Some things that we have to do in life are just stressful, there is no way around it, one has to go through it.
Attila and I spent the last several weeks going through it, and are out the other side now.
We had to renew our mortgage. As we all know, mortgage interest rates have increased, which in turn increases the monthly payment. We met with the bank last week, and finally got through the process today. Our mortgage interest rate increased from 2.9% to 4.41%. This is a considerable increase, but we have managed to make it work.
This morning was a bit intense, as we navigated the last bit of administrative banking processes. A little bit of fur flew, both of us well and truly weary of the experience. No bald spots though, we survived with our friendship intact.
So there we are, we now know where we stand financially, and I think we can live comfortably with the result.
We gave ourselves a little treat, as a reward. We bought bananas, and oranges, and grapes, and apples at the grocery store. Now we are enjoying these treats!
Ginger is relieved we are focused on him again. The belly rubs, and brushing, and calm conversations have resumed. As I write, Ginger is passed out cold, spread across the couch, worn out by all the doting attention he has received this morning.
It is still cold outside. We went for a walk this morning. The sun is shining, but the wind was bitter. For the first time ever, the wind was blowing at just the right angle to penetrate the snaps on my parka, and I began to feel cold. The pace increased, and once we turned around to come home, with our backs to the wind, I quickly warmed.
Sometimes we walk in the evening. Years ago, when we lived at the country house, I purchased a reflective vest for Attila, because hunting season in the bush is seriously dangerous, even in your own back yard. He has been wearing that on our evening walks, because we are on the road, as there are no sidewalks. A neighbour and his dog have become friendly with us, we stop and chat frequently. He became concerned that when he drove by us one evening, he could see Attila, but he could not see me, as my clothing is dark. This past week there was a knock on the door during the evening. It was our neighbour. He gifted me his old hunting safety vest. It is wonderful to have such a neighbour!
Worldly
Weather
-12°C
Date: 9:00 AM EST Friday 21 February 2025
Condition: Mostly Cloudy
Pressure: 102.8 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: -16°C
Dew point: -18.9°C
Humidity: 57%
Wind: WNW 11 km/h
Wind Chill: -23
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“Everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story.”
John Barth
1930 – 2024
Sorry to hear about the change in your mortgage.
DH and I are currently waiting to see what will happen with some of our income. Things will be less comfortable if my social security suddenly goes missing. Then again DH’s Canadian pension would still be there, so we’d be better off than a couple comprised of 2 Americans. Ironic, because just a few weeks ago I was anticipating an increase in my SS because of a change in the law that had cut back on payments if you had more than one source for a pension. (I worked in Canada for a year before I opened an online business.)
We got some blue skies an hour or 2 before sunset and it’s still clear out there now. After months of gray skies, the last few days of intermittent broken clouds has been great. It convinces me we’re seeing a permanent change in the weather pattern.
Teri, sorry to hear of your possible loss of income! Goodness, how horrific it would be to lose both pensions, so glad you aren’t in that situation. We are living on partial pensions, we have to wait for a over a year before Attila will draw his old age pension. That is why the mortgage renewal was so stressful. As it stands now, I will have to live to over 100 to pay it off, but that is their problem, not ours.
I think you are right about the weather patterns changing, the turn of the season is imminent. Today we decided to wait until later in the day to go for our walk, as the wind chill was -28C, and by this afternoon the temperature will be -4C, with a wind chill of -11C, much nicer.