Shopping, lonely this Christmas and retiring

17 December 2013

Our last shopping apart from milk was done this morning. I forgot to get Jan her crisps so she will need to go and buy those at some time too. Other than that we're done!

While I was riding around I had Radio 4 playing in the car - it's the chance I get to have it on ;-))), and there was a phone in on asking people to call in about what plans they had for Christmas. It's come about because of the large number of people who will spend Christmas Day alone. Surprisingly a number of the single people who called were happy to be alone. But the big worry is that so many others are alone and hate it, especially older folk. A lot of charities have plans to open places so that homeless or lonely people can get a meal and have some company over what can be a really bad time of year for them.

One of the callers phoned in because she absolutely hates Christmas. As a child she watched her mum working three or four jobs so she could pay off the amount of debt she built up over it. She watched as her mum left the kitchen to sit a minute but by then had missed all the best Christmas telly shows. However, in her reaction to what had happened to her mum, this lady, now a mum herself keeps things very minimal and won't allow herself to follow her mum's example. That's fine of course, it's her choice, but I wonder just what the child has missed out because of it all? We will never know of course.

The firemen of Dorktown and North Warwickshire are goin out o strike again. They've chosen good days for them; Christmas Eve and New Years Eve would you believe! It's all to do with their pension rights. One firewoman was speaking on telly not so long and was saying that the job was hard enough as it is for the fit young people currently doing it; then she asked, 'how will we feel trying to climb ladders and drag people out of buildings at 65 years old?' Good question that. But isn't the government looking at raising the retirement age to 67 or 68 now? How many other public sector workers will be able to continue working for that long, and do the job properly and safely. Can you imagine a 66 year old copper trying to chase down a 18 year old lad after an assault? No, neither can I!

So, here we are, mid-December, short days with little sun most times, long dark nights; it's really mid-winter. But as a promise of better days ahead I offer this ... 

Blossom, the promise of continuing life.

And I suppose a funny is now due - from the Sage too ...

Woman: Do you drink beer?
Man:  yes
Woman: How many beers a day?
Man: Usually about 3
Woman: How much do you pay per beer?
Man: $5.00 which includes a tip
(This is where it gets scary !)
Woman: And how long have you been drinking?
Man: About 20 years, I suppose
Woman: So a beer costs $5 and you have 3 beers a day which puts your spending each month at $450. In one year, it would be approximately $5400 …correct?
Man: Correct
Woman: If in 1 year you spend $5400, not accounting for inflation, the past
20 years puts your spending at $108,000, correct?
Man: Correct
Woman: Do you know that if you didn't drink so much beer, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account and after accounting for compound interest for the past 20 years, you could have now bought a Ferrari?
Man: Do you drink beer?
Woman: No
Man: Where's your Ferrari?