packing

It's been eleven years in one place -
certainly not a record, but
we're moving to a new residence soon.

We are doing it the hard way:
sell first then see what's available!
When funds are limited, the hard way
is the only way -
and that's OK.

We have gathered much more stuff
that is only known when one packs,
and it's disappointing.
It's also helpful to pack though, as
many lost / hidden things are revealed!

I have never left the metro area
in my ~57 years on Earth -
that will be an interesting shock :^)

Everything is under control...
just not our control!  God will see to it
that we find a nice place
and make it a home.

retirement

'Tis a good time to be retired
from Federal service -
and all the stresses and hassles
now accruing to the accursed 'government employee'.

Very sad how it plays out
and hard on those whose bills are not shut down
while the federal government plays chicken
with their livelihood.

Our final payout has been calculated
and it's a thin amount but we'll manage.
Life has sufficient stresses without work!

challenges to face

We now have our parents in assisted living
after sixty-three years in the same home!
This was not an easy process
and apparently that's a common thing to say
when age and love seek common ground.

We hope they will find it a good fit
and meet up with their new neighbors.
We cannot force them to enjoy it,
it must be their choice -
but we pray that it be so!

budgeting for random income

I was blessed with a steady Federal job
Thirty-three years and more - but
all things must pass, and so it has.

The last paycheck came two weeks back
for services rendered
This week the vacation time was repurchased:
four weeks and a day!

It seems that June was work-free, which means
the Office of Personnel Management takes over
and pension checks will follow soon -
estimated ones.

Budgets must be done on a monthly check now
and for a while, something like 85% of final amounts?
Then the final value will be determined
and the back-pension will drop in
and I shall know how our balances look.

Just assume the checks are few and small
and any surprises will be pleasant ones...
we hope!

 - - -  - - -  - - -  - - -  - - -  - - -  - - -  - - - 

Hope answered -

a week later the first pension check appears!
These will be estimates on the low side
until "final adjudication"
(we cannot escape Goverment terminology :~)
So all is reasonably well!

farewell to many

A local pub, a small party
family, ex-co-workers, stargazers

Several friends who retired before me
- so nice to see so many!

It will be nice to re-establish
a few old connections
that have gone intermittent from lack of use.

mid-June

Almost two weeks into retirement
- and yes, retired people are right:
Time flies, and spare time fills very fast.

Still seeking balance in my schedule
and some consistency in new routines

A new bicycle, an old treadmill, a nearby track
when will I utilize these and break the chains
that my desk and lifestyle have imposed?

Rainy days in June... not uncommon
but now less convenient!

Greetings to Earth!

A new phase in life & a new blog for my thoughts              

Much is changing around me, beginning with my job.
I don't have one: as of June '13
I am retired, with 33 years of service.
A new adventure, leap of faith, opportunities in abundance...
so many ways to describe this.
Exhilaration, fear... change!

People that I love need my time more than I need more money.

My wonderful parents are starting
to show their age at last
a difficult thing to see, and also to assist.
When you live in the same house for 63 years
and do not wish to be separated from it,
and doctors are monitoring every little change?
A fine line is drawn between loving forbearance
and neglect!

My wife's health also is unreliable
things a sub-40-age person should not be worried about
are daily occurrences.
It will help her to have me at home
It will help us to have a cleaner home and tidier yard
It will help me get away from desks and play in the yard
and we will be able to see a lot of specialists
to see what we're doing right
and what can be done better.

My best buddy from ages past and present
also suffers from mysteries that his age does not deserve
- when does it end?  We all know
but the journey can be difficult.

So off we go
to a highly uncertain future
with a small but workable nest-egg
neither a goose-egg nor a fortune
but enough to go on
and surely more than many can claim.