Small World

Talk about a small world.  I have been emailing back and forth with my cousin.  I told him I was going to Costa Rica and would be on a retirement tour.  He emailed me back and said, "Not George Lundquist?  My wife and I have been thinking about going there and taking his tour."  I was so excited.  The word is every where about George's tour.  Also, as it turns out his brother, my cousin, had gone to Costa Rica and visited with George, but not actually taken the tour.  Maybe there will be a whole colony of us living in Costa Rica!

The Costa Rican Government is very careful to protect it's citizens ability to earn a living.  Anyone can move to Costa Rica, but no one that is not a citizen can work for a company there.  They do not want people moving in and taking jobs away for their citizens.  You can however open your own business.  George opened his retirement tour business there.  For this reason, I am taking the online English teaching course by TESOL Express, so I can tutor to make extra money.  If I can find a need when I get there that matches skills I have I'd love to start a business.  I have owned 2 of my own businesses in my life time, so it would not be something completely new for me. 

Cheers,
Claudia

English Course

I started my English teaching class.  It's wonderful and very different than what I thought it was going to be.  The first section deals with how to work with students that do not speak English, therefore not really understanding much of what you are saying.  So many things I never considered.

The course is teaching such things as hand gestures to signal what you are saying.  Using the board to put examples in pictures of what you are talking about.  Words not to use.   Shorten your sentences using as little words as possible.  Cutting down on your adverbs and adjectives.  It will be very different from teaching children that already speak the language.

I have learned one lesson...do not try to study a lesson and take the test at work.  I failed my first test!  Not a good start, plus I am a personality that hates to make mistakes.  Especially when I consider them stupid mistakes.

This process really is empowering.  We are all going to need or want to stop working one day and be able to enjoy the rest of our lives.  If we do not start planning and working our plan it will never happen.  I have my 2-3 year plan and feel great seeing it already starting.

Cheers,
Claudia

Continuing to Map It

Not so fast....Would you believe after 3 phone calls and 5 different departments my savings account just went on line today!  Something that should have been so simple took two weeks.

I am continuing to move forward.  Today I signed up for a 120 hour course to become certified to teach and tutor English.  This course specializes in teaching non English speaking students.   English is a required course in Costa Rica.  Hopefully when I get there I will be able to find people to tutor.  I'd particularly like to tutor adults who need to become more proficient for their business careers.  The English language and perfect grammar have always been important to me.  Ask my children.  I nearly drove them crazy correcting their speech.  Today they thank me!

My travel agent is still looking for a great deal on flight tickets for Meleese and me.    We are looking so forward to getting to Costa Rica and taking George's retirement tour.

Cheers,
Claudia

Moving Forward

I am continuing to move forward on my plans. 

Have you ever opened your savings account on line?  Not as easy as it sounds.  I went into my checking account and did all the paperwork on the site for my savings account.  Next they say they will withdraw two small amounts and email you when it is done to first make sure it is you who is pulling the money.  They did the 2 small withdrawals but never emailed.  Still have not emailed me about it.  I did find it by checking back on my account. 

Next I OK'd the amounts.  Then it took another 3 days before they actually withdrew the full amount to open the savings account.  This took a total of one week to "electronically" move my money from one location to the new one!  I thought doing things on line were supposed to be faster.  Not so.

I am watching for a good deal on air tickets to go down in May and take George's tour.

Everyday I watch the news about what is going on in Washington, and everyday it makes me even more sure I want to get out of here while I still can.  An added motivation!

Cheers,
Claudia

Learning More

I just finished reading "Unraveling the Mysteries of Moving to Costa Rica" by Arden Rembert Brink.  This book is full of information and experience.  It takes you all the way through her information gathering to make the decision to move and the move its self.  I feel I know so much more than I did a week ago.  At least I know a lot about what I will be facing.

The number one thing I can see that will slow me up is money!  It's not the money once you get there it's the money to get there.  It will cost around $15,000 to move my house and car. 

You might ask, why would you move all your belongings?  They do have most of these things in Costa Rica, but they are expensive.  Food and housing are very inexpensive.  All the goodies that go in your house are not.  Most items you will pay double what you pay in the States. 

The packing for the move is not all that bad.  You just have to pack everything very well and wrap your furniture in moving blankets then shrink wrap.  I've moved sooooo many times I am an expert at packing.  The shipping company delivers the container to your home.  You can load it or hire someone to do it.  Every thing has to be loaded in tightly floor to ceiling.  Once all your belongings are on your car is then loaded.  The shipping company comes back, picks up the container, trucks it to the port, and is then loaded on a ship headed for Costa Rica.  It's more involved than I described it, but that is the general idea.

You do have to have an inventory of boxes (not the items in them), and they all have to be numbered so customs will be able to match the number with your list.

I can handle all this.  My key word for the day is save save save!

Cheers,
Claudia

WORKING MY PLAN

Keeping my eye on the mark.  Make a plan and work it.

I sat down several nights ago and started my Costa Rica or bust success list.  I am on a 17-24 month plan to retire in Costa Rica.  Well, semi-retire.  I'll have to find something to do to supplement my pitiful social security.

First step...plan an information gathering trip to Costa Rica.  Done.  Will be there in late spring.

Second step...Take Spanish.  Almost done.  When I get back from my trip and know for sure Costa Rica is for me I will be bidding on Ebay for the full Rossetta Stone Spanish Course.  Ole'

Open a specific savings account.  Spend money on nothing except the life giving essentials (Going cold-turkey!).  Will be at the bank tomorrow.

Build my Ignite (Stream Energy) business!

It's a start!  Head down and engines revved!

Cheers,
Claudia

Retirement

It has become pretty obvious that I will not ever be able to retire in the United States. There was a little known fact to me that if you are a stay at home mom and work most of your life in that world you have no social security! There is evidently no monetary value to being a home keeper and mother. Thank God I did work outside the home a little, or I would have zero!

What to do? I have been looking for some place where I can make a little extra money plus my social security and still be able to keep a roof over my head and eat. I am very close to choosing Costa Rica.

I am going there in April or May to visit a friend of my father's who has lived there for 9 years. He loves it and would never consider leaving. He has sent me pictures that make the decision pretty easy! The picture of the birds at the top of my blog was taken from his window.

Have you ever considered something like this? Any ideas or suggestions?

Cheers,
Claudia

"Where Did The Time Go"

I did survive my 60th birthday much to my confusion and disbelief.

Looking back at my childhood, my teen years, and my adult years have helped me figure out where much of the time was used and helped me decide what to do with the next 47. Yes, 107!

I have discovered that we are all basically yummy "Milk Shakes". Take 1 part childhood, 1 part teenager, and 1 part adult. Shake (do not stir) well in order to combine all the ingredients, and voila! It's YOU! No one else with similar backgrounds. JUST YOU!

Another thing I've seen is those children and teenagers are still alive and well inside all of us. I have a new acquaintance. I know he was a genius when he was younger. Now I read or hear things that he is planning and I think, "How old and what year do you think this is?" Then it hit me, and I looked at him with new eyes. I thought of both photos of him. The one when he was 20 years old smiling excitedly, and the one of him now. The 20 year old is still there. He just looks a little different! Now, I get it. MILKSHAKES! All parts are mixed together, but each part is still there in it's original form.

My plans for the next 47 years? Not to waste one minute or idea. I'm a big girl now, and only have myself to answer to. I am really tired of the expression "bucket list", but whatever you want to call it make one and stick to it.

I wish all my fellow classmates of 1968 a very healthy and happy 60th birthday. My best advise to all of you is...Do not sit down or still!

Cheers,
Claudia

The Adult Years

22 days and counting.

Revelation...I think I am starting to see where most of my life went.

Two weeks before I turned 21 I got married. Had my first of 3 daughters three years later, and pretty much the rest is history. I spent the next 33 years dedicating all my time to my children and husbands.  Yes, I said husbands. I've married and divorced 3 times. Sure did not expect that when I was growing up and making plans for my life.

I have driven gillions of miles to school, ballet lessons, t-ball games, soccer, music lessons, cheer leading practices, pageants, swimming lessons, doctor's appointments, etc. I have been PTA President, Cheer Club President, Cheer publicity, T-Ball coach, dress designer, stage designer, cook, maid, gardener, chauffeur, nurse, hand holder, adviser, psychiatrist, etc. I worked outside the home some, but very little compared to the time taking care of my family.

Now let's see. Hum...I don't see me in there for 33 years. I am honestly not complaining. I loved being a mom! It was the best job I could ever imagine. I loved my time with my 3 daughters, and miss them being little and at home. However, I did not do one thing during those years for my personal growth. It's a blur...a whirl wind of time. It was wonderful, but now for some "ME" time.

I've been working full time and more for 8 years. Have loved most of it, but my real love is my art and design. I started making memory crosses which I love. I get to use my imagination on every one I make. I began painting again. I can spend hours on both and never get bored. They even sell which is an added bonus. I am loving my freedom.

I guess the moral of the story is enjoy every minute of life that you have. Most importantly do not lose yourself in the mix. Time goes faster than our little minds can imagine, so we had better make the most of every day. Give of yourself with joy, but save some for you.

Cheers,
Claudia

The Teen Years

33 days and counting until I turn 60 years old. Last blog I was recounting a tiny part of my childhood in Greenville.

Big "D"...the land of milk and honey. This was exactly what I thought just one week after moving to Dallas. I thought my parents had destroyed my life moving me from Greenville to Dallas just as I was about to start the 9th grade. I got to Dallas, looked at all the beautiful homes, grand cars, huge buildings, and super cute boys (not that there weren't cute boys in Greenville) and BAM! Within the first few months of 1964 in Dallas Georgiana and I went to see the Beatles!

Ursuline Academy...all girls Catholic College Prep school. Oh my goodness. WHERE AM I? Could not wear make-up. Could not dye my hair (it was actually dyed when I got there). Skirts had to touch the floor when you knelt. Classes harder than I could imagine. Latin? What was I going to use that for? All the teachers were Nuns, but I really liked all of them. I made it through Freshman year, but begged my parents to go back to public school.

W.T. White High School. Now this was more like it! Back to being a normal girl.

High school was so much fun for me. I loved every minute of it. Cruising Forest Lane, Cruising White Rock Lake, Brookhaven Country Club, Green Valley Raceway, The Studio Club, Lou Ann's, Sump-N-Else (Dallas' version of American Band Stand), going to Bachman Lake-climbing the back side to the runway of Love Field-lay down just in front of the runway and stay there while the planes came in just over us for a landing, Goff's Hamburgers, Jack N The Box, the Gemini Drive-In, Jefferson Hotel Ballroom parties, Market Hall, Turner Falls, Jesuit Boys, W.T. White boys, Dougherty's, Cobbs, riding the bus to Texas A & M with Julie, being one of the few girls to jump off the RR tressle at Lake Dallas, The Novas, The Sensations, Junior Symphony Ball, Groovy, black light posters, psychedelic music, tons and tons of concerts, mini skirts, the gator and the dead rat, Bat Man, and taking my SAT with a hang over (ok, not so smart). I had a care free blast in high school and am glad I did. Adulthood can be really long, and it's not like you can go back and be totally care free again.

I'm trying to divide my life into 4 parts. Childhood, teen years, adulthood, and middle age. Maybe if I do this when my 60th gets here I'll be ready. It has gone by so fast I feel I need to go back and add everything up to figure out where it went.

Those of you who have already turned 60 how did you deal, or did you just slide right into it with out any back look or problem?

Cheers,
Claudia

My Childhood

Well here I am, and how did I get here? Is anyone other than me having trouble trying to figure how it is possible to be turning 60? I am trying to prepare myself.

I know it was just yesterday my daddy was picking me up from Mrs. Mackelree and Harrison's Kindergarten in his red convertible Studebaker. Daddy would put the top down. Cathlene Barlow and I would sit on the back and drive away waving at everyone playing like we were beauty queens in a parade.

I loved my childhood in Greenville...stunt flying with my dad and spending time with him at the private airport, Sand Oaks Country Club, Lamar Elementary, my "Ponytail" zipper notebook, the Golden Gloves every year with my dad starting in kindergarten, the skating rink, the YMCA, Queen Ann's, The Texas Theater, playing Cowboys and Indians with my cousin Harry, Star Dusters, Woolworth 5 and 10, Limeades at the drug store, the antique store by the rail road tracks, Saint William's and Vacation Bible School. Betty Hogue's Dance Studio, El Sombrero's, Sabine Valley, Club Lake, the Park with the big slide and gorilla, trying to catch ground squirrels in the cemetery, trick or treating on Park Street and all the old spooky houses, and the wonderful Christmas Parades with Santa at the end throwing candy!

We lived in the Victorian Style John Boles family home. My neighborhood...Mrs. Phafel in her wonderful Victorian, Park Street, the Ramsey's basement, Mrs. Brook's gold fish pond, Mrs. Decker, Mrs. Baker, climbing trees and fences with Billy Ray Hoff, Jr, Mr. Terry and piano lessons, the Henley's, Cathlene Webster, Forrest Parker, the lady across from Lamar Elem. with the monkeys, the Lockheart's and their Indian performances, Mr. Green's corner store and fudge cycles, the National Guard driving down Park Street in the military vehicles, rolling down the hill in a barrel at DeDe and Carol McClain's, riding my bike and roller skating round and round the block, and my going away party at Brenda Reeves' home.

It would take a book to tell all the stories behind the names and places of my childhood, but they all have one!

Enough for now...Next blog I will hit some highlights of time in Dallas starting in 1964.

Cheers,
Claudia