Hiking and Mountain Biking During Retirement

 

Having a regular exercise routine when you are retired is an important part of staying fit.  Health is key at any age.   I enjoy running my dogs along my bike on the Walkydog.  They look forward the daily exertion, and I enjoy the fresh mountain air, the gorgeous scenery, and an intense cardio workout.

Cooking and preparing your own meals goes a long way in fighting inflation and saving money.  Although I enjoy eating out when I travel, the rest of the year I save money by buying what's on sale at the grocery store, eating foods that are in season, and baking desserts when the weather permits.  Right now it's been too hot, but fresh pineapple, watermelon and sorbet are delicious substitutes.

I love these old cabins, their rustic fencing, and the wooden signs.  It all reminds me of how California used to be.  Things were simpler then; cars and homes were smaller, and people enjoyed spending time outside, doing chores.

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Bear Gets Scared By Motion Activated Clown

A Bear Has Been Visiting

 

This morning as I was drinking my coffee,  I looked over the security footage from my cameras.   I noticed several paper plates piled in my parking area, and decided to reverse the tape.  I thought someone had littered as they drove by...no.  As I studied the playback, a very large bear came ambling into the area where I get in and out of my vehicle every day.  

He carried a bag of trash in his mouth from one of the neighbor's homes.   I don't keep any outside garbage in Wrightwood, for this reason.  He tore open the plastic, and started to munch.  As you can see, he is very large and healthy.

A car drove past and turned around at the end of our cul de sac.  The lights from the vehicle seemed to make him nervous.  He left the remnants and ambled down towards my cabin.

I think he's kind of funny.  I had just watered those roses early in the morning.  I have made an effort to keep my land very natural and pleasant for the wildlife.  I didn't realize how much use it was getting.  Bears eat grasses and berries.  They also like acorns, (which are plentiful on my land,) and they will eat bugs and predator animals.  This was an amazing surprise.

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Discussing Your Retirement with a Financial Planner

 

Yesterday I had a phone appointment with one of the brokers at my brokerage firm.  He had mentioned that a financial plan is included with the account, so I decided to take him up on his offer.  Everything I read online said that there would be a fee, so I made sure to get it in writing.  He assured me there would be no charge. 

He asked me some interesting questions.   I think they would be helpful to anyone. 

 Do I have any debt?  How much do I pay for health insurance?  Do I have Long Term Care Insurance?  How old is my car?  Will I need to budget for a new one?  How is my roof?  (Fortunately, I replaced it recently, as well as the original windows.) 

I gave him the basic numbers of my budget.  We discussed when I would take Social Security.  Although I had planned to wait until I am seventy, I decided to take it earlier, following my dad's advice.   He invested the money himself and made far more than 8%.  I think I could do the same thing, based on what my stocks are now averaging.   I manage the portfolio myself, and I enjoy the challenge.  

He asked about my health.  My dad lived to be 88, so he came out ahead, even taking Social Security when he did.  My mom didn't live nearly as long, so it was also better for her to take Social Security as soon as she was eligible.  How long we think we will live is a big factor.  We just never know.

I really enjoyed the meeting.  We will have a follow up Zoom session next month.  He praised me for handling my property and legal matters without paying a lawyer.  Being self-employed prepared me for a lot of those issues.   I also am glad that I had my hips replaced when I was fifty. 

Have you consulted a financial planner on your retirement plans?  How was your experience?

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Invited to Another Lovely Party

 

On Saturday I attended a fantastic party for a Broadway conductor that I worked with when I was twenty-two.  His wife and I were in the chorus together.  We got back in touch on Facebook, and they have invited me over to their gorgeous home on a couple of occasions.   I just love going over there; I always have such a fun time. 

I went around and took photos.  Everyone looks so happy.  My friend was thrilled when I sent them to her.   She said that I had gotten better ones than she had taken with her phone.  I wanted to contribute something to their gorgeous party.  I brought a bottle of wine and a bar of goat's milk soap, (with a birthday card.)

They had a delicious taco bar.  It was amazing!  I told the chef that it was the best Mexican food that I had ever tasted.  There were so many wonderful, artistic people there.  Conversations were rich and educational. 

My life in retirement has become much more social.  I enjoy meeting new people and talking with them.  I think traveling has taught me how to start conversations and interact with people I don't know.  This was a terrific group of artists.  

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Your Lifestyle in Retirement

 

I have been surprised at how different my daily routine is in my late fifties, compared to when I was a busy dancer in show business, and later, as an enthusiastic dance and yoga teacher.  Work was my life.  I thought I would be teaching students donned in a leotard and tights into my late seventies.  

How wrong I was.  Two replaced hips later, that chapter is in my past.  Fast forward to now: I never dreamed that I would be traveling as much as I do, enjoying cruises and hotels, and spending a large amount of my time taking care of my investments.  A great deal of my energy goes into the home: scheduling repairs, cleaning, cooking and food shopping.  Those things I took for granted as a young artist, but now I find they take more energy.  They are still my foundation and a top priority.  My mother always taught me to take care of my house and animals, and my father kept a close eye on his stocks.  

The trees and garden are very dear to me, and keeping up on both is on the schedule at least three times a week.  My neighbor told me that before I bought the cabin, he would look up at my land and saw that the pines and oaks were turning yellow.  A huge number of those sick trees had to be removed, due to a bark beetle.  "Now the trees are green," he mused.  That gave me a relieved feeling of satisfaction.  I sense that they like the extra space, the natural layer of mulch, and the consistent watering schedule.  Also, they know that they are my babies.  The wildlife greatly enjoy and use this corridor, as well.  I keep it as natural as possible.  

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Inside England’s Most Luxurious Train - The British Pullman

Exhausted From Housework

 I have been pushing myself to do a better job cleaning my house lately.  Today I mopped the hard wood floors.  My home now looks very nice, but I am exhausted.  My body is aching from lugging the hose around to water the Jeffrey Pines and California Live Oaks.  I spotted my friend on her walk this morning and called out a hello to her.  "Your place looks great!" she encouraged me.  The trees really open up and shine after being watered.  They give off such a vibrant energy.  "It's so early," she added.  I have to start at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. in order to finish on time.  We are on intense watering restrictions.  I planted some Cosmos and a strawberry plant this afternoon.  The Hollyhocks are in bloom.  They are my favorites.

I think I will do some easy and gentle yoga before bed.  The house painter who was supposed to come and give me an estimate this afternoon didn't show up or call.  That was disappointing.  It really needs to be done.  Hopefully he just forgot and will get back in touch with me.   I tried to call him, but his mailbox was full.

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