The other day I was visiting my 93-year-old friend who loves to reminisce about her youth. My DF said she didn't realize how poor her family was until she was in about third grade. That's when some classmates started teasing about her threadbare, hand-me-down dresses. A lot of folks were poor back then, but it seems that with a large family, they were very poor. Her simple lunches consisted of rice with a few vegetables and sometimes a hard-cooked egg and a piece of fruit, taken to school in a little tin pail... an actual pail, not an insulated lunchbox.

Her mother prepared nutritious but economical meals that my DF loves to this day. Of course, now she knows the ingredients were more affordable for her family back then: rice, beans, oatmeal, potatoes, fruits and vegetables grown in the backyard garden, and bread baked at home. They ate a lot of soups, stews, and casseroles. Meat was a luxury and they ate very little of it.

My DF shared that her parents taught her to take care of her belongings and appreciate what she had, not covet what others had. And, in the midst of the Great Depression, they had very little. In the evenings, her parents read to their children, played cards, or the family listened to the radio. They seemed to focus on spending time together and enjoying being together as a family. All the kids had chores and if the older ones worked, they contributed most of their earnings to the family coffers.

I admire that my DF's parents raised their children to feel happy and positive about their lives, even though they were poor. While it's good parenting to educate children about money, it should not be done in a way that makes them anxious about "being poor." After all, a child is powerless to impact the family's finances. Kids thrive when they feel loved and safe, and it does not cost to provide these things. My DF is a prime example... not only did she thrive, she is a resilient and remarkable lady.

With Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, I was reflecting about all I am profoundly grateful for and decided to make a list of my Top Ten:

1. My husband - He is second to none. It's great to live with a man who tells you he loves you every day, and you know it's true... tells you are beautiful, even though you know it's not true. My dh is my best friend who supports me in every way, except financially. In this regard, I support myself... but he supports himself financially, too, and this is how we make the financial part of our relationship work for us.

2. My daughters - When I got pregnant, I fervently prayed for a daughter. Well, it worked! Five days before my baby was born, I learned I was having twins... and it was TWO daughters! They are equally beautiful inside and out, my pride and joy. When I "kick the proverbial bucket," I will have left the world a better place by having produced two intelligent, caring, and socially responsible human beings. My best work ever.

3. My sister - She is my only sibling, older by twelve months, and my other best friend. She and I have lived through joy and sorrow, bonded by blood and experiences only we share. We are very close and she is always there for me, no matter what. Everyone should be as lucky as I am.

4. Friends/assorted other family - The friends in my life who are near and dear to my heart are a blessing, yet I count them on two hands... not many, but very special. And then there are my other family members: my niece, nephew, grandniece, grandnephews, BIL, SILs, aunts, uncle, and many cousins... I cherish having them in my life.

5. My health - Although not perfect, it's "good" and some days just "good enough." It's not a big deal to have a chronic condition or two when you're over 50... so, having a good health plan and access to excellent medical care is something else I give thanks for every day.

6. My cat - I've had a cat as far back as I can remember, since about the age of three. I am a cat person. My current cat is Antonieta, AKA Toni or TC (Toni Cat, The Cat, The Critter, Trouble Cat, Terrific Cat...) and a host of other secret cat names that only she knows. TC's silly antics keep me in stitches and it's good for my BP. Too bad she doesn't like walking on a leash, then she'd be good for my fitness challenge, too.

7. A "job" I can't get fired from - The greatest thing about being retired... I am my own boss and I can't get fired! Of course, it only took 30 years of working, planning, and saving to get here. But I am here, nonetheless, and it's great. Yep, "I am the boss of me!"

8. Our homes, humble as they may be - When so many are struggling to keep afloat and their homes are under water, we are blessed. Our small condo in Silicon Valley and our cottage in Idaho are perfect for us. We chose to scale down our habitats because we realized it gave us more financial freedom. No regrets.

9. Curiosity about the world - I've always had a sense of adventure and ever since I was a child, I've loved to see new places and learn about other cultures. Traveling is a great way to learn, to grow, to expand our worldview, and I do this with gusto (and with my dh!). And I am grateful to have the wherewithal to travel.

10. Living in the USA - I was born in a country people have fled due to political persecution. And as much as I love to travel and see other countries around the world, there is no place like the USA, where our freedom is sometimes taken for granted. I am grateful I became a naturalized citizen and take my right and responsibility to vote seriously. I am proud to be an American... sounds corny but it's true for me.

There are many, many other things that I am grateful for... being debt-free, having food in the pantry and freezer, having my blogs and other hobbies, but my Top Ten are, well, my top ten. What are your top ten?

I'll never forget these words from my Political Science professor when I was in college. He was a passionate teacher and kept us debating his often radical points-of-view about the American government and politics in general. Of course, this was back in the 70s and it was a radical time.

My poli-sci professor argued that we could never really own property in the USA, and in fact, home ownership was a myth. "You don't own your house... the bank and the government own your house," he would say provoking a debate. He maintained that even if our home was paid for, we would always continue RENT our property from the government and the rent is called "property taxes." "Just stop paying your taxes to see how long you will stay in your house," he asserted. Yeah, I think he was on to something here.

I got my ID property tax bill today expecting a reduction in my taxes. After all, our property value dropped almost 13% last year. But guess what? The local government raised the levy... the tax rate used to calculate taxes... so my taxes actually stayed the same. Well, maybe not exactly the same... they're ~$12 less. So yes, when you read in the local paper that taxes went down, it's technically true. And yes, I guess your landlord has the power to raise your rent, especially when you have no lease.

About a month ago, I took an online "IQ Test" and when I got to the end, I was asked to enter my cell phone number to get a PIN for the "results." Although I hesitated, curiosity got the best of me and I bit. I was texted a PIN, I entered it in on the website and got my IQ number.

So yesterday when I got my ATT bill I noticed it was about $30 higher than usual. After carefully reviewing it, I saw I was being charged for some "mobile purchase downloads." Turns out when I entered my phone number, somewhere in the fine print gobbledygook, I was SUBSCRIBING to Flycell. When they send you a text with a PIN, unless you text them back "STOP," you are subscribed!

I got on the phone with ATT and learned a lot. First of all, I had a block put on my line that prevents any download purchases without a PIN. It's free and part of the "parental controls" option (and we don't even have kids at home!). I further learned that unauthorized phone charges from third-parties is getting to be very common. There is a website gathering complaints for a class-action suit.

ATT was great... they reversed the charges and explained how dangerous it is to provide your phone number online... it could be a phishing scam, like the IQ test I took. So much for having a genius IQ... what a joke!.

I'm glad I check my bills as soon as I get an email alert they're available. Some of the stories I read about on the class-action website told about getting charged for months and months before they noticed.

Today I enjoyed going to the

American Girl Fashion Show, a benefit for the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital. This is the third year I've attended this special event, always as the guest of my niece who is one of the volunteers.

My 10 year-old grandniece also participated as a model... this year her costume was Felicity, a girl who grew up during the American Revolution. It's refreshing to see these adorable little girls modeling the attire of various historical periods. They looked very happy and wholesome, the way little girls should, and it was a good experience for them to learn about the daily lives of girls during different eras of American history.

My grandniece is the cutie on the right.

I am finding more and more, that it pays to check your credit card and bank accounts online DAILY if you can. Here in CA, WAMU fully transitioned to Chase Bank at the end of August. Good thing I've been checking my account daily because I caught TWO huge errors:

1) Through "Bill Pay" I send a monthly amount to a trust account at another Chase branch. The amount was deducted from my checking account on October 27. As of November 10, it still had not arrived at the other Chase branch (it normally takes up to 3 days).

It took two hours on the phone to resolve it. I had to place a stop payment on the check and set up a Quick Pay account with the Trustee. It was a nightmare. In case you're wondering, WAMU had required this to be done through Bill Pay instead of a transfer because I am not the owner of the Trust Account.

2) Also through Bill Pay, I noticed that my house payment was deducted and sent on November 6. Then, they deducted it a second time on November 12. The worst part of this was the customer service rep insinuating I did this deliberately.

Rep: "Well, this is how you set it up."

Me: "Umm, no. Why in the world would I want my house payment paid TWICE!? I haven't changed a thing since the WAMU transition to Chase."

Rep: "Well, we didn't change anything, either."

Me: "Something is wrong, and I did not do it. Looking at the scheduled payments link, I see that my December payment is scheduled to go through twice... Please put me through to your supervisor." Arghhh!

The supervisor was not much better, like dealing with dumb and dumber. An hour later, it was resolved, but not before I seriously considered getting a new mattress with a secret compartment.

Today I bought a domain at GoDaddy.com to use for a travel blog "we" are planning to initiate. I use the term "we" loosely because I haven't informed my dh that he is about to become a blogger. Since he will be 100% retired in December, I figure this will be our hobby and also useful to keep family and friends informed as we travel. In the next few weeks I will be designing our blog and will initiate it with the trip we have planned in December through the Panama Canal.

I suppose I could have gotten a free blog through blogger.com but I wanted to create something unique that I could potentially expand in some manner that might include the possibility of earning $$... not sure what, but the wheels are turning. Actually, I registered two domains, the .com and the .net versions. The two privacy-protected registrations and the web hosting service through Quick Blogcast is only $7 per month... for everything.

I chose Quick Blogcast because I'll be able to create podcasts, and upload videoclips and photos. If we find the need to expand, GoDaddy also offers several site building plans that would enable us to turn our domain into a comprehensive website. I've really been on a learning curve, but it's good exercise for my brain. I'll share the url (thenameofmyblog.com) when it's ready in case anyone is interested in the travel topics we'll be blogging about.

My parents died when I was twenty-five and consequently, my daughters grew up never knowing their maternal grandparents. I always felt this was a huge void in their lives as well as in mine. No matter how old you are, you can still feel like an orphan. My parents, while not perfect, provided unconditional love and were there for me when I needed them. And I've never stopped missing them each and every day of my life.

So, naturally, unlike some of my friends, I will never have the experience and the challenge of caring for elderly parents. Seeing what some of my friends are going through makes me determined to not be a burden on my daughters when I can no longer care for myself. To this end, I am making sure I address some of the financial aspects of being too old, ill, or frail to care for myself.

One of my friends is facing the likelihood of having to postpone her retirement because she has to subsidize her parents' income. She is dealing with an 82 year-old mother with Alzheimers and a father who until now has never been involved in the family finances. Sadly, he spends uncontrollably because he doesn't understand how to budget. My friend is fortunate that her dh is supportive because the care of her parents is consuming more and more of her time and money. This is just one example, but I know of several others. I have vowed not to do the same to my own children. So what steps have I taken?

My DD1, a registered nurse, is in charge of our advanced health care directives. We figured she would be in the best position to fully understand any health issues and the resulting implications. I also have two revocable trusts because of our somewhat complicated financial situation. I had considerably more assets than my dh when we married, so one trust addresses my sole and separate property (my DDs are the beneficiaries). The other is a community property trust (our 4 children are beneficiaries). My trust also includes instructions for my funeral... I guess you can say I'll be a control freak even after I'm dead.

Health care is one of the biggest expenses in old age and we are fortunate to have some good resources. I have limited long-term care through my former employer who also provides health care for life (through an HMO) to retirees meeting certain criteria (I did). My recently-retired dh also has health insurance through the Public Employees Retirement System, giving us access to a comprehensive PPO for a nominal fee (currently ~$46 a month). We earned these benefits through our 30+ years of service as public school educators, saving us hundreds a month on health care alone.

At a future date, we will move full-time to ID and live in the house we purchased in 2006. The house is small and easy to maintain and best of all, it's mortgage-free. When we get too old or incapacitated, our income should be adequate to pay someone to help cook, clean, run errands, and take us to appointments. Although I know my DDs would gladly help as much as they could, we do not want to burden them. And because I raised daughters that are honest and financially astute, I know I can trust them to oversee our finances when we can no longer do so. I dread doing some of the crazy or foolish things I've heard about... like another friend's mother who subscribed to 27 magazines and donated money she doesn't have to every charity that solicits through the mail.

And lastly, we've earmarked funds to be used if we have to go into an assisted living home. It comforts me to know my daughters will be there for me in the end, and that we will not be a financial burden on them. Someone was telling me about an 89 year-old woman with no family or friends. She apparently had been dead in her house for weeks before she was discovered because the mailman couldn't fit any more in the mail slot. It's very sad when you hear of someone dying alone and unnoticed. Even though you can arrange to pay for your care, in the end it's the relationships that matter most.

Over the years I've been to many weddings but yesterday I had the pleasure of attending one of the most beautiful and memorable, an elaborate affair that spanned the entire day. The bride is a young woman I met several years ago when she was a student teacher at my school. I subsequently hired her to teach full-time, and she proved to be an extraordinary teacher and continues to be a good friend.

She is Cambodian and very proud of her culture. So her wedding day began in the morning with a traditional Cambodian wedding ceremony. The bride wore a stunning gold-beaded traditional dress that highlighted her exotic beauty. She is tall and slender, the type that can wear anything and look gorgeous, but in this gown she looked like royalty.

The Khmer ceremony began with a procession around the block of the family home, then moved into four phases:
~ Presentation of the Dowry
~ Tea Ceremony
~ Hair Cutting Ceremony (symbolic, no actual cutting)
~ Pairing Ceremony
I was told some traditional Khmer ceremonies can last several days or a week, but it is becoming more common to have a "condensed" version that lasts several hours and is held on the same day as the Western wedding.

At the Pairing Ceremony, four songs were sung and the last one, Tying the Wrists, goes like this: "We tie, we tie three strings to each wrist of our children. We wish for true happiness and success to this couple, who will always be together like wet grass seeds. We tie your left wrist to make you remember your parents. We tie your right wrist to make you carry on the family lineage and traditions."

In the afternoon the couple held their Western wedding ceremony at a winery with beautiful grounds, and we were blessed with perfect weather. The bride wore a lovely Vera Wang gown, looking as if she were modeling for Vogue or a bridal magazine. Her long hair was combed up in an elegant twist and was accented with a birdcage veil. The vows were written by the couple and were romantic and sweet. After a celebratory toast and hors d'oeuvres, the formal photos began. After a while, dh and I got back in the car again for the next stop: the reception.

The reception for more than 500 guests, not all of who were invited to the ceremonies, began at 6:00 p.m. although guests were still arriving at 7:00 p.m. The venue was a restaurant known for its exceptional Asian cuisine. We sat through a 10-course meal that included some dishes I had never tried. I'm proud I tried everything, although I can't say the same for the squeamish folks at my table. We were served jellyfish and seaweed salad, crab soup, chicken, pork, sea bass, garlic lobster, abalone, prawns, shiitake mushrooms with bok choy, and the last course was white wedding rice with shrimp and scallops. Oh, and did I mention there was an open bar that served wine, beer, and spirits?

The first dance by the bride and groom was to "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. They took dancing lessons and it showed in their polished performance. Then guests were treated to a slide show that featured the couple and their large family of many aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides. Later the bride and groom, visited each table, accompanied by their parents, a videographer, and a photographer. By now, the bride had changed into the third outfit of the day: an elegant burgundy velvet dress with gold embroidery on the bodice. When we left at ~10:30 p.m., the dancing was in full swing.

I enjoyed catching up on all the news at my former school with guests I knew. Most were teacher co-workers (actually, I used to be their boss). One teacher shared she is expecting her first baby in April and had just learned it is twins, so she had lots of questions because I am also a mother of twins. Another teacher is expecting her first baby in January... it seems like I was just at her wedding, but it was actually a year ago. So, there will be baby showers and more celebrations in the future.

I've been noticing that more and more stores do not require a signature when you use a credit card, depending on the amount of the transaction. I like to pay for everything with a credit card for the rewards, and then I pay the balance in full each month. Yesterday I made a small purchase at Costco (~$27) and I was told I did not need to sign my AmEx receipt because the total was less than $100. This also happened to me a few weeks ago at Target with a purchase less than $50. Noah's Bagles at the airport and theaters are another example.

Although this practice streamlines checkout, my concern is that it makes fraud a lot easier. Years ago, when my purse was stolen, the thief ran up a huge debt with my credit card at the gas pump... he must have filled up the cars of every Tom, Dick, and Harry he knew. No signature or verification was required... he just had to slip the card into the machine at the pump. Now at least they ask for a zip code, but if someone has your license, this is easy to get.

I was thinking this was a CA practice until it happened here in ID. Is anyone else seeing the same trend?

is what I see in these beautiful fresh-cut alstroemerias from Fred Meyer. I am here in ID, enjoying the quiet solitude since dh stayed in CA. I arrived late Wednesday night and the next morning headed to the local store for fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers. Back in CA I have a bounty of houseplants, some with flowers, but here... nothing. So I buy flowers and will enjoy them for the week. Once we move here permanently, there will be plants... all over. DD2 and SIL take care of our house and I will not ask them to add plant care as well. So for now, cut flowers will do.


On Saturday, the handyman came as arranged to sand, stain, and seal the front door. The trim around the glass was peeling and although the door wasn't as bad, it got thrown into the deal. It cost $120 and I think this was a fair price, considering it took about ~3 hours and he provided the materials. The house is only 3 years old but the afternoon sun hits the door directly. Hopefully the new paint job will last more than three years. The smell of the fumes was so intense I had to open front and back doors, deal with a headache, and now go catch a few flies.

Today we are experiencing the first severe storm of the season. I live in a part of CA that has relatively mild climate, so winter storms like this one are not too common. The weather reports have been heralding this storm that was supposed to arrive yesterday and deposit several inches of rain. I even stayed up late anticipating a spectacular storm, but as of the time I went to bed, nothing. Then this morning I woke to the sound of the rain pounding the roof and windows. There is nothing like a good rain to renew the landscape, not to mention how much I enjoy being cozy inside my house when the weather is stormy outside.

Downstairs, the house was chilly, so I turned on the gas fireplace. TC is in heaven because she loves to flop in front of the fire. It's funny because MC, my other cat, used to love to do that, too. There is something primordial about fire... it doesn't just provide warmth, it also seems to soothe the spirit. Today I started thinking about what we would do here in our townhouse if we were ever to have such severe weather that it knocked out the power for a good long while.

When my daughters were little we lived in the country and heated our house with a wood stove. Winter storms would cause us to lose our power at least 2-3 times each year. The stove not only heated the house, but it also enabled me to cook warm and nutritious meals of beans, soup, or stew and get us through the worst of the storm. One time, we were without power for three days. We cooked on the wood stove and flushed the toilets with buckets of water from the pool. My kids, toddlers at the time, stayed cozy, warm, and well-fed.

With the storm raging outside, I decided that today is a good day to inventory the pantry and assess exactly what's there and to make sure I'm rotating the items to keep up with expiration dates. I saw that Costco sells an

emergency food kit for around $85. It has a shelf life of 10-20 years, depending on the storage temperature. I don't think I want to go that route but we have done some things that will help us get through a prolonged emergency.

First of all, we have an emergency box with candles, lighters, matches, flashlights, new batteries, a crank radio, and basic first aid. I keep 6 one-gallon jugs of frozen water in the garage freezer. In case of a power outage, these will help keep the food frozen longer and we can also drink it. I can boil water or cook a simple meal using my Cobb BBQ, making sure it is outside because it uses charcoal which must NEVER be burned indoors due to carbon monoxide emissions. But it heats up quickly with only 6-8 briquettes and will cook for hours.

And then there's the pantry. We keep a variety of packaged soups, canned chicken, tuna, tomatoes, corn, fruit, pasta sauce, pasta, brown rice, lots of dried beans, split peas, and lentils. We could easily eat for weeks with this bounty. So, off I go to take the inventory.

but then again, maybe not. I'll never know, but I did what I felt was right at the moment. Let me explain.

Today I went to Walmart to buy birdseed and cat food. In the parking lot a nicely dressed woman approached me. She had just gotten out of a late model sedan parked next to me and proceeded to tell me her purse had been stolen out of her car. She had no money, not even for gas... Could I spare some cash? She had a desperate look on her face, so I gave her a few dollars, remembering that once my purse had been stolen and it was a horrible experience.

The woman thanked me profusely and further explained that she had left her purse in the car and her boys (teenagers) had forgotten to lock the doors. She said her purse contained her Social Security card and theirs, too, along with her cash and credit cards. I asked if she'd reported it to the police. She hesitated, then said she had but was told there was nothing the PD could do.

On the way home I reflected about the experience and began to think that maybe I'd just been scammed. I remembered that when I parked my car, the woman had also just parked hers and two boys got out and went into the store. As I drove away, I saw the boys return to their mother's car with a small bag.

If this was legitimate "emergency," then I did the right thing. But if she "had no money," how did the boys pay for their purchase? The experience made me think about the importance of being cautious and using common sense, myself included. In hindsight:

1. Why tempt fate by leaving your purse in the car?
2. Double-check your car is locked instead of depending on teens who aren't always careful.
3. Keep your SS cards in a safe place at home.
4. An emergency cash stash at home can save you in a pinch.

One part of my fitness challenge is that I've finally joined the gym. I did so in mid-August and here I am at the end of September and I have been THREE times... not three times a week as was my original plan, but just three times. The gym seems like a waste money for me at the moment, but I will try it until the end of the year and make a better effort to actually GO. Lucky for me it is only $29 a month and I can quit at any time without a penalty. The usual $100 membership fee cost me only $8 because of an August promotion.

I've also started taking a yoga class on Monday nights through a wellness program offered by my HMO. The classes are held at the HMO's hospital and I pay $85 for 8 sessions (non-members pay $160). The class is small, about 12 students and most of us are novices. The best part of my class is the instructor, Bob. He is my new role model. Why? Well, at age 78, he proves that age is just a number. Yep... 78, limber, kind, funny, and wise. This is Bob. And here I am, ~20 years younger, and I feel like what I used to think a 78 year-old should feel like.

Tonight I'll go to my third session. At the first meeting, I took a towel to use as a mat and found it did not suit the purpose mainly because it did not grip the floor. So I invested in a yoga mat and bag Target... It came to about ~$44 with tax. I haven't been to Target for a while because I was surprised when I paid with a CC, that they didn't have me sign the receipt. When I questioned it, I was told Target does not ask for a signature if the purchase is less than $50. I DO NOT like this because I think it makes it easier for a thief to use a stolen card.

So what is the challenge? I've decided that every time I go to the gym, yoga class, or walk for at least 45 minutes, I will "pay myself" $5. What will I do with this money? I am not sure... but I am leaning toward donating it to the March of Dimes or using it to sponsor my grandniece in her school's annual run-a-thon. So here is what I have so far for September:

Yoga - 3 sessions = $15
Gym - 3 sessions = $15
Walking - 6 times = $30

TOTAL: $60

I've been reflecting about my SA blog and think perhaps I don't focus enough on "financial" topics, so I haven't posted for a while. I've always had an interest in personal finance and felt that by blogging here I could learn from others and also share the experiences that led to my "financial freedom." I was able to retire at age 58 (not really "early" but 8 years ahead of full Social Security retirement for my age group).

One of my goals has been to enjoy a comfortable retirement through the careful management of my financial resources. It's hard for me to separate living my life in retirement from the psychological and philosophical role that money plays in our lives.

After years and years of planning for my future retirement, the future is here. But it doesn't mean I can't continue to learn from others or that others can't learn from me. But still, I have to remember the focus of this forum is personal finance. I guess I will continue to post, although it probably will be less frequently. However, I will continue to enjoy the SA blogs.

We had to evict tenants that had been at one of our rentals for more than four years, and it has made me realize I may want to get out of the rental business altogether. We have never had to evict a tenant before and it is a very unpleasant experience even though I am not directly involved. It is especially distressing to me because the tenants had two young children and I feel very badly about the impact on the children.

In June we employed a property manager who is a "no nonsense" type of person. The tenants had been late paying their rent for the last year and a half, but they eventually paid. We even let them pay in two installments to help them but things only continued to deteriorate. Long story short, the tenants were three weeks late in June and did not pay in their July rent, so our manager gave them their three-day notice at the end of July and proceeded to evict them.

What is mind-boggling is that when the manager went to collect the rent, he found a person living there who was not on the lease (she said she was the sister of one of the tenants). This woman told the manager the tenants were on vacation on the Oregon coast. Beats me how you would go on vacation when you haven't even paid the rent. This was the straw that broke the camel's back, so we agreed to the eviction.

Well, the tenants are out and it looks as if we will need the entire month of August and possibly September to get the property rentable again. So far, the house needs new floors throughout, complete painting, major cleaning, and lots of minor repairs. The tenants left tons of garbage and unwanted items, not to mention they lived in filth.

Words cannot describe the stench and the dirt we encountered when we went to see for ourselves today. Their pets (unauthorized) soiled the carpets right down to the sub-floors. This environment is hazardous for children! The once-beautiful back yard is a weed patch and there are oil/grease stains in the garage and driveway.

Believe it or not, this backyard was once pristine and well-manicured with a lush lawn.


This is the sub-floor after the carpets were removed. The stains are from dog urine. The floors have to be treated and sealed before we can replace the carpets. All linoleum also has to be replaced due to gouges.


This is the space next to the refrigerator. The entire house is this dirty.


I am hoping we can get through this nightmare for under $10,000 including the two months of lost rent (assuming we get it rented by September 1). The security deposit will not even cover the cost of hauling the tenant's trash to the dump (broken washer, 12 tires, old CPU, broken desk, dog house, car parts, swing set, toys, etc.). Even if we decide to sell this house, we still have to clean and repair it. We DO NOT need the headache and expense!! To make matters worse, owning rentals gives us no tax advantage due to income limits, so why are we doing this?

For the last two weeks, dh and I have been in Boise enjoying our second home. Most of the time the weather's been great but it's gotten very hot in the last few days. It hasn't stopped us from making some great summer memories, though.

Last week we spent two days in McCall, one of my favorite areas and about a two-hour drive from Boise. Payette Lake is in McCall and we found it to be very quiet and not at all crowded during the week.


For a reasonable fee, you can dock you boat at the marina. Payette Lake is popular for waterskiing, jet skiing, and fishing. There are abundant hiking and biking trails at the Ponderosa State Park.


Through our timeshare we were able to stay in a comfortable two-bedroom apartment with great amenities... we were able to cook some of our meals in the well-stocked kitchen.


We had fun watching the resident raccoon. I think he lives under the deck and comes out when he hears folks talking or grilling on the gas BBQ that is provided for guests. "Mmmm... can I have a piece of chicken, pleeeease?"


There was no cost to use the apartment, except for the annual fee that we pay. When you take into account these timeshare fees, it comes to ~$37 a day for accommodations. Not bad for a place that sleeps six.

We are finding that in Boise, most people are friendly and helpful. Life just seems slower-paced and simpler. We can go to the local theater complex and see a movie for $6.75 each (senior discount) and not worry about getting a seat. We went to see Harry Potter on the second day of its release. It was good... it was long and lacked the impact of the first movies, but still worth seeing.

Boise is a bike-friendly city. We've been riding our bikes quite a bit but since the heat wave started, we are riding less. The

Boise greenbelt provides about 25 miles of paved pathway. It's great!

We went to the Shakespeare Festival on Saturday to see Comedy of Errors... it was a lot of fun, especially because DD1 and SIL went with us. We enjoyed a nice picnic dinner, followed by DDs homemade strawberry shortcake... which was decadently good.

Even grocery shopping in Boise is more enjoyable for me... you can actually find parking at Costco on a Saturday. That's a big deal for me because, back in Silicon Valley, we NEVER go to Costco on a Saturday due to the crowds and difficult parking.

I'm finding that the cost of living is much less in Boise, especially food and gas. I used Sperling's calculator and found that it is 42% cheaper to live in Boise than in San Jose. Housing is 62% cheaper in Boise than San Jose. This is good news for us because our retirement dollar should go farther when we move here permanently next year as planned.

In our neighborhood, it seems that the real estate market is perking up. Last year in June there were 40+ properties for sale (newly-built homes and lots). Now there are about 12. With a few exceptions, the homes in our neighborhood are well-cared for, thanks in part to our HOA that is doing a better job of monitoring CCR enforcement.

Our Boise home has limited storage so we are getting bids for adding a large storage area in the attic space above the garage. We will be getting two or three bids and will make our decision after we analyze the proposals. It will be interesting to see how ID construction costs compare to CA.

I pay the majority of our bills via auto-payments that are easy to manage online and ensure bills get paid on time. One exception is our property taxes. Our Idaho taxes were due in June and I mailed the check well before the due date. When we returned from our vacation, the payment had been returned due to a .02 shortage on the postage. Two cents!! I guess I was in la-la land when postage rates were raised to 44 cents in early May. So, my 2-cent mistake resulted in a $254.49 late fee.

So, I mailed the tax payment again, along with the late fee and included the envelope that showed the original postmark. Then I called the Ada County Treasurer's office to explain the "check was in the mail." To my surprise, they informed me I will not be charged the late fee because the original postmarked envelope proves it had been mailed by the due date. Instead, they will return my check. Lessons learned: 1) Not all government agencies are unreasonable; 2) From now on, I will only buy the "Forever" stamps.

My dh is retiring tomorrow, on July 1. Originally, once he officially retired, he was planning to participate in a program that allows tenured faculty to teach 50% for 5 years. He has decided that doing this for one or maybe two years may be enough. So he will teach in the fall and then may completely retire at the end of 2009. Although his decision is not set in stone, it surprised me. I will support him whatever he decides... working 50% for a few years or "completely" retiring. So, now we are facing some decisions.

We live in a condo in Silicon Valley and have a second home in ID, where my DDs live. Our plan was to eventually sell the CA condo and move to the ID home once dh was 100% retired. Until recently, I didn't think it would happen for at least five years, so we were just coasting along. But now I am facing the reality of moving from the area that has been my home for ~17 years.

I love the diversity of Silicon Valley and the excellent access to so many activities. But the biggest change will be moving away from family and friends. My only sibling and best friend, my sister, lives 45 minutes away. My niece and her children live 25 minutes away, and I am very close to them. Over the years, I've made good friends and will miss seeing them on a regular basis. My dh's children live in Fresno, ~4 hours away, so we will see them less often, too.

But ID is a beautiful state, made all the more special because my daughters live there. However, they have lives and careers of their own. Although it will be great to be minutes away from them, I can't and won't expect them to alter their lives for us. Once we are permanently living in our new city, dh and I will have to work on making new friends and getting involved in community activities. And while I don't think it will necessarily be an easy transition, it will be an exciting challenge.

Another issue is that real estate is extremely depressed in our area, and we may not be able to easily sell our condo. So, dh and I have been discussing the idea renting our condo, something we did for the first three years after we bought it. We can rent it for enough to cover the payment and a 10% management fee. And, we could rent it for up to three years and still get our capital gains exclusion. Not that it matters right now... I think the place is worth about the same as we paid for it in 2003, so there is really no gain to consider at the moment.

I have been reflecting about why I am leaning toward renting our condo. To be honest, I feel we can always move back to Silicon Valley if living in Idaho is not what we expected it to be. It's not that I think we won't enjoy living in Idaho, but I know it will be different to live there full-time instead of just spending a few weeks here and there. So, we'll see... time will tell and help us clarify our decisions.

Five days after returning from ~ a month of intense work in Guatemala, dh and I left on our long-planned cruise to Alaska. It was a wonderful experience, especially because we were joined by my DDs and SILs. It was great to see them every day for a whole week, enjoying meals and some excursions together.

Alaska is beautiful and we had clear but cool weather most days. Juneau was the exception, where it rained as we sailed away through the icy fjord. The wildlife is abundant... we saw seals, whales, dolphins, eagles, bears, and even some reindeer.

I photographed this eagle near the Ketchikan rain forest.


The Glacier Gardens in Juneau are alive with color and texture.


Here is a view of Mendenhall Glacier (Juneau) from the observation area... it is magnificent.


This is Dawes Glacier, seen as we sailed through Endicott Fjord.


We saw some beautiful, rugged country on the train excursion to White Pass in Skagway.


The view from our stateroom was amazing.


We had three adjoining staterooms and had fun visiting from our balconies. My DDs/SILs are enjoying the view as we leave Seattle.


Cheers!

The trip to Guatemala was very productive and culminated in success for our 18 students. Everyone completed the course requirements and we made it back safely to the USA. Our journey was not without some "problems," though.

While we were there, we experienced:
~ 3 earthquakes (1 strong, 2 mild)
~ two torrential downpours
~ the closing of one of our schools due to H1N1 flu outbreak
~ my dh sick enough to warrant going to the hospital (he recovered)

The day after we arrived back in the USA, all schools in Guatemala were closed until July 1 due to H1N1 flu. Unlike the USA, the Guatemalan school year is from January to October. Our timing was perfect because we finished the program the Friday before all the schools were closed by the government.

But, we're back, and eager to go again next year. Dh and I will rent an apartment and live there a few months, doing pro bono teacher training and just enjoying the beautiful city of Antigua. The schools want us to return and even went as far as helping us find an apartment we will be able to rent.

It was truly an amazing experience to wake up each day in this beautiful part of the world. The Guatemalan people are welcoming, and the city is a mecca for learning. Language schools abound and people from around the globe come here to learn Spanish or Kakchiquel (the Mayan language).

Apart from the cultural dynamic, the geography is breathtaking. I took the photos of these two volcanoes from the roof of our posada. This one is called "Agua," taken the day after a heavy rain when there was no cloud cover.


On the same day, I took this photo of "Fuego" which actively sputters all day long, sending sheets of lava down the mountain. You can see the lava if you look closely.

We arrived at Chichicastenango after breakfast Sunday morning, en route from a night at Lake Atitlan. The volcanoes that surround Lake Atitlan look like a watercolor backdrop at sunset.


We will be here just a couple of hours and there is much to see. The sights, smells, sounds, and colors of the marketplace at Chichicastenango fill the senses. Here in this bustling marketplace, I catch a glimpse of the lives of the locals, so different from my own. This is the area in the market where the locals come to buy and sell their produce.


Artisans proudly display their wares and eagerly tell you about the artist or the weaver and the region where an item was produced. Each village has its own unique weaving style, so it is easy to identify where people are from by the patterns on their huipiles (traditional woven top worn by the women). I wish I could buy a trunk full of items to bring back home, but alas, space is limited. But this visual treat, now digitally preserved, will be enjoyed again and again.


These are Nativity scenes (creches) made of clay and hand painted. Guatemala is predominantly Roman Catholic.


Although a stranger looking in, I am touched by the universal bond of motherhood. Guatemalan mothers, babies snugly strapped in their rebozo slings, are no different than mothers around the globe. They love and protect their children and it is joyful to see. But I cannot be obvious in taking photos... Americans have been warned... NO PHOTOS... because some Guatemalans believe babies might be kidnapped for adoption by foreigners. It is now very difficult to adopt Guatemalan babies, unlike a few years back when adoption was a booming, unregulated business.


"He's not heavy; he's my brother..." for 5 Quetzales (63 cents), though, I am allowed to take this picture.


Dare I try the freshly made blue corn tortillas or the luscious fresh fruit ready to be eaten? In my younger days, I would not hesitate to eat food sold on the street. But now I am more careful, knowing I cannot do my job if I were to get sick... I simply don't bounce back the way I used to. But I can still take in the wonderful aromas of the typical fare while I snack on my Trio bar and banana.

There was no school on Wednesday, so at dawn, the air clean and fresh from the evening rain, our group took the shuttle to the starting point of our climb up the slopes of

Pacaya. After more than 100 years of being dormant, Pacaya had a violent eruption in 1965 and has been erupting continuously since then. In fact, Pacaya is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. In 2000, the activity was such that flights to Guatemala City were suspended for two days.

This is a photo I took of Volcan Pacaya on the way up the trail.


I have to admit being a little apprehensive about the climb... but dh assured me even "old" people make it up the mountain. He does have a way with words! My right ankle has been troubling me after pulling a tendon a few months back, and despite therapy, it still gets sore easily. The perfect solution for me involved spending $25 for a guided horseback ride up and down the slope (more than 7 kilometers), led by Miguel, a young man of about 16. Even some of the more fit and younger members of the group opted for the horseback ride. Dh, an avid hiker, led the others up the steep slope.

I rode Canario up the steep 7 kilometer slope.


What can I say... by hook or by crook, I was going to see the red-hot lava flow close up. On my horse, Canario, the ascent was fast-paced but I was able to chat with my guide... my fluent Spanish coming in very handy. Miguel said he no longer attends school because he has to help support his widowed mother and 3 younger siblings. Despite the obvious challenges in his life, this young man demonstrated a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and great interpersonal skills. Imagine what he could do with his life if he had access to a good education!

Miguel knew a great deal about the local flora because he told me all about the numerous plants we passed on the way to the volcano. For example, one plant, called "Hoja de Queso" is used to press cheese between two large leaves. It has antibacterial properties and can also be used as emergency TP or to wipe a sweaty brow. Miguel earned a nice big tip for his extra-special guided tour.

"Hoja de Queso" is a versatile plant.


At the summit, from my vantage point I could see the roiling red-hot lava spilling from the caldera... a wizards brew, complete with an occasional pungent whiff of sulfur. A tremendous heat radiated from the flow, and I was happy to observe from a distance. Thankfully, the thick soles of my hiking boots protected me from the sharp lava we stood on. To my surprise, I learned the lava we are standing on is only 5 months old. I am grateful I decided to pack my hiking boots and gloves to protect my hands as I negotiated through the craggy lava flow. As I steadied myself on the sharp, black lava, my walking pole was looking pretty beat up. I took photos with my Flip video and later will convert some footage to still shots. It was fascinating!

One of our students can be seen crossing to the lava flow on horseback.


I took this photo of the lava flow with a 3X zoom.


The ride down was harder than the ride up. Because of the steep grade I had to lean back very far and press tightly into the stirrups. Canario, only seven years old, was a veteran of the trails... not even phased by the poisonous snake he stopped for on the trail.

The poisonous snake on the trail down was more startled by the horse than vice versa.


I had a view of another volcano called Agua on the way down the trail.


By 1:30 we were back at the posada, in time to make lunch and then get to work planning the seminars for the coming week. Later, I paid $12 for a soothing 45-minute reflexology massage... what a treat for my tired feet!

One of the "must see" places in the beautiful Antigua, Guatemala is the five-star hotel, Casa Santo Domingo. It is actually one of the grandest monasteries from the 16th century colonial period of the Americas and it has been converted to a luxury hotel, complete with all the amenities and conveniences of the 21st century. The gardens are exquisite with a vast array of tropical foliage and perched macaws, and the artwork on display in the lobby and the many passageways makes for a museum-like experience. In addition, there is an actual museum beyond the ruins of the original structure and also a unique open-air church.

The lobby of Casa Santo Domingo.


The church is beyond the ruins seen in this picture.


The macaws are colorful and charming. It's almost as if they know you are watching because they perform silly "tricks" like hanging upside down.


You can see the macaws in the gardens.


Our group enjoyed the "all you can eat" Sunday brunch, reasonable at ~$20 per person, considering the vast array of food and drink available. The food truly defies description... one can choose from typical "American-style" breakfast fare such as waffles, pancakes, sausage and eggs to personally prepared omelets and crepes. Then there is the typical Guatemalan food such as tamales, beans, cheeses, enchiladas, exquisite tropical fruit and much more. The students were in heaven, sampling the many dishes. I chose the typical food, including some Salvadoran pupusas (stuffed tortillas) that are my favorite.


The experience was all the more special because my cousin, ML and her husband, were here from El Salvador for the weekend. And, no, they did not stay at Casa Santo Domingo. They stayed at the posada with us, where a small but clean and comfortable room is ~$40 a night compared to ~$250 or more at Casa Santo Domingo. In our travels, we rarely, if ever, stay at such expensive digs, but we know can still get the flavor of a place by dining, having a drink, or just visiting the public areas and gardens of interesting and unique places like Casa Santo Domingo.

Well, here we are in beautiful Antigua, Guatemala. This colonial-era city is surrounded by lush fincas (plantations) where IMHO they grow some of the best coffee in the world. The coffee is exported to countries such as the US, Europe, and Japan... you may have even tasted Guatemalan coffee at Starbuck's. This afternoon our group took a tour of La Azotea, a coffee finca and museum.





Coffee trivia: After oil, coffee is the second-largest traded commodity in the world. Around the globe, coffee lovers like me drink more than 2 billion cups each day! Mmmm... delicious, just give me a strong cup and my day is off to a good start!

On our tour we learned how coffee is grown, harvested, toasted, and prepared for export. The tour was interesting and educational and, I learned much about the coffee industry in Guatemala. Sadly, coffee workers are paid the equivalent of ~$5 a day or ~$100 a month even though imported Guatemalan coffee can be very expensive.



Why? One factor is the middleman's cut and the growers' profit margin. Another factor, and this is solely my opinion, poor hungry people will work for less than the minimum monthly wage of ~$195, hardly enough to subsist on as it is. But it is better than nothing, I suppose, even though it's very hard manual labor to hand pick 100 pounds of coffee a day.

Today is my one-year blogoversary. ONE YEAR that went by quickly, but here we are. At this time last year, I had just made the decision to retire and was looking forward to the change. And, even though I don't post as often as I thought I would, I enjoy blogging because it helps me reflect as I continue to grow personally and learn more about myself. Yes, even old dogs like me can learn new tricks! And after a year, I still enjoy reading everyone else's blogs, too. Thank you all for your support!

Before I retired, I had a busy and rewarding, albeit stressful job as an elementary school principal. Although I enjoyed the work and it paid well, the job required ~60+ hours a week and there was always something happening at least one evening a week, and even on weekends. I used to think that that my dh had it made with the easier job because he is "just a teacher."

Well, since retiring, I have a newfound appreciation for my dh's job. Now that I am home more, I see and understand how much time he puts into his job. He teaches adults, graduate students, and they generate copious amounts of writing through the various required course assignments. He carefully reads every paper and writes comments on each one. He stays on top of the research in his field and must prepare for his classes, not to mention having to publish scholarly articles and books on a regular basis, and coordinate his program. And then there are the frequent and time-consuming department and committee meetings.

I guess I never noticed before because I was too busy with my own job. In retrospect, I was so wrapped up my work that I became oblivious to what my dh actually does and how hard he works. The workaholic life I used to lead was a selfish life because I tended to focus on my own work as if it were more important then dh's, and it consumed so much of my time. Now, things are very different... although I earn less than half of what I used to, life is by far richer and more rewarding.

to prod you into action! Deadlines motivate me, so I volunteered to create a slideshow for a celebration at the university where I've been working part time. I used iDVD, iPhoto, iTunes, and Keynote to create a 10-minute slideshow that loops. Students emailed me photos and I incorporated more than 150 of them in the slideshow. After I added transitions and music, it was ready to be burned on a DVD. The DVD was played on the high-tech audio system of the auditorium and the slideshow projected on a huge screen behind the podium.

Based on the positive comments from students and their families, the slideshow was a hit. I've wanted to learn how to create a DVD slideshow for a while, and having this project with its deadline forced me to work on it until I figured it out and got it just the way I wanted. Now I know how to use digital photos and video clips to create a special DVD... and this could make a great, inexpensive, and unique gift. All the programs I used came pre-installed in the laptop I bought last year, so I only had to spend about 40 cents each for the 5 copies of the DVD.

My next project: scan old family photos from the pre-digital days and create some DVD "albums" for our children.

Well, thanks to Joe Biden's comment about not flying due to the swine flu (uh, I mean the Type A, H1N1 flu), some of our students are getting concerned about our upcoming trip to Guatemala. The university already recommended the group change flight plans so that we do not have connections in Mexico... I was OK with that, even though it was not without cost. But now, there seems to be an increasing panic situation, fueled and exacerbated by the media.

Biden's

comments were in direct contradiction with "official advice from numerous U.S. government agencies and worldwide health organizations, who are NOT suggesting that people avoid all air and land-based travel." Biden is now back-peddling and trying to smooth things over. Yet, I am seeing some signs that people are reacting out of fear.

Today, at my local supermarket almost all pork and pork-products were on sale. Ditto with anything "Mexican," whether it came from Mexico or not. Don't people read that you CANNOT get the flu by eating pork? Well, I bought some nice sausage which I will cook for breakfast, along with some luscious, Mexican-grown mangos at 2/$1. I also bought some grated Mexican cheese from Kraft that was on sale for $2.50. And forget trying to find any Purell hand sanitizer. Yesterday I went to SIX stores around here, and all are completely out.

My dh and have, for years, carried around a small container of hand sanitizer. We know using it regularly helps prevent colds, and we've done this since way before it became the thing to do. And, even though we've endured friendly teasing and comments by people who think we are over-reacting, we rarely get colds. I also always use my own pen at the bank or to sign credit slips. This is a tip I got from my daughter, an RN, who says "public" pens are a breeding ground for microbes.

I am not downplaying the seriousness of the flu outbreak, but it's important that people follow common-sense practices and not panic. So, the trip to Guatemala is still on but we are continuously reassuring our students. We even bought facemasks to use on the plane, the shuttles, and anywhere crowded, if necessary. I ordered them from a dental supply company and paid $7.49 for 50. They came today and are excellent quality. Hopefully, we will never have to use them.

Yesterday's local paper had an

article about a 44-year-old man, Peter Lawrence, who retired early from his job as an HP manager... a very good thing. But what is different about this fellow is that he now lives a life of EXTREME minimalism. And I do mean extreme.

His condo is bare, except for a simple folding chair and an ironing board. He sleeps on the floor in a sleeping bag, uses the ironing board as his "desk," and owns very little clothing. His laptop is his photo album, electronic filing cabinet, TV, CD and DVD player. He says he can pack all his worldly possessions in one suitcase.

Lawrence self-published a book called The Happy Minimalist that describes his lifestyle and the philosophy that motivates him to live this way. According to Lawrence, his extreme lifestyle is not at all about frugality, being a cheapskate, or deprivation. It's about making calibrated choices, consuming less, and preserving resources. Lawrence says he lives "well below his means."

I don't know... this would be a very difficult lifestyle for most people, and certainly for me, but to each his own. However, I'd rather see someone living like this extreme (albeit eccentric) minimalist over someone living a life of extreme excess, well above their means. And I certainly know my share of people that fit into the latter category.