One more month.

It's been just over a year since I semi-retired and I have to say that  I'm still in a period of adjustment. I don't have the money coming in that I used to. I'm not crying poor mouth because I did save during the 43 years I worked for this company. I'm glad that the person who informed me when I had become eligible for a 401k plan and how it would be a good idea to put money away for the eventuality of retirement, talked me into it. Now I'm still working part time, not so much for the money but to maintain my health benefits until I can get it from the government at 65. I will still have to purchase health insurance because it is mandatory in Massachusetts to have coverage. I think the number of insured people here is 96 or 97%. I am also grateful that I chose to work for this company. At the time it was the Cadillac of supermarkets in greater Boston. They were quite innovative. They were the first market to offer there employees a retirement fund as they were non union. We were the best paid. They were the first supermarket to package their meats and offer a bundle pick-up. That meant you paid for your groceries, the bags were put in in a tub on a conveyer belt which disappeared into the bowels of the store. You got in your car, drove to the side of the store and they would magically appear and someone loaded them into your car. This always fascinated me as a kid. They were a wonderful company to work for. The original family who started the company in 1915 are the ones who are responsible for the 4th of July concerts with the Boston Pops by the Charles River. The story goes that one of the family was friendly with Arthur Fiedler and one day they were sitting in a car drinking some Dunkin' Donuts coffee when he presented his idea to Fiedler and how he wanted to  end the concert with the 1812 Overture synchronized with fireworks. This has become a Boston tradition. As I said they were a wonderful company. There have been many owners since those days and up until two years ago they nearly killed it. Now they're desperately trying to revive it after changing the name of almost all of the stores to a name that wasn't very prominent around here. Some genius said, Hey the Star Market name has a history around here. Lets change the name back. I hope they are successful though I'm going to quit completely in a year and a half. I have had enough. At that point it will be 46 years with them.

Arlene and I are desperately looking forward to our vacation at the end of May into June. You know where we're going. We haven't tired of this place yet. The people in the hotel know us. They think we're married and always have a bottle of wine waiting in the room for us. It's always addressed to Mr. and Mrs. ----------. It always gives us a chuckle. We have the same routine every time we get there. We usually arrive on the island at 9 or 9:30 and check in time is 3 p.m. They remind us of that and we say, "Not a problem." We leave our things and walk downtown, such as it is, and have breakfast at the same spot, Linda Jeans, and wander around ending up at the ocean. They always manage to get us in early anyway.

So here's a slide show from 2011. I have posted some of these pictures before but not all of them. We have spent some time over the last couple of weeks looking at the videos and pictures and it just calms us down and making us wish we could live there. Unfortunately we can't afford to live there but we are lucky that we can go there a couple of times a year.

So here's our trip to the Vineyard in September 2011. 



I'm outta here.
Oh and one more thing here is an email from our dear friend Beth from this passed Christmas. What a sweetie!

 Merry Christmas Paul.  It is a bright sunny day here in central Illinois.  I will be having my Christmas with the kids on Saturday.  I didn't buy presents this year so I am giving money instead.
I am feeling a bit better each day and I thank God for that.

Hi to Arlene!  Enjoy life Paul, it is a precious thing.

I plan to get back to blogging  in a few weeks.  I am on Facebook.  Do you have a Facebook page?

Love,
Beth