Coffee and...Part 24...! :-D

Folks, this SS discussion is very interesting. Fortunately my employer had one of the best retirement compensation packages in America. Was ranked 13th in the nation. Therefore, I will draw my retirement until I reach SS age, and then my retirement will decrease by the amoung I receive in SS. So therefore, what retirement I draw now will be the amount I draw at SS age. I paid nearly the max into SS for a number of years, an at retirement, was paying the max, so I am completely satisfied with my income. Ido have full health benefits until SS, then will have Medicare supplement. Paid Life Insurance as well. DH has a similar retirement, but because of an accident several years ago, is on disability now. His retirement will decrease drastically at 62, so although we are satisfied now, may not be in 1year when he turns 62. My mom draws ss, and it is a paltry sum. I help her with some bills, especially in the winter, with heating costs so high. She also lives in a house I own, so she pays no rent.

I'm going to the SS website and see what I can find....

Good Luck. I find everything I get confusing. Had better results when I lived in Asheville and could talk to a real person.

Just went there- you have to enter your wages from 1951 to last year. If you only get SS on the last quarters, why do they need your whole work $$ history?? It doesn't say anything about last quarters... I need to find my sheet I have with all my income on it and enter the figures. When I retired they gave me a print out saying what my SS would be. The law hasn't changed since 2003 has it? This is all so confusing to me... wish I'd married a lawyer..

Sarv, no you don't, most are snakes!! Hope nobody here has a lawyer husband/wife. Sure I just generalized, like everything else, good ones and bad ones!.

Well tomorrow is the last day of summer vacation for my granddaughter, I take her home tomorrow afternoon, so that she can begin school on Wednesday. My summer vacations begins on Wednesday!!

My DN, who lives in Indiana, and is a teacher is coming to visit tomorrow before school starts on the 15th. Haven't seen her since Christmas and am looking forward to the visit.

Later in the day a neighbor who is an accomplished knitter, has invited me to help her select the items she will enter in the Ky. State Fair. She has made me a shawl and purse, but has to be shown before I get them. So I might just end up having Award Winning apparel to wear this winter!

Enlisted the DGD and DH to clean house today. DH ran the sweeper, and DGD cleaned her bedroom and toy room. It is amazing how cluttered and dirty everything becomes in a short time. Haven't really cleaned "good" for about 3 weeks. So am enjoying the clean house for a few days.

Maybe now I can settle into my "normal" routine and really accomplish something, instead of starting something and then having to stop and do something else for DGD.

The next highlight of my summer will be our fish fry on Sept. 10, then the Ky RU, can't wait. I am so looking forward to this, wish it was next week. Then when that's over, what am I going to do?

Well getting sort of sleepy, a good sign, so will sign off and see if sleep is in my immediate future!!. Oh, I will be up early, and there will be fresh banana bread on the counter, help yourselves. Night all.

Kooger...I just had to come back and tell you that my DSIL *called* me tonight to say H.B. !! It must have been our earlier conversation about the Christmas Birthdays that did it! (I haven't alked to her in months...and it was such a BIG (and very welcome) surprise!

Thanks, everyone for a great birthday and for all the terrific conversation on SS. I've learned TONS today!

Good night, all.

~julie~

" you should look into WRAP"

Darius, I've never heard of this. I have an application into QVC for their Christmas hireing. (They love retirees). Also, I found there is an answering service here in town. I did that for several years. Given my walking problems, part-time, sit-down would be good for me.
Pati

Sarv, how interesting your husband was working for a tool and die Co. My husband was president and owner of such a company for 40 years and also a prof. at school of design in Prov.
he collected SS at 62 he was told he would never make up the SS if he waited till 65, he kept on working and was deducted a dollar for every three he made but still made a profit. After he died it was cut in half which was quite a cut for me though he could not collect a higher SS benefit. Good thing he invested otherwise I would have a huge problem.
Maria

Aria - DH and both sons are in tool and die. It is a dieing trade here in Mich - everything is going overseas. DH's father owned a machine shop - he was a genius, but a very strange man. He never bought anything when he could make it. Quit a very lucrative job to go out on his own - and with 9 kids!! They barely scraped by, but all the boys (5) of them grew up able to do most anything with machines etc. My DH loved the tool and die trade and was a wonder at it, however with the computer age, he is unemployable now. He hates computers and dug his heels in, refusing to learn to operate one- a big mistake...hence, when the downsizing came - he was one of the first to go.

He is working at his father's shop (father deceased now) - they make weeders for agriculture - quite a big business now that many things are going organic. However the shop is run by his do nothing brother who is running it into the ground. He (bro) comes in at noon, refuses to call customers back and NEVER has an order done when promised. Alas, this has caused enormous grief in the family - DH wants to take it over and get it running again, but the brother was given the shop by the mother. I wish he would find something else to do, but the job market in Mich is terrible= and especially for a 57 yr old man who doesn't have updated skills.

Enough about that....makes me so unhappy just typing about it - thank goodness we both have our health and a wonderful family. I need to think about all the GOOD things we do have!! But I worry about $$ and the future..and especially Soc Sec (I still don't know when the rules changed/?) It was my dream to have the $$ to put my grandchildren thru college, but that will not be.

The sun is shining, we have a bountiful garden and it is almost lunch time!! I need to give thanks...

Edited to delete my comments about WRAP.

When I applied Sarv's quip about makeup and clean undies to emotions in my post of 8/7 at 11:31 pm, our last cat, Bandit, was very sick, and we put him to sleep yesterday afternoon. We had three 18 year old much loved cats who have died in the last 6 months, one with cancer, and it's a pretty sad time right now in our empty house. Maybe Darius misinterpreted that post of mine, since I didn't give the background to that remark.

Y'all don't feel sorry for me - am rich in the important things.

Love you all.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2005 6:12 PM

I'm so sorry about the loss of your friends. I was facing the same thing with my senior citizen pets. So before the last one left me, I got us both two Doxie puppies. She enjoyed them as much as I did, and they adored her. After she passed we grieved for her, but we grieved together.
Pati

Thanks, Pati. When we pay off all those vet bills we put on our credit card, there WILL be another friend by the hearth. For a while, though, we'll enjoy all the wildlife outdoors, which is where all our cat friends came from and loved to be. In the rain last night by the little waterlily ponds outside our door last night, a pair of tiny racoons trilled at DH.
Karen

Karen, you mis-understood. I meant you should look into WRAP because they have part-time jobs but you have to first take the classes whether you need them personally or not.

For me, I'm loving the classes. If I'd had a WRAP plan in place for my breathing problems 2 months ago I probably would not have ended up in the hospital the last time. Part of developing my Plan includes daily maintainence things like checking the pollen count and air pollution levels so I know when to stay inside and close the windows, and checking the HEPA filters on my fans.

One woman in my class is using hers to battle cancer so it's used for many things.

So sorry to hear you have lost yet another pet. It's been over 2 years since I buried my dachshund and I still grieve in an almost empty household. (My cat sleeps with me but doesn't talk much except to beg in the kitchen.)

Blue (I almost said BS!!) LOL = I feel for your loss - we had to put down our 18 yr old cat and our whole family sobbed like babies...I can't imagine losing three! We are now the proud owner of another cat - long story, but she is every bit as wonderful as our first one. We were 'without' for over a year - deciding whether we wanted to be tied down with another pet or not. Decision was taken out of our hands when our DS called and said they got caught with a cat in their apartment and had to get rid of theirs immediately - that night it was ours!!

I just received a call from the school system I left. They offered me a job manning the workout room - I can pick as many hours as I want. Hours are 5:30 am to 7am and 6pm to 8:30 pm for a measley 7.50 per hour. At first I thought, hey ya, I'll work a couple of days, but then DH said NOT - with gas so high and the hours are ok in the summer, but he doesn't think I want to be on the road in the winter at those times. I am torn - I would like some extra cash and it is an easy job, but driving at that time of the day in the winter is the pits. I think I will pass. I feel bad now as I led them to believe I was interested. Oh well, guess I don't owe them....

Today was the hottest- got up to 95 deg. and HUMID. I have been watering all day. My veggie garden is in total wilt mode - things look pretty sad. I am dripping wet just sitting still! I think it is time for a bowl of cold ice cream!!

My neighbor wants me to take a Master Gardener class with her. It is $275. I am not sure I really want to - I have no interest in volunteering (isn't that awful - I am just too busy with my own stuff) Any of you taken the MS class? Is it really worth it? Plus you have to take classes and do 15 hrs volunteer work yearly to maintain it. For what - a title of MG?

Time for something cool to eat....

Hello everyone. It's getting hot out there so I am inside for a cool off, drinking some homemade grape and apple juice with ice. Ummm.

Bluespiral, being rich in the important things is good. Far too many people have not learned about that. Classical piano, oh, I love it. I wish I had learned to play as a kid. At about 40 I tried to learn but I think the contrast between what I was able to play and what I wanted to play was like the Grand Canyon!

Raccoons are cute little guys and they make such funny noises. I got to pet a baby raccoon a few weeks ago that somebody had rescued. It was rolling around making this funny clicking sound and then when the lady picked it up it purred like a cat. They are very interesting critters.

Somebody said something about it being a good thing to have skills to supplement income, yes, that is part of why I grow a big vegie garden. That and knowing what is not in my food. We eat far too many chemicals so my garden is organic. I also have the skills to raise other livestock, milk a cow or goat, butcher chickens, etc, and could go back to doing all that if I need to to it. We used to have a pretty self sufficient farm.

Got to go change the water in the garden. I'll post a couple of pictures so you can see where I spend a lot of time.

It's growing!!

I am so sorry, Sarv, with family stuff that should not be this way.
My husband was mostly into electronics where he designed proto types and built them, it was very small and delicate work.
He did a lot for GE and other firms like it, also the goverment, building items they did not even tell him what it was for.
We have two sons, neither were interested in that kind of work, so when DH became very ill he just closed the door and that was it.
Maria
edited to correct typo error

This message was edited Aug 9, 2005 6:01 PM

Darius, cats and dogs certainly seem to have some different concerns and ways of companionship. A neighbor's dog once took it upon himself to be nanny to a momcat and her new little kittens. When I'd walk through their screen door, there he'd be, filling the box of the new family almost entirely with his head and shoulders, letting them know where they each had to sit and who could lick whom. I don't think he ever succeeded teaching anyone any manners, though.

Sarv, strange work hours brings back a memory of a clerical temp job at a national housing management company. Changes in our job situation meant that in order to get there, DH had to drop me off around 6:00 am. It was summer, so I brought a lawn chair and lounged in front of the office building with a book and coffee before they would show up to open up their office. Wish I had had a camera for the look on their faces when they first spied me in that lawn chair. When they recovered from laughing, they gave me the keys to the office. Very warm, lively bunch. Winter would have been out of the question, too.

Mary, there are so many differences between piano teachers, and so many different teaching techniques. Were you studying a method designed especially for adult beginners? give it enough time? Drop told me that she found an arrangement of Debussy's Clair de Lune for beginners. Did you have motivating pieces like that to work with? I can't remember who, but there was a famous, world-renowned violinist, who during the first two years of "learning" how to play his violin, thought he'd never get the hang of it. But, all of a sudden, something clicked in his head and in his bowing coordination and for no reason he could understand, he found himself making music not noise. But that didn't happen until after two years of frustration and persistence.

A great book for adult beginners in any musical instrument (or any creative pursuit, for that matter) is titled "For the Love of It" by Wayne C. Booth (our library has it, so perhaps yours does too). If I had a horse and all that open space, I'd take up the recorder - only one note at a time and fun in ensemble. The following website has a lot of free sheet music for recorders and other instruments, with lots of easy arrangements (along with more difficult ones).

http://icking-music-archive.org/#sheet_music

Gonna see if the rain has stopped. Thank you all for your input.


This message was edited Aug 10, 2005 10:58 AM

This message was edited Aug 10, 2005 6:16 PM

Karen, that's a hoot about waiting in a lawn chair, reading!

I'm off to Boone/Blowing Rock to see my mother, but a late start. I had another ER visit last night, with what they think might be a gall bladder attack. Had to go back this morning for an ultrasound since they had no tech on the late shift last night. Have to go back to town (naturally in the other direction than my trip!) to pick up the prescription. Drug store here closes at 8 pm.

Go with God, Darius. Here's a ((((hug))) to help you through a stressful day.
Pati

Darius - if it is your gall bladder - don't get far away from your hospital!! That's what they did with me- sent me home after a trip to the emer room on a Fri night - told me to go to my doc on Mon. My own doc was furious on Mon when I showed up and sent me right back to the hospital! I felt mighty crummy...

Good luck seeing your mom - hope things work out all around. Take care.

Oh Darius, 'it never rains but it pours' does it? I do hope you are feeling better, and that the visit to your Mum was an OK one this time. The gall bladder thing could be stress related - I was in ER on 3 separate occasions with similar symptoms around the time Dad died, I retired, we sold up the home and planned the emmigration. Once it was all sorted, everything returned to normal. The CAT scan was normal too, so it had to be stress, and you have a basin full right now so it could be with you too.
Carol

Darius - listen to Sarv. A friend of mine - a physician herself - almost died because she didn't get to the hospital soon enough. Until you have the gall bladder issue resolved, I agree with Sarv that you should not get far from the hospital. When you visit town, do you check out the public library's CDs? Some music like that in next paragraph might be restful.

Mary - I was too pushy, wasn't I? The Grand Canyon certainly makes its own music and hasn't been improved upon by any human composer (although it's fun to listen to them - a Native American produced a CD of his flute echoing through canyons - got to hear him at the Smithsonian - wonderful) Have you been there? Did you ride a horse or mule through it? Camp out? One or more of Willa Cather's books were set in the Grand Canyon, and I think some of them may be on line. And who wrote the Grand Canyon Suite? Was it Aaron Copland? Leonard Bernstein? Other?

Lots of Willa Cather books on this website: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/
Edited to say "never mind" - Cather's book on Trolls on this website turns out not to be a fantasy at all. But I did like the one with settings in or about the Grand Canyon.

PS - I put that website for free sheet music in my previous post.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2005 12:15 PM

I feel somewhat better, thanks. I'm in Todd at Lizh's house

My trip was fine, but I didn't leave home until almost noon. Had the untrasound then got the prescription from the ER filled, fed the cat enough for 2 days, and took all the garbage to the dump. Left the dirty dishes in the sink, though.

The hospital here is good, much better than the one at home. So if sometyhing else comes up, I'm with friends and a good hospital.

Thinking of you a lot, Darius, hope everything will go well for you.
(((((hugs)))) Maria

Hi all!! It's been a busy day. Just now getting a chance to catch up. I canned tomato juice today with my new victorio strainer that I got on E-bay. Didn't need the juice, just wanted to try the strainer. Took me awhile to put it together and experiment with it. I finally fooled with it and was satisfied with the results. It was considerably messier than what I have been doing, but it seems to extract more pulp, therefore thicker juice. Then shelled lima beans, froze 4 quarts. Then just routine things.

Took my DGD home yesterday afternoon, her school started today. All day this refrain ran through my head:
"Gabriella's school begins, mamaw has a life again!! Ain't that a hoot.

Glad to hear Darius went to ER last night. I was in the chat room when she was describing her symptoms. I hope her visit with her mother turns out well.

So what have you folks been up to today?

Dcat, that's why I use it outside, even if I have to clamp it to a chair!! Nothing going on here. My bean plants decided they don't like hot weather and quit, so I pulled them up. Lettuce is growing like crazy,and in spite of the heat is tender and usable. Otherwise, we are still not getting any rain, so the pump is running just to keep everything from drying up and blowing away. Sending good wishes to Darius, and trust they will take good care of her.

I'm thinking that Hobbes is on a slippery slope with his kidney failure. He's been crying off and on all day, and has lost more weight. Next trip to the vet might be his last, as this has gone very quickly. Oskar is doing nicely with his Rx antibiotics, and has resigned himself to being picked up and dosed. Next will be the effort to put the flouride treatment on his gums. Glad his canines are gone! He's a pretty mellow guy, meds are the only time he fusses.

There's shortcake/ raspberries, and whipped cream on the counter so have a snack before bed. Later.

Good Morning!! The weather is cool!!!!! Feels so good. I slept uptil 8am - absolutely the latest I've been in bed in years!! The phone woke me up or else I'd still be in the sack! Our corn is ready, but the ears are very small and only half filled out- result from no water. We won't have any to freeze this year. Now tomatos- that's another story!! My juicer thing isn't very messy at all. I do it in the kitchen.

I'm watching the today program - they are giving tips for staying young!! Need to go pay attention!!

Good Morning all my Friends.

I know I have been a stranger her for quite awhile, but I've been lurking. So much has happened since my last post, I can't even begin for my list of ((hugs)) and kudos for all that has been going on.

I have read with a lot of interest the posts on the SS. You have all driven my CRAZY. I'm on my way there now. Will have a full report later today...That's if I get back today. Taking a good book with me so I will be set for the duration. LOL

Have fun while I'm gone....

Hap

Good morning everyone.

Thanks for the info bluespiral, nope, I didn't think you were pushy. I'll look at the website when I have time. The recorder sounds good, I have always enjoyed the sound and thought it would be fun. Maybe this winter when I have time on my hands...... Part of the problem with my former piano lessons was lack of time to practice since I was involved in so many other things when I started, plus moving several times while I was trying to learn, sometimes with a teacher and sometimes with self help methods. I have no place for a piano here, so a portable instrument might be just the thing. But then when spring comes and outside things call there would be little time to practice again. Possibly just listening to good music is the way to go. No practice needed. I certainly admire those who have learned to play and been able to keep up with it. When I would miss a week or a month it was almost like starting over. And now it's been about 13 years.

(((((Darius))))), you are going through a lot right now so this certainly could be at least partially stress related. It's good to know you have meds and are where somebody could help if you have more problems.

Wow, what a busy day I had yesterday! I was up at 4:30 to feed the horses and out the door to get going before 6am. I worked with the neighbor moving and sorting sheep all day. We ran the ewes through the chute several times, examining each one to decide if they would stay in the flock, be sold to a buyer who wants 40 ewes from 3 to 6 years old and mostly black faced for a starter flock, and culling the ones with problems. Mastitis causes a lot of losses. It was sorting, resorting, and re-resorting all day, plus a time out in the middle of it to rebuild the dodge gate in the chute that was broken in the middle of the day. The dodge gate is a diverter gate that makes the single file chute more versitile. It opens out into the chute and causes the animal to go off to a side corral instead of straight out the end. When it broke we had a lot of sheep going the wrong way and had to resort 2 batches. Late in the day we had another sheep accident and that also took some time to deal with and I finally headed home about 4pm, got cleaned up as quickly as possible and went to town to do some grocery and other shopping after my dear hubby brought me dinner. When I got home I just had time to do my animal chores before it was dark. We sat out on the front porch to have a glass of wine, enjoy the breeze, cool off and watch the owls wake up and start hunting. Needless to say, I slept quite well.

Today is watering day since I am leaving for the weekend the next day at 8am. And right now I need to get some breakfast started and get some water going. Thankfully the weather has cooled off a few degrees.

Good morning every one, tried to get into the chat room but could not when I asked for 'help' it did not help..lol
Maria

Am back from SS. They told me less than an hour ago that they take the best 35 years to calculate your benefits.....So it looks as though many of you will be relieved. I went for some other questions, but asked that one for all of us..

Have a great day...off to the weeds soon..

Hap

Morning all, Maria I too tried to get on Chat this morning, my windows explorer isn't allowing for links. I get the red x instead of the list of who's on and can't get to any of the links in our posts. I haven't enough knowledge to 'fix' this so it's a true frustration for me.

Mary, you have such busy days - I truly don't know how you keep it up. Love your descriptions of chasing the woolies around. And the long rides on your horses sound positively wonderful.

I'e been off running errands for things to do with the remodel. Day 'fore yesterday I made the hundred mile trip to the nearest Home Depot to pick up the last of the cabinets and shelving for the kitchen. Great drive, lots of gorgeous cloud formations to watch as I drove across the big empty between here and there.

Yesterday DS tore out the built in shelves that held my 'fancy dish' collections and it was sorta sad to see them go. They were an original part of this old miner's cabin. Well made, with dowel joints and even [uh-oh] grooved into the ceiling. Something more to 'fix' before moving ahead with the project in mind. Happens every time he starts the 'next' step. Seems like all of the 'next steps' have been turned into 'but first's.

So today's - "but first" - will be to repair the ceiling and wall and prep for painting before the new cabs can be put up. I begin to think of leaving town until the whole d___ project is over and done with. In fact I should get off DG and start washing the ceiling in prep for the painting. And will have to choose paint color. know I want a slightly 'warm' white. Have lived all these years with a white that has a steel gray 'cold' look to it.

Here's a shot of DS removing the shelves, you can see the grooves left where the shelve were sorta set into the wall/ceiling. Who knew???
And no, he's tall but not that tall, was standing on a step stool.

Happy - thanks for the info - I decided I couldn't lose any sleep over it- what happens, happens and I am not alone in the SS boat.

Mary - how old are you??? You have the energy of a spring chicken. I am living thru you with all your excitement!! LOL I am in a slow-mo action right now. Weed a little, sit at the computer, walk the gardens, have a snack or two...lazy life right now. I actually feel like I need to get my arse in gear and do something meaningful.

Darius- hope your tummy is feeling better and the meds work for you. Don't worry about the dirty dishes- they won't go anywhere= believe me!! Speaking of medical things - my arm is feeling better - not completely good, but tremendously better than it was (knock on wood as I type)

Defoe- my GS is going to a new sitter - the one held at the school. It makes me sad as when he was at his old one, we picked up up because his folks had to work late, now he can stay at the sitters. We won't be seeing as much of him. I think I need to hint about some more grandchildren LOL I did watch him full time in the summer for several years and that was TOO much!! Only want him part time....oh well,

Taking MIL to the hospital for blood work - think of me and cross your fingers that I don't say what's on my mind! Last time she called she said she was going to stop taking her heart meds - I almost told her to go for it!! LOL

WOW ....100 miles to HD.....I would have to get a better mind...I'm there a couple times a week because I keep forgeting things or projects change. I could always move into one of their shed displays....LOL

How are are you from grocerys?

I guess I am spoiled. Everything for me, grocerys, (4 large supermarkets) church, HD, Lowes is within 3 miles. Grocerys I could walk to......don't but should.

WOW, WOW and more WOW... how do you do it?

Hap

Good Morning everyone.

((( ~Hugs for Darius~ gentle ones))) You really don't want to mess with the gall bladder...my MIL *did*! She just refused to listen to the doctors, that lady turned yellow/green with jaundice and landed her butt in the hospital for nearly six weeks before they could even do the surgery! That was a 'touch and go' situation, let me tell ya.

Well, I spent the last two days *watching* DH build that privacy fence. I think I nearly drove him crazy. I have the detestable ability to be able to minute variations in 'level' or 'square'. Really *small* variations. His attitude is 'close enough'. LOL (but not 'close enough' for me). Anyway, it's up and really makes a difference in the appearance of the side yard and looks great from the road. (Thanks, honey!)

Other than that, I moved containers, tested out combinations for next year, dug up a few plants and moved those around to more suitable locations...and just sat on the patio enjoying the cooler breezes. It's raining out right now...a gentle light rain that's supposed to last for several days. (M5...I hope you guys get in on this one!) It's nice to know I don't have to stand out there with the hose...heaven knows I can't do the job as well as a couple of days of rain can.

Oh...just remembered, Molly...I got the cannas yesterday and planted them within an hour of opening the package. THANKS a million. D-mail to follow.

Anyone have Elephant Ears or caladiums they don't want? I'm starting a home for the "wayward" in those catagories. :-)

That's all for now...hope all is going well for everyone!

~julie~

Busy-ness has struck.My thoughts and hopes go out to all who seem to be afflicted with illness and tragedy.
Fig tree has at last decided to bear fruit, after some 10 years or so. here's some custard that was delayed in its creation due to other things. It is very good, one of my best.

This fig Clafouti is for this afternoons tea with friends over. Looks good, hope it tastes good too.

Had so many over ripe ones I had to make some conserve, Just diced figs,sugar,lemon and walnuts.Better chill the wine, a nice Viognier and a muscat to finish things off.Best wishes for everyones recovery, both physical and emotional.

This message was edited Aug 11, 2005 1:01 PM

Oh...my...Yummy!

~julie~
P.S. Time for a new thread? Download time for me is getting pretty long.