It's the Stupid Economy

Starting next week Saint H begins spending one night a week in Columbus with friend and sister C2, to cut down on commuting costs. If need be, as time goes on, he'll spend more nights there. Fortunately she's a darned good friend - mine for 22, almost 23 years now, his for 37 years. He can potter around in her lovely backyard garden, or help with chores, or sit and vegetate while he's there.

I have been urging him to do this for a while now, but the dollar signs have become bigger than his objections. We're not going to starve, and hopefully we won't go bankrupt, but given the large number of unknowns in our finances (how much is gas going to cost? What about LP gas for heating? What do we hold back for medical emergencies?) we have to economize. This was an easy decision, but unfortunately there aren't that many "options" in the budget. We'll get by unless the entire economy tanks, in which case there will be a lot more worries to bedevil us.

Every time I hear someone talking about "those on a fixed income", implying seniors and retirees, I almost have to laugh. Aren't we all on a "fixed income", for better or worse, if we're on salary? Who has the freedom of economic security these days?

I figure that I've lost about $150,000 in salary alone, disregarding benefits or raises or other "perks", since my illness became more demanding in 2004 with surgery and subsequent retirement. I haven't been able to contribute to my retirement accounts for 4 years. Maybe I wouldn't have used that money wisely, but I'd sure like to have had the chance. This stupid disease has robbed me of my health and my comfort, as well as my security. I hate renal cell carcinoma!