The person who quipped that the job isn't finished till the paperwork is done wasn't joking. Karen has just started working through the paperwork, as hers is far more complex than mine, as she has her Ontario Teachers' Pension as well as her LAPP provincial paperwork to complete.
As for myself, I took the initiative to begin receiving my Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits early due to injuries I have experienced, and I submitted an application for Old Age Security (OAS), anticipating my first payment at the end of January. However, as part of the verification process, they are requesting a copy of my Ontario marriage licence to confirm my identity, as well as, I presume, Karen's.
The government can be unpredictable, to say the least. After all, we’ve been filing tax returns together for almost 40 years—shouldn’t that count for something? So, I went to the Ontario Government’s website and sent my last $15 to the Ford Administration for a card they've known about for years at both levels of government. At least Ontario, which claimed it would take 4 to 6 weeks, managed to process it in just 1 day and mail it out immediately. Now, it’s up to Canada Post. Wish me luck!
Karen taking her time has kind of set a probable date as December 01, 2026. My guess it will be way sooner than that as she has a huge amount of accumulated holiday days to get rid of. So it is more of a wait-and-see.
There’s no doubt that, given Alzheimer’s Disease has affected every generation of my family, and my foster brother Ian passed away from cancer much too early, serious conversations began about what the future may hold.
Many people I know have chosen to involve their children in family decisions, particularly significant ones such as retirement, by discussing plans together and seeking their input. While we are not financially affluent, in fact, quite the opposite, we decided that our children would not influence this particular decision. We informed them that both Mom and Dad will be retiring this year and invited them to join us for Castor Winterfest. Wishing everyone a wonderful day.
Essentially, now that we've both reached 65, we value every day we can spend together far more than any amount of money. For the past forty years, our days have been filled with work in classrooms, hospitals, or on the road, followed by evenings spent raising our children before resting to start again.
We have now reached the next threshold, and it is notable that this transition is accompanied by significantly less anxiety than previously anticipated. The reason for this may be that, for the first time in quite a while, both of us are moving forward together, united in purpose, without dwelling on the past, and ready to embrace the future collaboratively as we enter our golden years.
Our radio station, along with our Facebook and YouTube pages, will keep sharing our adventures, but from now on, we’ll never do it alone. We've reached a moment that's truly ours. The world isn't just an opportunity waiting for us; instead, everything that matters is contained within what we share together.
