Day 8... a day late
My girlfriend came over for the day yesterday whilst my husband visited the golf course for the last time.
Technically, she is my parent's friend, but through the years - I have been the one to keep in touch. When I moved to California in 1989, it just so happened that she and her husband lived only several blocks from where I ended up renting.
Emmie and I sat in the sun and savoured my freshly squeezed lemonade.
It's amazing what direction our lives take when we aren't paying attention.
Emmie's husband passed away not long ago, while I recently acquired mine.
Emmie's financial status has gone downhill since her husband's passing, while my financial situation has vastly improved.
She is both American and Canadian, and is hoping to move back up to Canada in the next couple years. She will first have to sell her house, whose value in the present California market has devalued so badly, she may be left with next to nothing - if she can even sell it.
Emmie and I talked about what it is like to get older and how the physical body just isn't the same - and how the deterioration was something older people and parents had happen to them - not us.
Her health issues are declining and the only option she will have soon, is to hightail it back to Canada and get into the system where at least she can keep what she has left, before the US government gobbles up everything.
Interestingly enough, in her younger years, she dated a very well-known man - net worth $5.3 billion - the fifth wealthiest man in Canada. Of course, he wasn't wealthy back then. Just driven and agressive, she says. Apparently - not her cup of tea.
Because of choices she made along the way - she ended up in a totally different place than he.
But who's to say there weren't lessons learned on both sides of the fence - and on different scales? I am sure both had their own trials and tribulations and through it all, they came out on the other end of the tunnel of life learning what they were supposed to have learned?
We flew out today, and although it was a nice break......I am glad to be going home.
4 comments:
You know, I have a friend whose life has gone in the opposite direction as your friends'. She married into money (I knew her when she was poor and struggling), but money changed her, and not in a good way. Now she spends a lot of time telling me how she saves money by coupons, buying floor models, and going to discount stores, while she sits in her 1/2 million dollar mortgage free home and travels to Europe, Brazil, carribean. It's annoying. I liked her better poor. Her boys are entitled self indulged brats too.
wow. A 1/2 million dollar home and she can afford to travel all over? She would be poor here.
1/2 mill isn't really much nowadays. There aren't too many homes under a million in Vancouver...maybe none. :(
It's amazing how in different areas prices are so different...!
Really? I had no idea it was so expensive in Canada! How do people make it up there?
Vancouver is one of the most expensive places re: housing.
It's still going up. It's not the same say in Nova Scotia or other provinces that are poorer than BC.
The economy here is doing fairly well...but as we all know, it's a fine line we all walk...and we are grateful for what we have...(think Japan)
Food and clothing is a little more expensive too. But you don't have to worry about health care at all.(unless you live in an isolated community up north...see Albinoblackbear's postings)
I don't know how some people manage...
Post a Comment