The Last 15 Years Meme

Seems picking on old people is getting to be quite the rage anymore----okaaay I'm tagged again with another Meme. This one titled "The Last Fifteen years Of My Life described in 10 bullets", (but since I am SO OLD, I am allowed to have 15 bullets---oooh joy, be still my heart!).



Now lets see, 15 years ago, would make it 1993---it was a Tuesday, I remember it well, it was raining that day----yeah right my memory is that good uh-huh---sure it is.

1993 Working as a Major subcontract Administrator at a MAJOR aerospace company, living
alone. Making good bucks, life was good.

1994 same as above

1995 same as above---cept starting to get really bored with my career and pining away about
not having to work at all. But being only 58, and having only worked at the company for
7 years, would have to work at least another three years to qualify for a minimal 10 year
pension. but then I was making good bucks, and I could do the job in my sleep now.

1996 To my great joy and pleasure, the company decided to downsize and so offered the
long term older employees an early retirement program. I investigate and oh my
goodness, learn that in that I was originally was hired by the company and STARTED on
the job 12/16/89---that with the formula they used, I qualified for the early retirement
by less than one week ---my actually seven years seniority, with the plan would be called
10 years, and along with a 10 year pension, would get full medical plan, and since I was to
young for social security, would get paid an addition $400/mo til I I reached 62 and
eligible for social security. (well needless to say I took it in a new york minute---and
retired at the tender age of 59 , on the last working day of 1996---12/23 to be exact.)

1997 I was totally into my life of leisure, up early, off to a local coffee shop for breakfast, home
again, play in the yard, go to the library, work some more in the yard, watch some TV---
life was good. (but in that I wasn't working had noticed my monthly expenses, aka
mortgage, credit cards and utilities were somewhat higher than my income-- (now kinda
regretted, the $800 bucks I lost in Vegas that summer)

1998 It was either find a job or---sell the house and get out from under the 1200/mo mtg. I did
not really want to return to the 40hr grind ---so put the house on the market--Sold my
900 sq foot jewel that I had bought for $90,000 in 1982, for a grand total of $146,000,
which after paying off the mtg, the real estate fees etc, etc, etc, let me walk away with
about$25,000-------it was about this same time that my Neighbor Jerry, who lived two
doors up ---suggest us two old dudes move in together. He needed a Lil extra income, and
I needed inexpensive rent---so I moved in with him. (you have seen the pics of the place
that I have posted in earlier posts to this blog, so you can see its a grand place to live).

1999 life goes on, play in the yard, do more of the house work to make up for Jerry's failing
health. Coffee in the mornings with the SOCDS crowd (that's my joke name for the group
that meets at the local coffee outlet in Sherman oaks on week day mornings, thus the
name, "Sherman Oaks Coffee and Debating Society"). My daily routine sometimes
interrupted with occasional trips to attend family get together's, at Xmas, Easter,
Birthdays, 4th of July and such, necessitating road trips to Irvine, or Redlands, or Corona,
or Fallbrook, or Poway----(not sure if its a fact, but one gets the impression, that failure to
attend these gatherings one runs the risk of being labelled a "Party Pooper", or worse
maybe even a "Spoil Sport"----so one attends.

2000 more of the same----

2001 The only thing I remember about 2001, is that it was the Year I lost my brother Frank to
a sudden stroke. I remember however with real pride, the full Military Honors Funeral
given him by the Marines---the 21 gun salute, the dignity with which the flag was taken
from his casket, folded by the honor guard and given to his wife---the large number of
people in attendance, and later the hundreds that came to the gathering after the funeral,
hearing so many wonderful anecdote's so many people had to say about my brother, his
barber, his lawn bowling partners, his bridge partners, his neighbors----anyway was one
grand sendoff.

2002 coffee, library, yard work, house work----(ooh,wait, that was the year I sold my old 1991
Chevy Cavalier, and took possession of my brothers 1996 Chevrolet S-10 Truck, with the
Marine Corp Sticker and the American Flag decal on the rear window----runs like a top,
and I still am driving it.)

2003 pretty much the same as 2002, but not sure if it was this year or 2004, but my Niece,
Gabriel was given her Birthday Party at Disneyland by her Husband, and so of course
being invited, went---- The cost of $57.00 to get in the park kinda surprised me, (would
have been $75, but I got the senior discount). So spend the entire daylight exploring the
new California section of Disneyland, then at sundown attending the birthday dinner at
the HOUSE of BLUES restaurant (her husband had reserved the entire outside second
level balcony dining area). There were about 40 of us at the dinner, not counting the Lil
rug rats. (Jerry didn't go, his health now such that he never leaves the house--his
emphysema requiring him to be on oxygen 24/7)

2004 same as above give or take the above described birthday occasion----not going to
describe the normal family picnics and gatherings we have ---as they are typical of all
family gatherings.

2005----ditto
2006----ditto
2007----ditto
2008----pretty much the same---except Tish and I, and her sister Melanie along with her
Husband, attended the Reagan Presidential Library---that was really enjoyable and I can
highly recommend it to others should you ever be in the area. Currently Tish is slowly
going nuts trying to organize a tour of JPL and The Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, but
between when those to places are open to the public, and when Melanie and Bill, are
available to attend, not to mention Tish's Boy Friend Carl's schedule-----it may or may
not happen, I believe the last input I got on that was it was to happen on July 28th----
stay tuned sport fans. There is a family off the cuff gathering scheduled for the 19th
which is locked in ----gonna be a busy month socially it seems. (OOH, yeah back in April,
I started this blog---you can blame that on Judi)

So much for the last 15 years of MY life------(describing it has so depressed me I don't feel like tagging anyone).-----and I need a fresh cup of coffee too.