Friday, December 16, 2011

Hello on Friday

Dear Friends,

I am moving a little slowly today because I over indulged in food and beverages on Thursday. I did accomplish everything I set out to do, but it was a long day.
The Pizza Party for Big Brothers and Big Sisters was okay, but not great because it wasn’t well attended. We UNICO members did what we were asked to do. The pizzas and make your own Sundays’ ice creams were great. The one Pizza made just for we UNICO members was spectacular, and half of the pizza had anchovies on it. Some members brought some home made wine, and one member brought his own Anisette (better than Sambuca), and grappa was its base. It could rival any store bought variety. Of course, I should have gone directly home after the Big Brothers and Big Sisters party, but I didn’t! I went off to Patrick’s Pub until 10 PM. I was with a few Irish Sister City Committee friends listening to our favorite local band called Rakish Paddy. As the 10 PM hour approached, I decided that my mind and body needed some rest.
Linda was supposed to join me at Patrick’s, but her and her girlfriends chatted the night away at Mazzeo’s Ristorante from 6 PM until almost 10 PM. Linda was too tired to socialize any more, and she went directly home instead of joining me and our Irish Sister City friends. She made a smart move by attending only one function.

We are both going out the door this morning at almost the same time. Today is the once a month Pittsfield High School Retiree breakfast at Misty Moonlight Diner. I attended this function last month and was all set to join them today, but I have hand therapy session today. As a matter of fact, the Pittsfield High School secretaries had their Christmas Party at Patrick’s Pub last night, and one lady asked if I was going to join them this morning for breakfast. I told her that I wanted to, but that I had an appointment. Oh Darn!
We have several things to do today, and it might be one of those go out to the groceries stores together. We also have to make sure that we have all of our cooking and baking supplies for next week. A lot of cooking and baking will be taking place. I am in charge of making meat balls, and freezing them after they are cooked in small batches. We are going to use some of the meatballs when we head off to the multiple parties which we were invited to. The rest of the meatballs we usually put a handful in the red sauce when it is pasta night in our house.

Pension Reform – I just received my monthly Massachusetts State and Municipal Retirees newsletter. In April of 2012, the Pension Reform Act III goes into effect. The new law says that you can’t retire before age 60, and you can’t get full retirement benefits until your 67 years old. I have a friend who has submitted paperwork so that he can retire at the end of this school year. I am wondering if he is grandfathered, or if he is affected by this legislation. My friend told me that he is ready to retire, but could he have to work two more years? Linda and I are so glad that this legislation was not in place when we retired. If we were bound by this law, I would still be teaching until age 67. I would have been in the classroom for 43 years. I think that the 36 years of teaching that I had when I walked out the door in June of 2004 was long enough. The seven years + of retirement that I have been enjoying has been wonderful. If I was 67 years old when I walked out the door, I would probably die soon after retirement from the stress of teaching. Could this be what the law and the State wants to happen so that they don’t have to pay a person’s pension for too many years? I can’t visualize trying teach 14 to 18 year old children for 43 years. I would probably have to be wheeled into the classroom during the last few years of my teaching career or at least be walking with a cane. What would a 67 year person have in common with a 14 to 18 year old student? This act is supposed to save the State $10 billion dollars over the next 20 or 30 years, but it is always on the backs of its employees. What motivation would a young person have to enter the teaching ranks knowing that the maximum pension benefits won’t be attainable until age 67? Teaching is a young person’s job!
I really do hope that my friend mentioned above can retire at maximum benefits this year when he will be 65 years old. He did have a chance to sign up for Early Incentive to Retire about 10 years ago, but he had children who were college bound so early retirement was the farthest thing from his mind. He could have signed up for it and still kept teaching, and could have gone out the door when he was mentally ready to do so. The early retirement incentive has also changed, and it is more difficult financially to retire when Linda and I did. Oh Darn!
This is another reason why I say “Life is Good”, and count my lucky stars that everything fell into place when Linda and I decided to call it a career!

Well, the wind is howling. The outdoor chimes are actually playing a tune. Our seasonal flag next to the front door is ready to snap in two.
I have to read the local newspaper, and get dressed. I am going to take dad his newspaper, and then go to therapy. The nursing home is 5 minutes away from where I go to therapy.

Have a great weekend!
Christmas is a little over a week away!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

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