Hello! Remeber me? 47 days till vacation.

I am about to embark on the first week of part time employment. I have not had a full time job since 1970. It's a bit daunting as this week I will only work two days, Tuesday and Wednesday then I am off at least till the following Tuesday. On the one hand this sounds great on the other it's the first time I won't be getting a full weeks pay. All my other financial situations are still in the works. Realistically I should be fine. If the stock market hadn't collapsed several years ago I would really be fine but that is now history and I am in better shape than many people. This is a time of reflection and reevaluation. What's really important to me. What do I need and what do I need to get rid of. Seven years ago I was at a reevaluation point in my life. I threw a lot of things out. I went to the doctor for the first time in 25 years and I lost 30 pounds. Admittedly I have put 7 pounds back on since then but I am determined to take most of them off before I hit Martha's...well you know where. There is a small spending spree that I do want to go on before my spending spree days are over. Not that I'm a big spender. I admit to spending freely on the vacations we have taken since 2010. By which I mean buying a Martha's Vineyard sweat shirt or an ice cream, but even then, aside from going out to eat for lunch and dinner there wasn't all that much to spend money on. Most of the time is spent walking around, reading, listening to the birds or to the ocean or the silence. But I digress.
There are a couple of guitars that I want to own. One that I have desired since the magical year of 1967. I know I'm not Eric Clapton but I have wanted the guitar he played at that time because of the tone it had. A friend of mine had one and it played and sounded wonderful. The other made by, I guess the pinnacle of acoustic guitar makers, Martin. They are quite expensive but I am looking at their lower end of the cost scale which are quite reasonable for what I am looking for. Even better if I find a nice used one. Apart from all that I am beginning a new phase in my life. I'm sure there will be months of adjustments.
I've got things I should get rid of just to lighten my load. Things you save until you end up asking yourself, "Why did I save this?"

So I am now going to work at the sixth store this year. Yet another place to familiarize myself with. It's changed since the last time I was there in 2011. There will be yet another manager and crew to adapt to though I know a couple of people already. Still this week I will only be working two days, Tuesday and Wednesday and then I am off at least until next Monday. That sounds nice.

I would be remiss if I didn't say anything about the marathon. As some of you know one of the victims grew up a couple of streets over from here. Arlene's twin daughter grew up and went to school with her. Arlene told me last year the Krystle used to come over to her house and play with her kids or the opposite. I didn't know the young lady and though I had heard about the bombing on my way home from work I had no idea why there were police cars and television vans from New York, Rhode Island, some other states, plus the local media, on the street I go down everyday. A quick right and a quick left away from my house. 

Arlene and her daughters have a connection to Krystle, I have one only by extension. Still I am reminded of it daily as I go by her family home. I am reminded of it when it comes up in conversations with Arlene or anybody who mentions the marathon The city here locally, has pledged to raise to raise a million dollars to build a peace garden on a neglected piece of land by a senior center and the river. It will be dedicated to the 4 killed and the hundreds wounded. They say they are more than halfway there. This too is quite close to me and I also go by the area, usually on a daily basis.

The anniversary of the bombing is Tuesday the 14th, and this years race is next Monday. Locally it's known as Patriots Day, a legal holiday in Massachusetts and Maine and maybe someplace else. It marks the first battles of the revolutionary war. Patriots day is a big deal in the Boston area. Not only do you have the marathon but the Red Sox play an 11:30 a.m. game every year so once again the city will be quite crowded. Let's all hope and pray that it all goes on without a hitch.

Well my taxes are done and I am one step closer with my 401k. I haven't heard from Social Security yet but I will call them in a couple of days and check the status. I also hope to start making visits here to Blogger on a more regular basis. I will have much more free time in the  near future.

I thank you all for reading this.
I'm outta here.