I made it!

Friday night, at 8:42pm, I had the hours I need to retire with credit for 30 years. I couldn't figure out why they were adding up quicker than I expected, as I had printed a calendar and counted days in February when this all began. As I looked at the monitor with my hours the other night I realized I counted "straight" time not "time and a half". I got the "first draft" of my retirement papers, a first draft because I didn't realize when I spoke to them the first time that I could continue the optional life insurances I have on myself and Dottie; they are much cheaper than hunting down new policies at our age!

So as long as everyone's math is right, I no longer have to fear the axle strike, etc.. Hopefully the 2nd draft of those papers will come in on Monday and I will sign everything on Tuesday.

I have spoken of my Dad dying and my Mom ending up with only his Social Security. Since he had 17 years in the meatcutter's union before he went supervision, he should have been "vested" and had Mom gotten a lawyer like I begged her to, I think she would have gotten something from them, but at the time he died it was all my fault (that he got cancer) and she wasn't listening to me.

Her Dad, a Santa Fe engineer after he came home from WW2, passed up "62" for "65" and put in his papers the first of January, 1971. He mentioned to me more than once that he hoped he wouldn't regret it. That not only got him "max" Social Security back then, but gave him a full 25 with the railroad. He was set to retire the first of February that year.

The 3rd week of January he had a massive stroke; he was paralyzed on his left side. His left arm never worked again; it took almost 18 months for him to walk slowly with a cane unassisted. His speech was (frustratingly for him) never "right" again, either. For someone who was literate and well read it was terrible! He lived 10 more years, unable to do any of the things he loved except travel and read...

Just one more of many reasons for me to make this break now!

Someone at work claims to have figured out the average length of retirement for the autoworkers that "get out" of our plant. Since the death notices are in the union paper each month, it wouldn't be hard to go through the records and figure it.

They say it's 4 years...

I haven't told Dottie that number yet. I'm also hoping by getting out at 52 instead of 62 or 67 I'm adding some years to that!

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The weekend is escaping rapidly, and shortly I have to figure out whether just Bill is coming to dinner, Bill and Laura, or Bill, Laura, John and his family. Makes a big difference in how much comes out of the freezer, lol!

So for the moment, I'm going to go finish my latte before I get on the phone...

May the rest of your weekend be kind, and may the coming week be as well!

alan