Retirement, Are you Ready?

This is it the long haul! You are positive that you have lived a full life, the fullest that you ever can and you are ready to retire. But are you really ready?  You may think there is no imminent need for retirement planning but there actually is. You see there are a lot of things to consider before you do get on that platform and accept the retirement package your workplace is offering you. And retirement planning requires one to consider five things.                                                  

The first thing to consider when you’re mulling over retirement planning is the decision as to where you would be living. Let’s face it: you would not want to be a burden to your children especially if they already have families of their own. Sure visits and such are all right but living with them is a totally different story. Thus you should consider this thoroughly when you start your retirement planning. A lot of people prefer to go back to the house or the area where they were raised. And you can do this as well. You can also choose to go to that one place you’ve always wanted to go. Whatever catches your fancy is the goal of retirement planning here.                               

The second thing to consider is the financial aspect. Do you have enough money to support your plans? Is your pension plan enough to jive with the retirement planning that you have started conceptualizing? No correct answer can ever fit this question because this would totally depend on the goals you have laid out for yourself. Just make sure that you do have enough so that the purpose of retirement planning would not be defeated.                                 

The third thing to consider is whether or not you are indeed ready to retire. You may think this is not something to consider but it actually is. When you retire you will have a lot of free time on your hands. And you just might find too much time too daunting. So you should consider this carefully.     

The fourth thing is the concept of working after retirement. Now there are a lot of people out there who opt to continue working light jobs after retiring. And this is not something out of the ordinary. If this is something you are planning to do you won’t have that much difficulty at all. There are a lot of jobs still available for people after retirement.              

The fifth thing to consider is your health. Aside from funds for vacations and the like you also need to ready yourself regarding your health. This is indeed something you should consider when retirement planning. This way you won’t be a burden on your family and their families.       

 

Keep Dancin’. LB

Keeping The Doggy In Style

Just like how individuals change our current wardrobe once the time of year changes in order that we're able to keep in touch with the latest fashion and weather needs, it really is just as essential for us to keep on updating the fashion of our domestic pets too.

There are lots of sites on the internet and every pet store has a wide array of clothing available for your dog, in a variety of styles with diverse fabrics for every climate change.

For people with a smaller family dog, articles of clothing which are usually personalized in accordance with the height and width of your pet may be ordered. There are various types to choose from for instance casual jackets, hoodies, tanks, etc.

The garments can be picked out depending on the weather conditions in order that the animals feel at ease wearing them. You can also decide on colors which harmonize with your own outfits for when the two of you go for a stroll, your fashionable puppy that’s with you will boost your ownership.

For thedoggie to put on during the chillier periods of the year, there are specific clothes designed which happen to have stripes that assist with night visibility whenever you go for a walk. Plaid blanket coats with wool lining could be purchased if the weather has gone seriously frigid.

Of course, some of you may be wondering why I am talking about Pet Apparel. We now live in an area where we have Daily climate changes.    We have looked at a variety of clothing and there are so many styles. The majority require you having to pull the dogs legs through an opening or pull over their heads.  Depending on how your dog’s body type sometimes this puts their legs in awkward positions. It just becomes a chore for you and traumatic for the dog.

So Paul is working on a design that will only use Velcro or snaps and easy to put on and take off.  He is thinking of turning this into his retirement cottage industry along with his embroidery items. So watch for a new name to appear specializing in custom doggy clothes, embroidered with pet’s name; now what should we call it … Paul’s Paw Couture

Family, Friends and a Year of Changes

As the year draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the past year and how very important our family and friends have been in our lives.  I am sure most of us are still in a stupor from our Christmas feast.  It was during our feast that I got to thinking about how 2011 had been a year of many changes for Paul and I.

I started the year in a new/old position after 20 years with Intracorp, the company was sold to GENEX Services at the end fo 2010. So although I am still doing the same job, it was all new with a new employer. The year has been a challenge learning how to do the same job under new policies and proceedures. I do have to state that my new immediate boss has been nothing but accepting and supportive in this year of transition.

I also started a new website www.LineDanceNews.com and also became the host site for Stella Cabeca's website.  Just taking my passion for dancing to a new level.

Paul met a milestone this year and after 30 years retired from the US Postal Service. He has been making a nice adjustment to the life as a retired person.

Then the most dramatic change came the last quarter of the year when we decided it was now time to make the move to Tennessee to be closer to both our families especially my Father. It then all happen very quickly with us selling the house in Florida.  So after 40 years for Paul and 20 years for myself in Florida, we relocted to Clarksville, Tennessee.

So this Holiday season, we got to spend with our families and not our our Florida friends. For me it was a very special holiday getting to spend it with my Father and sister afte 20 years. I know my Mom was smiling down at us, happy that her family was back together again.

I have to admit it was strange at first since for the past years, it was our Florida family that had made our holiday season so enjoyable and memorable.

We  tend to take many things in our life for granted and sometimes neglect to express or show our true feelings for those immediately around us in our daily lives. Being from a farming family, family gatherings with lots of good food, good fun and camaraderie were what was important throughout the year. It was during these family gatherings that you caught on family and nurtured the bond that makes us all family in one way or another.

Paul  and I come from very different family backgrounds but the one common thread was that family was the most important aspect of our daily lives growing up. The weekly or Monthly family gatherings that included everyone from Grandparents to cousins. The feeling of having that common denominator that made you whole and who you are today. 

The old saying you can pick your friends but not your family  is so true. Yet we have friends in our lives that we consider family and have the bond that comes with family.  Knowing they will be there for you in your time of need and support you in whatever venture you undertake. 

So as 2011 draws to an end, We know that our choices were the right ones for Paul and I. Our Florida Friends will always be a part of our lives but now is the time for us to spend with our Family. 2012 is going to be a good year, now we get to show our Florida Family the area I grew up in and around.