I Still Resolve to Get Organized

For me, getting organized is an on-going process. I made a good start about six weeks ago but got bored with the drudgery. I am making a renewed effort to complete the task.
I don’t want to leave my daughter with the monumental task of going through my “stuff” and having her hate me for all eternity. A few years ago, I read the story of a woman who spent almost a year going through her late mother’s belongings to find things of value and discarding the rest. After living in her house for over fifty years, the mother had accumulated a huge amount of stuff. It doesn’t take me that long to accumulate a lot.
I am shredding outdated paperwork, any documents that are no longer needed and
catalog labels (from inside and outside to prevent scam artists from using this information to charge items on my account).
I’ve discontinued some of my magazine subscriptions because even as a retiree, I don’t have time to read them all. I put the newspapers and magazines that I’ve finished reading in recycling along with flyers, business and personal envelopes (with the address labels removed).
When bills come, I write the checks immediately. If I can’t mail the bills right away, I put the mail-by date in the upper right hand corner of the envelope instead of a stamp. I put the envelope in the outgoing basket. On the given date, I cover the date with the stamp and mail the envelope. That is just some of the paperwork I must deal with everyday. Cleaning out my closets is the next task. I wish me good luck.

I Still Resolve to Get Organized

For me, getting organized is an on-going process. I made a good start about six weeks ago but got bored with the drudgery. I am making a renewed effort to complete the task.
I don’t want to leave my daughter with the monumental task of going through my “stuff” and having her hate me for all eternity. A few years ago, I read the story of a woman who spent almost a year going through her late mother’s belongings to find things of value and discarding the rest. After living in her house for over fifty years, the mother had accumulated a huge amount of stuff. It doesn’t take me that long to accumulate a lot.
I am shredding outdated paperwork, any documents that are no longer needed and
catalog labels (from inside and outside to prevent scam artists from using this information to charge items on my account).
I’ve discontinued some of my magazine subscriptions because even as a retiree, I don’t have time to read them all. I put the newspapers and magazines that I’ve finished reading in recycling along with flyers, business and personal envelopes (with the address labels removed).
When bills come, I write the checks immediately. If I can’t mail the bills right away, I put the mail-by date in the upper right hand corner of the envelope instead of a stamp. I put the envelope in the outgoing basket. On the given date, I cover the date with the stamp and mail the envelope. That is just some of the paperwork I must deal with everyday.
Cleaning out my closets is the next task. I wish me good luck.

I Still Resolve to Get Organized

For me, getting organized is an on-going process. I made a good start about six weeks ago but got bored with the drudgery. I am making a renewed effort to complete the task.
I don’t want to leave my daughter with the monumental task of going through my “stuff” and having her hate me for all eternity. A few years ago, I read the story of a woman who spent almost a year going through her late mother’s belongings to find things of value and discarding the rest. After living in her house for over fifty years, the mother had accumulated a huge amount of stuff. It doesn’t take me that long to accumulate a lot.
I am shredding outdated paperwork, any documents that are no longer needed and
catalog labels (from inside and outside to prevent scam artists from using this information to charge items on my account).
I’ve discontinued some of my magazine subscriptions because even as a retiree, I don’t have time to read them all. I put the newspapers and magazines that I’ve finished reading in recycling along with flyers, business and personal envelopes (with the address labels removed).
When bills come, I write the checks immediately. If I can’t mail the bills right away, I put the mail-by date in the upper right hand corner of the envelope instead of a stamp. I put the envelope in the outgoing basket. On the given date, I cover the date with the stamp and mail the envelope. That is just some of the paperwork I must deal with everyday.
Cleaning out my closets is the next task. I wish me good luck.

There's Hope

This week is the beginning of a new era. Tomorrow the first African American will be sworn in as President of the United States of America. Something about this young man seems to pull people of many different cultures to him. He is the symbol of hope around the world. Even here in America, many people who did not vote for him are hopeful that he will be successful. People are not pulling for an African American president. People are pulling for America. Our success will spread good will, good fortune and prosperity around the world. This election wasn’t about Barack Obama. This was about our country as well as the rest of the world.
As a senior I have lived through World War II although I was too young to understand what was happening. I saw the struggles of African Americans during the Civil Rights movement; the increasing divorce rate; and the changing dynamics of the home front when women had to work rather than stay home to rear their children. Like so many other seniors, I’ve watched the economic downturn with some trepidation.
But I have great hope for a positive future for us. As seniors, we want to see an economic upturn sooner rather than later so that we may enjoy our senior years without fear.
As I watched television broadcasts of the inaugural festivities, I saw the faces of thousands and thousands of people looking with tears in their eyes at Barack Obama, the symbol of hope. I saw the unity that he has inspired. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, young, old, gay, straight, the able bodied and the physically challenged are all in this together. We will not wait for Barack Obama to make the change. He can’t do it alone. He has inspired us to help make the change for the better.
India Arie’s words ring true when she sings, “There’s Hope.” As I listen to this song, my tears show that I know that there’s hope for us all.

I Resolve to Get Organized

With my minor, fixable health issues, I won’t be able to resume country line dancing until I get my doctor’s okay. This is only a temporary setback. Thinking of things to do while in recovery isn’t much of a challenge for me. I am very disorganized and now is the time for me to “resolve” to do better.
For now I will concentrate on organizing my closet, home office and kitchen. I could easily get rid of items that I no longer need. Donating them to charity or having a garage sale would help me unload some of these things with less guilt. Throwing items in the trash is my last option because I don’t really need to add to the landfill. The other day I started going through the papers in my home office and was pleasantly surprised to find pictures I thought were lost. I will label them and put them with the other pictures that are ready for albums. Organizing our pictures will be a long, involved project that my husband will have to help me with.
Organizing now will not put a burden on our children and grandchildren later. Wish me luck in working effectively over the next few weeks.

Happy, Healthy New Year

Today is my first day back to my retirement blog since the holiday season. My husband and I visited our adorable grandchildren and their families during the holidays. We enjoyed their company, the food and the festivities. Now we are back to reality.
Back to reality. I have to smile because our reality is still pretty good even as these crazy economic times have done damage to our retirement funds, reduced the value of our home and made us cut back on our Christmas spending. We still have good health with only a few minor, fixable health issues.
As usual, I wanted to make my annual “lose weight” resolution, but that hasn’t worked for very long in the past. Instead I am determined to be more active by continuing the dance class twice a week with my husband. We’ll add walking three times a week either at the mall, recreation center or in our quiet neighborhood. I also need to lift small weights to help build stronger bones. As a senior, osteoporosis (the bone weakening disease) is a big concern.
We’re planning to try new recipes with healthier ingredients. Presently we’re fairly healthy eaters, but we know we can do better. And our restaurant choices will have to change. Fried and creamed foods sound good, but too many dishes like that are waist expanders. I can’t take any more expanding.
Now it is time for a real effort toward a healthier, smaller happier me. Let me know what some of your “resolutions” are and how you'll try to keep them.
Happy, Healthy New Year.

Gift Cards

The gift giving season is here. Many people are giving gift certificates or gift cards to family, friends and service people. For some, this is the easiest gift for seniors to give because of the many crowded stores and tight budgets. If this is what you choose to do, be sure to tell the recipient of your generosity to please use the gift card as soon as possible.
Why? Some of the stores have an early expiration date on their cards or they charge a fee for the months when the card is not used. This could soon wipe out the value of the card. Also, don’t forget that some companies are having a difficult time financially and could go into bankruptcy leaving the card worthless.
If you receive gift cards, be sure to use them as soon as possible. And don't forget the thank you notes.
Happy Holidays. Be safe and enjoy the season with family and/or friends.

Holiday Tips

The holidays are fast approaching and our economic climate hasn’t improved except for the lower gas prices. I can’t believe that my husband purchased gas for $1.589 per gallon today when a couple of months ago the price was over $4.00 a gallon. We seniors are especially hit with the reality of increasing prices while on a fixed income.
We must be extremely creative with our limited financial resources while holiday shopping. This is where sale papers, manufacturers’ coupons, store coupons, and online coupons come in handy. Whether you are shopping for gifts, holiday decorations or food look for coupons. When buying gift cards, be aware that some cards have an expiration date. Earlier this year, some stores went out of business and many gift card recipients couldn’t redeem their cards. That was money down the drain.
Make a list of the people to whom you usually give gifts. Is there anyone you can eliminate without causing a problem? (Hint: Some of these friends and relatives may also wish to be removed from your list so that they may remove your name. Don’t hesitate to talk to them to get a feeling of what they think. You aren’t the only one suffering.)
For the adults in your family you could pull names. Each adult writes his or her name on a slip of paper with a wish list of three to five items under a set price (i.e.: $25). Then each person pulls a name and shops for that one adult rather than for everyone. OR everyone could make or purchase inexpensive gag gifts that suit the recipient’s personality.
Prepare the children honestly about economic hardships and your inability to buy every gift they request. A reality check done without the harsh anger you may feel will help youngsters deal with life better in the future. Begin early scaling back on so many toys and gadgets. Many young children are soon bored with new toys anyway and play with the boxes that the gifts come in. Encourage this creativity with washable markers and crayons. Let the children play with the wrapping paper and ribbon that you weren’t planning to reuse. (Of course, reusing wrapping and ribbon saves money.)
When wrapping gifts for children use the comic section of the newspaper. Wrap an adult’s gift in the sports section, the movie section, television guide or the kitchen section of the paper. Not every gift needs a ribbon.
In our family, Thanksgiving dinner is always potluck. As host and hostess this year, my husband and I are providing the turkey, dressing, a homemade cranberry relish (my husband’s specialty) and a dessert. My sister makes her delicious homemade rolls and several other side dishes. Mother always bakes her popular pound cake. Our niece and a cousin will also provide side dishes and/or desserts. Others are invited to bring whatever they wish to bring but they are not asked to do so. A host and hostess gift is not required.
This Thanksgiving we are expecting 18 dinner guests for plenty of food, fun and frivolity. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy.

Historical Time in the United States

On November 4, 2008, history was made in the United States of American. The majority of Americans voted for the first African-American president-elect, Senator Barack Obama, a Democrat. The vote was overwhelming in his favor over Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate.
The news of Obama’s win was cheered in countries around the world. England, Kenya and Indonesia were among the many countries where people were elated that Barack Obama won the election. Some Americans were surprised that our election was so closely watched by other countries. Our very troubled economy has affected more than just America and people want a change for the better.
In Chicago, Illinois, where Obama and his family reside, many people waited all day in Grant Park in the hopes that they would hear the announcement that Barack Obama won the election and would deliver an acceptance speech. They were not disappointed. Pictures showed thousands and thousands of people cheering, crying and hugging. The requests for tickets to Obama’s inauguration are starting to come in now. Reporters state that the number of requests to attend his inauguration is higher than for any other president-elect. History has been made. . . in my lifetime.

Don't forget to vote.

We have an historic election in a few days. Regardless of the outcome, our country will make history. The country will elect either an African American president or a female vice president. The politicians constantly talk about change which many voters want. However, what that change will be is anybody’s guess.
As seniors, one major concern we have is how the current economic crisis will affect our retirement funds. We are holding our breath until after the election to see what the next president’s policies will be. What will happen with taxes? What about our health care system? Will the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan end? Will the gas prices climb or return to a reasonable level? I will be glad when this contentious campaign is over. I have high hopes for a good future.
Meanwhile, I am working on saving money while enjoying retirement. Helpful hints will be coming in future blogs.

Keeping the Brain Active

I’ve finally purchased a laptop to write my blogs when I am away from home. The laptop computer is a little different – just enough to challenge my senior brain. I know that we’re never too old to learn something new. Thank goodness I have tried to keep my brain active by playing Scrabble, solving the Jumble puzzles in the daily newspaper, solving some Sudoku puzzles, as well as writing my short stories. I’ve also learned to do common everyday activities in a different way just to keep my brain active. For example, instead of always opening the door with my right hand, I sometimes use my left hand. Trying new recipes, going to different movies, reading books in an unfamiliar genre are other ways to wake up my brain. I try not to follow my same old tiresome routine every day.
I’ve recently read and believe that a person must also incorporate some type of physical activity into his or her daily routine to keep the brain active. For seniors who have limited mobility, chair exercises are a great option. While seated, and with or without music, seniors can move their arms, legs, hands, feet and shoulders as a form of exercise. A person must, of course, consult his or her physician before beginning any exercise program.
To me chair exercises are a good beginning. It is never too late to begin exercising. If you want to do this, get advice from your doctor about what is best for you. Go to a senior center, the YMCA or YWCA, or to your place of worship where you are likely to find others who also wish to do some form of exercise. And if there are no groups where you live, start one yourself. You are limited only by your imagination.
Begin slowly for short periods of time then increase and vary your activity. Some seniors are able to walk for a couple of miles and some can run in a marathon. But don’t feel that you must match someone else’s level of activity. Be true to yourself and your abilities. But above all, enjoy what you do. My husband and I enjoy country line dancing for singles and for couples even though I have some limitation in my mobility. I changed a few of the steps so that I may keep up; but I won’t quit. And I still love golf; but winter is coming. I will have to play virtual golf indoors. I think mall walking is also on my winter agenda. But whatever I do, I want to keep moving. This will help my brain stay active.

Our economy floundered.

The $700 billion (plus $100 billion) bailout bill has been passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and signed by the President. What does it all mean? That depends on which expert you listen to. What it means to me is that we must find even more ways to economize because that bailout money has to come from the government. And we, the everyday citizen, are the government. The money will come from us.
I plan to organize my household goods so that I avoid purchasing duplicates and triplicates of certain items unnecessarily. I won’t purchase anything in large quantities that will spoil or not be used within a reasonable amount of time. When there is a good sale on non-perishable items such as facial tissue, I will purchase in bulk.
Sometimes it is difficult for me to plan meals ahead of time so that I purchase only what is needed before the next shopping trip. I often change my mind about what I am in the mood to eat. My husband is easier to feed. Whatever I cook, he will eat.
My husband and I sometimes prefer to eat out; however, we may have to do that less often in this crazy economy. Eating out while vacationing can be a problem because the cost of eating out has escalated. We try to have the heavier meal in the afternoon because it is cheaper and healthier. We may try ordering soup and salad and share one entrée which saves even more. And we rarely order drinks with meals. Water is free.
Budgeting is my focus. We are both retired and living on a fixed income like many retirees and things are getting tighter. But with good planning we will make it.

Update on “Is your money safe?

A few days ago one television news report showed a woman who had her family funds in an FDIC insured bank. Yet she said she still lost over $20,000. Why? She did not realize that she was over the monetary limit because of recent changes to her and her husband’s financial picture. When you check to see if all of your finances are insured, don’t forget to check your retirement account, savings, CDs, etc. Check and double check everything.
Today was an historic day in our nation and especially on Wall Street. The President asked for a $700 billion bailout for the financial industry and the House of Representatives voted, “No!” Wall Street responded with the Dow Industrials dropping 777 points and NASDAQ losing over 9% of its value, the largest single day’s percent drop since 1987.
What will tomorrow bring?

Is Your Money Safe?

A few banks have failed, some businesses have gone belly-up, many people have lost their homes, job losses are high and gas prices are exorbitant. The near failure of our economy was caused in part by poor mortgage practices, shaky loans, bad investments and stock market losses.
In light of the government’s request for a $700 billion bailout for the U. S. financial market which will cost every U. S. citizen, including our children, approximately $5,000 each, you need to know if your money is safe. If the bailout isn’t approved, our financial markets will collapse according to President Bush, U. S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and the “experts” on Wall Street.
I am not a financial expert, but I will give you information on where to get the info you need. Is your money safe?
Quoting the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation website, “The basic insurance amount is $100,000 per depositor per insured bank. Certain retirement accounts, such as Individual Retirement Accounts, are insured up to $250,000 per depositor per insured bank.” HOWEVER, you must check out this information for yourself and your family. Do not depend upon any advice given by just anyone.
The website that you should go to for banking information is www.fdic.gov or to www.myfdic.gov.
For credit union information Google the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) and Google Excess Share Insurance (ESI). You may be able to determine how much of your money is actually insured.
Now is the time to become informed.

Protect Your Money: FDIC Information

The economic picture in the United States is frightening especially to seniors who lived through the stock market crash in 1929 and the Depression. Years ago, my late father told me that he lost the money he saved from his paper route when his bank failed. He said it wasn’t much, but it was important to him.
But now the government insures our money for up to $100,000 for each depositor in each bank or thrift institution. This is done through the Federal Depositors Insurance Corporation or FDIC. Separating your money into different branches of the same institution doesn’t increase the insurance protection. You are still one depositor. Accounts include savings, checking and CDs or any other accounts in that institution. It is very important that you know exactly how much you have and where all of your funds are located. Very important banking information can be found at www.fdic.gov. Also a copy of the FDIC publication, Your Insured Deposits, will give you important banking information about federal deposit insurance. Or call FDIC’s Central Call Center at 877-275-3342.
The website may also give you information on banks that have failed. It is wise to check before you lose all that you have saved.

More Travel Tips

If we are traveling with our adult children and young grandchildren, we let each person pick one or two activities and places to eat. This gives everyone something to look forward to no matter where we are. For example, I don’t like carnival rides but my husband does. He rides with the grandchildren while I take pictures of them. Of course, we try to introduce the youngsters to new activities whenever possible. Putt-Putt golf was a hit with the grandchildren. And a stop at a McDonald’s is always a treat for them.
Swimming, attending the state fair, riding the train and petting the animals at the zoo are some of the activities we have enjoyed together. We have heard some people make negative comments about taking grandchildren on vacation. For us, these family oriented vacations are fun and help expose children to adventures they enjoy.
But, of course, my husband and I often travel alone. I first learned to play golf last year. Since then we have played golf together in six different states. Some of the beautiful golf courses are picture worthy.
One of our favorite trips was on the Dave Koz Jazz Cruise. We enjoyed the talented musicians, great singers, delicious food, fun activities, great shopping, informative site seeing, and the friendly people we met on the cruise ship. It was a perfect romantic vacation. That is a trip we will take again some day.

Travel Tips

My husband and I have returned from an extensive, fun filled vacation. We’ve made some significant changes in the way we travel. I now pack fewer clothes because many airlines are charging for a second checked bag. Some even charge for the first one. At least one airline charges $100 for a third bag; and the dimensions of a carry-on bag are limited.
To stay under the luggage weight limit, we now take three carry-on size suitcases at the most for long trips and wash clothes if necessary. We check two of the bags and my husband takes the third one. I carry a purse and a smaller carry-on for books, healthy snacks, water (purchased after going through security), travel Scrabble and our meds (which should never be in checked bags). Finding more light weight, wrinkle resistant clothing will also help us stay under the luggage weight limit and will make washing our clothes more convenient. I plan to do a catalog search for travel magazines that specialize in this type of clothing.
We have always booked non-stop flights whenever possible. We may have to take one- and two-stop flights because the price has increased for some non-stop flights. Also the idea of taking the train sounds more and more appealing to our budget conscious minds.
Internet searches for possible destinations, accommodations and weather conditions help make our trips care free. I record in my small notebook the pluses and minuses of our trips so that we’ll know which vacation spots we may wish to visit again.
This senior has learned to relax and find pleasure every day whether I am on vacation or having a “staycation.”

On the Cusp of History

We are on the cusp of an American, historical political change. As seniors, many of us never thought we would see this in our lifetime. This year we will elect the first African American--a male--as president of the United States of America OR the first white female as vice president. Our country has always elected white males to these two top positions.
The political campaigns of both major parties have called for "change." Some governmental changes have included the introduction of females and African American males to the Supreme Court. We have seen women and minorities become city council members, mayors and state governors. Other occupations previously closed to women are now commonly held by women. Police chiefs, bus drivers, construction workers and electricians may be female. But this year's political change is significantly different.
An African American male as a Democratic president or a white female as a Republican vice president. Which ticket will I choose? Hmmm. It's called a secret ballot for a reason.
Don't forget to vote?

Mother, daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter

My daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter came for a quick visit this weekend to see my mother who has been ill again. This put the four generations (mother, daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter) in the same room at the same time. Alas, no pictures this time because Mother is not up to a picture taking session. At her age, we take what we can get without embarrassing her.
It was fun to go through some of the family photos with Mother asking her great-granddaughter to identify the people in the old pictures. She did a good job of recognizing us when we were much younger. I discovered a picture of my grandmother when she was 16 years old. Mother said she looked like me at that age. I also found a picture of my father’s father and uncles in an old photo. Daddy had labeled the people in the photo. This will help with my genealogy study.
Soon, very soon, I will have to go through all the old family pictures to identify and label each one before no one is left to know who is who. My husband and I have threatened to do the same with our own extensive photo collection for some time. But we are so good at procrastinating. Shame, shame on us.

The Sandwich Generation Squeeze

My mother is back in the hospital for the third time in a month and a half; I have health issues, minor ones thank goodness, that I must address now; and I’m scheduled to babysit our five year old granddaughter in about a week. Taking one day at a time, doing some deep breathing, reading snatches of a book purely for escapism, getting some exercise and trying to get enough rest is all I can do for now. I don’t know when my responsibilities will collide, but I can’t worry about it for now.
I will say that I am one of the lucky members of this sandwich generation. I do have a sister who is very instrumental in taking care of our mother. On one occasion, my husband and I were traveling a great distance to take care of his father, when Mother had to go into the hospital. Sis took care of that situation. She and I try to coordinate our schedules so that Mother is taken care of by one of us. But we do have a couple of family members and a friend we can call upon for a very short term backup if we are desperate enough.
Sis and I have to be prepared for the inevitable. After all, Mother is 88 ½ years old and in poor health. Fortunately Sis and I have already agreed on most of the major details but we have to write our plans down. It is very difficult to think of everything while under stress. With just the two of us and our children handling everything, we won’t have any conflicts to handle. Everything worked out beautifully when we had to handle our father’s services.
I also have a husband who is more than willing to take over the babysitting duties if I am unable to do so myself. Once he had to babysit for a couple of days by himself because I had a health issue to resolve. He did a great job, but he was worn out. And our granddaughter was thrilled because her grandfather was in charge. Of course, she was. She can get away with a few things with him.
Being part of the Sandwich Generation can be daunting at times. But there are many blessings. We've enjoyed the times that our four generations have been in the same place at the same time. And we treasure the numerous precious pictures that prove it.