A NEW FIVE YEAR PLAN

As anyone who has followed my blog would know I am now 78 and my husband is 80. In 2004 we had to make a big decision....whether to stay in this little old house of ours or try and find somewhere else to live. We are not retirement village type people in the true sense and why move to another house when we are happy in this one?

We took a big step and this was all part of a Five Year Plan (this was actually in mid 2004) and decided to stay here. 'Cos of my increasing problems with osteo arthritis we had to have our bathroom completely renovated and also needed a new smaller car.

How were we to do this? Had to take out a bank loan of course and unfortunately one of those where the interest compounds as we could not afford monthly repayments. The interest rates did go in our favour for a while although on the increase now.

Five and a half years later we have never regretted staying here...the bathroom is just wonderful and although the little Getz car is now over five and a half years old it has been well looked after and still runs like a new car and we find it ideal for our purpose.

Yesterday I brought up the fact that we should look another 5 years ahead. One never knows at any age how long one will survive but even at our advanced age you do have to look to the future, and hope you do have a future ahead of you.

This cottage (it is regarded as a cottage in today's housing terms) is about 50 years old but is still in pretty good nick. It is mainly the outside of the house that is a problem as I can do little outdoors any more and hubby, although willing, finds the heat rather a nuisance and just cannot do all that he once did. We have been fortunate in finding a wonderful young man who has been working tidying up our run-down garden and have had assistance in doing this for which we will be eternally grateful. We need to make our outside areas safer for me to walk and have a garden which is going to be almost care free apart from watering and occasional pruning. If we could only control those pesky weeds (if they were worth money they probably wouldn't grow at all).

Another big decision to be made.....do we endeavour to stay another 5 years in our home (we have been here since 1974) and perhaps hope we win Lotto (fat chance) when we could completely renovate or rebuild (dream on) or borrow some more money from the bank to have some essential work done? OR just put up with it the way it is and hope eventually we can do what needs doing bit by bit?

It is something perhaps we should talk to our family about but does it really concern them? They have their own interests and life to deal with. Of course, if we do take out a further loan from the bank, we lose even more equity in the house which would be a problem should we have to eventually move.

We both hope we can stay the distance in our home but...........and it is a big, big BUT.

I only wrote this particular post because I needed to put it all down in the hope that in doing so I would come up with a brilliant idea whilst doing so. Oh dear, no brilliance yet. More talk needed and some cooler weather too which would make it easier for both of us to think more clearly perhaps. When you get older the heat sort of stops you in your tracks both mentally and physically. Our aircon should be repaired tomorrow and that will help considerably with the hot week ahead.

You will have to forgive these meanderings as I know they are of little interest to others but I felt I had to get it off my chest.