New Friends
In spite of social distancing, I’m suddenly popular. I’m not sure God understood me when I said doing my best blind hermit imitation, “A visitor’s all I ask. A temporary companion to help me pass a few short hours in my lonely life.”
Thoughtful folks from all over the country are calling me day and night … about my health care options. I will turn 65 in September, so it’s all about Medicare supplements, but still, it’s the thought that counts.
I did sign up for Medicare and got a message it was approved. I am not drawing Social Security yet, so I assume the next step will be setting up some sort of process for paying monthly premiums. As for supplements, Dale is retired military, so we have Tricare for Life as our secondary.
This might be a good time to whisper a sweet nothing in his ear, “Thank you for your service.”
My other new friends are the Biden people. I donated $100 to his campaign, and I got a personal email thanking me for my contribution! He said, “We will send a lot of messages to you, Donna, because you are our lifeblood. You kept the lights on when people swore we were about to pack up and go home.”
They like me, they really like me!
While I don’t look forward to lots of emails, I officially welcome them to bombard my inbox if that’s what it takes. Just doing my part for America.
Escape fiction
Bored? Need a good book? I just finished Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black. The setting is World War II. An American woman, who is also a sharpshooter, is in the United Kingdom with her British husband, and she is recruited for a secret mission to assassinate Hitler. Things go wrong, her handlers in the UK have abandoned her and she’s on her own in Paris trying to survive as Nazis hunt her down.
This is what they mean by escape fiction! I usually don’t like WWII books, but I couldn’t put it down.
retirement marches on
All in all, the virus sucks, but even when the shit hits the fan, I believe it’s possible to stay safe, busy, happy and fulfilled.
I review my retirement cheat sheet daily:
- Play golf
- Practice golf
- Cook
- Arts & crafts
- Walk
- Write
- Housework
- Home maintenance & repair
- Weights
- Read
- Brush the kitty
- Stretch
- Swim
- Tend my cannabis garden
It’s a busy day, and before you know it, it’s happy hour.
Mandatory masks
California went to mandatory masks indoors and where you can’t maintain social distancing. I love it. Makes most activities safer for everyone. We went to the farmer’s market and saw a few people without masks. I saw one woman, all dolled up and maskless.
Dale: What’s her excuse?
Me: She’s too cute to wear a mask.
Anyway, Dale and I agreed we can’t let it piss us off when we see selfish people violating the mandates designed to protect us. No muttering, just keep moving and stay six feet away.
Dale needs to make a trip to the hardware store, but the last time he went he said no one was wearing mask. No one. That was before the new requirements. But still, it makes him nervous … he said it was no county for old masks. I said it was no county for old men, and we both laughed.
After my usual political rantings, a friend asked me what I was doing about it. Did I contribute to the Biden campaign? So shamed into reality. I contributed and my lawn sign and bumper stickers are on the way. So we will have the same friend!
Friends of friends!
Are non-mask wearers the new anti-vaxxers? One wonders.
My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer (stage 3) a short while ago. She underwent a double mastectomy as I was making my cross-country move to my new residence on Vancouver Island. Now I am in the same province as my sister but still about 8 hours’ drive away (including a 2hr ferry trip…much better than 4-5 days driving or having to take a plane). She asked if I would participate in a Zoom meeting with her oncologist on Monday and of course I said yes. I believe this is to lay out the plan for post-surgery treatment (chemo and/or radiation).
It gives me hope to read about yourself and other survivors, Donna.
Deb
Our local newspaper has featured quotes from people against the mask policy, and so far, it appears they are anti-vaxxers as well. Today’s edition had a story that included an anti-mask woman saying they’re just getting us all to comply now so we’ll get in line for vaccines later.
I’m sorry your sister has breast cancer. I’m glad our survival stories give you hope. You may have read on the blog that I did not do reconstruction. Please feel free to reach out if your sister is interested in learning more about that option.
Thank you Donna.
Last time we discussed it (pre-surgery), she was thinking no reconstruction but that could change. Good to know.
Deb
I tell ya. I’m in a primary state so I am also getting all of that crap. As I recall I had a whole plastic tabletop bin whose sole purpose was to hold medicare stuff, and as a federal employee with lifetime insurance of course it never got opened, lol. My problem with donating to any organizations even the ones I like are then of course, well, they think you’ll do that ever month. Staying close to home, since I’m not going out without a mask and not going anywhere they pretty much don’t require them…..bored is not in my lexicon.
I know what you mean about giving even to a cause you like. I just gave yesterday and am already being asked for more … which I will probably do, but geez, give it a few days. I’m willing to put up with it this time because I want Trump out of the White House, out of my brain.
I’m always impressed by all the things you do, and it sounds like you have a lot of fun doing it.
I retired at 70 and seven years later, I’m still getting as much Medicare mail as I did at that point. Then the senders wanted me to join their plans; now the senders want me to switch.
Los Angeles County has mandated masks for awhile but too many people think they’re above it all.
Yay, so I have more mail to look forward to.
I really don’t understand these people who think they’re above it all. As I was reading the book set in WWII, I was struck by how unified people were to defeat fascism. I’m not sure we still got it.
I have about 10 months until I turn 65 so I expect all that communication to start heating up soon. I have actually received a few things already but I haven’t gotten serious about it yet. I want to make sure I do the right thing but how do you know for sure? Please continue to share your experiences with this. I like to learn from those who’ve already gone through it.
We have a hotly contested US senate race going on so that’s about all we hear right now. I’m a registered independent which does keep some of the calls and mail away.
I learned from my husband, who did not apply for Medicare within the window of opportunity. If you don’t sign up in time, there’s a financial penalty that lasts forever.
Cute mask! My husband is on Medicare but not taking Social Security yet. You pay quarterly and receive an actual bill. I set up paying online via my bank so that even if the bill doesn’t arrive in the mail in time it still is paid on time.
Oh, that’s good to know. Thank you so much for sharing! I’ll do the autopay as well.
Thank you! It was an honor to make it for Donna.
It feels sort of Laura Ashley-ish. I love it and can’t thank you enough. By the way, I redid my picture accompanying this post after I read about the proper way to wear a mask. The chin should be covered, and if there are folds or pleats, they should point down.