Working Stiff - Countdown to Retirement

The excitement just keeps on keeping on. I went to the local grocery to get my lottery tickets, around eight thirty. As I backed out to head home, three police cars drove on the lot. After a few moments' confusion, they got situated and I left. When I pulled into the yard, my wife met me at the gate. She told me that three police cars rushed by a few minutes ago, and that when she walked the dog, right after, she found a wallet in the ditch. Might be a connection there. I rushed back to the grocery and turned it over to them. It was exactly what they had been most concerned with when they drove by my home.

Returning home, again my wife met me at the gate. "They have a fire at the apartments. I have the police on the phone." I spoke with the officer a moment and headed on over there. The damage was limited to a patio. I boarded up the broken windows and came back home. Got to go back and clean up tomorrow.

Edgar
Well, what can you expect, Edgar, as January is such a boring month?

BBB

Nothing boring here in exciting Tomball, Texas.

Spent half the day cleaning the place up. Went back late in the afternoon- -the firefighters had pulled the emergency disconnect on some air conditioners and left them (it was about 78 degrees today). Went back after dark to set up an ozone machine in the apartment. Good news: they are hiring a contractor to repair the damage. In times past, it would have fallen to me.

I got gas today at the same station I always fill up at. I went in to pay and there was a bit of a line. The new clerk had attempted to do something regarding the lottery tickets but it wasn't what the customer wanted. So he tried to void it but he couldn't and it went downhill from there. The amount of money involved was $2.

The guy behind me threw $2 on the counter, saying, give me the damn ticket. He beat me by a few seconds, but the manager said to the befuddled clerk that she would pay for it. He needed to move on to other customers.

Wouldn't it be amazing if one of the accidental buyers (or wannabe buyers) won? I don't play the lottery, ever, but many do. Hope springs eternal.

I originally began buying lottery tickets, because state officials were saying, "State income tax" and being very pushy about its enactment. I saw and still see the lottery as a means of stalling one off. I haven't heard an official mention said tax since the week it started. That's been quite a few years. The advantage of a lottery over an income tax: With the lottery you have a shot, however long, at getting some of it back.

I just filed my income tax online. That should keep me ahead of the April 15th rush.

The owners are giving us extra projects to do to improve the property as a means of attracting a buyer. We spent all day Friday preparing a big section of driveway and pouring concrete there. Only got half-way finished. Soon they will come in person and try to really load it upon us. I will of course comply to the best of my ability. After all, you can only do so much in eight hours, then you get to quit, right? Right?

If by quit you mean a fifteen minute break you are absolutely correct.

I haven't had a job where I could punch out after 8 in over 13 years and I am only 31.


If I was twice the man I could be, I'd still be half of what you'd need.
-Trent Reznor

I quit after eight, but go home with a pager, every day of the year. Quite a few calls, sometimes.

Thats even worse, I would rather not know when I quit than not know when I start.

I was on a pager crew every other week when I worked for the city in the forestry department. The calls were not often but if a blizzard hit we were plowing or if a tree got blown down and was blocking traffic we got called out. I don't miss that at all.

So Edgar, now that you are getting ever closer to your own retirement, have you started firming up any plans?

No, I'm coping now with the possible sale of the property, leaving me potentially jobless. No firm buyer lined up yet, however.

Shoot, you think it may mess up your pension?

It could cause me to dip into my 401k prematurely. Hopefully not, but, who knows?

I wish you well when you retire.

Well, they haven't sold the property after all. I am trying to cope with a dadburn hot summer. Other than that, I should get through it all pretty well. Thanks for mentioning it, reyn.

Truthfully, I am starting to feel like the job is too much to handle, lately. But much of it may be mental, because, once my new help arrived, he was so capable, he sort of took charge of the more physical aspect of the job. Depending on him may be making me back off from my usual capabilities.

edgar, Nothing wrong with that! Learn to relax some, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with slowing down a bit.

Regards, CI. I expect to ease up as the year progresses.