There is a fun website that gets a lot of play here in The Villages. It's called Talk Of The Villages but it's really more like rant and kvetch of The Villages interspersed with innumerable banner, premium, sidebar and flashing advertisements. Who am I to complain? It's free and if you're willing to wallow through a boatload of solicitations and a distracting layout, you can get to posts offering advice on contractors and a variety of things for sale.
I must have been a little bored a few days ago because I decided to skim some of the Classified ads for items of interest. Surprise, surprise, I found a leather club chair in perfect condition for a fraction of it's original cost. It's gorgeous! And now in my living room.
There was a massage chair available that would have been perfect in the office but it was gone when I called. So now I am perusing TOTV daily for Big Scores. You never know, right?
;-)
Yesterday I happened to find a link to Oh Life. It's not a phone app; it's simply a reminder to journal at the end of every day by asking you the simple question "How is your day going?" via an email. You answer back in a reply and the Oh Life folks store it away in a (hopefully) private folder that you can access from their site. This was how I used to keep the Dear Diary of my teenage years, just scribbling a little recap of my day right before I went to bed.
Now of course my blog is a little different. I choose whatever topic has grabbed my attention and offer up my entertaining and witty observations on the subject. The fact that less than a handful of people - myself included and not even hubby - read my blog indicates that my offerings are not as entertaining and witty as I think they are. Hahaha.
Yes indeed I will take Oh Life up on their kind offer. I will not bore you with what I write everyday but here's what I will send for my first entry:
Wednesday February 26, 2014
Dear Oh Life,
Thank you for caring about my day. It started early with the long awaited visit to The Villages Health System (we had to wait for months for the initial appointment but now we are both IN). I really like Dr. Rosenblum and am glad to be in a system that offers coordinated health care among all my doctors, much like my beloved Cleveland Clinic did. I weighed a smidge over 119 at the doctor's office which is higher than I like. I must address this tout d'suite.
It was a rainy day and not conducive to running around so I baked an Italian Herb bread in the bread machine and wrapped it with a small bottle of olive oil and took it across the street to the new neighbors, Dwight and Debbie. I left it by their front door; hopefully they have retrieved it.
The second DVD of House Of Cards arrived and we watched that. Can't wait for the rest of them and I may even have to order Netflix streaming so I can see Season Two immediately after finishing Season One.
I threw out four old ratty tops. You can imagine, they were pretty ratty as I am inclined to keep stuff well past its prime.
It was a good day. Actually a Very Good Day.
Goodnight Oh Life.
;-)
An ad-on to yesterday's blog "You're Fired!"
All through my 30 plus year career in IT (and even before) I also fretted about retirement. As soon as spreadsheet programs became available (and even before) I projected my future in dollars and cents needed to retire comfortably. This was a very worthwhile effort and I would never advise anyone to skip careful financial and retirement planning. However, it seems like TV commercials, newspaper articles and internet ads are cranking up folks' fear of poverty in retirement to an unconscionable level.
So from the perspective of a now comfortably ensconced retiree, here is my take-away on retirement planning.
You will probably need less than you think you will. By the time you retire you will be happy with most of your possessions and will probably have seen enough of the world to be happy staying home a lot. You will no longer have to put away money in a 401K or dress-for-success. Your home will probably be a little smaller and/or paid off (ripe for a reverse mortgage) and you may have moved to a less expensive area. You may not need two cars and you might be just as happy if your ride is a few years old. If you are a couple that both worked at decent jobs for most of your lives, you will have double Social Security coming in. Medicare will be available at a pretty reasonable cost. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to have a small pension or inheritance. You'll have time to shop a little more carefully, visit the library and thrift stores and garage sales, and perhaps do a little more home cooking. My guess is that for most people this will not be the worst of all worlds and will probably be The Best.
;-)
All through my 30 plus year career in IT I feared being fired. There was never a let up of chatter about downsizing, rightsizing, reorganizations, technological obsolescence, mergers, falling stock prices or bottom line panic. It never happened, thank goodness, but I always had an updated resume ready, a fallback plan and a strategy for a worst-case scenario. It was important to me to voluntarily retire and not to be kicked to the curb like an old shoe at an inopportune time in my life.
Yesterday I read about changes on Dancing With The Stars. Their current hostess, Brooke Burke-Charvet (try saying that fast a few times) and the entire 28 piece band were fired (even after repeated praise and accolades on every episode). Truth be told, I cringed almost every time Brooke opened her mouth and wondered why they kept her so long. And I was a bit surprised at the cost they were willing to incur to have such a large live musical ensemble. But how awful to be fired in such a public way!
The bandleader, Harold Wheeler, is 70 and I'm pretty sure there is not a huge demand for a live 28 piece orchestra these days. He and his merry men and women are being replaced by an electronic synthesizer and recordings of old songs. That old bottom line is to blame, I'm sure.
Another reason to love retirement (as if I needed more). I can't be fired!
;-)
I guess I must have finally settled in because I have compiled a mental list of stuff I still need for the house. Previously, any thought beyond just unpacking what I already own was banished to a distant future or maybe to never-land.
Yesterday I shlepped home a new "accent chair" from Tuesday Morning. It's a great addition to the living room and balances the room nicely. It inspired me to look around for other needs. I'd like to get a massage chair or maybe a comfy wing chair for hubby's office. We need a BBQ and a small water softener that removes chlorine (didn't know we had any, the water tastes great to me) and I'd like to get a small upright freezer. The Master Bath has a nice large area where a distressed Country cabinet would look terrific and hold additional towels.
Shopping around here has proven a bit more challenging than in South Florida. Once you have explored the shops and stores in The Villages, it's kind of a shlep to venture out to the surrounding small (to me) towns of Belleview and Leesburg. The largest mall near here, in Ocala, is no Sawgrass Mills. But the good news is I have lots of time to shop carefully as nothing is in the "urgent" category. There are a plethora of antique shops and old-time furniture stores (family owned for generations) to sample.
And I can shop with the best of them!
;-)
For the last five months I have been wishing and praying for "normal". No more stress. Just peace and sameness. No more packing and unpacking and hanging pictures and having workmen visit to do projects. No more worrying about selling three properties and buying a new house. No hassles with reverse mortgages (glad we took a pass) or renting a temporary place to stay. And of course, the biggie: no more watching hubby suffer, seeing doctors, trying different medicines and thinking life will never get any better. Ah, to just have to think of the little "normal" things - Does the car need an oil change? What should I wear to shul? Is anything good on TV? What do we need at Publix?
So what else is "normal"? Getting up a little early to enjoy a cup of coffee and the paper and watch the sky get lighter. Writing my blog and reading a book from the library. Updating my Netflix queue and checking Facebook. Calling a friend. Perusing the activities offered today in The Villages and maybe picking one that appeals.
"Normal" is highly under-rated and I will never again take "normal" for granted...
;-)
My father was a Zionist when the movement was in its infancy, well before anyone dreamed that a Jewish Homeland could be a reality in the 20th century. He used to talk of the great Zionist leader Theodor Herzl and I always thought he knew the man personally. I only realized a few years ago that Herzl died before my father was born.
So when I got a phone call last night asking if I was interested in joining the Women's Zionist organization, Hadassah, what do you think I said? I had looked into joining a chapter in South Florida but felt it met far away and it would be difficult to participate as a working woman. What a joy to be able to have the time and ability to join the organization that advocates at the local, state and national levels for women's health, reproductive rights, pay equity, domestic violence prevention, Israeli security, a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and much more. They address issues of importance to both women and the Jewish community.
My first meeting is next week at the Temple. I will be member number 272 of The Villages chapter.
Dad would have been so proud...
:'-)
I rarely have trouble falling asleep and usually sleep soundly until morning. I guess I am active and busy during the day and usually collapse pretty early after reaching a point when I no longer care about anything on my "to do" list. I am up early (although it's been getting later since retiring), ready to face the day and take on at least a small part of the world.
My secret? The age old recommendation to count my blessings, the last thing I do every night. Irving Berlin wrote it and Bing Crosby sang it:
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
Last night I was pretty tired and I didn't even make it to five: Hubby has finally turned the corner and is doing better, life is returning to normal (Gotta Love Normal!), I love The Villages and the new house, lots to look forward to....
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Thank you Borscht Belt Club of The Villages for the fabulous evening of Klezmer music last night. It was just what I needed! Ah, such beautiful toe-tapping Yiddish, Israeli, Hebrew and English songs. I could not help but smile through them all and accompany the band on the ones I knew by heart. And when they sang "Bei Mir Bistu Shein" (Yiddish: בײַ מיר ביסטו שיין, "To Me You're Beautiful") I could hear my father's voice singing along.
A little sad that so few people in the audience of hundreds raised their hand when the band asked "who knows Yiddish?" It's truly a dying language. My cousin Jeannie (my age) is the only person I know that speaks it fluently.
An old friend saw my picture yesterday and said I looked a little sick and my eyes and lips looked a bit strange. I look in the mirror and see the same old me. Hahaha. Much better to hear the words everyone wants to hear: Bei Mir Bistu Shein.
;-)
Netflix sent Last Vegas yesterday and I must admit I Really Liked It (a rare five star rating from me). It was my kind of movie - sweet, funny, uplifting and filled with cool characters my own age. It also reminded me of a few truths:
As long as you are still alive the world holds wondrous adventures
It's never too late for a second chance
Youth and beauty will fade but love never dies
Our youngest years can hold the sweetest memories
Friendships made early can last a lifetime
;-)
In my neighborhood, on my own street even, are two homes for sale. I have seen the insides of both, thanks to cousin Vi who when she visited last week wanted nothing more than to visit Open Houses (which take place every day here in TV).
Both homes are the exact same model and have the same square footage. The more expensive one has a pool and a hot tub and a golf car garage. The lots are about the same size with similar views. Both have nice features and are certainly quite "liveable". So why is one home worth $240,400 more?
OK the pool and extra parking for the golf cart account for some of it. But the real value of the more expensive house is The Glitz.
When you enter House $$$$ you are overwhelmed by the stained glass, the crystal chandelier, the built-in computer nook, and the pictures, lighting, furniture, colors and opulence reminiscent of a fabulously wealthy French country estate.
When you enter House $ you are underwhelmed by its emptiness (no furniture), white walls and tile, and standard issue fixtures. It seems to be saying "look at me, I have potential!"
House $ probably feels like I do before I comb my hair and put on makeup, hahaha.
I really hope nice folks buy and love House $. After all, they will be my very next door neighbors!
;-)
I woke up this morning feeling good! True, the scale is up (again) from the gluttonous cruise and true, Harv and Vi are back in chilly Chicago but I have a bunch of stuff on the Plus Side going on.
Hopefully the Custom Closet folks will show up today to beautify our his-and-hers closets with gorgeous imitation wood-tone shelves. Since everyone who has seen my closet remarks on how few clothes, shoes and handbags I actually own, I am anticipating everything taking up even less room. I really hope they finish today because the bedroom looks like a hurricane has passed through what with everything stacked up on the floor and the dresser.
I ordered a custom transom to match the decorative glass inlaids in the front door and the side light. It will take five to eight weeks to arrive. Vi shlepped me around to look at homes for sale in The Villages and I noticed the ones with the pretty transoms were the nicest.
I can't wait until Sunday when the Klezmer band is coming to play at the Borscht Belt Club!
A Federal judge has overturned The Commonwealth of Virginia's ban on same sex marriage. Good News. How strange that Virginia was the pioneer in overturning the ban on inter-racial marriage in 1967. You would think they would have gotten the message by now...
Hubby is improving slowly and I can actually touch him a bit without him flinching or gasping in agony. He has promised me a romantic get-away when he is back to 100%. I suggested quaint and charming St. Augustine (never been there) only two hours away. He suggested Venice Italy, a little further, hahaha.
I guess Valentine's Day will be celebrated a little later this year...
;-)
