Running the Numbers in a Good Way in Everyday Ramblings

I talked to the young man with the surfboard that lives next door to this house when I was taking the picture last weekend. I am not sure who lives here now but it is not being rented and it is owned by the same woman that owns the white house with the red trim and looks the same vintage, which is why I sought it out.

I like the simplicity of it.

It is kind of like I am in love.

On Sunday I walked over to the East side to get some bird food and walked through a beautiful old neighborhood where many of the folks that succeeded living here built bigger homes. The streets are cobbled and wider, the trees bigger and over-shade the streets and most of the homes are quite large on good-sized lots. I had my camera with me and realized that I only had eyes for the places on my side of the river.

And more to the point, the stories that go with the places.

My heart appears to have been captured by all these tales of ordinary folks making a new life for themselves that are in the air over here.

Engaged heart aside I admit I am sort of frazzled and irritable. While today the weather is just lovely, it has not been lovely. It has been muggy and overcast and hot. And I am sad to see summer turn towards fall.

We just ratified a new Union contract at work and everyone received an across the board three percent increase except those of us at the top pay of their job class. So no raise for me. And then yesterday I got the package letter offering early retirement if I go at the end of this calendar year.

I am going to see if there is anyway I can do this. I am so unhappy and burned out in this job.

I think I may be able to draft Most Honorable to help me run the numbers. One of my students told me she took a package at 62 and was able to pay for health insurance until Medicare kicked in. I know she lives frugally on a fixed income.

It would mean I would have to cobble together another job to live on for 3 ½ years until I build my yoga teaching practice to paying for itself and I can claim full Social Security benefits and who wants to hire a frazzled (but nice) 61 year old?

It is a huge risk that could go badly wrong. But it is also a marvelous opportunity to get the heck out of Dodge. I have two months to make the decision.

I am waiting to see if I am going to be responsible for a big chunk of the MRI expense. As of yesterday it looks like I may be able to get by with only the copay on the IV and contrast but we will see. If I don’t owe too much I am going to go for a new activity monitor that monitors one’s heart rate without a chest strap.

I am very excited by the prospect of acquiring this new toy.

I also need to hammer out the details of running my public yoga class through the church adult program system. It all seems rather overwhelming to me just this moment. There are all these…factors. I have encouragement to do this and the church staff wants me to do it in a way that is financially viable for me so we are all on the same side…it is just complicated.

Good thing I am not working on the Greek Debt Crisis or the financial situation in Puerto Rico! Talk about overwhelming.

Wish me focus and renewed energy.
I know I wish the same for all of you.

Last updated August 04, 2015