Retirement Today…by Harold

For those of you who are new members to the Marcus Today newsletter you might notice that on Fridays we carry articles by our resident retiree Harold. Harold is a friend of mine from the Black Rock Sailing Club, he is a very competitive, experienced and capable sailor sailing Sabres. This was me trying to…

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Growing Old

Seeing ourselves as others see us. As we age we have to deal with changes which are not just financial.  I first realized this whilst I was still working full time.  After a project meeting I caught a tram along St Kilda Road to travel back to the city.  The tram was full as usual. …

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Role Reversal

Role Reversal One of the best things about our retirement has been the time we spent with our two granddaughters.  It would have been good to spend similar time with our two grandsons but they lived in Perth so it wasn’t just a short drive up the road.  It all began when the eldest granddaughter,…

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New Normal

I’m feeling just a little bit more optimistic for the first time in months.  There may be just a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.  If Victoria can get its house in order Australia might just achieve some degree of a new normality.  I know we can’t expect to return to the…

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Super For The Long Term

‘Superannuation is for the long term’.  I wonder how many people react as I do to that statement.  I immediately have two reactions.  The first and most obvious is that at 82 with 83 approaching at an alarming rate there is no long term for me.  It’s a case of living for the day, week…

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Hello Stranger

It’s amazing how a simple and apparently insignificant thing can have such an amazing impact on life.  When Victoria declared mask wearing to be mandatory I thought that’s OK not a big issue if it helps solve the problem.  I had no idea how it would change things. Ever since working briefly in Libya and…

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At What Cost

The cost of the Covid19 virus worldwide is huge.  Some, mainly from my generation, pay with their lives.  Others pay with their jobs, their businesses, or with their mental health.  The government is paying a fortune supporting people who have lost their jobs and can’t feed the family and pay their rent or mortgage.  Money…

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A simple life

As the weeks roll by we have become used to a very different way of life.  We take long walks instead of long drives or long sails.  We have enjoyed some great walks along the beach and have become very familiar with every rock and grain of sand.  Even the birds seem to recognize us…

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Travel Troubles

Travel Troubles

Four teenagers, 4 adults and two ‘geriatrics’ in two campervans for two weeks sounds like a recipe for disaster­ but the problems came not from the travelers but from other directions. Our middle son invited us to join him and his family on a trip to New Zealand.  Our youngest son and his family joined…

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