Views and Race

I know this is small peanuts to some you but my blog finally found 20,000 views.  53 of those came on a post from earlier this month when asked for some friendly advice.  I was seeking some retirement advice/suggestions.  Two of the 53 who viewed that post responded with some very good suggestions.  What happened to the other 51?

Watching Meet The Press for the first time in the past weeks.   Race relations and Detroit bankruptcy.  Interesting to note that during both discussions the need for more middle class jobs was discussed.  Educated people seem to prosper while the lower classes seem to wade through life wondering where the America dream went.  Racial tensions continued to grow as the younger give up on education in larger numbers than ever before.
We are no closer to fixing the issues than we where in past decades.  Until I, as a middle class white male, is willing to trade my white skin without fear of losing rights, economic status, and discrimination, we haven't reached the real American dream.

Assorted BS

Nope, I didn't retire early, have a heart attack or medical issue.  I have just been too busy to take time to sit down and type out a post.  At work it has been a few weeks of long hours as I fill in for missing employees who are taking their vacations.  Most of the guys I work with have three weeks of vacation so we are missing bodies often during the summer months.  At times I get to work from 2 o'clock AM to 4:00 o'clock PM, sometimes longer.

Service Department Drive at 2 am.

I have been lucky to have every weekend so far this month and Mia and I have used them exceedingly well by visiting our trailer in the woods and having some time away.  One weekend we took our grand daughter and her friend up to the park for a weekend get away.   Who knew two thirteen year old girls could have so much fun.  It was tiring.  The next weekend Mia and I took Honey and spent the whole weekend just laying back at the trailer.  The park was nearly empty so we had an opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet.  We even had a fire, something we very seldom do.

 I even devised a way to cook dinner over the fire.  We don't have a grate for this little portable fireplace so I took two hot dog cooking forks and put them across the opening of the fireplace and then remove the grille from our portable barbecue and laid it on top of them.  We cooked chicken breasts over the coals left from a very hot fire.

 One of the local towns, Sultan, always has a summer fair and we decided to visit.  They have vendor booths, parades, logging contests and all kinds of summer fun.  We walked through town and enjoyed the sites and sounds and even watched some of the parade.  I hadn't been to a parade in years.  The only thing I took a picture of was this weird converted tractor.  Some kids.

 I have this weekend off and we have chosen to stay home and get some chores done.  I'll read some of the blog posts that I haven't yet had time to read.  We are dog sitting a friends pet and he and Honey seem to be getting along great.  Honey is jealous as heck when Dad pets Kobe.  Jumps all over me.
Hope you are having a great weekend.

Looking For Friendly Suggestions

As Mia and I prepare for the day that we retire (April 15th), we are looking at options as we slip into our golden years.

We are certainly not the richest folks in the world.  I have worked for non union companies all my life which doesn't afford us much in the way of pension plans.  We have managed to save some using 401k and Roth retirement funds but it certainly isn't a bundle and if we live another 20 years there is some concern as to whether or not we'll have enough.

First and foremost is health care.  We will be using Medicare and are advised to have a supplemental policy to protect from massive loss of funds due to emergency illness.  I am looking for suggestions from those folks already using Medicare.  What are the options for supplemental policies?  Which ones do you use?  What are the cost associated with the policy?

Secondly, since we don't have tons of money we will be trying to travel across the country as cheaply as possible.  I suspect gas and food will be our two biggest expenses.  Another expense that I am not looking forward too is the cost of RV Parks.  How do you keep from spending tons on money on fees for RV parks.  Looking for suggestions to keep our expenses to a minimum.  Places to look for further information on boondocking spots and anything else you can offer that will help us remain frugal as we travel across the country.

Lastly, personal protection.  How many of you carry a hand gun with you?  If not, do you every feel the need to have one?  What prompted you to obtain one?

Looking forward to your comments as I am getting close and want to get some of the research out of the way early.

Independence

Happy 4th.  Be safe.