14 More Mondays

That would have been yesterday, however since I am not at work this week, it was not a day to mark off my calendar. I am spending my days with my grandson this week and I am enjoying my time with him.

We are planning to retire in the southwest corner of Missouri. That is 1500 miles from Лука  Why would we want to do that?  Well its not because we don't enjoying spending time with our family. It has been our plan to move back to Mr. Bankerchick's  home town and live in the wonderful old house his mother owned. It doesn't have a Mortgage and life will be a lot simpler there and the cost of living will be a lot less than Southern California. We won't be making the total move, selling our house here and packing up everything until 2012.

We spent most of January there and it was cold, but the house was cozy, and of course if it gets too cold, there is always Santa Barbara, and this way we will be able to afford travel, especially to see Лука. My blog over the next months will be about making that move as I go throught the steps till retirement.

In the meantime the 5 things I am going to do this week are:
1.  Spend time with Лука.
2.  Sing with Лука.
3.  Build trains with Лука.
4.  Make breakfast for Лука.
5.  Laugh out loud with Лука.

Saturday in Santa Barbara

I arrived Friday night to a welcome greeting from Лука and Mr Bankerchick, and they both had a wonderful week together.  DD1 and SIL are well and had a good visit with Mr BC too. Mr. Bankerchick left Saturday morning to get back to his dogs and DD2, for a well deserved rest. I am now on the second shift.  I can't wait to hear how much weight he lost as he looked thinner.  DD1 cooks great and real healthy, and he was always on the go.  Dr Boozer, (I love that name) will be very happy.

Saturday we went for a walk on State Street and Grandma picked up some sand toys for the park this week.  We had a bit of a cry, trying to leave the toy store, because they had a train layout and Лука played there for at least 40 minutes, so we promised to get his trains setup when we got home.  At 2 years old that is not a great compromise so we went to get something to drink. Tata (SIL-daddy in Serbian) came thru on his promise and in true engineering style made a great train layout.

 It is amazing how well Лука speaks two languages.  He speaks Serbian with his Tata, English and Serbian with his Mama and easily speaks English to Grandma and Grandpa. Truly you have to get them while they are young.  DD1 has got a good grip on Serbian too and they all talk to Baba and Deda in Serbia on Skype.  It is a Wonderful world in Santa Barbara!

15 More Mondays

'Til Retirement!

The 5 things I am going to do this week:
1.  Contact Social Security to get the process started. 
2.  Contact HR to get the process started.
3.  Send Mr Bankerchick to Santa Barbara, for first Shift of taking care of Лука. (DD1 needs some child care help, while the au pair is on vacation in Serbia)
4.  Prepare to go to SB myself to take second shift with Лука on the weekend and the next week.
5.  Check-in daily to make sure Grandpa is still ambulatory as Лука is very high energy.

Sunday in the Park

We took a lovely walk with the dogs last Sunday.  It was a beautiful day, clear and the flowers smelled great.  Mr Bankerchick, takes them everyday on this walk at the Claremont Colleges, weekends, I get to go.  We start out in Claremont Village and greet all the folks having coffee or breakfast in the outdoor cafes.  After the pups are admired and sniffed by the array of pooch partners in town, we move on to Pomona College, where these pictures were taken. Yesterday we took them straight to the college on 15 foot reel leashes and they went on a smell walk.  They got to stop where ever they wanted and they did. Mr Bankerchick's walks are more regimented for health benefits, so they were in heaven on Saturday.

Retirement is just around the corner

16 More Mondays


I was worried the Gov'ment would close down before I started my Retirement process with SS, but the clowns in congress managed to find a compromise, which we all knew they would do in the end.


We are planning on leaving California for Southwest Missouri, but that will take several months and we also have to be back for Christmas with the Grandson!  I am thinking on renaming this blog or starting a new one with the lifestyle change, Since I won't be a Bankerchick any more.  I will ponder that as I restart this Blog again.  Things will be changing Big Time!


Dogs are fine, Kids and grandkid are Great.  Mr Bankerchick is Happy, looking forward to me joining him in Retirement.


10 Things I am going to the week after I retire:


1.  Sleep at least til 7am so I can get rid of my winky eye.
2.  Go for a walk with my dogs every day
3.  If all my junk in the front Patio has not been taken to the dump...Load the truck up and take it myself.
4.  Read a book somewhere besides the train, preferably in a comfy chair.
5.  Make a good breakfast for Mr Bankerchick and myself.
6.  Do some corrective gardening in the front Patio, now that the junk is gone.
7.  Do the some of the things I usually do on Saturday and Sunday, in the middle of the week. Grocery shopping, reading, and those things that are on my list of to dos that I make on Monday of the things I DID not do on Sat and Sun.
8.  Check out all of the dates and amounts on all of my gift cards and go spend them.
9.  Go up to Santa Barbara on Friday morning and stay until Tuesday aftenoon, or whenever, just so I don't have to leave Sunday before his nap.
10. Kiss my husband, and tell him I love him without rushing out the door to work!