Brian

Indian Shores, Florida

I’m not a swimmer, yet I like being near the water. We have made two trips to Indian Shores, Florida and we have enjoyed ourselves immensely. Indian Shores is located between Clearwater Beach and St Pete’s Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a good 45 minutes from the Tampa airport but not a difficult drive.

We were there in August two years ago and October this year. Both times we found properties right on the beach through VRBO (HomeAway) and they worked out perfectly. The first place has been sold and I do not think it is being rented any longer.

The second house will serve two couples nicely and still have one bedroom left over! There is also a one bedroom house on the property to rent as well. Parking works well and is off the street. The property is located close to good restaurants and only a few steps to the beach for miles of walking! The owner is very good at communicating and we had no issues. The website gives some of the property details. http://Adagiobeachvillas.com

There are grocery stores in the area and we seemed to keep going back to the “Publix”. There are a number of locations as you drive around.

We enjoy the quiet and peaceful setting of Indian Shores. We walk the beach and enjoy the weather. There are people fishing and playing in the sand. This time we saw groups of small stingrays while on our morning walk.

Kathy is a quilter and there are excellent quilting shops within easy driving distance to Clearwater and Dunedin. My quilting knowledge has peaked and I cannot absorb much more. I have been to the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky so my life is complete.

We went into Tampa for two hockey games as we are hockey fans. The tickets were reasonably priced on StubHub and parking was good around Amalie Arena. Not much to do in downtown Tampa, so be prepared to eat around the Arena. The River Walk is nice and worth doing.

October was a better time to go because we found the weather to be better. Late August was very humid, whereas, October was perfect. We understand the crowds arrive in the winter months and that is not really for us.

We drove up the Clearwater Beach and Dunedin and enjoyed lunch at Frenchy’s Outpost on the deck. Good food and decent value.

John’s Pass is south of Indian Shores and there is some shopping and restaurants. The shops are typical of what you would expect for tourists. Same goes for Clearwater Beach.

At John’s Pass you can have lunch on the water and there are few places to choose. The place we were at had a good view and the food was okay. I will leave this one up to you.

For supper we have been to the Conch Republic Grill three times and it does not disappoint. Expect a busy place with a colourful decor – this is not fine dining. Good menu and good service. Best check for a reservation any day of the week.

The Salt Rock Grill is more upscale, although, you would not have known it from the guy wearing his ball cap backwards while eating his meal. This is not a fast food place and the ball cap should come off. A reservation is needed and we really enjoyed our meal. There is a good selection of steak of ANY size, including a 42 oz for the big appetite. We will definitely go back. The price tag is a bit higher; however, it is worth it. I had the lamb and it was excellent.

There are Outlet stores in Ellenton which is an hour drive to the southeast and good for a drive.

I could easily make Indian Shores a “go to” place for a week or two getaway!

My second cup is now empty……………………..

Hawaii – Big Island, Maui and Kauai

It’s hard to find anything about Hawaii to dislike! We have been to three of the islands and I will try to give some perspective on each one. Our travels have been in the months of May and July so I have no help about the winter months and traffic congestion.

When you travel to the Big Island, Maui and Kauai a car is almost essential. If you are Costco member, try Costco Travel for rental cars as we have had good success with their services. You also get a second driver at no extra charge. http://costcotravel.com

Kailua Kona – The Big Island

We have been to Kailua Kona twice and have booked again for two weeks in 2018. We like this Island because it is quiet. You do have to do some driving to go to the beaches and for activities; however, we think it is worth it.

We stay in the Kahalu’u Bay Villa Condos and found excellent two bedroom, two bathroom condos on VRBO (HomeAway). The price has been good and the location works well for us. We have an ocean front view from the lanai and this sunset photo says it all.

There is a grocery store a short drive away and a Costco for those that need to stock up on groceries, beer and wine.

One of the best snorkelling beaches in all of Hawaii is located in front of the condo at Kahalu’u Beach Park. The beautiful white sand swimming beaches are a drive in both directions so the condo is in a prime location.

The downtown restaurants are easy to get to on Ali’i Drive. There is plenty of variety and Trip Advisor gives very good recommendations.

The drive to Kīlauea Volcano is a day trip but we found it worth our time. You drive through lava fields on the south coast to get there and they have an interpretive centre at the site. You cannot get right up to the crater because of safety issues. We were fortunate to see the lava lake that rose up in the Volcano days before we got there. It was just below the crater’s edge and there were spectacular views from a distance. The bubbling lava and the fire made for great pictures. The one below was a zoomed in version to get a better view of the fire.

After the Volcano, we drove over to Hilo and then came across the Island back to Kailua Kona. The road is very good and much faster than the south route to Kilauea.

Another nice drive was up to Waimea and the north coast. Good road and not much traffic. There are some big ranches up in the north and no problem finding restaurants for lunch. The north coast has some good lookouts and the ocean has a different perspective. It looks very rough along the rugged coast. We will do this drive again as the countryside and coast is worth the visit.

Maui

We have been to Maui twice and stayed in Kihei both times. There are plenty of condo rental options in Kihei and we were in the Maui Banyan area across from Kamaole Beach II.

There are a lot of things within walking distance in Kihei; however, you still need a car to get around to cover everything. There are a couple of good grocery stores in the area and plenty of restaurants. The Kihei Caffe is good for breakfast. Sit outside after lining up to order breakfast. This place is well-known and busy.

For happy hour break in the afternoon give Moose McGillycuddy’s a try. We did a few times!

The 5 Palms Restaurant in Wailea has great outside seating to view the ocean and the food is good as well. We also enjoyed the Flatbread Company for pizza in Paia just before the Road to Hana.

The Road to Hana has 600 tight turns and the same number coming back! I drove this both ways with Kathy and our friends on my birthday. We picked up sandwiches and drinks in Paia and left early in the morning. There was a nice waterfall walk along the way and some stops to see the waves on the north shore of the ocean. The highlight was a black stone beach at Wai’anapanapa State Park towards the end of the drive. The views of the ocean here are fabulous. This drive will not be for everyone as it is slow and requires careful driving. The turns are real and slow. Be careful as the trip back is even slower behind drivers who are challenged in this type of excursion.

There is a nice drive up to Lahaina and Kaanapali and Kapalua. Stop in Lahaina for lunch, shopping and the art galleries. Farther up the island there are places to stop and snorkel. Great way to spend the day.

Makena State Park is south of Kihei and is home to Big Beach. The waves are huge here and you must be careful in the water. When we were there the life guards were telling people not to turn their backs on the waves because the waves drive you down into the bottom head first. Serious possibility for injury. We saw a mother and child get caught outside a wave and could not get back in and the life guards had to go out to bring them in.

We also enjoyed the beaches Kamaole I, II, and III. Easy to get to and gentle. They are busier because the access is in the heart of Kihei.

We took surfing lessons from a beach truck board rental right on the Kamaole IIBeach. Good time and lots of stories to laugh about. You are only in waist deep water and the instructor was really patient with me. Our adult kids had no problem getting the hang of it and Kathy did really well. I was challenged but did get up on the board a bit.

The snorkelling boat trip – Calypso – we took was excellent and the price was very good. We snorkelled at the Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. After, they took us up and down the coast to see Kihei, Wailea and Makena State Park from the water. About 7 hours and full value.

Kathy and I did the 23 mile “bike ride” down Haleakala and paid money to do it. This is not for the faint of heart and I do not recommend it. You actually only pedal the bike for a short time as you are riding the bike downhill almost all the time. You are constantly braking and the enjoyment part never seems to arrive. The curves are sharp, fairly steep and there is car traffic as well. I think this trip should be left to experienced bikers. Save your money and drive to the top and hope everything is not fogged in.

Kauai

We have travelled once to Kauai, the Garden Island, and stayed in Poipu (south side of island) at a condo on the water. We would try a different condo next time, although, Poipu is a great area to stay. We saw lots of turtles in the water in front of our condo and down at the public beach.

Our son and daughter-in-law have stayed on the north side near Princeville and they enjoyed that area as well. We drove up that way a couple of times and will probably stay there next time. The north side leads to the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park where we drove to the end of the road and did a walk. Note to expect some single lane bridges and narrow roads. Beautiful.

Driving the south side of the island is also nice. We went up the Waimea Canyon and the views are incredible. Not to be missed.

The restaurants were good and on back to back nights I had perhaps the best meals ever at Tortilla Republic The Upstairs and Eating House 1849 in Poipu. We went to Pizzetta in Old Koloa Town twice and give it high marks for pizza and bar food. The beer was good as well.

Overall, we will return to all these islands and hope to get to Oahu as well. Each island has lots to offer. Maui has more activities and the Big island I much quieter. Hard to pick which is better – lov’em all!

My second cup is now empty…………………..

Osoyoos, BC

As a prairie kid, I have always been in awe of the Rocky Mountains. We travelled through British Columbia (BC) a number of times in my childhood to visit my grandparents and aunts and uncles on Vancouver Island. The pure majesty of the mountains never cease to amaze me.

The Okanagan Valley in BC is very beautiful. Kelowna is the most well-known city in the Valley and it has grown as people have made their retirement homes in the region.

The farther south you go in the Valley the population declines and the small town feel comes alive. Nestled almost on the United States border, 123 km’s south of Kelowna, is Osoyoos – the warmest place in Canada. There is a year around population of about 6,000 people who increases considerably in the hot summer months. Typical summer temperatures are 35 C to 40 C or 95 F to 104 F.

We absolutely love Osoyoos. The warm weather and sunshine drew us and we are hooked. We owned a condo there for 10 years before selling it so we can upgrade to one that will be more suitable for us as we get older.

The Osoyoos area boasts world-class wineries that have replaced the fruit orchards in the last 15 years. Golfers can play in a climate that allows them to golf with an extended season. In the summer, you best get out early to avoid the heat. The Town has two courses and there is a course at Nk’Mip (Inkameep). Nk’Mip is on the Osoyoos Indian Band land and their leader, Chief Clarence Louie, is very progressive and has created significant economic development in the Osoyoos area.

Osoyoos Lake is not huge, yet is great for swimming and for kids because it is shallow on the edges. There are lots of opportunities for boaters as well.

We find Osoyoos very relaxing with enough amenities to cover all our needs.

Accommodation

In the summer months you will have to book ahead and reserve accommodation and this includes RV parks.

There are a number of great RV parks for trailers / campers and some of the parks offer lake access and they are full service. We have noticed that people use their RV in the winter months to stay in Osoyoos. Osoyoos draws “snowbirds” from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta who come for the winter. Osoyoos is a less expensive option then going to Arizona given the exchange on US money and the extra insurance costs for older people travelling in US.

There are ample condos for rent as well as motels / hotels. Some of the motels / hotels are older so be careful when booking. Check the websites and reviews.

Walnut Beach and Watermark Beach are the newer offerings and carry a higher pricing.

The Coast and Best Western hotels are on the water and appear nice, although, we have not needed to stay there.

Wineries

There are an increasing number of good wineries in close proximity to Osoyoos. The vast majority of the wineries currently do not have wine tasting fees. Our favourites are………………..

Desert Hills – excellent reds – Mirage, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. We were in the area and got invited to a “release” party for their Mirage and they put on a nice event with food and wine tasting.

Silver Sage – a great story of how the winery developed and the tastings are entertaining. There white wine is better than the reds. They also do fruit wines and we like “the Flame” and Sunset.

Nk’Mip Cellars – beautiful view of the Valley and a wonderful place for lunch. Their wine prices seem to have come down a bit in the last couple of years and we enjoy both whites and reds.

Tinhorn Creek – another great place for lunch with a view down the Valley that is not to be missed. The wines are good as well.

Kismet – a relatively new winery that is worth a stop. The reds are up there with Desert Hills.

Other good tastings – Burrowing Owl, Wild Goose (lunch), Cassini Cellars, Church & State and Oliver Twist.

Restaurants

Jojo’s Cafe – breakfast and coffee. Not to be missed.

Campo Marina – good Italian. Consider a small salad each and share an entrée.

Convivia – small and worth the stop.

Sage Pub – local Pub n Cottonwood Drive. Try the pizza and the ribs are good. We always go here.

The Owl Pub – downtown with a deck view of the lake. We never miss having a beer and lunch on the deck.

Smitty’s Restaurant – main Street and good for breakfast. Friendly and they appear to be good people in the community.

Dolci – good food options and back deck.

Watermark – tapas options which we enjoyed.

Golden Chopsticks – decent buffet with Chinese food.

Other Attractions

Home Hardware – Probably the biggest and best hardware store anywhere. This is a must visit and expect to come out with a purchase! They have everything a resort town needs.

Osoyoos Desert Model Railway – worth a stop if you have extra time in Osoyoos. Well put together and an impressive display.

Wine Festival – held in October in the Okanagan Valley. Lots of activities up the Valley. Oliver (20 km’s north of Osoyoos) has a good weekend of events, including grape stomping, wine tasting and a craft fair.

July 1 Parade – The Canada Day parade on Main Street is done right. I think the whole town is out and the water flows in good fun!

My second cup is now empty………………

Las Vegas Basics

My wife, Kathy, and I have been travelling together for almost 40 years.

We started going to Las Vegas on our 10th anniversary and have been returning for the last 25 years. Our visits have numbered in excess of 50 and we have always worked within a budget. We have frequented most of the MGM property resorts and can offer some insight if you are planning a trip to Las Vegas. I will cover the hotels and shows in other posts. In this post I will discuss some basic planning considerations.

Basics for Las Vegas

Rental Cars

If you intend to leave the strip for shopping or sight seeing you may want to get a rental vehicle. Las Vegas is quite easy to drive around, especially with access to a GPS or google maps.

Costco members can book cars online through the Costco Travel account (http://www.costcotravel.com) and all you need is your Costco membership number. The savings are significant and they provide car rental comparisons for up to four different rental car companies. They also include a second driver at no extra charge.

There is a dedicated transfer bus system from the airport to the car rental terminal. It takes less than 10 minutes. Be sure to book online to save time. I have used Alamo and have been able to get pre-approved to “skip the counter” and go directly to the cars for pickup.

There is a Chevron gas station south of Mandalay Bay to fill you car before returning to the rental car facility.

Parking

The hotels now charge for parking. There is a way to have this covered when staying at MGM Resorts with the Mlife players card discussed below.

Mlife Players Card

We are not big gamblers and rarely play slot machines. We tend to play blackjack and we do stay a the MGM Resorts.

The Mlife players card is free and does track your play when you use the card in slot machines or provide it at the blackjack tables. The second level of the card is “Pearl” and this is the level I seem to stay at. This status gets us free parking at MGM Resorts. In addition, we book our rooms on the Mlife website and there are discounts on the rooms. In the past we have had free night room offers sent to us as well. These offers appear to have dried up.

You do hear of people who have their rooms comped and I expect their play is far higher then ours. Las Vegas is not designed to be free so their play must justify the perks.

Blackjack

If you are new to Blackjack, Las Vegas will be happy for you to learn at their tables. Before hitting the tables, go to the nearest snack store in a hotel and spend $2.95 on a card showing the “basics of blackjack”. You can go online and get the same information. Once you have studied the basics, play at a machine to get the game down before you venture to the tables. The other players will appreciate this and so will the dealers.

Tipping the Dealers

When it comes to the dealers, be sure to place a dollar in front of your bet for them when you are having good luck. If you win, they win. If you lose, they lose as well. They share these tips and most work hard at dealing and are helpful when you ask for advice. I think it is embarrassing for a player to walk away with a nice profit and to have not given the dealer any consideration with tips.

Restaurants

Las Vegas has a wide variety of excellent restaurant options and the prices can vary. Most of the hotels have high end restaurants with prominent chefs. Expect to pay more. We went to StripSteak at Mandalay Bay and it was good; however, for us, the price does not justify the difference in other restaurants.

We have found very good food at reasonable prices. New York New York has the best restaurant options. The Beerhaus on the walkway to T-Mobile Arena (between New York New York and Monte Carlo) has a good happy hour from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm everyday, other than days when there are events at the T-Mobile Arena.

We tend to go to the following restaurants and enjoy our experience.

New York New York – Beerhaus, Gonzalez y Gonzalez, America, Il Fornaio, Greenbergs Deli, Tom’s Urban, Broadway Burger Bar and Grill.

Luxor – Pyramid Cafe for breakfast.

Mandalay Bay – Burger Bar, Slice of Vegas, House of Blues, Fat Tuesdays for drinks.

Excalibur – Food Court for breakfast or snacks, Lick for a candy treat.

Planet Hollywood – P.F. Changs.

MGM Grand – Food Court for breakfast, Fat Tuesdays.

Flamingo – Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville for margaritas and wings and nachos.

Mirage – Carnegie Deli (share sandwich), LVB Burgers and Bar.

Treasure Island – Gilley’s BBQ.

Ellis Island – Off the strip and has a good BBQ deal.

IHOP & Black Bear Diner – Both are south of Mandalay Bay in front of the Las Vegas Premium Outlets South. Good for breakfast.

Boulder City – Southwest Diner. Go here for breakfast when you go out to see Hoover Dam.

You will note there are no buffets listed. We have not been to a buffet in years as we tend to eat more than is needed!

Shopping

There is shopping on the strip and it is quite expensive – Shops at Caesars Palace, Fashion Show Mall and Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.

We tend to go to the Las Vegas Premium Outlets North and South. The North Outlets have good parking and have outside access to each shop. These are probably the best of any and are located off the I – 15, north of Circus Circus. The South Outlets are located south of Mandalay Bay and also have good parking. They have inside access to the shops. You will need a taxi or car to get to either location.

Taxi, Uber and Lyft

The hotels provide good access for taxi’s. More of the hotels are now providing dedicated spots for Uber and Lyft pickup and drop-off.

The best way to get to know Las Vegas is to get out and enjoy the warm weather and entertainment. You will find things that work for you that may not be workable for other people. Las Vegas will be happy to take your money no matter what your budget is – so ENJOY!

My second cup is now empty……………..

Las Vegas Hotels

My wife, Kathy, and I have been travelling together for almost 40 years.

We started going to Las Vegas on our 10th anniversary and have been returning for the last 25 years. Our visits have numbered in excess of 50 and we have always worked within a budget. We have frequented most of the MGM property resorts and can offer some insight if you are planning a trip to Las Vegas. I will cover the Las Vegas basics and Las Vegas shows in other posts. In this post I will discuss the hotels we have visited.

Las Vegas Hotels

Take Note. Be careful when you book hotels in Las Vegas because there are hotel fees that do not necessarily show up on your booking and are charged at the hotel on check-in. These fees are in the $30 t0 $40 range per night. If you book vacation packages or on travel websites, you may get a surprise when you arrive at the hotel. Do not assume the fees are included. Read the fine print!

Parking. The hotels now charge for parking so be prepared for a charge that was not there before. See my November 29, 2017 post that talks about the MGM Resorts and the Mlife card that can waive your parking fees at their hotels.

Checkin. Many hotels now offer a mobile check-in. They request your checkin information including your credit card and time of arrival. They email you when the room is available and you go to a separate place to print your keys and avoid the long check-in lines. Works great.

New York New York

This is now our “go to” hotel in Las Vegas. The New York New York has a good location towards the south end of the Strip and is on a corner with MGM Grand, Excalibur and Tropicana. The parking is at the back with a walk directly into the hotel and down to the check-in.

The rooms are a good size and the King bed rooms are what we usually get. The elevators to the rooms are centrally located so the walking is not bad in relation to many of the hotels.

The hotel has the best range of restaurants for us on the Strip. Try the Beerhaus for happy hours and snacks. There are good opportunities for Mexican food, burgers and pizza. Try the chicken soup and share a sandwich at Greenberg’s Deli.

Walking inside and outside of the New York New York is excellent. The hotel sits on the walkway to T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The gaming tables are getting better because there seems to have been an improvement in dealers. We never used to play blackjack here even when we stayed at the hotel. That is changing as they have picked the place up a notch. You can find enough $10 blackjack tables.

Hotel room prices are going up as people have found the same things we have.

Monte Carlo

Next door to the New York New York and on the other side of walkway to T-Mobile Arena. We stayed at Monte Carlo last year and will also be there in early 2018. Good hotel but nearly as good as New York New York yet the pricing is about the same.

The parking is good at the back and the walkway takes you right in for check-in.

The hotel is currently undergoing renovations at the front so Diablos and 800 Degree pizza are now gone as are the restaurants inside the hotel at the front. Do not expect the changes to be finished until late 2018.

Some of the hotel rooms have been renovated and they have separate rates for them as compared to the older rooms.

Excalibur

This is a lower budget hotel in the MGM Resort properties. We stayed there many years ago and it started to slide over time. Lately, it seems to have picked up and looks much cleaner. If money is a little tighter, this is your best option to stay on the Strip.

Parking is easy and it is a good walk to check-in and then to your room.

Good Food Court upstairs and, if you take kids to Las Vegas, they have a kids game area downstairs. Just a note – why would you take kids to Las Vegas? It is NOT the place for kids at all.

You can get $5 blackjack tables here; however, they also come with players who do not know how to play.

MGM Grand

We have never stayed here because it always seems so big. We do go over to play blackjack and catch a Fat Tuesday’s downstairs past the check-in.

It is getting harder to find a $10 Blackjack table so we may not be as frequent customers.

Ka is here and we have seen it twice. One of our all time favourites.

Luxor

The Luxor is located between Excalibur and Mandalay Bay. There is an inside walkway connecting all three hotels. There is also a Tram running from Excalibur to Mandalay Bay, with a separate Tram from Mandalay Bay to Luxor.

We just stayed at Luxor and it was disappointing. Clearly on a slide and needs some TLC in a hurry. The pricing is starting to reflect the way it is going. Check out other options, and that now includes the Excalibur, if the budget is getting tight.

Parking is good at the back; however, you must walk all the way to the front for check-in and then possibly to the back for the far elevators. Once on your floor the walk can be long if your room is in the far corner. We did this and hence the poor rating.

The Pyramid Cafe is good for breakfast and the Carrot Top show was excellent.

The gaming tables are not bad and you can find a few dealers that talk to you.

Mandalay Bay

Really nice hotel. We stayed there twice and the rooms were excellent. The price is top end for MGM Resorts. It is on the south end of the Strip and a bit out of the way. Lots of walking or else consider taxi, Uber or Lyft. Driving is usually out is you are having a drink or two.

Parking is good at the back and then you do walk to the front for check-in along the casino. The elevators to your room are right by the check-in.

Lots of restaurants and the options are quite good, especially on the walkway to Luxor. Burger Bar and Slice of Vegas are good. Fat Tuesday’s has a nice slushy drink. Add a shot to finish it off!

The Blackjack tables are at least $15 and this is a bit much for me. I’ve never found Mandalay Bay as a place to sit and gamble.

Tropicana

We have not stayed here for a long time. They have renovated the rooms and casino and they all look good. This is an independent hotel (not MGM Resorts or Caesars Group) and is in a good location.

The Laugh Factory is in the Tropicana and we have been to it many times as we did with the predecessor, The Comedy Stop. Never had a bad show!

Mirage

The Mirage is located in the middle / north end of the Strip between Treasure Island and Caesars Palace. We have stayed here a number of times and this is a MGM Resort.

Parking is good and the walk to check-in is not bad. From check-in to the elevators you must walk through the casino which is weak.

The rooms are good and the price is comparable to New York New York. The restaurants are decent with huge sandwich at the Carnegie Deli. Consider sharing with a bowl of soup. The Terry Fator show and Love are excellent and we have seem them both twice.

I think the blackjack tables have slipped because the dealers do not seem as friendly anymore. Overall, if we were going to stay this far down the Strip it would be at the Mirage.

TI, formerly Treasure Island

We only stayed at Treasure Island once and the junior suite we had was excellent. This is an independent hotel (not MGM Resorts or Caesars Group).

The Gilley’s BBQ restaurant does not fit with the hotel theme but it is good BBQ on the Strip.

The gaming is good and when we are down at this part of the Strip we usually stop in for some Blackjack.

My second cup is now empty…………….

Retirement – Two Big Questions

The decision to retire can be difficult for many people and there are a number of important issues that must be considered. Probably the most important is your partner. Are they ready for you to retire? Do not assume and do not take your partner’s thoughts for granted.

I retired at the end of December 2016 at age 57. For almost 35 years I worked in public accounting as a CPA and for the last 24 years I was a business partner in a local firm. We grew the firm from 15 people to 37 and a group of us were involved in constructing our own office building in 2012.

There were two fundamental questions that needed answering in order for me to retire. I believe these are the same questions all potential retirees face and I expect the process of arriving at the answers can vary from person to person.

Was I Mentally Ready for Retirement?

This answer came quite easy to me. I was tired. The volume of work and my level of client service reached a point where I knew it was time for me to retire. My clients were an “A” group that was built carefully over many years. They were a pleasure to deal with; however, I was getting wore out. I also believed there was more to life than working and I wanted to spend good quality years in retirement.

There were people who doubted my ability to retire. It was not that they did not believe in me – they just felt that I would not have enough to do away from my work. From my perspective, I believed that if I put the same energy into retirement as I did in work then all would be good. Eleven months in, so far so good!

I have had people tell me that they continue to work because they enjoy it or because they don’t believe they have enough other interests to fill their day. I have no judgement on other people’s decisions. For me, it seems there must be more out there to explore and enjoy without having to use work as the reason for my existence. I took the leap and do not intend to look back.

Do We Have the Financial Resources to Retire?

This question is placed second because, if your mind is not ready, you can have all the money you want and that will not prepare you for retirement. Of course, even if this is the second question, it is still important to ensure you believe you have enough resources to retire. In fact, it carries great importance because this is a joint financial decision with your partner, whereas, the mental decision is yours alone.

Remember that you want to carry on a lifestyle that you have become accustomed to and not have to worry about making money your focus in retirement. Plan well in advance!

The financial aspects of retirement do not happen overnight. They come with years of planning and the support of qualified investment advisors. It is very important to identify a good investment advisor to lean on as you ready yourself for retirement.

It was over three years before retiring when I got serious about projecting our resources that would be available for retirement. The income projection was important; however, the projected spending in retirement was even more important. As I always told my clients, each person’s retirement is different based on their lifestyle requirements. Some people can retire on very modest incomes, whereas, other people need a lot of income because their lifestyle requirements are very high.

I think it is a fallacy to assume that you will reduce your spending in retirement. Some expenses will go down and others will go up. Expect business clothes and office entertainment to go down while travel expenses will likely go up. Get a handle on what you spend. It will surprise you where the money goes.

When you go to your investment advisor to assist you with a retirement plan, you will need a detailed understanding of your expected spending amounts or your retirement plan may be misleading. You will also be wise to build in a contingency for unexpected expenses. Do not take this exercise lightly. Take the proper amount of time to do this right as it is necessary to get good results.

I did the whole spending exercise myself as well as the income projections from our retirement savings. I then took the information to our investment advisor for confirmation. We had no pension fund and we depend on the variety of investments we made over the years. Just a note – these investments accumulated and grew the most in the last working years. The early working years were used to pay down the house mortgage and provide for our two children. We were building equity in our house and business in the early years; however, it was in the last ten years that the investments significantly materialized. This may be different for people with an annual pension plan.

In the end if you can answer “yes” to these two fundamental questions, and if your partner is on board with your retirement, then retirement may work for you. So far I’m happy with the journey!

My second cup is now empty……….

Las Vegas Shows

My wife, Kathy, and I have been travelling together for almost 40 years.

We started going to Las Vegas on our 10th anniversary and have been returning for the last 25 years. Our visits have numbered in excess of 50 and we have always worked within a budget. We have frequented most of the MGM property resorts and can offer some insight if you are planning a trip to Las Vegas. I will cover the Las Vegas basics and Las Vegas hotels in other posts. In this post I will discuss the shows we have visited.

Cirque de Soleil

We have seen almost all the Cirque shows – Ka, Love, “O”, Zumanity, Mystere, Michael Jackson and Beatles (no longer showing). We have not seen Criss Angel MindFreak.

Our favourites are Ka and Love and we have seen them twice. They are all excellent productions and absolutely amazing. Hard to go wrong going to any of them. Zumanity is adult oriented if that is an issue for you.

All the seats are good and you will get a different perspective from the back or front. We have sat close to the front in Love where the performers could touch you. Very dramatic.

The price of tickets is up there; however, it seems that Mystere (the first Cirque in Las Vegas) and Zumanity have some deals.

Comedy / Variety Shows

There is lots of variety when it comes to comedy shows. We have been to the Tropicana to see The Laugh Factory, which followed the The Comedy Stop, and have never been disappointed. Affordable.

Absinthe – we went last year and very funny. Clearly adult oriented and not politically correct. We will go again. The price is around $100 US.

Jeff Dunham – good humour and glad we went once. Affordable.

Terry Fator – been there twice and no hesitation to recommend. I did not think I would enjoy a ventriloquist but I was wrong. Fator came out the winner of “Americas Got Talent”. Tickets in the $80 US range.

Carrot Top – we just went two weeks ago and he puts on a good show. Very funny and he brings in some current events to keep the show fresh. We will go again for sure. Tickets about $55 US.

Defending the Caveman – Basically 90 minutes of my life I will not get back. Better options out there.

T-Mobile Arena

Vegas Golden Knights – we went to a hockey game this month and it was great. Entertaining from start to finish with a full, younger crowd. The team is doing well in their expansion season. Tickets on Stub Hub for about $55 US.

Carrie Underwood – great concert and her voice was amazing. Will easily go back to the T-Mobile for concerts.

Randoms

Le Reve – similar to a Cirque show and very well done. Similar price to Cirque show.

Jersey Boys – one of the best shows we have ever seen in Las Vegas. Highly recommend! Prices in $80 range and all seats looked good.

Blue Man Group – worth seeing but not your first show in Las Vegas unless you get a deal on tickets.

Elton John – we have been twice and would go again. Simply the best.

Thunder from down Under – Kathy has been to the show three times with lady friends. Obviously, very good. I stay away to avoid humiliation!

Tournament of Kings – Dinner show with Knights jousting and the King Arthur story. Good entertainment if you get tickets for a good price. Kids will also enjoy this show.

I do hope this gives a good feel for the Las Vegas shows!

My second cup is now empty…………………

Government Deficit Budgets

“The bank would lend me more money then I could ever repay. I didn’t take it.” Quoted from my Dad when he was a man and I was a boy.

My parents were simple people. They were short on education and long on common sense. My father and I discussed politics regularly and he was an avid CCF and NDP supporter. He had several simple principles.

“If the Co-op doesn’t have it I don’t’ need it.”

“Assist those who cannot truly take care of themselves.”

“Be responsible for your actions.”

“Live within your means.”

“Only borrow money that you can repay.”

“Put back into the community.”

“Only rich people can afford to by junk, because they can buy it again and again.”

I don’t ever recall my dad talking about the ratio of debt to GDP or the world inventories of commodities and their affect on market prices. He never delved into Keynesian economic theory or speculated on how a raise in the Bank of Canada interest rate would affect inflation. He did not understand these things, and with all do respect, I’m not sure the people we put in charge do either.

The dust has now settled on the 2017 Federal and Provincial Budgets.

Investors reacted positively to the projected $28 billion Federal deficit as bank stocks rose nicely the day after the budget. How sad is that when we applaud irresponsibility. Of course, the applause comes as no surprise because we were given exactly what was promised in the last Federal election. You cannot blame the Liberals for making good on a direction they clearly laid out for the Canadian people.

In Saskatchewan, there is the typical hand wringing and outrage that comes when a budget is presented. The sense of entitlement is front and center as we try and determine what is, or what is not in the budget, for me. How sad is this for a Province that has produced some of Canada’s greatest leaders. We want more services and yet we still have a 2017 projected deficit of over $685 million. Irresponsibility is not just reserved for our friends in other Provinces.

Simple question – I can’t operate my life with deficit financing, so why can governments? Answer – because the people demand it and vote for it.

I hear with considerable regularity that, “the government is wasteful, they squander resources, they don’t spend enough on this, they spend too much on that, they need to tax the rich more, it’s the government’s fault, the government needs to create jobs…..” The fundamental flaw in these tirades is that this assigns the blame to the government, thereby, removing the responsibility from the people. In a democracy, the people elect the government and they govern at the behest of the people.

We live in an increasing global society that has embraced deficit financing to provide and enhance government services for the people. We are paying for these services with debt that presumably must be paid off in subsequent years. Our priorities are skewed and the current excessive entitlement priorities will have lasting affects in the coming years. As Canadians, we care about many causes and we demand the government finance them with debt and let someone else pay for them down the road. This is a short term, selfish view that makes me wonder how we can blindly burden our children with this debt to satisfy our current wants.

Current deficit financing will ultimately affect the poor more then the wealthy. People with money will always be able to access health care and other services world wide. Not so for the poor.

We pride ourselves on the universal access to many services in Canada, not the least being health care. These same universal services will be eroded if we are not responsible with our government spending today. In the future, money that would otherwise be available for services will go to reduce debt. Compound this with the fact we have an aging population that will require even more services and we are facing a colossal financial problem. For those who believe this is or should be someone else’s problem, then I must respectfully disagree. We have spending problems in this entire country and not revenue generation problems.

I always find it is helpful to review a few numbers to enlighten myself. The Canadian population is roughly 36,000,000 and the Saskatchewan population is roughly 1,100,000. We make up about 3% of the Canadian population and I can only assume that is why we are sometimes viewed as irrelevant in Ottawa and Toronto. The Saskatchewan population also includes our children and our friend’s children who didn’t have to go to Alberta to live and work in the last 10 years. Think about it – this is a big deal to our family and should be for yours.

It appears the accumulated national debt is about $636,000,000,000. The accumulated provincial debt is about $7,600,000,000. That’s a lot of zeros. I had to bring out my fancy calculator to do the ciphering.

The following are the average debt amounts for EACH person in Saskatchewan.

2017 annual Federal projected debt – $778 per person.

Accumulated Federal debt – $17,667 per person.

2017 annual Provincial projected debt – $623 per person.

Accumulated Provincial debt – $6,909 per person.

Therefore, the combined Federal and Provincial debt accumulated to date is almost $25,000, and growing, for each person in Saskatchewan. When you consider that there is a large segment of any population who has no ability to assist in paying this debt, it seems a bit daunting.

Now some of you may think it would be a good idea to pack your bags and move to another province to be part of a lower overall debt. Best rethink that move because Saskatchewan has the lowest debt per person in Canada if you believe the following website that tracks both Federal and Provincial accumulated debt numbers.

http://www.debtclock.ca/

Life is about choices. We can choose to pay our way now or we can leave it for our children to pay. You decide.

My father was a simple man. I miss him.

My second cup is now empty…………………

Omar Khadr Settlement

The Federal Government made a financial settlement for Mr. Omar Khadr in July 2017. The announcement came after Parliament recessed for the summer and as the Prime Minister was leaving for the G20 Summit. So much for accountability to answer questions.

The major problem I have with a government settlement is that Canadians did not get to hear why Mr. Khadr felt he deserved a financial settlement or what the various arguments were. Mr. Khadr’s case for compensation deserved to be heard in a Canadian court. This is important for transparency of the claim and more so to ensure we get a judicial decision and not a political decision. Let the court make a judicial decision and if a settlement was warranted then at least the Canadian people can debate the merits of all the arguments. The Liberal government did not allow this to happen and choose instead to make a significant financial settlement to a convicted terrorist.

My personal opinion is I find it difficult to justify how this country can pay money to a terrorist.

Prime Minister Trudeau recognized that Mr. Khadr is a convicted murderer and a convicted terrorist. You can find these comments online as well as Prime Minister Trudeau advising that Mr. Khadr needs his rights and freedoms protected as any other Canadian. I thought criminals had limitations put on their rights and freedoms?

You can also view a video online, referred to in a National Post article, where Mr. Khadr wss making improvised explosive devices (IED’s). I have to wonder who the victims were when these IED’s were detonated? I wonder how their rights and freedoms were protected?

The other problem I have with this quiet, political decision is that it intentionally ignored a United States court judgment against Mr. Khadr assets by the widow of the US soldier who died from a grenade that Mr. Khadr admitted throwing. Another US soldier was disabled in this same attack and was also a party to the successful US court judgement. Mr. Khadr gets 10.5 million dollars, tax free, and these victims get nothing. Not quite the way I would treat our US neighbor and ally.

My second cup is now empty………………….

Vimy Ridge – Canadian Pride

Vimy Ridge. 100 years ago, 4 Divisions of Canadian soldiers left their muddy trenches and moved forward to take Vimy Ridge from the heavily fortified Germans. The Ridge was geographically important as the Germans protected coal fields that were needed to fire their war machine.

Much has been written about Vimy and a couple of reading suggestions are “Vimy” by Pierre Berton and “Victory at Vimy” by Ted Barris. There is also a new book out by Tim Cook that I have not read.

Whether you believe or do not believe that Canada become a nation that day is irrelevant. For me, it is about the World recognizing that Canada was a place of its own and was not just a colony of the British Empire. In addition, Vimy showed that through detailed planning and training, great things could be accomplished.

The fact is the Canadians succeeded where the French and British troops failed. The French sent 20 Divisions to Vimy in 1915 and had 150,000 casualties. The British fared no better. The Allied forces needed a win. They suffered unspeakable casualties at Passchendaele and the Somme. The Canadians faced German gas for the first time at Ypres and had to use urine covered clothes to breathe though. The Allied troops were being cut down by German machine guns as they used out dated tactics to move forward in battle.

Julian Byng, a British officer, commanded the Canadian troops at Vimy. Along with Arthur Currie, a Canadian from Victoria, they produced a considerable different strategy to attack Vimy Ridge. Byng believed that all the troops should understand the entire battle plan in order to be able to execute and improvise as necessary in the field. The Canadians trained for months on the detailed battle plan that included understanding every piece of the terrain and perfecting their timing for moving forward.

The Canadians dug tunnels to place explosives under the German lines. These were detonated and the big guns pounded the German positions prior to the ground attack starting. As the Canadians moved forward from the trenches, the Canadian artillery continued to fire over their heads at the Germans. The timing had to be precise and for the Canadians who moved forward to quickly, they were killed by friendly fire. This strategy allowed the Canadians to advance on the German positions as the Germans were pinned down by relentless cover fire. Almost 4,000 Canadians died at Vimy Ridge, although, this was far smaller then the Canadians who died at the Somme.

The Canadian Divisions were made up of battle hardened veterans of the previous battles in France and Belgium and new recruits who filled the places vacated by those men lost before them. They were virtually all volunteers with 50% of the troops coming from Western Canada even though Western Canada made up less than 25% of the Canadian population. Western Canada had been opened for agriculture in the years before World War I and many of the immigrants came from Scotland and England. The Scots and Brits signed up in droves to fight for “King and Country”. The Scandinavians, Poles, French and other immigrants did not feel the same attachment and were generally less inclined to enlist right away. The Canadians were skilled in shooting, handling horses and fixing equipment and they used these skills to their advantage.

Before the War started, unemployment was high in Canada and some felt this was an opportunity for them to seek adventure. Others wanted a chance to see their homeland again. Many were sure it would be a short campaign and they would be home before Christmas. They were wrong.

I do not believe Vimy Ridge should be used as a justification for war or as a glorification of war. These Canadians humbly went forward and did the job that was set before them. They prevailed under difficult, horrific circumstances and sacrificed more than most of us can understand. The best we can do is recognize and honor their sacrifices. They deserve nothing less.

My second cup is now empty…………..