time when my kids were little, I took them to a pumpkin patch where we rode some rides, played "spooky" mini-golf, and had a hard cider made just for the pumpkin patch by one of my favorite cideries: Glacial Till.



After pumpkin patch shenanigans, we headed to a winery east of Lincoln called Deer Springs. For the past few years, it has been the place where my son and I stopped for a glass of celebratory wine on his birthday - although I first discovered it with my friend Libby. This year, as a surprise, I also got tickets for their Fall weekend hayrack rides. We sat around a bonfire beforehand, where we enjoyed a glass of wine. The hayrack ride was not only fun but informative; the owner gave us a history of the place before taking us to the edge of the property where another bonfire and s'mores-making awaited.

It was a nostalgically fun day, and after dropping off my daughter who decided to stay for a few days, Audrey and I headed back to Omaha. We arrived late, but happy. 
We visited for a few hours the next morning over another gut-buster before she left to return home. Since it was another beautiful, yet slightly drizzly day, I thought it would be the perfect time to combine an autumn drive in the Loess Hills with a mini-hike. It struck me then that when I had talked to my dad earlier in the week he mentioned that he and my stepmom were taking a Loess Hills drive that very day.
I called him up and asked if he was headed North or South - an important distinction as he lives north of me. He said they were heading south so I offered to drive north where we could meet later in the day for supper at a mid-way point.
Plan in hand, I set off. The first stop was a perennial favorite - Hitchcock Nature Center. I decided to leisurely walk the boardwalk, soak in the brilliance of autumn colors, and snap a few photos.


















No matter what time of the year, but particularly in the Fall, there's something so transformative about being surrounded by nature. Seeing the trees frame an impossibly majestic background that seems to stretch for miles, with a gentle breeze blowing through your hair and rustling the leaves, while a bird chirps off in the distance; provides an experience that cannot be properly encapsulated in words.
The sky was sprinkling down intermittently by the time I got back to the car, which was fine by me as I was headed up the road.



I stopped along the way to take this photo. It's actually a shot I've wanted to take every time I've driven by it so I felt accomplished in my success. 
My second destination was the Harrison County Historical Village, another favorite place that I've talked about here several times over the years. Today my goal was to walk on the trail they have up in the Loess Hills behind the Village.



Pluviophile that I am, nothing makes me happier than an overcast, misty day.



As I weaved my way along the trail toward the top, I turned a corner and was treated to a full rainbow! I can't even remember the last time I saw one of these beauties.






As I moved along, I could see a hint of a double rainbow at one end. 






The sun would peek out occasionally from the clouds, the rain cleared up (for a bit), and the rainbow began to fade away.



A view from the top provided expansive views across my beloved Iowa Mountains.












The Sun, briefly.

After my little hike here, I drove into Missouri Valley and met my folks for supper at a local bar and grill there. We lingered over a shared meal and conversation before going our separate ways. It was a perfect autumn weekend.