I don't even wear sox...until the temp goes below 10. You can still buy "leg paint"...works like magic to hide all the stuff, have really scrub with soap and water to get it off. I remember when stockings came in sizes...I wore an 8 1/2 long. Seamless hose were cheaper than those with seams which were "full fashioned"....shaping at the ankle....so until they invented stretch nylon, sometime about mid to late 50's, seamless hose always bagged at the ankle. Never wore a "corset" to hold them up...wore a garter belt for a while than got "suspants" which were a stretchy under panty with garters attached....but the hose pulled them down. So even though I was about 98 pounds, and 15 I wore a panty girdle, kept the stockings up and didn't slide down. Remember those "window pane heels? And you could get stockings in regular, demi toe and non reinforced heel or barefoot, for wearing with sandals. And the "cheap" girls sometimes work stockings with clocks up the side....or even sequins!! Stockings, although rather expensive were sensible because if you ran one leg the other was still fine...if you always bought the same color. The first panty hose were not stretchy...not VERY stretchy and bagged and were expensive....saved only for special occasions and a short dress. I think the first stretchy panty hose were Leggs. From girdles and garters to bare legs we've come a long way....bring it on! Linda C

Thank you all for your kind responses to my excitement over what is a very common daylily, but to me uncommonly beautiful. There were 4 of the gorgeous blooms with a somewhat darker edge this morning and 2 rebloom scapes! Here she is after a long hot day in the sun none the worse for wear. Christine

You can get sock yarn on-line thru Joann.com. They sell Lion Brand "magicstripes" and Paton's Kroy Sox Yarn and Bernat sock yarn. You can usually get a pair of socks from one skein for about $8-9 dollars a pair. You can also find all kinds of information on sock yarn and patterns by doing a search on "knitting socks". I tried the pattern put out with the Lion Brand Magicstripes yarn.I had no problems following the directions and actually turned the heel the first time thru the directions, the biggest thing I was afraid to do with socks. So, as someone else here on this forum said, "just slowly follow the directions and you should have no trouble". I never finished the toe as the sock was huge, so that's a part I don't know yet. I had already gone down from size 3 to size 2 needles before starting the sock but it was still too big, so I pulled it all out and went to size 1 needles. Have just reached the beginning of the heel and so far it looks ok size wise(adult medium size). I like watching the pattern made by the striping yarn and the wool in the yarn makes it very comfortable to work with. I enjoy doing it. I have already gotten more sock yarn for future knitting. Good luck - I hope you like sock knitting too.

Canada provides an Old Age Security that starts at 65, and has a residence requirement (10 years, 18 years or so residence in Canada) so I applied for it then, 17 years ago. If one earns over about $65,000./year, they begin to claw part of it back, with full clawback at about $110,000. - that provision does not come close to affecting me, with annual income something under $50,000.! Canada began a mandatory public pension plan, with both employer and employee contributing, about 45 years ago, looking to retirement at 65, with a reduction of 1% for each 2 mos. that one chose to retire early, or an addition of 1% for each 2 mos. that one delayed, up to age 70. I more or less officially retired 15 years ago at 67, at which time I applied to receive my Canada pension Plan benefit. As I had had a fairly low income for a number of years, thus made less that regular contribution levels, that benefit has been somewhat reduced. I had a private pension to which I had contributed for just over 20 years and I began to receive that benefit at 65. I had a modest self-administered retirement plan with contributions deductible and payments added to income when drawn. I had a part time job at slightly over minimum wage until about 70, but have not been employed since. I have been able to live within those pensions, and save some to add to investments in almost every year. As a personal financial advisor for a number of years I learned money management, which allows me to make use of some tax deductions related to investments, and substantial contributions to various medical, social, international, educational and religious charities, plus some political contributions, which have allowed me to cut my federal income tax recently to zero (with extra unused credits, this year) and only a small provincial cost, most of it supporting our healthcare system, which I feel it a privilege to do, though I have made few demands on such service until this past year. I will be surprised if my pensions, with additions from investments if and when needed, will not be sufficient to maintain me adequately till I reach a hundred and more. I've heard many retirees say that they've become so busy that they don't know where they ever found time to go to work. I garden in summer, have only about 200 - 300 feet planted of something over a quarter mile of row planned, but it's been raining so often that it's hard to plant, and part of the ground is clay: if one works that too early, when it's too wet ... it bakes about as hard as iron. Take the proceeds to a couple of churches to give away, with the proviso that recipients add at least part of the value to their contributions, and some goes to family, friends and social service agencies. I read and visit friends in winter, plus spend time on the internet and do some social activities, in addition to doing a number of volunteer activities, including income tax preparation for low-income folks, a service offered by one of the churches with which I'm involved, in early spring. I learned to live fairly frugally while growing up, and had some additional lessons in that game while helping refugees get re-established in Korea following the Korean War. One of the jolly and heavily involved men at church says that he likes to have me park my car next to his somewhat older one ... for it makes his look good. Never mind - it gets me where I want to go and brings me home (most of the time). I'm thankful to be physically, mentally and emotionally able to get myself out of various issues that come up from time to time. My rent here on the farm is rather low (I have to carry my water for drinking and most cooking ... but I've done that before, so it's not a burdensome chore) and I figure that I can continue to live here as long as I am able to drive my car. I've said for some time that it seems to me to make a lot of sense for up to half a dozen old folks, when they come to the time when looking after their place becomes a burden, to share a house. Living alone doesn't exactly make for interesting conversation. Intellectual stimulation helps to keep Alzheimer's at bay, I've heard. Shared chores are more fun than doing them all by one's lonesome ... and the extra hands would mean that they were much less onerous that in one's own digs. Not only that - the reduced costs of household including operation would mean that they could hire heavy cleaning, etc. done. If someone were to fall over with a problem ... there'd be others on hand to provide or summon help ... and no doubt they'd know whether they could take care of it ... or should call the family caregiver ... or call 911: right now! There'd be a large reduction in costs over maintaining each individual home ... and certainly over the costs involved in entering either a residential or a nursing home. Interesting discussion, today. And there's more info over on the "Retirement" forum, if anyone wants to consider other facets of the situation. ole joyfuelled