End of another year

Wow, here we are 9 day's short of Christmas, another year slipped by.
This coming June I will complete 5 years of being back in Grants Pass. The winter dreary has been there, but I think that knowing that I'll soon be able to be in warmer climes in the up coming winters has made it easier for me to handle the gloom. And maybe the vitamin D supplement has helped also.
And the fact that I've elected to start collecting Social Security early (62) instead of waiting till full retirement age (66) has also given me something to look forward to. The check will be 25% smaller than if I had waited, but I did the math, and the difference won't matter till I'm 78. I figure at that age I won't need the extra money for hookers, or hang gliding lessons anyway.
And about Social Security, no wonder it's in trouble, it's a Ponzi scheme. Over my working life, S.S. has received approx $80,000. from me and my employers. If I collect for 20 years, they will pay me over $265,000. What system wouldn't be going broke doing that for millions of people? But like the Madoff scandal, no one complains till the scheme falls apart.
I have been laid off of work for the last month, and I can't believe how much I have enjoyed it. I think I'm going to really like this retired thing, especially after I get into the rhythm of it. Right now it feels a little strange to wake up at 8, or 8:30. No, actually it feels great, it just seems strange. I'm sure I'll get used to it.
For those of you that don't know (there must be someone) I bought 5 acres of land in the Arizona desert. Bought it on Ebay no less, sight unseen. And of course, upon further research, found that I paid too much. Not way too much, about a grand more than others had paid in the same sub division, for the same size lot in the last year. Average sale price 1500.00, I paid 2500.00 Big deal, they paid $300. an acre, I paid $500. It's basically 5 acres of sand two miles south of Interstate 40, and 10 to 15 miles from the entrance to the Petrified National Forest. High desert (about 5000 ft.) it gets pretty cold in the winter, but it's a dry cold, you know, like your freezer. The sun does shine most of the winter, so it's a dry, bright cold, like your freezer with a light. How come the fridge gets a light, but the freezer doesn't ? Don't people go into their freezers at night? I'm pretty sure it's going to be for sale pretty soon. I hope to go visit it while I'm down south for the holidays, it's only about a 6 hour drive from the L.A. area!
Well anyway folks, here's hoping life is treating you as good as it's treating me, or maybe even better? That would be good!
I'll leave you with this thought. "Lately I have been missing my ex-wife, but I think my aim is improving!" Ok I'm quoting a bumper sticker :>.