Last week I reached one of those birthday milestones, something called Social Security age. Twenty years ago that was the age when darn near everyone walked off the job into retirement. Not so much nowadays. With $1,000-a-month health insurance premiums, not many of us can pull the plug on the nine to five.
I have quickly learned the new target date for retirement is more likely to happen around what is known as Medicare age, which for me is somewhere down the road about 3 to 4 years depending on whether or not Uncle Sam decides to change the Medicare benefit age.
Growing up, birthdays weren’t a big deal in our family. Mom made us our favorite meal on our birthday and maybe a cake. A card with a $5 bill in it from each of the grandmas, always cash because neither one of them had a checking account.
Birthday cards were a big deal back then. Aunts and uncles, neighbors, Sunday school teachers pretty much anyone that knew it was your birthday sent you a card. Much like today when you get a birthday greeting from darn near anyone that has your email address or is a friend on Facebook.
So thanks to the three folks that sent me a card and to all the others that emailed or posted a Facebook birthday greeting.
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The following picture is this week’s installment of the everyday occurrence of pedestrians making their way down Warren Street in my neck of the woods. In case you’re wondering, I did pull over to the side of the road before I took the picture. Of course I would have had no need to take the picture if there were sidewalks for the people to be walking on.