Boomers age and housing

The last few weeks there has been one man who has shown up at the food pantry.
Pretty well dressed.
A ten year old car, that is immaculate.
First he came once a month,
then once a week and now every three days.

Our food pantry primarily cares for the working poor.
We have about 150 families in a month
who come to help get over the line from not enough to eating daily.
About a fifth are "poor life choices" people.
many take their lunch break to get the food.

And then there are the few elderly who are slowly showing up.
Mr W is 88. Mrs S is 69. Mr T is 72.
All live in a house/townhouse.
In our area the safe housing begins at $120,000.
They all have mortgages.
Mortgage is paid first, and then utilities, then food.
All have a cat or a dog.
All are single- widowed.
None have "family"around.
All are apologetic for even showing up, embarrassed.

The conversation among workers has been pretty negative about these older people.
"Looks like" they have money.
They should give up their animal.
Why don't they get public housing
(which you have to qualify for and has a five year wait).
They are taking from others who need it.

I am taking this article into the pantry tomorrow.
It is about housing and the elderly.
We are about to be hit with a whole new wave of elder poverty.
The surprising part is those people WERE middle class.
The scary part is that WE are a part of the age group.

Relationships

I shattered my elbow a few weeks ago.

Yes, that is it now. 

Ice, sleep, exercise, Morton.

The take away?

Relationships.

My husband and I don't hold hands, or any of that.

We have different hobbies and interests

I travel, a lot, he loves the doggies and home,

Satisfying Retirement Bob gave some tips on keeping a relationship going.
Good ideas

My tips are loyalty and laughter.

I am fiercely independent,

 but my best friend rubs Blue Emu on my back 

and finds funny movies on the tv.

We talk politics, 

world news and 

family.

He giggled when I came out in a crazy outfit-

and then clothes pinned me in.

I can say the same about long time friends.
My daughter and I grouch and laugh daily.
My son calls with tips to help.

 My sister and sisters in law are amazing.
Just checking in
I am so excited to start living closer to all of them.

And my dearest friends
Who knew you could text message philosophical questions
in between laughs and tears of every day journeys?

Jesus lays down my path
and relationships are my trees to lean against along the way.
In that I am peaceful.

And this is what  I think about
on pain medication
on a lovely fall day.

I'd take a picture,
but I have a tough time with being a lefty :)

Birthday week

I turned 62 on the 30th.
It was a wonderful weekend with grands,
fudge brownie birthday cake
and my first real decision to wait for Social Security.

The grands left
and I to hustle to the food pantry.
We have been slammed lately, and I so cool goodies.

Then the hazard of three began to happen.

I got pulled over for going 62 in a 40 zone.
When the trooper got to my car I could not find my insurance.

That was number one.

Seven am the next morning,
 we were taking the puppy to get spade.
She got off the lead.
Running to traffic she turned when I screamed her name.
She ran back,
I leaded down to scoop her up
and.....as she went under my legs, I fell.

Number two.

We got home from 14 hours at  the hospital
and got an email
with the CCRs for our almost purchased land.
there were some pretty weird things in them.
If they were not fixed...
our week trip to find land would have been a waste.

Number three.

On the "good" side
The trooper took pity on me. I was the only one who stopped in  a line of seven cars.
Instead of a huge fine and taking my license.
He wrote me a pseudo ticket for 44 in a 40
which I have already paid.

The fall? I have a dislocated fracture of my elbow.
Very nasty mess.
Rebuild will be  on Tuesday.
Can you imagine if I had hit my head?
I am relearning how to write and type with my left hand.

The land?
Since we were the first people to buy to live in the development
(many spec home lots)
they took out what was crazy
and explained the rest- in writing.
We are happy again.

Here is hoping that the second week of my sixty second year goes better,
If not,
I will be applying for Social Security next weekend!

If you pray,
I could use all prayers for my surgeon on Tuesday!