With all the worry about layoffs and losing jobs Bill has been very lucky that the small company he works for is still going when so many large ones are going under. Some of his company’s work can be seen in the Lancaster R&A Magazine and as soon as it comes out online I will supply the link, they just featured a home that was renovated and his company did the precast stone for the exterior. This small company does excellent work so hopefully they will stay in business for awhile.

Bill’s very proud of the work they do, but he still wants to retire after he turns 62. He’s been with that company for over 40 years, but being a small company they really don’t offer a retirement package. So we will have to learn to cut some corners which shouldn’t be hard because we really don’t live beyond our means, we don’t have to have the best or the newest and we always get by, but we will have to find a few alternatives.

All the veterans I have ever known have taken advantage of the help offered through the VA and they should because they deserve all the help they can get for serving their country. I told Bill he should sign up for benefits because they would pay for all those expensive meds for his eyes. When he retires paying for insurance will be very expensive of course I’m not sure what all Medicare and Medicaid covers, but he should still sign up.

Bill’s health insurance rates went up 75 dollars a week at work and the coverage isn’t even all that great anymore. He even has to pay a larger co-pay for doctor visits and more on his meds so it makes no sense. Of course with the economy the way it is I guess everything is on the rise, gas is even going back up. They’re even going to add 10 cents more to cigarette taxes plus raise the state tax to 7 cents instead of 6 here.

I know everyone is worried and unemployment is the highest it has ever been. Everyone is cutting back on everything that was taken for granted in past years. I don’t think there should be a panic epidemic yet, but some people apparently do. I was totally shocked when I heard the news that one family because they lost their jobs killed themselves and their children. That type of desperation I really don’t understand because I do have faith in God that he will provide.

Bill is planning on retiring at 62 and he will be 61 in December so he is really looking forward to that day even though we have both known people that have died soon after retirement. I worry that he will become bored after awhile and not know what to do with all of that free time because unlike me he’s not interested in the Internet. Right now he’s pretty sure that he wants the life of leisure, but things don’t always turn out the way we dream.

He has been at the same company over 40 years PA Stone. It’s a small company, but they put out some very big jobs which surprised me after touring the small plant and the conditions that they work in. When we are out riding the bike he has pointed out some pretty impressive places and he has so much knowledge, but none of the guys that work under him wants to learn and I really don’t think they care it’s just a job. Bill takes great pride in what he does and I’m very proud of him.

I keep telling him that when he retires that company will go under because no one knows or wants to learn what he knows. I will almost guarantee that they will beg him to come back and if they do and he decides he wants to go back then it will be only part time because that place is killing him and he definitely needs a break from them. All he thinks about is his work and how he can get the job done. I know he gets so stressed with some of the stupid jobs they take.

We are leaving here Sunday morning to see my Son and Grandson and Pappy can’t wait to see Ethan, almost as much as me. The guys at work depend on Bill to do way more than what he should be doing and now their moaning and groaning about this new job that Bill is crafting patterns and molds for so they will have everything they need to run it while he’s away, dollars to donuts = meaning that I’m sure that they will wait till he comes back.

So next week I wont be around a computer so that means I better try to advertise as much as possible so I don’t slip way back to the back of my category where I wont even find me so happy blogging to you all.

RV’s are for the old more mature people that love homes on wheels so that we can cruise and kick back wherever we please so long as they have a few amenities that we can hook up to. Bill and I love riding bikes, but we also like some comfort and we have been looking at the motorhomes that we can carry our bike and scooter in.

Retirement is a time that should be enjoyed, but with the cost of gas it’s getting harder to travel around in any sort of comfort and see the country the way we want to. If we can find a used RV that will accommodate the bikes then we’ll be happy because we will be saving gas money by using the bikes to sight see when we stop.

Motorhomes have been the seniors ideal way of traveling and viewing the country for many years because it was always economical and even younger people with families have viewed it as an ideal solution for traveling and saving on the vacation hotel and motel bills. Having special time together by camping out a bit has always been viewed as an idyllic family time.

I checked the site above and I will keep my eyes open because we have to keep all our options open when looking for any type of  motor vehicle or RV type, especially if we are looking for bargains. Money is limited for some of us while others can afford brand new, which is great, but we prefer spending the money on bikes and the Grandkids. I do sincerely wish everyone a Happy 4th.

Life is full of transitions and one of the biggest transitions that you will have to adjust to will be going from a busy adult life to the more relaxed lifestyle of retirement and senior citizen status. Retirement from a full time job to learning how Medicare works to becoming a full-fledged member of AARP, your move to senior citizen status is another of life’s big transitions. 

Probably one of the most difficult transitions you will face will be the decision to move out of your house to an apartment, a condo or an assisted living facility if you decide to go that way. Bill and I will continue to live here because it’s paid for.

Many people will have to make a choice and for many the initial idea of  moving out of your house comes from your caregiver or your children. The idea almost always is hard to hear because, even if you knew this day would one day come, you may have bonded with that home in a very deep way. 

If this is the house you have been in for a long time, perhaps even raised your children there, every room is filled with memories.  If your spouse has passed on, the house is a shrine to his or her memory as well.  So if  your own children have suggested that its finally time for you to give the old place up, that can strike deep and hard and cause you to put up a lot of resistance to the idea.

We need some guidelines on how we can accept this transition and how to walk away from a place that you have loved so much.  Perhaps the first step of dealing with the explosion of emotions you feel when the idea of moving out of your house is brought up is to recognize that what you are going through is genuine grief. 

To a large extent, that house is more than just a building you live in.  Because it has been the stage that the drama of your life has played out on, it is more than a place.  It may have become a member of the family by now.

So in a way, letting the house go is like seeing a close member of the family pass away.  So before you even try to “talk yourself into it”, just recognize that you are going through grief just as you have when you experienced the passing of a dear friend, your spouse of a member of the family. 

 And like those other times, grief will pass and when it does, the final stage of grief is acceptance of the new world you live in and peace. Next, sit down with a cup of coffee and talk some sense into yourself.  The resistance you are feeling is almost entirely emotional. 

But its time to “debunk” some of the myths that your sentimental side has allowed to grow up around that house.  The truth is, none of your memories are going to die out just because you move into a new building.  Your memories will stay with you and be just as precious in a new home as they are now. 

 Your kids will love you just as much.  You will continue to go to the same church and keep the same friends.  Start to see that home as what it really is, a building and one that has been good to you but its time to move on.

Finally, begin to more time thinking about why this move is a good idea than looking at the negatives.  Maybe the money that will come from the sale of the home will enable you to buy that cozy little retirement condo you have always wanted. 

Maybe that money will help with your medical expenses so you can stop worrying about the future.  Furthermore, when you are living in an apartment or assisted living center, you don’t have to fuss with mowing the lawn, keeping the place painted and maintained and all of the other stuff that goes with owning a home. 

Your life will become simpler and more relaxed because you took the time to learn to walk away.  You will be glad you found a way to learn to walk away from the old and embrace the new.  Now get with the program and make this move yours so you can enjoy the adventure of a new stage of life.  You will be glad you did.