>  BA>> I can imagine being 64 with a big mortgage.  AAMOF I *AM*
(almost) 64
 >  BA>> and have a mortgage balance of just under $63K, with 15 years and a
 >  BA>> couple of months to run on it.  I suppose some would say that $63K
 >  BA>> is not a big mortgage, I'm not one of them.
 > 
 >  NB> I'd agree that that is a big mortgage...  but then ours was a nice
 >  NB> small $10K, 30+ years ago...   We never moved, paid it off in 20
 >  NB> years.
 > 
 > It's manageable, I planned things so that my military retirement would take
 > care
 > of the house payment, taxes, insurance, etc.  And it does, with a little bit
 > (<$100)
 > left over.

Mine's about the same but i opted to pay 'every 2 weeks' years ago so my 25
year mortgage pays off sooner.  Don's retirement annuity covers the house,
taxes, and insurance plus about 200$.

 > My sister has a $300K mortgage on her 2 bedroom condo in CA and a monthly
 > payment of $3K, mine is just under $800.

Mine was just under (766) til I opeted for the 'every 2 weeks' and i'm so gla
I did!  It means we 'baloon' every 4 months and some 300$ comes right off the
principle owed.  You can do the same with an extra check, but this is
automated since I'm lazy .

 >  BA>> I have had a PT job for about a year and a half.  General
labor in a
 >  BA>> home improvement store/lumber yard.  I just started
*another* PT job
 >  BA>> at a farm supply store.  Between the two I'll work six 8 (or more)
 >  BA>> hour days this week.
 > 
 >  NB> Those are both reasonably active jobs... should keep you limber for
 >  NB> years to come... and younger than your years...  :)
 > 
 > Not likely.  Arthritis is getting noticeably and rapidly worse.  I figure 2 
 > maybe 3 more years of it and I won't be able to do general labor any more
 > because of it.

Happens.  My back wont allow me anymore to do some jobs types.  Cant stand for
 long for example.  Nancy met us at the picnic and saw but I was on really
*good days* just then (thank the lord!).

I'm just hoping the VA gives me the 50% disability since there's far more
than 50% of the jobs out there I can't do anymore.
             xxcarol

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