Phases of a Life

12/1/2014

Krikee, it's December already!  It seems like just a day ago, we had the a/c cranked up and swore at hot as the sun steering wheels.  Once it gets real cold, then we'll be complaining about icy hands as well as cold seats and steering wheels.  Let's face it, we're not always happy with the weather - and, there isn't anything we can do about it.

As a teenager, I wanted to be in my 20's because then I would be an adult and be my own person, more or less. 

I was married at 25 and had babies, 18 months apart.  To the children who are only 18 months apart, it's delightful.  They have a nearly constant playmate.  To a mother, and a working mother as well, it meant dealing with sickness, generally times two and potty training one right after the other.  When I was a new mother, employers had not yet "seen the light" about helping out working mothers.  I absolutely hated calling into the office to let them know I wouldn't be in because of one illness or another.  I'm happy to say, this many years later, employers are better about meeting the needs of parents.

I pretty much sailed through my 40's and 50's.  The boys became adults, bought homes and moved away.  And I was an empty nester before I even realized what was happening.  People let me tell you that the time between a slightly annoying child to an adult is really short.  It only seems like a long time when you're in the midst of dealing with your child's issues.

Well once you've entered your 60's then the countdown begins on enrolling in Medicare and supplemental insurance.  If you dilly dally, there are penalties of time that the government puts on you for being late to enroll.

Today, is December 1st and as of today I am a Medicare card senior citizen.  When you're young you believe you will never be old, but then the calendars keep turning over and then you have hit retirement age, if you choose.  You can keep working as long as you like or need to, but being on Medicare is not an option.  You must enroll and then you keep your fingers crossed that the doctors you have been with for years, take Medicare.  Argh, getting old is not for sissies.  I don't mind turning 65.  What I do mind is the endless parade of junk mail that I've been receiving for months offering me the "best" supplemental gap insurance.  Thankfully, Jeff made the decisions regarding gap insurance for both of us, and all new gap insurance junk mail can be fed into the shredder!

P