#180 [P] Busy Day

Busy day today, complicated by a lack of sleep last night.  I stayed up too late again, and then when I went to bed, I was joined by one of those huge flies - the ones that buzz loudly and dive bomb your head.  About 5am I got the great idea, and I turned the light on in the foyer - and the fly left the bedroom to commune with the hall chandelier.  It could have been worse - when Baby and Ninja were alive, they both loved to chase those big flies, and all night long Jay and I would have two 45-lb dogs sproinging on and off our heads snapping at flies.  (Miss Thunderfoot finds flies beneath her notice.)

After disposing of the fly, I still couldn't get properly to sleep because I was afraid I'd oversleep.  I had a morning appointment at the Social Security office in Kingston. 

As a widow, I became eligible to collect on Jay's SS last year, at 59 1/2.   At 66, I can switch to collect on my own.  But every year that I don't collect on either, the amount I can eventually collect goes up.  I had a lot of questions as to what was the best thing to do. 

Without going into all the complications, I have decided to start collecting widow's benefits on Jay's account now.  Even though I don't need that money yet, I can do better investing it than the government apparently can.  And I won't ever switch to my own (you can collect on only one account, and you can switch in only a certain order), because Jay's will always be higher than mine.

Another thing that I didn't know about is that if Ex#2 corks off before I do, I can switch from Jay's account and collect widow's benefits on Ex#2's account - which is higher still.  And no, it doesn't matter whether either he or I remarries.  Amazing!

After the SS office, I went to a camera shop and got my picture taken for a new passport.  Here it is.  I look at bit startled.

Lunch at the Asian Buffet.

Then to the tax man to deliver my comments on the draft he'd mailed me last week, sign some forms, and to alert him to figure the SS checks into 2005's estimated taxes.

Back across the river to the bank to deposit April's retirement check, then to the post office to pick up some packages and mail some bill payments. 

There was another stop in there somewhere, but durn if I can remember where or what for.... 

At 6:45 I'll be off to Rhinebeck for a retirees' "Restoration of Benefits" meeting.  It's essentially the same meeting as was scheduled last month in Poughkeepsie, but they didn't get much of a turnout because it snowed that day.  (Also, they had scheduled it on a weekday morning, and most Company retirees that I know are working second careers.  They have to, because the benefits have eroded so badly - precisely why there is a meeting!)

I had to laugh last night.  The characters on "The Office" were complaining because their new medical plan had  "no vision, no dental, and a $1500 deductible!"  The point of the show was how bad the plan was.  Snort!  I'm now paying ten times the premiums as six years ago, with a new-this-year $3000 deductible, and vision and dental are available, but cost EXTRA!  "The Office"s plan sounded GOOD to me!