OT We have a saying...
 

On 2008-07-14 09:18:11 -0500, Marina said:

We have a saying in Finland: Vanhuus ei tule yksin (old age does not
arrive alone). It means you have to be prepared for all the little
'friends' that come with old age - aches and pains, problems with your
memory, absent-mindedness... Though I have to confess, I've always been
absent-minded, even as a kid.

When I packed for our trip to the island last Tuesday, I put the case
with the USB modem into my bag. I did not open the case to check that
the modem was in the case. I saw before my minds eye how I returned it
to its case after I had tested it at home.

On the island, I eagerly unpacked the case and opened it. I was excited
to test how well it would work. The case was empty, except for the
extra cable included.

Apparently, I had *not* returned the modem to its case after testing it
at home. So I've been without it since then. The rescue operation
included my middle sister, who had my key and went to rummage in my
stuff to find the modem, and my eldest sister, whose holidays started
today and who brought the modem to the island when she arrived today.

And it seems to be working fine.

Oh, and the cats are loving to be on the island again. Caliban got
himself too high up a tree the other day, but he eventually figured out
how to get down again. He and Mir are slowly making friends with Emil,
Mir's biological brother. And Caliban killed a vole the other night. I
woke up to the sound of him throwing it around the floor. OK, I'll see
how this message goes out. More later.

How cool you can post from the Island!

OT We have a saying...
 

Marina wrote:
We have a saying in Finland: Vanhuus ei tule yksin (old age does not
arrive alone). It means you have to be prepared for all the little
'friends' that come with old age - aches and pains, problems with your
memory, absent-mindedness... Though I have to confess, I've always been
absent-minded, even as a kid.

When I packed for our trip to the island last Tuesday, I put the case
with the USB modem into my bag. I did not open the case to check that
the modem was in the case. I saw before my minds eye how I returned it
to its case after I had tested it at home.

On the island, I eagerly unpacked the case and opened it. I was excited
to test how well it would work. The case was empty, except for the extra
cable included.

Apparently, I had *not* returned the modem to its case after testing it
at home. So I've been without it since then. The rescue operation
included my middle sister, who had my key and went to rummage in my
stuff to find the modem, and my eldest sister, whose holidays started
today and who brought the modem to the island when she arrived today.

And it seems to be working fine.

Oh, and the cats are loving to be on the island again. Caliban got
himself too high up a tree the other day, but he eventually figured out
how to get down again. He and Mir are slowly making friends with Emil,
Mir's biological brother. And Caliban killed a vole the other night. I
woke up to the sound of him throwing it around the floor. OK, I'll see
how this message goes out. More later.


I'm so glad you got the modem, Marina. We always missed you so much when
you went on the island, and now we don't have to anymore!
Best wishes,
Polonca and Soncek

OT We have a saying...
 

On Jul 15, 2:46*pm, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

Indeed! *The idea of "being retired" sounds great when you're a young
wage-slave - especially if you don't particularly LIKE what you do for a
living - but unless you have really GOOD "retirement benefits", it not
only means curtailed physical abilities, but curtailed income, too!

I know I often say things like "One day nearer retirement" but at the
same time I can't imagine not working- my ambition is to retire from
the NHS and maybe take a part or full time job back in bookselling - I
have retirement funds piling up but the longer I wait to take them the
better off I'll be when the time comes and I can combine my
booksellers wages (never good) with my retirement funds to give myself
a moderately comfortable living

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

OT We have a saying...
 

Lesley wrote:
On Jul 15, 2:46 pm, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

Indeed! The idea of "being retired" sounds great when you're a young
wage-slave - especially if you don't particularly LIKE what you do for a
living - but unless you have really GOOD "retirement benefits", it not
only means curtailed physical abilities, but curtailed income, too!

I know I often say things like "One day nearer retirement" but at the
same time I can't imagine not working- my ambition is to retire from
the NHS and maybe take a part or full time job back in bookselling - I
have retirement funds piling up but the longer I wait to take them the
better off I'll be when the time comes and I can combine my
booksellers wages (never good) with my retirement funds to give myself
a moderately comfortable living

I took retirement benefits at age seventy (one is required to begin
withdrawing from one's IRA funds at seventy and a half, so I opted for
Social Security at the same time). However, I continued working three
days a week until I was seventy-five. That gave me enough income so I
FINALLY got to do some overseas travel - at least five trips to Europe
(a tour that visited Czechoslovakia, Austria and Hungary; a month with a
week each in Brussels, Vienna, London and Paris; additional trips to
Brussels, Paris, Zurich and Vienna, plus several to New York City and
the Metropolitan Opera). May traveling days are over, now - both for
financial reasons and growing physical limitations - but I managed to
collect a lifetime's worth of memories in those five years!

OT We have a saying...
 

On Jul 19, 1:38*pm, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:
. *That gave me enough income so I
FINALLY got to do some overseas travel - at least five trips to Europe
(a tour that visited Czechoslovakia, Austria and Hungary; a month with a
week each in Brussels, Vienna, London and Paris; additional trips to
Brussels, Paris, Zurich and Vienna, plus several to New York City and
the Metropolitan Opera). *May traveling days are over, now - both for
financial reasons and growing physical limitations - but I managed to
collect a lifetime's worth of memories in those five years!- Hide quoted text -

A good idea! I've never been further than France and never been on a
plane but I've reserved some funds for the one trip I want to make and
when I retire I'm going to Sydney for a few weeks! (My RPG is set
there so I know lots about it and want to see it)

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

OT We have a saying...
 

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:

However, I continued working three
days a week until I was seventy-five. That gave me enough income so I
FINALLY got to do some overseas travel - at least five trips to Europe
(a tour that visited Czechoslovakia, Austria and Hungary; a month with a
week each in Brussels, Vienna, London and Paris; additional trips to
Brussels, Paris, Zurich and Vienna, plus several to New York City and
the Metropolitan Opera). May traveling days are over, now - both for
financial reasons and growing physical limitations - but I managed to
collect a lifetime's worth of memories in those five years!

Evelyn, that sounds really lovely! What great trips.

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)

OT We have a saying...
 

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in
message ...


Lesley wrote:
On Jul 15, 2:46 pm, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

Indeed! The idea of "being retired" sounds great when you're a
young
wage-slave - especially if you don't particularly LIKE what you do
for a
living - but unless you have really GOOD "retirement benefits", it
not
only means curtailed physical abilities, but curtailed income,
too!

I know I often say things like "One day nearer retirement" but at
the
same time I can't imagine not working- my ambition is to retire
from
the NHS and maybe take a part or full time job back in
bookselling - I
have retirement funds piling up but the longer I wait to take them
the
better off I'll be when the time comes and I can combine my
booksellers wages (never good) with my retirement funds to give
myself
a moderately comfortable living

I took retirement benefits at age seventy (one is required to begin
withdrawing from one's IRA funds at seventy and a half, so I opted
for Social Security at the same time). However, I continued working
three days a week until I was seventy-five. That gave me enough
income so I FINALLY got to do some overseas travel - at least five
trips to Europe (a tour that visited Czechoslovakia, Austria and
Hungary; a month with a week each in Brussels, Vienna, London and
Paris; additional trips to Brussels, Paris, Zurich and Vienna, plus
several to New York City and the Metropolitan Opera). May traveling
days are over, now - both for financial reasons and growing physical
limitations - but I managed to collect a lifetime's worth of
memories in those five years!

That sounds wonderful.

I'm not a great traveler, much to my own dismay. So I always love to
hear about those who are able to travel the world and get pleasure out
of it.

Jo