French Toast Sticks:

Nilly, I can't recall you ever offending me or noticed any behavior that I thought could offend anyone else, either! I know this past year has been so very stressful for you, but even under stress, you showed that you cared about your friends here. You are a class act.

Anyway, I can't speak for anyone but me -- but for me, I do most sincerely forgive you, in case I've forgotten some momentary minor annoyance (the mixed blessing of a sieve-for-brains).

I know a lot of the people at my Mom's retirement place ("independent living community, PLEASE") AKA Ann's Choice raised the money by selling their family homes which at least in NJ had appreciated greatly over the years.

Oh, Dad's sold the house, but it was never anywhere near $250k. More like $90k. And he didn't have the mortgage paid off because my folks put money into things like sending their kids to college instead. The Independent Living Community we went to also passes some of the money back to the estate, depending on how long the residents are there. But you have to have the money in the first place.

How the heck do middle class people do this? Hell, I probably won't even have a house to sell when I hit retirement age.

My grandfather spent the last few years of his life in a home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. I'm pretty sure the Medicaid/Medicare combo covered it. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was fine -- and the old nuns kept a 24 hour vigil with him for the last few days, which I thought was really nice. Your feeling about old nuns may vary.

That's a thought, Jesse. I'll have to see what the Methodists have available. Thanks.

Nilly is the least offensive person I know but I love the idea of the introspection and contemplation that takes place every year.

Political ads are nothing new in Utah, there's nearly always some duelling Republicans around who are trying to prove they're more righteous, um, worthy than the other guy. But for the first time, I heard an ad this morning for Republicans in general, vote for leadership, etc.

So someone thinks this reddest of red states needs reminding that Republicans are the way they should go. I mean, no one even thinks Utah could vote for Obama. If he has an office here it's in the interests of completeness. But someone, somewhere, suspects defection in the ranks. Good.

Calli, I think my Mom's situation is the result of location purely. She had been a low-paid secretary or SAHM for most of her life, widowed in 1970 and raising her kids on Soc. Security for the next ten, with the only big advantage that the mortgage got paid off with my father's life insurance money. Northern NJ house prices zooming up ridiculously (about 15 miles from NYC) is probably the biggest factor in her financial situation.

My grandfather spent the last few years of his life in a home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Awww, my grandfather always talked about going to live with the Little Sisters when he became old and infirm. Unfortunately he didn't live long enough to do so.

sarameg, let me know if you ever need open house attending company!

Hey, the Dow Jones finally went below 10,000. How depressing is that?

Hey, the Dow Jones finally went below 10,000. How depressing is that?

Huh. I wonder if that'll have a big psychological effect on the market.

Anyone know when the Dow first broke 10,000?

Also, the Dow has experienced a net loss since Bush took office, right?