I don't expect much....................

The climate in this country at the moment is shocking. I am appalled. Our first black president is being vilified and insulted and soon to be replaced by an ignorant buffoon. Condemned in my opinion by his own mouth before he even begins.
I won't get into politics. Not everyone will agree with me and that's fine. I am not a citizen of this country and never will be . I love where I live but do not like this countries ways of government. From the very beginning it was founded upon hate and treason. On the murder, no the genocide, of its original inhabitants. I can never put my name to that. Now they are once again fighting for their rights. It is just not right.
I came here with my family from England when I was young, I married an American and we expected to go back. That never happened. So here I am and most likely here I stay.

So............what do I expect from living here?


I would like to be able to live in peace surrounded by pleasant people, that part so far seems to be working out OK for me. I have very good friends.
Financially I would love to be able to go to the dentist and be able to afford care for my teeth. The cost is astronomical, outrageous and unless I am in pain just will not happen. I would like for everyone to be able to go to the doctors and be able to afford the office visit at least, let alone the medications. For many people that I know, and in my family, that is not the case. Who can afford health insurance? It takes a huge bite out of the income.

I would like just a little extra to be able to afford to maintain household appliances. To keep our old car running. I am not greedy, a new one would be nice but that's off the table.
I would like to be able to maintain our home. Do all the things that need fixing or remodeling. This is a very old house built sometime in the late 1800s. We have done a lot of work on it in the past. It needs to be maintained though. It is our sole investment and we will be relying upon it's sale for our future security.
I love my garden and would like to be able to keep that up as well as do a veggie garden again next year. All that costs money. Sometimes it's just cheaper to buy veggies and baked goods but, at what cost to health I wonder? It is no longer financially the better choice to make things yourself. Cookies, cakes etc.....bread. All those things, the bare necessities cost more than buying already made. Then you subject yourself to all the additives that are used these days.

A garden has to be fertilized, soil added and maintained. Then buying the small plants or seeds is as expensive as buying the product. If your garden fails its a waste of money. If it flourishes then we may have a chance at canning and preserving, in that case maybe a good investment. That is after you have got all the canning jars, lids and so on. One tip, look at garage sales for glass jars.


So what is the answer as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Thing is, if you are really poor you can get some help. Those of us who have always worked and now see the years ahead shrinking and the prospect of living on for many years in comfort questionable.
Our plan, if it works out is to buy a smaller house and hope that this one can retain it's value enough to pay for that without a mortgage. We may need to move to a place where the cost of living is not so high. Changes to our lifestyle and so much more. We have to be willing to change.I do not mind a challenge.

I do not worry about myself but I do think that the times ahead will be very difficult for our children and grandchildren. Families may have to live together as they did in years past. So many have become used to being independent and maintaining a separate life from their parents. That will not be the future for most people. It used to be that children lived and helped at home, and in the end cared for their elderly parents. Who can afford assisted living or retirement homes? Not me. Nor would I want it. Life does not always go the way we want or plan. We need to be open to new things and new possibilities. I think our days of freedom from reality are coming to an end. Maybe not such a bad thing actually. Maybe families can be closer again. Now so many are separated by distance and they like that. What a shame. My parents and grandparents lived in the same village as all of their forebears did, and knew the same people. We grew up with and kept the same friends and neighbours. Then it all changed.
I do not resent the rich for being rich. They earned their money either by inheritance or luck or their own smartness. What I do resent is that they get all the breaks. So many of the new rich, people like Bill Gates understand what it's like to be a regular guy and has given so much to so many. I applaud that. Paul Newman and Warren Buffet and the Facebook guy Mark Zuckerberg. All good people who understand............then there are the Donald Trumps of our world whom I despise. Well, there we go again. That gets into politics and I have no interest in that. Jesus said "My Kingdom is not of this world" so neither is mine. I live life as a visitor and observer only. I have no horse in that race. I await His return with interest. We are moving so quickly towards that hopeful day. I thank God for what I have and for what I can give in help to my family.
No one should expect a free ride. Having said that a country should take pride in helping the elderly, the veterans and children who are our future. Free health care for all. Get rid of the VA and make everyone the same. Free dental and optical. Free education. All paid for by taxes that are equally shared by all. Does it really seem so impossible?