RE-TIRE-MENT!!!! It's Official! (for him)

A week ago on Friday we drove to Sacramento to talk to counselors at the Calstrs office

regarding possible retirement for my husband from his last ten years teaching

history to 6th, 7th and 8th graders.

It was  a good meeting and we learned that his benefits were better than we thought they might be.

Before that meeting we'd stopped at Starbucks for coffee as we had some time to kill.  I bet that guy on the right is retired already. He and his wife just looked really relaxed.

After the first meeting we needed to go file for social security (for him) and Medicare Parts A for him and B for both of us. We sat waiting with these folks. Some of whom were already talking to a person at those numbered booths.

 That meeting too was very successful. Again we learned that he'd get more than we'd expected.
We were pleasantly surprised. This was a second career for DH of only ten years duration; but together with the many years he'd worked before becoming a teacher, as a furniture refinisher, he had money coming to him. And they did not reduce it too badly when combining it with the teachers pension. Whew! Relief!

I hope this woman got what she needed too. She looked a little worried to me.
One must also make sense of Medicare and Supplemental Health Insurance plans,
which took all weekend to sort through.
Plans A-Z
I swear this was more difficult than studying for and passing my professional exams!
If you are planning to retire I suggest you start preparing for it
a year or more ahead of time.

After lots of time spent talking to people we needed to refuel ourselves so we stopped in here at the

La . Bou

for very good hot sandwiches (grilled chicken, jack cheese, fresh basil, pesto) for me. I think he had turkey. He started filling out the pile of paperwork needed to start the retirement process. And I drew these younger people eating their lunches. Turned out, DH told me later, that this had been the very restaurant he'd gone to for lunch on his very first day of teaching ten years ago!

We had more decisions to make, things to sign, and figure out. We ate and wrote and talked and talked

just like the couple in the picture I later painted at home.

 We were both so relieved when this part of the process was over. We drove back home to our town and went out for ice cream to celebrate!

That only wired me more and kept me awake all night long. The combination of excitement and sugar will do that to me.

DH is purging papers and his closet. He bagged up all his "school uniforms" (khaki pants, dress shirts) to give to the thrift store. Only clothes left in his closet are blue jeans and blue cotton shirts. His old and now new again uniform! I am so happy, I can already feel the difference as the stress of that teaching career is behind him...I have my dear husband back at last!

And he is FREE AT LAST! FREE AT LAST!

Happy Paint Party Friday!

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Thanks for stopping by.

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