Omi Annie's Millionaire Club

I read this book, this spring and there is a graph in it which shows in black and white, the saving and results of 3 people.
Kim started saving $2000/mon at 27 until 65, saved $78,000.00 to have $$805,185.
Susan started saving $2000/mon at 19 for 8 years ($16,000) and had $1,019,148 at 65.
Here's the best one. Lucy started saving $2000/mon at 14 for 5 years only ($10,000) and had $1,174,600 at 65.
This is based on a 10% return which wouldn't work this year but there have been years when I've got 28% + returns. The money has to sit there until age 65.
I've challenged my teen grandsons and grand nieces to become millionaires. It is going to be interesting to see what they do. Don't I wish I'd known this when I was 14 or had my own kids do it. I think there is more of a chance of some success when the minimum wage is $8/hr than when I got $1? hour at Woodward's when I was 16.

Euchre

We had a great evening of dinner and cards. We just learned Euchre last year and really enjoy the game and our friends. Debby gave us a going away gift of roses, the traveling kind thank heavens and acrylic wine glasses for our trip. Very nice.
These guys started with Caesars while we enjoyed their beautiful garden including 3 thriving palm trees. You can see one behind CJ's head.

My last Pool night

Off to the Elks for our usual Friday night Pool tournament. We always have so much fun with our group. We certainly miss them when we head south but this year we'll start missing them July 9 when we head across Canada.

Ladies Lunch

We were going to have a picnic on the beach today but weather pushed us over to Margie's house. We feel so fortunate to have the six of us, still friends from Realty World real estate days back in the 80's. Lots of fun as usual.

Live Oak Trees

When we went to Alabama this spring, we stopped at Ingram, Texas at a campgound in a Pecan tree farm, which were tall silver white bark trees with no leaves in March. There were some other deciduous trees with pretty green leaves and I asked the owner if they were oak trees. She said "Yaas, mam, and we have 2 lava oaks trees out back over 100 years old. I said 'lava oak trees? Yaas mam. I asked, how do you spell that? envisioning a volcano. In her extreme southern drawl she said, el -i vee - eh. I said "live oak trees?" Yaas mam. She must have thought I was dim witted at best as I said 'I've never heard of them.' It must be a' Taazas thiiing', she said. I went out to the river and there were 2 massive oak trees. I thought it unusual as we don't go around saying we have live fir trees here. It is very common for the oaks to be draped with Spanish moss by the water area.
The mystery became clear this week. I am reading James Michener's book 'Texas and a family is moving from the south to the north east area of Texas, a very different terrain. As they choose their land they are going to settle, they find 'We have six kinds of oak; live, black, post, water and the tough types, white and red.' Apparently, the live oaks that retain their leaves in winter are called live because the others with barren branches appear dead. Who knew?

Dinner with the kids

We had a lovely day and dinner with Chris and Julie and the kids. We sat out on the patio they poured last week. It's quite large and really enhances the outdoor living space beside the pool. One of Isaiah's favourite things is to lay on the trampoline and have Zack bounce him up and down. If you enlarge, you'll see, he's 4" off the tramp.

Golden Ears Bridge

We picked Cj and Joan up and headed across the new Golden Ears Bridge in Langley to Pitt Meadows. It's nice looking with eagles up on the top posts and will be faster than the Albion ferry which, unfortunately, will be closed down. We stopped at the China Kitchen, our favourite since the days we visited mom and dad in Haney. Then we phoned Glen and Leah and headed over the Mission Bridge to Abbotsford. We visited on the back patio before we had some delicious crab and then played dominoes and Pegs and Jokers.

A Happy Birthday

I had a lovely visit with Joni, my friend from high school today. Next, I met Gayle down at the Old Mill Restaurant right on the beach overlooking the water and islands. It's the first time we've been together in a year so much conversation to catch up on. I get a kick out of the Statue of Liberty out front in a Canucks T-shirt.
Here's the pretty 'washi paper' pendant Suzanne gave me for my birthday. It's a Japanese tradition.

Lunch and shopping

We went over to the U.S.of A. today and met Chuck and barb and CJ and Joan for a Chinese buffet in Bellingham. We visited over lunch for a couple of hours and then went to Cash and Carry, an outlet store Barb showed us. It truly is cash and carry your own groceries out to your vehicle. I felt like a bag lady but the 10 lbs of potatoes Ron has cost $1.27. I can live with that.
When we were crossing the border back into Canada, the U.S. side was closed down completely. All traffic was being turned back. Someone had left a suitcase in the customs building and they treated it like a bomb threat until it was investigated. Hope no one was trying to get to an airport. This overhead picture show no cars whatsoever.

Birthday Party in Gibsons

We started celebrating our birthdays, mine and Suz early ( June 18 + 22). We met Chris and Isaiah at Cummings in Port Kells and drove together to Horseshoe Bay. Isaiah and I played down on the beach with the geese while we waited to walk on the ferry. It's a lovely ride across passing Bowen Island where Paul was at friends for sailboat races. At Gibsons, we went down to the dock and one surprise was a boat ride around the harbour and shore. How pleasant and interesting. Paul boated over from Bowen and met us there. We had a lovely day in the back yard with a BBQ and cake. Surprise on the way to the ferry was a small black bear which jumped up and ran across the road in front of us.

We caught the 6:20 ferry which was 1/2 hour late. Good thing we walked on - the lineup was backed up the hill. Great day and I loved the huge bunch of flowers and 'washi' Japanese paper pendant which you can hardly see behind the flowers.

Cleaning the Condo

Our tenant of 2 years, moved out June 6 ( bought a beautiful ocean view home) so I've been very busy screening and interviewing prospective ones. Now I've finished washing, ironing and rehanging curtains, cleaning the sliding doors tracks etc. We got the 116' deck washed, repaired a 5" hole in the wall from the movers and an over sized couch, etc. I just love our condo and the day we can't full time anymore and have to move back in will be a pleasure. The entrance is through a large courtyard where you can see the side deck above. Our front deck is a good size and the BBQ is in the 8' x 8' covered area off the dining room.
Ron and I did the inspection with the new tenant today and gave out the keys.

Once a Year

It's that time again. Off to the mammography clinic for my yearly screening. They have 3 really original quilted wall hangings there. This one if my favourite. If you click to see it larger, you'll see 10 faces along the top representing sister, mother, grandaughter etc.
I cracked up at the card one of the staff received for her birthday and left on the counter.

Ocean Beach Hotel

Yesterday was moving out day for our tenant of 2 years. Thanks to the economy, she's bought an ocean view house. We had a sit and guard the front door of the condo while the movers packed furniture out to the truck, can't leave it unattended because the bad guys might walk in.
We've been interviewing people and showing the condo to re-rent and today we did it. Our new tenant comes highly recommended. So we headed home by way of the beach. What wonderful sunny weather we've had for weeks. We sat on the patio at the Ocean Beach Hotel, where our kids used to hang out and drink many moons ago. There must have been a car show somewhere today because we enjoyed a constant parade which we had a cold one and dry garlic ribs. The old train station behind the cars is now a gift shop and museum. You can see the ocean and pier behind one car. The OB sign is behind Ron, the Charlie Don't Surf behind that with a view up the street.

Georgeous Weather

Absolutely wonderful weather, hot and sunny. Thank heavens we're facing north with our door and patio on the east side. By noon we start to get most welcome shade. We don't particularly like air conditioning unless necessary, so this works well. Into White Rock today and came home along the waterfront past the pier and beach. What a beautiful place to live.