Fifty Plus (50+) - Stuck

...in a funk.

Last month the company abolished a mess of retirement benefits.
We're just going to have to adjust, though there is a lot of anxiety
over the bride's health care as they won't cover her anymore (after I
retire) and she's not really insurable due to pre-existing conditions.

Found out a couple weeks ago that my Tacoma is probably going to
qualify for Toyota's "Buy Back Program". Mixed blessings here, if it
does I will be able to pay off the new roof on the house...but I won't
have a pick-up truck and can't afford to buy another for several more
years. Bummer. I really like that truck.

Sunday, while returning from dropping our daughter off at college in Albany
we got caught in a nasty hailstorm causing over a thousand dollars damage
to our Conversion Van. This is (was) the only really nice vehicle we own.
We bought it new 14 years ago and had it custom finished to our specs at
a local shop. Though we babied it all these years and it's in fantastic condition
with only 52K miles on it, it's still only worth a few thousand dollars and it
probably doesn't make financial sence to apply the small insurance check to repairing
the Van. The roof is all dimpled from golf ball sized hail.

So three things of value to me are all either recently damaged permanently
or threatened, though two are just objects. Haven't been riding much lately,
not really in the mood. That will change, my mood will brighten, I'll ride again,
we'll work through these times.....and get clobbered again. sigh.......Ain't
life grand?

Life's sucking for you right now, but, you are the "Cranky Old Dude" ,so when life throws lemmons at you make lemonaide. Go on a ride this weekend and leave your worries at home, just make sure that you take some extra cash and tubes.:D

Sorry about the insurance and retirement problems. But about the others - they're just things. Heavy on the just. Still and all, good luck, and hang in there - it's the only choice we're given.

I'm hoping this will all turn out to be just a stretch of shake'n'bake in the middle of a great century ride. Hang in there, dude. :giver:

Sorry..... sometimes life is like this.

I have a card I bought to send to someone at the right time. On the front, Charlie Brown and Snoopy are watching TV and one of them is holding the remote control. The inside says "Don't you wish you could fast forward through the crummy times?"

As much as you don't want to, a ride will help A LOT. There have been a handful of times recently when I felt like you, didn't want to move........ I had to literally force myself to go out, and WOW what a difference it made. If we can't change the circumstances, we must take control of how we mentally respond to them.

Hope things get better for you very soon.

Man! That's tough.

And it always seems to happen to us when we're at the age that we can't just run down the street and start over again.

I wish you luck in getting through this.

Ed

Sorry to hear about your benefits being cut. 3M cut ours short earlier this year already! My wife keeps asking is my life insurance paid, then sends me out on the bike to do errands in rush hour traffic. Hmmm. Go for a ride,especially if you don't feel like it! Helps me to burn a little frustration away.

Trust me, a ride will help a great deal. It doesn't have to be long, just get out there for a hour or two.
It makes the world a better place.

...Ain't life grand?

Ain't it indeed. One thing that long-distance cycling has taught me: no matter what's happening right now, it won't always be this way. Hang in there. And get out there and GO FOR A RIDE! You need it!

SP

Life is hard, and your screen name seems to fit the situations you're currently facing. Your assessment that riding will help is a good one. We can only do what we can do. Things are not just cause and effect. It's much more complicated than that. So, do what you can do, and then go ride. Good wishes sent your way.

Things will adjust - they always do. You still have a lot to be thankful for. Looks liek it will be a fantastic weekend weather wise here in NY so get some riding in and enjoy the last of the summer.