Exactly!!

No words needed.......................

 

Retirement one year later...........money

(I AM NOT A FINANCIAL EXPERT, PLEASE SEEK ADVISE OF A PROFESSIONAL, THIS IS WHAT HAS WORKED FOR US)

First up money.  

This is the major issue when retiring.  Will you or won't you have enough to live on; especially when you have no idea how long you are going to live.  Financial planners now use the age of 90 as your expected life expectancy.

You've worked all your life and have had a regular income.  Now you're relying on government pensions (if you're lucky) and what ever savings or private pensions you have been paying into.

We/I have been planning hubby's retirement for years.  I haven't worked in years, so we knew 95% of money in retirement was going to be coming in via hubby's income rather than mine.  We were okay with this.....obviously we discussed it prior and this is what worked for us.

One thing we did and anyone can do this, whether they are ten years away from retiring or just one year.  Write down your monthly outgoing's/bills, so you can work out how much you need to cover everything to survive.  I did it all on an Excel spreadsheet, but writing it down in a notebook will work as well.  This is a good habit to get into, and I still do it, just to see where we are each month.

Our spreadsheet, includes all utilities, car/house/life insurances, credit card bills, house/property taxes. Make sure you include cash you take out of the bank each week; with that I multiplied 52 weeks worth of cash divided by 12 to make the monthly amount.  If you have rent/mortgage/car loans etc. include those.  Anything you pay out each month.  Some things like our water/sewage bill comes in bi-monthly don't forget those types of bills.

This helped out a great deal with working things out.

What also helped us was getting forecast's from the government and any private pension companies showing us what we should expect in payments from them when retired.  Both the Canadian and the UK government did this for us no problem.

We have tax free savings accounts here in Canada, use them!!!  They come in handy.  Until you start getting regular payments you may have to dip into your savings accounts to supplement your pensions.

When applying for pensions do it at least six months ahead of time.  Our local library had free sessions with the people from the government pension department.  They were super helpful; as all the forms you have to fill in can be quite complicated; especially if you were born in a different country!  We found the most complicated forms to complete were for the Old Age Security, which is not a huge amount each year.  We were thinking we would have to give them our first born child with the amount of questions they asked!!

Oh and one country talks to another country, so in our case the Canadian government does know where you are receiving other pensions from....LOL  Everyone will take their piece of the pie!

If you were born in another country, you need a lot of info from your birth country, including your citizenship and immigration papers.  Thankfully we were organized and had kept everything from when we lived in the UK and when we moved to Canada.  We also told our kids what they needed and gave them their paperwork, and kept photo copies ourself, as they are 25 years away from retiring.

It did take us a few months to get used to receiving money at different times of the month and we did have one or two glitches along the way.  We receive a monthly amount once per month from a RRIF.  The first month we were to receive it, they forgot to put it through 😠Luckily I had moved money into our savings account as a plan B just in case something like this happened.  The bank and our financial advisor apologized but it was an inconvenience.  (LESSON HERE, HAVE A BACK UP PLAN!)

All our Canadian income/pensions, have between 20 to 30% tax taken off at source, so we do not get dinged with a big tax bill at the end of the year.  All foreign income comes in without tax taken off at source.  We won't know until March 2026 to see if all our calculations were correct when we file our taxes.

Hubby stopped receiving a pay cheque from his employer at the end of 2024.  So technically we have been receiving just pensions since the beginning of 2025.  So far so good, we have managed just fine.  Everyone said we wouldn't need as much money.  I can't say for sure that's the case, but I am guessing the more we slow down and do not do as much that will be true.

We have a window of probably 10 years where we will be fit enough to travel.  So we know that money will be flowing a bit more during the next ten years.    Do we have enough to live off until we are 90; as per the financial advisor and our accountant son, yes we do; but who knows?

If anyone else has any tips or hints for retiring and managing money  please add yours in the comments.

Canadian, eh!

 

I use 16, possibly 17 of those words, so not fully Canadian!  How about you?

Seems as though Nana doesn't know it all!

The boys were visiting the other day and we got talking about Halloween.  They go trick and treating in our subdivision; it's a tradition it turns out.  We don't mind.  I stay in handing out candy and Grandad, parents and boys go around the neighbourhood.

Asked the 4 year old what he wanted to be and he announced Baby Shark.  Which puzzled everyone as he is mad about Spidey.  I would guess he'll be Spidey as that outfit is easier to find.

Asked the 7 year old what he wanted to be and he announced a CHICKEN JOCKEY......I'm sorry....what?  After much back and forward and his mother looking up on google to show me, it's a Minecraft "thing."  When I saw what it was, I told his mother to get crafting that!!  She doesn't do crafts, so I told the 7 year old he needed a back up plan and he said a skeleton.  So I told him there was a better chance of him being a skeleton, than a chicken jockey...LOL

Now I know you are all dying to see what a chicken jockey looks like!!  Here you go:

And how have I never known about this!

September 26th, 2024

That was the last day that Hubby went into work.  In fact he only worked half a day and then left.  He left without fanfare; despite being asked numerous times would he like a leaving "do."  However that's not hubby's way.  He just wanted to get the heck out of there.  It was a Thursday and we left to go on vacation to Savannah on the Saturday.  He was super stressed about leaving, as for the last 50 years that's all he has known going to work every day.

He was old school when it came to work.  You turned up for work 20 to 30 minutes before your starting time.  You took pride in your work and you constantly learned more about your job/trade.  Also you respected your elders!!!  

Lets just say things have changed a lot over the years and hubby was ready to leave by the time he left.

We were lucky, and I use that word loosely as between the end of September until the end of the year, we had a lot going on.  We went to Savannah, then we had a death in the family, so had to go to the UK for the funeral.  By the time we got back from there it was the beginning of December.  Then there was Christmas, so all in all, we didn't have time to breathe for the rest of 2024.

I told everyone our goal was to still be married by the time Spring hit; as that was when hubby would be bored stiff and probably getting on my nerves 😏  We ended up having a super snowy winter and he spent half his life snow blowing.

Spring came around and he had a couple of projects in the garden to keep him busy.  Then he started doing some work in the laundry room.  Then golf season started and he joined an over 55 golf league and goes to that every Monday morning.  The season is now over with, but he will be joining again next year.

So here we are a year later,  If you were to ask hubby would he like to work; even part time, he would say no.  He has settled into retirement surprisingly well.  He does have to keep busy though and does get bored easily.  However he loves sports, so we buy him a subscription to Fubo every year for his birthday; so he can watch his beloved British football/soccer.

He keeps busy with the garden and diy.  Then our goal is to travel more.  That hasn't really happened this year, but I'm hoping we get a couple of bigger trips in next year.

So, so far, so good.  We're still married......which is a bonus!!!  Are there days where I could cheerfully strangle him and not have any remorse........of course, and I bet he feels the same some days, but overall things are good.  I know I would be lost without him being around.

Look for a follow up post on the things we should or should not have done when it comes to retirement.

If you retired recently how is it for you?

Blast From The Past: 10 CHEAP British Meals That Fed a Family of Six

This is what we ate as kids and to this day, these meals make our mouth's water.  Though I will say we never had bread and dripping, but bread and jam was good.  I love liver and onions, if it's on a menu I will have it.  I always soak my liver in a bit of milk before cooking it, as it can be bitter sometimes.  Now I am craving liver and onions, gravy, mashed potatoes and peas.

Are these meals familiar to you?

I might just do this................

 

I first saw this posted over at Small Moments Blog and thought it was wonderful.

I then googled Cottage Whimsy and went down an Etsy rabbit hole!!  Feel free to visit that rabbit hole here.

Have a lovely day either cleaning the house, or reading.........I would choose reading, personally!!

This soap is in our bathroom.......

 

It must be true despite what other people think😇

The scent is actually really nice, no idea what it is.  I am on the lookout for the KitchenAid type mixer wallflower plug from Bath and Bodyworks.  I can't see it on either the USA or Canadian site have you?  I would only buy it though if it was a nightlight as well.

I saw that on the Hip2Save page on Facebook

Toronto's Parkside speed camera cut down for 7th time in less than a year

This isn't funny, as you shouldn't go around doing this, it's illegal.  I do find it funny though that they haven't been able to catch anyone who has done this?

However on the flip side, I was dinged with one of these camera's where we live on New Year's Day of all days.  I was doing just over 50 km per hour in a 50 km per hour zone.  BUT, during the week there are flashing lights as it is a school zone and the posted speed limit is 40 km per hour.  New Year's Day was a week day........BOOOOOO!!!!  Cost me over $100 but luckily no points on my license.  

So people think all these camera's do is make money for the cities and that's why they are disliked.

I wasn't impressed........

 in fact honestly I was a little scared when I saw these in Home Depot the other day.....

That scarecrow is 15 feet tall.........

Those dogs eyes were creepy

All those things moved........

That scarecrow is $498, which is crazy

I know some people are into Halloween, but some of those things will terrify small children, oh and me!!

Now the following photos are more me, when it comes to Halloween. Saw these in Homesense:

However, I think I will just stick with my one plug in plastic pumpkin!!

$1 House

I have been watching this series on You tube since day 1.  She is such a lovely young lady, and very industrious.  Granted I wouldn't do everything the same way she has done, but she has done a lovely job on a very tight budget.

A new episode comes out each week on a Sunday morning.  

Sewing

Did some more sewing this past week to use up some bits and bobs of fabric.  Barely made a dent though 😞

This used up some squares I had from a kit.  It's 14 inches square, with batting between the layers and quilted.

The back of that one.

More fabric from the same kit, but in black, white and grey.  Again 14 inches square.

The back side of that one.

Four more lanyards.........I haven't asked daughter if she sold anything, as she was super busy at work.

Then I decided to try out this pattern for a chap stick holder.  It uses scraps of fabric.

It's way too fiddly for me and my poor arthritic hands, so won't be making any more.

Not sure what I will do with all these items.

Riddle

I was over at Angela's @ Tracing Rainbows and she was talking about the word "riddle" the other day.

Not only does the word riddle mean solving a puzzle, but it can also mean to sieve something where we come from in Cumberland/Westmorland, which is now the county of Cumbria in the UK.  My Pop used a "riddle" in the garden to sieve the soil when planting his garden.

That got me to thinking about dialect.  Although we have lived in Canada since 1989, both hubby and I still talk with a British accent.  My dad lives over here as well and he too still talks with a British accent.  When we go back to the UK, people notice a difference with the way we talk, as we say garbage instead of rubbish, and many other Canadian words.  They also think we now have an "American/Canadian" "twang" to the way we talk.

By the way most people who don't live in Canada or the States, think we sound alike or pretty similar.  Just like South African's and Australian's and New Zealander's sound similar to me.

Now back to the dialect subject.  When I am talking to my dad we automatically drop back to using words that are used on a regular basis back in Cumbria.  The same way I do when talking to my mam or brother's who live in the UK.  Although I don't consciously do this, I do, do it.  My mam will call me out for using a broad Cumbrian word, like "nowt," instead of nothing.  As in, "there's nowt that I can do about it."  Instead of "there's nothing that I can do about it."

I know I have said this "many a time," but I totally forget I have an accent, and am puzzled if someone doesn't understand me here in Canada.  In the States, I am more aware of having an accent, as everyone comments on it there.  I am a talker which doesn't help, so will talk to anyone and everyone when out and about.

One of our grandkids will call me out when I use a Cumbrian word instead of a regular Canadian word, or pronounce it differently.  Instead of saying the word "Garage," I will occasionally pronounce it "Garidge."  He will tell me that's not the way you say it!!

Finally for those of you who don't know what a soil riddle is, here you go:

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid | #TBT Trailer | 20th Century FOX

RIP Robert.  

Called my mother when I heard this, as when we asked her: what are you doing today?"

She would always say: "Depends whether Robert is coming to pick me up!!"

Now she's going to have to say: "Depends whether Brad (Pitt) is coming to pick me up!!"

This was my favourite Robert Redford movie, brings back memories of when I was a child.

What is your favourite Robert Redford movie?

The teacup theory........

 

Just reading what's on that picture makes you relax.  I love to hold my tea or coffee cup in both hands, and it does feel good.

The image is from Autumn Rosewood.  Her whole website feels relaxing to me.  Wanting me to go into a quiet room, snuggle up in an armchair with a cup of tea in my hands, and a blanket over me and watch the world go by out of the window.

I think I may just go and do that, but instead of watching the world go by I may just have a wander through Autumn Rosewood's website.......

Katrina: Come Hell and High Water | Official Trailer | Netflix

Did anyone watch this?  I watched two episodes but couldn't finish the third episode.  I found the third episode just dragged along.

The two episodes I did watch though were really interesting.  I learnt a lot of things I did not know.  For instance about how the pumping stations did need replacing before Katrina hit.

What didn't surprise me was that one level of government/authority could not work as a team with other level's of government/authority.  That's the same all over the world.  Working together for the common good seems to go out of the window with people in positions of authority to my mind.

I did like General Russel Honore, who was the commander in charge of the US Army in New Orleans after Katrina hit.  I thought he led with common sense, where other's didn't.

I will say, it confused me as to why people choose to live in a place that hurricane's hit on a regular basis and is below sea level?  I guess if they have lived there all their lives it's all they know?

I will say it did make me think; which is always a good thing.  I have always wanted to visit New Orleans, especially during Mardi Gras, but would want to view the parade from a balcony away from the crowds in the street.  So I don't think that will ever happen.

Have you ever visited New Orleans?

A great way to start a Saturday.......

Our biggest Canadian Bookstore chain Indigo was giving away 10 thousand books on Saturday the 13th of September to people over the age of 18.  This is the second year of doing this and they are going to make it an annual tradition.  Heather Reisman is the CEO of the company and is behind all this.

You got to choose one of these books:

I took hubby along and we lined up outside just before opening.  There was probably 20 or so people in front of us, and it was very well organized.  A lady came along the line and asked us what book would we like.  We told her and she gave up a slip of paper with the name of the book on it.

I made hubby chose this book, he doesn't read:

Here is a link so you can read the synopsis.

I chose this one:

Again here is a link to the synopsis.  I am really looking forward to this one and will take it on vacation with us.

I am reading this book that I picked up at the dollar store.  It's one of those books that you don't have to think hard to follow the story!!

You can read the synopsis here.

After I have finished that I may start on The Grey Wolf.

I must say as a reader I do appreciate a company that encourages reading, especially in adults.  I will of course pass my copies on to other readers, so they will be well used.

I also admire Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, that is such a great cause also.

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theate...

This to my mind it will be like saying good bye to a family friend, for me it's a must see.  Not sure when it will be released over here in Canada?

Do you plan on seeing it?

Imperfect.......

 

(credit)

I think that quote says it all.......as no one is perfect and this world is far from being perfect, at least in my eyes.

Gardening

 

Here is a link to the article.  For some reason the whole picture above wouldn't copy over.  I am in zone 5 a/b so this applies to me and I will make a point of trimming down what I have in my garden.

I have bought a bunch of Spring bulbs to plant, but honestly it's still too warm here, so I will wait until early October to plant those.  

2025's gardening season was a bust, due to the hot dry weather we had.  Our grass took a beating and honestly it looks terrible.  The only saving grace in this, is that so does everyone else's.

I enjoy having a garden but I am finding I don't have the same interest in it, that I used to have.  I will not let it go to rack and ruin, but I need to find more ways of making it more self sufficient, the older I get.

Are you a gardener, and are you finding it harder the older you get?

So true.......

 

Hubby worked hard for 50 years to provide for me and the kids.  He even worked a year longer than he should have; actually he could have retired at 60 rather than 66, but he wanted to make doubly sure we had enough money.  And then he was still worried..........

So thank you hubby and you deserve all the freedom you want, you worked hard for it.

(I will be doing a post about how the first year of hubby's retirement has gone closer to the end of the month)

Interesting

I have no idea what is going on, but I am guessing SPAM/Trackers/Robots..........are visiting my blog, because believe me when I say this, I am NOT that popular that nearly 2,000 visitors view my blog as they are interested in me!!!

I do have a good security system on my laptop and desktop, but this is making me a tad concerned.  Any suggestions?

 

Bonus Redemption at SDM

 SDM - Shopper's Drug Mart

I had a few points saved up, 130,000 to be precise, so I knew I could do 2 bonus points redemption.  My level was redeem 50,000 points for $75 worth of free product.  It would normally be only $50 worth of free product.

Now the key to doing these redemptions is to get as close to $75 before tax as possible.  This is what I got with my first 50,000 points.  Just bits and bobs we needed in the house, other than the wine gums.  I was just under $75 before tax, so picked these up for $3 to get me over.

So I ended up paying $5.47 out of pocket.  If I wasn't getting these things for free I wouldn't have gone out of my way to buy some of these things, as they were a little more expensive than I would generally pay; especially the yogurt.

This is what I got for my second 50,000 point redemption.  I had to bite the bullet and get hubby some razor blades, as they are so hard to find at a good price.  These were around 20 cents more expensive per blade than the ones on sale, which of course they didn't have in stock.  I swear they take them off the shelf when it's bonus redemption time.

I ended up paying $12.41 out of pocket, but only because I had to pay $10.06 in taxes.

Regardless I am super pleased as I got $167.88 worth of product for only $17.88.  I only have the 30,000 points left, so will build them up until I can cash them in again.

Did any of the Canadian's reader's cash in their points? 

How do our prices compare here in Canada to yours, in your part of the world?

Fall flowers

I was at the grocery store the other day and they had a lovely display of fall flowers for sale.

This tub was $55 CDN which I thought was a tad expensive; especially when we will only get a couple of months use from it.

Didn't see a price on these ones, but fell in love with the colour.

These mums were 2 for $20 which I thought was a good price considering how large they were.

As we are going to be away at the end of the month, I don't think I will bother with Fall flowers this year.  Do you decorate for Fall/Autumn?

Books........

Here are a couple of books I have just read.  The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong and  The Hollywood Governess by Alexandra Weston.   Both are good in their own right and both highlight gender prejudices.  I think I preferred the The War Librarian better as I didn't figure out the twist in the story, whereas I figured it out in The Hollywood Governess.

My next book up is Come Fly With me by Helen Rolfe.  It's the first book in Skylark series.  I have never read anything by this author.  Have you?

Update: from when I originally wrote this post I have read this book and it was really good, plenty of action in it.  I need to look out for the rest in this series.  

All three books were purchased at Indigo in the 3 for $10 section.

Daughter picked up this diamond art project for me on clearance.  Not sure if I should start it now or leave it until the colder weather appears?

What are you reading at the moment?

The Thursday Murder Club | Official Trailer | Netflix

We finally watched this the other night and it was so good.  It was one of those movies that wasn't overly "deep."  You didn't have to think a lot, it wasn't scary and all the actors were familiar faces.

If I had to say something negative it would be Pierce Brosnan's accent in the movie was horrible....LOL

I didn't realize it was the first book in a series of books written by Richard Osman  I hope they make movies of the other books in the series.

If you haven't seen the movie, I would say see it.  We both thoroughly enjoyed it.

Crafting....

 I had picked up this diamond art kit a while back from Michaels.  As you can see it's a bookmark kit.

I had the girls overnight on the weekend and we decided to do this project as I knew it would be a fast one.  The girls are nearly 12 and 9.  Now in the 9 year old's defense she is more of an outdoors girl, so she lasted probably half an hour if that before she was bored.  The 12 year old and I completed our bookmarks in probably 90 minutes.

I also did a little bit of the background of the 9 year old's one as well.  So from left to right; 9 year old's one, 12 year old's one, and mine.

The quality of these are really nice; pretty heavy duty.  It's a simple project especially if it's your first time doing diamond art.  I would say it's probably suitable for ages 10 and up, unless they are very crafty; then possibly younger.

I would buy these again, and I have used these diamond art kits before from Michael's.  

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons is a well know coffee shop chain in Canada and they have locations in other parts of the world.  We called in for a coffee the other day and I saw this merchandise which I thought was lovely and well thought out.

They had the insulated travel mugs.  As we live in Ontario, they had the Ontario ones.

Along with the Canada one.  I have a really good travel mug so don't need one.  I did however love the art work on these ones.

They also had the matching coffee mugs.

They also had this bucket hat which I thought was cute.

I didn't pick anything up.  I wonder what the art work is like in the other provinces and territories in Canada?

Hilda Ogden and her "murial"

For those over a certain age and especially is you're British born, you will remember Hilda and her Murial in Coronation Street?

Well when we go to the doctors we go through a town with this "murial" and I always think of Hilda.......this one is much prettier though!