Tomorrow in Aust.

[blessedw2]

I missed you all!!!

[Kasalia]

Wed. already here. Last week applied for my superannuation to be closed. This is compulsory in Aust. and paid by you employer but is part of your pay package. This gives the next generation a pension rather than the gov. paying it.. With me though it didnt start till in my 40s then I left work in my 50s after 35 yrs. So have been waiting till it reached $ 25000.00 so I could replace my now 15 year old car. Yesterday we tested a few that DH thought was worth it and put a deposit on for a Subaru XV auto . Wow what a difference these modern cars are feel like I advanced 100 years. I have driven a shift car all my driving life so going auto is a challenge, let alone work gps via a phone, digital dash. Very excited its red. Giving my little Mazda 2 to my eldest grandaughter.

The Soltice festival was fairly successful for us. Took about 25 families through on a gold coin donation ($1 $2) sold seeds, made cakes and some sold, picked rhubarb and took oranges that were given to me and that all sold, so in the end made $134
. We now have a regular mothly stall in the shoping centre starting this Friday. Lucky for DH and I someone else is manning it for once. DH starts his medicine today for the colonoscopy tomorrow.

Being the first day at home this week was going to do a big garden cleanup, but its started sprinkling with rain. That means more housework instead getting visitors in a fortnight. Might light the fire early also it is cold.
Have a great day everyone.

[Kasalia]

School holidays start Saturday and I am in CHAOS daughter is turning up for a week, she is a school teacher in Sydney 7 hr drive away. Brother and SIL (also teacher) are arriving 14th. to visit mum so I had better hide everything lol.

DH test didn't show bowel cancer thank goodness, but gastritis and a fissue so still has to have all that fixed. Meanwhile I am having a biopsy today for a skin cancer on my back, hopefully not
another melanoma, last one was on top of my head and had to have a skin graft. Think monk.


It is officially Winter now, and when not drizzling lovely rain I have pruned a plum, lime, lemon, Elderberry, and still have a peachcot and nectarine and mulberry to go. Some bare root roses arrived so planted them, and this week will get some potatoes in, bit early but they will do ok.
Also going to start a heap of veg. seeds fo spring.

Better get the day started.

[blessedw2]

hi kasalia and lynn How are you dear ones

thank Goodness re: test d kasalia!!
interesting re: pension - I never heard of that before
glad you had a nice festival.

[Kasalia]

Blessedw2
Back in the old days my parents, you got a pension after age 65 via an assets test, not including house. There is a limit. With the babyboomers the gov. decided it couldn't afford to pay us all. (Even though I feel it was baby boomers that keeps this world afloat eg. Baby shops in our toddler days, more schools, more teenage stuff, cars, houses and now travel and all the associated business to supply) Anyway it started with 6% of your pay in the 90s and now about to go 10% and of course raised the retirement level to 67 and will eventually I feel go to 70 with our children. You can also nominate extra to the superannuation fund. They are cracking down on the funds as some charge enormous fees or death insurance . At retirement though it is turned into a pension. The trick will be putting enough away if you want the same lifestyle.

If the mortgage is paid, no credit card debt, and are good savers you can get by at a reasonable level . My DH was a teacher and all nurses, police and teachers all had compulsory superannuation from the beginning for him 1971 , so his pension was more than the gov. one but that particular scheme was stopped for newcomers later on, so we are lucky. Should he die before me I still get 3/4.

Its my birthday today so going out for dinner a rare event. DD is driving up from Sydney for a week, and will join us. Local DIL has made a cake and bringing the 5 kids and DS over for afternoon tea. Its a lovely sunny wintery day and the township is having its annual chilli festival, where 7000 people turn up in what is really a small fishing village from years gone by.

[Lady Maverick]

Happy Birthday Kasalia!!!

[lucylee]

Happy birthday, Kasalia!

[Nancy]

Happy Birthday Kasalia! Hope you have a great one!

[blessedw2]

Happy belated birthday dear Kasalia!!!

[blessedw2]

sounds like a great idea regarding pensions. really interesting! thank you for sharing.