Dennett, Deb is kinda almost retired — she offered to stay on past her (second time deferred) retirement date, to the end of January. Her boss said nope, a week turnover would be fine. OoooooKAY! So January 16 it is! Later he said, “But we can call you if we need help, right?” Nuh-uh! 😠 (More in a conversation coming soon in The Junction, although Matt has had his hands full lately and has been slower on approvals.)

My original plan (when we got married almost 20 years ago and I was trying to plot our future) was to keep working until full SS retirement at 66½, because what else would I do with myself? I just retired instead at 62 (my “official” retirement, per the SSA, is January 2020, which means I get my first direct deposit in February 2020, which means the END of February — something to keep in mind) because I did the math, and my crossover point (where I make more by waiting 4½ years to begin to collect) is age 77 and change. Alas, Dennett, I don’t know that I’ll be viable at 77. Best case, I won’t be able to enjoy traveling with my wife; worst case, I won’t know my wife. So I’m cashing in early and we plan to front-load our travel plans. It’ll look like we’re living the good life, at least on FaceBook. 😉

Then posts will get fewer and further between, probably more incoherent, and then they’ll stop and I’ll drop off the Net. I’m going to try for ten more decent years. Wish me luck.

Sounds like you have a bumpy few years ahead! I hope you get the time you need with your wonderful Captain Argentina like I plan to with my wonder Debra A Herlocker.

As for war, I worry more about the members (and families) of the JCS. Counter-assassination of senior military would be a “proportional” response; it would also be within Iran’s weight class, so to speak. And the POTUS is too well guarded. 😞