It’s Monday, September 29, 2014

Good Morning Everyone,

I just learned on Facebook that Sandy Beach died.  I had heard that he didn’t make it to “Pockets of Enthusiasm” from a friend who went to Sarasota to hear him.  She said he had “fallen”.  I never met him personally, but have heard him speak at Serenity By The Sea over the years.  I know he was one of those “circuit” speakers and I saw he traveled a lot to various events.  We were fortunate he was close by in Tampa so he could come down to our events.   R.I.P. Sandy.  You were an inspiration to many and you will be missed.  God bless you and your extended family.  I know Jerry E is very sad today – he was his sponsor.

So it’s MONDAY!  It feels funny going to work after a 3 day weekend.  I did a lot of “relaxing” (aka napping) and reading this weekend.  I loved the rain.  When we have big rain storms, my house is noisy.  I love the sound of the rain on my roof.  I also have the big lanai in the back that adds to the noise.  Heavy rain is awesome – as long as I’m safe and dry in my house.  It always makes me want to nap.  I’m glad Steve got home safely from his trip to Miami on Flex.  I wouldn’t want to be on my motorcycle in a big rainstorm, but Steve is used to it.  “If you don’t ride in the rain Mary, you won’t learn how to ride in the rain”.  Words to me from Steve.  It is true, but still, no reason to tempt fate.

I’m researching computers.  I think I want to get a Surface 3.  It is a convertible laptop that comes apart and becomes a tablet or a computer.  I don’t want to spend $900 on a new computer, so I’ll wait to see what comes down the line.  I think that my laptop that I have is big enough and has enough space for most of my real “work” and the smaller, lighter one will be my “travelling” one.  I am excited to go through this process.  It’s cheaper than a “new car” which was on the horizon a couple of weeks ago, so this is a lot less money.  Still, I think I’ll keep searching and go to “Best Buy” to look and test their computers.  I do like my Office Max store by the courthouse.  In fact if I retire, oops I mean “when” I retire, I think I want to work there part time.  That would be a great place for me to work.  I’ve always LOVED Office Supply Stores – I have no idea why, but it might be that they have such an assortment of things that I always need, paper, staples, tape, sticky notes, toner, pens, pencils, computers, software, etc., etc.  Plus I really like to work on computer graphics and things like that, so maybe I could work in that department.  I think the hardest thing for me when I take on another job in “retirement” will be to accept the hourly wage.  I’m getting paid pretty well now and taking such a cut in an hourly wage will be hard to get used to, but then I need to consider the fact that I’ll be getting my Social Security to supplement it.  I know I’ll need to have insurance which isn’t cheap and the gym membership goes away – not a great loss since I don’t use it all that much (I know I said I might go yesterday and instead I came home and read and napped).  I think the biggest problem with “retiring” will be the lack of having a 401K to contribute to.  Then I’ll be dipping into my investments which is scary too, but I have faith that John Beane is watching out for me with my investment “stuff”.  At least he should be.  But you know, he never called me back about the “car” thing, but it may have been that he figured I didn’t need a call back when I decided Rose was staying in the family – at least for a few more years.  It is still a conversation that I need to have however.

You know, I’m wondering why I don’t talk to my brothers about this stuff.  They seem to have it figured out.  I guess I like the fact that I have an “outsider” helping me.  My brother Bill just gets mad when we talk about this and tells me I spend too much money (he is right and the truth hurts) and Jon is so busy with his life, I just don’t feel comfortable asking him about stuff like that.  It’s amazing that after 63 years I’m still not comfortable with this type of thing, but maybe one day I’ll get my act together.  I just figure that supposedly my money doubles in 7 years – I think that is what I’ve heard.  I don’t know if that is true.  I do keep a spreadsheet on this stuff, which reminds me I should put that stuff from my desk top to my laptop so I have it.  I hope I have the kind of money my Aunt Pat has when I am 80 – although we determined she didn’t spend any money – Dick and Doug bought her some new clothes before she moved into Maplewood since her clothes were probably 50 years old.  I have clothes that are at least 30 years old – that’s pretty pathetic too.  But she and I are a lot alike.  Writing about her this morning reminds me that I should send her a card.  Dick and Doug are in Italy right now and I’m sure she is wondering where they are.  I got a post card from Dick – such an “old school” kind of guy, but I have to admit it was nice getting it in the mail the other day.  I remember going to Cape Cod with them about 6 or 7 years ago – it was a blast.  Here we all are in Chatham:

I don’t have that picture on this computer – I’ll get it from the other one and put it in later.  I’m out of time this morning.  Have a GREAT MONDAY!