Marion's Retirement

[Maid Marion]

I got my health insurance bill for January 2026. It was $32 instead of $1200 because my income is below 400% of the poverty line in the USA.  This is why the ACA/Obamacare (they are exactly the same thing) politics is so heated in the USA.  I don't need much income because the house is fully paid up so I don't have to pay rent or a mortgage. Folks in my situation have been sold on making Roth Conversions so they never realize the opportunity for saving on health insurance.  This is known as target fixation.  Focusing so much on saving on taxes that they miss other opportunities.  If I was making Roth Conversions my income would be much higher.  A Roth Conversion allow you to pay taxes on investments now so they won't be taxed in the future, presumably at a lower tax rate.

If think you don't make enough money to pay for Healthcare in the USA,  you may actually qualify for free Heathcare Insurance. 

[Maid Marion]

Shopping on day before Christmas.

It was quite busy at Westfarms Mall at 9AM.  I bought  box of See's chocolate and two dark candy bars.

I bought a holiday ham, as they go on sale.  $10 for 10lb sliced bone-in ham.

[Lori Dee ✅]

Merry Christmas, MM!

Hugs!

[ChrissyRyan]

Happy new year Marion!


Chrissy

[Maid Marion]

I made mochi out of short grained sweet rice in the stand mixer and had it for breakfast on New Year's Day!  It is traditional for Japanese to pound rice and make it for New Year's Day.  I seasoned it with Kinako and sugar.  Mochi is sold either fresh or in shelf stable hard blocks called Kirimochi.  The Asian market only sells mochi intended for deserts, not the plain mochi eaten for breakfast.

[Maid Marion]

I finally got around to making crumpets as you can't buy them here in New England.
Something different to add to my breakfast menu now that Bay's English muffins are now $4/half dozen.

Measured my figure as 33-24.5-34 inches. My waist is little larger in the middle of winter than in the summer when I get a lot of exercise from golfing.  I find that in the winter I have cover my legs less than my torso when I sleep or else I'll feel cold, even under plenty of blankets.  It took a while for me to figure that out.

[Maid Marion]

I started drinking teas that don't need added sugar.  Green tea and fermented Pu Erh tea.
I've also found that because I buy looseleaf tea instead of tea bags, I can infuse the tea several times before tossing it in the bin.

[Lori Dee ✅]

My neighbor dumps his tea and coffee grounds in his compost pile to add to his garden area.
I think you have more plants to feed than he does! 😀