TWO AND A HALF MONTHS TO GO!!
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:02 amGOOD MORNING ALL!!
Yep, I got my offer from the school board yesterday, and, even though it was only 3/5ths of what I had hoped for, I consider myself lucky that I got offered $3,000 to retire at the end of this school year! I called the retirement system, and, as it's being called an incentive, (even though I haven't taught full-time at this school for 17 years) it will be included in the average of my final 5 years of teaching. Whichever amount turns out to be the greater-- the average of my final 5 years plus the 3,000, or the average of my final 3 years WITHOUT the 3,000-- is what will be used to compute my pension income. Either way, I should be able to now pay off my newly-indebted credit card that paid my income taxes that I owed this year, to both the state and the feds. That will again allow me to have all my cards paid off. Unfortunately, my large loan which is my biggest monthly expense, will take another 10 months to get paid off. I can stay here until it gets frigid in the fall/early winter, and substitute teach for as many days as I can do, and then haul my TT and me and Molly south to FL! Meanwhile, I will also (possibly, depending on the price gas get up to) be able to have some freedom to go to GTGs in the fall this year!
SO-----freedom is just about 2 and a half months away! (Or eternal scrimping, whichever!) I will have my brand new truck, my two-year-old trailer, and whatever I can haul with me, and clean credit cards for emergencies. I think I can do it and stay off the homeless lists!
Dawn is breaking here, at about 25 degrees, so I turned on my furnace out here in the trailer to warm it up a bit for my electric heater. Coffee is hot----blueberry with French vanilla creamer this morning! Joplin's Bobby McGee is going through my head this morning-----"Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to do----" I need to change that to "Freedom's just another phase I've worked for all my life...!"
Off to my doc appointments today, and then back here to do some planning!
SIGH!
Yep, I got my offer from the school board yesterday, and, even though it was only 3/5ths of what I had hoped for, I consider myself lucky that I got offered $3,000 to retire at the end of this school year! I called the retirement system, and, as it's being called an incentive, (even though I haven't taught full-time at this school for 17 years) it will be included in the average of my final 5 years of teaching. Whichever amount turns out to be the greater-- the average of my final 5 years plus the 3,000, or the average of my final 3 years WITHOUT the 3,000-- is what will be used to compute my pension income. Either way, I should be able to now pay off my newly-indebted credit card that paid my income taxes that I owed this year, to both the state and the feds. That will again allow me to have all my cards paid off. Unfortunately, my large loan which is my biggest monthly expense, will take another 10 months to get paid off. I can stay here until it gets frigid in the fall/early winter, and substitute teach for as many days as I can do, and then haul my TT and me and Molly south to FL! Meanwhile, I will also (possibly, depending on the price gas get up to) be able to have some freedom to go to GTGs in the fall this year!
SO-----freedom is just about 2 and a half months away! (Or eternal scrimping, whichever!) I will have my brand new truck, my two-year-old trailer, and whatever I can haul with me, and clean credit cards for emergencies. I think I can do it and stay off the homeless lists!
Dawn is breaking here, at about 25 degrees, so I turned on my furnace out here in the trailer to warm it up a bit for my electric heater. Coffee is hot----blueberry with French vanilla creamer this morning! Joplin's Bobby McGee is going through my head this morning-----"Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to do----" I need to change that to "Freedom's just another phase I've worked for all my life...!"
Off to my doc appointments today, and then back here to do some planning!
SIGH!
It would take too long to catch you up on everything, but luckily my new girlfriend, Barbie, has been helping me with that! Thanks, Barbie! Had a beautiful drive yesterday down the WI side of the Mississippi. Roads sucked big time, tho! Surprised I still have my fillings! !! Made it to Pikes Peak SP in NE IA, only to find they didn't turn on the water yet! Had to quick find another cg before the offices closed for the day. Found one close, in Prairie Du Chien, WI. The girl in the office waited for me. Still gotta love these small towns! Had a bit of a fiasco hooking up. The hookups are at the rear of the site, so after leveling and hooking up, I had to unhook, move over, and rehook! Forgot how far forward my connections are. Just another lesson learned...check to see if the hoses reach before leveling! I didn't bring my regular hose so borrowed one from the office so I could flush my clogged and full black tank. Thank God I bought a flusher at Camping World! Took awhile, but it sure felt good to have empty tanks and full hookups again!!! I think I'm the only one here. Only sound are birds and the noisy trains that shake Myrtle when they blaze by. Off for my morning walk with Rags. With no one around, I'm letting him go off leash and he's loving that! Think I'll head for near Dubuque so I can ride on the Heritage bike trail there that I love! With the bluffs and a river it looks like you're in the mts. It was an old RR so only 1% grade...easy ride. Will check in later. 
I think I'm at the top of that list. And it's well worth it for the freedom I have.
