BTW buzz, I hope to see you on June 29th. I'm really looking forward to that.
Hayjud

Love shopping MID WEEK

Diane

One day hubby retires.

Next morning he sits in rocker, reads the newspaper for a while.

Puts paper down on lap, looks around.

Picks up paper, reads some more.

Puts down paper, looks around. Picks it up, reads for a while.

Repeat of same.

Wife asks, "Something wrong, Dick?"

Dick, "Where's breakfast?"

Anne, "You retired yesterday, didn't you?"

Dick, "Yes - you know I did".

Anne, sweetly, "So did I".

Anne continues, "I'll get breakfast now. Then we'll sit down to discuss whose job it's going to be to do what in the way of chores around here".

That story usually gets quite a response. Quite a number of wives have agreed. Several males somewhat less enthusiastic: but quite a few think that a fair way to do things.

Divvy the chores up more or less evenly, taking account of personal likes and dislikes.

Equality of opportunity.

Equality of responsibility.

Is it possible to arrange to have hubby be gone from the home at certain times? Or, if you ask to have the house to yourself for a time? If turned out without warning, would he feel bereft, sort of at sea, with nothing to do and nowhere to go?

Could he call a friend and go visit (one of several)? Go for a drive, with or without friend? Visit the coffee shop to chew the rag with other retirees? Visit the library? They have hundreds of magazines, thousands of books, several computers (a number connected to internet: he could even offer retirement counsel).

Or - if he has a shop in the basement or garage, could you be happy if he were "exiled" there for a while? Could he? Many, especially folks who didn't work with their hands, like woodworking, metal work, etc. as a hobby.

Or, if he likes to read, maybe he could settle in one room for a few hours with a book, leaving the rest of the house to you.

Some families have some hobbies that they follow as retirees together, along with some that they pursue alone.

How about agreeing that, when you need some time to yourself, you give some sort of signal, and depart for a certain room, or whatever, with hubby to give you some time to yourself?

Are you prepared to permit the same privilege to hubby, to have the house (or part of it) to himself for a time, occasionally?

With or without prior agreement/warning to you?

Would you feel that too much interference with your right to full-time occupancy of "my house"?

On the other hand, perhaps it would be helpful if you have some time with friends to do things together.

I suggested to retirees (and prospectives) that they keep finding new friends. Some have said that they didn't want to put themselves to the extra bother.

I said that it was necessary - to replace losses as friends moved away or died.

I've had a good friend who's always full of ideas, always on the move and doing things (and he completed tasks quickly) for over 25 years. He died last week - I've just come back from visiting his family after the funeral.

Sorry that this is so long.

Good wishes for continued - and increasing - enjoyment of good health of body, mind and spirit (and the friends to share those blessings with).

ole joyful

My family, I included, has weak lungs: my Dad, a farmer in this area, had breathing problems so moved 1600 miles to the prairies over 55 years ago - and enjoyed forty years of good health there.

My brother, who's son's not interested in the farm, says that this is his last year to farm. I told him that he, born in 1934, should farm till 2004.

I used to give Dad heck for smoking a pipe and cigars - then started to smoke at age 16.

After about six months, liking neither the taste nor, being frugal, the cost, I quit.

Now, I'm very thankful that I had sense enough to quit.

None of us four offspring smoked for any length of time.

It adds a good deal to one's prosperity, as well.

I've suggested to quite a few that they invest at least part of the savings when they quit - so that they can spend some dollars doing what they please while enjoying longer, healthier retirement.

I hope that you're all enjoying yours.

Suggest to some of your mid-career friends that they plan now for retirement, as many don't put aside nearly enough during their earning years.

Question: When should you start planning, saving and investing to prepare for retirement?

Answer: The day that you're born. Every day that you delay starting makes the implementation more difficult.

Question: If you're a grandparent who invests $600. at the birth of your first grandchild, and, with the help of a shrewd financial advisor, are able to earn 15% growth, what will be the result for your grandchildren?

Answer: When that first grandchild reaches the age of 65, five grandchildren will be millionaires. And there'll be over a quarter million for the sixth. No allowance for the erosion of income by tax, or of the value of the asset due to inflation.

Good wishes to all for a healthy, happy retirement with a number of interesting things to do - with a number of good friends. And, if I may, some activities to help make your community and the world a better place to hand on to our offspring with a measure of pride.

ole joyful