Greetings lovely friends & readers
Welcome to July - here we are in to the 7th chapter of the year already !!
It's mid winter here at the bottom of the world & there are no flowers anywhere in my garden so I did a little arrangement with a pretty cyclamen on my table, just for a splash of colour these grey days.
On the very last day of June I celebrated a sort-of-special-birthday. By that I mean I turned 65 & here in New Zealand you receive the Government Superannuation once you reach 65 years of age. I am curious if this happens in other countries too, so please leave me a comment & let me know.
My brother & sister in law travelled up to spend the weekend with us - they've not been for over 8 years now. I decided to have a family lunch on the Sunday, this way my sons & their families could attend also.
As I was seating 10 people I decided to turn my dining table sideways instead of longways. You can see above, that a certain ginger family member was none too happy about this fact & also, by the way Mum (Me) was running around, it was apparent that guests were arriving ... this always displeases Her Royal Highness (!!) 😉😾
We'd decided to have our usual pizza lunch, we all enjoy pizzas & the local shop makes such delicious ones. I made some dips & nibbles & The Mr ordered me a beautiful Carrot Cake from a new local Bakery Station Grill
Bubbles & Birthday Cake . . . . what's not to smile about ??
From left to right, the birthday girl, sister in law Leonie & daughter in laws, Sarah & Nicole.
We all had the loveliest time - it's very rare that we get together with my brother these days (apart from funerals) & it was so wonderful. Just all very casual & relaxed with plenty of food & laughter.
I was indeed spoilt & received some wonderful gifts from family & friends.
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Then on Monday (my actual birthday) we had a craft get-together at Gails & she made me yet another cake & I was gifted the flowering plants above right. The stunning table runner (left) was made by my dear friend Leeanne - my photos do not do it justice, it is just the most gorgeous shade of green, heavily quilted & made from vintage dupion silk that she thrifted. 💚
It's now school holidays here in New Zealand & this week has been time spent with Alec. We went to the Minecraft Movie yesterday & I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would 😉
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Today is pouring with rain & we have had 2 days of heavy rain warnings. Little One is on the good bedspread 😖 & Madam Pip is tucked up in a wee ball in the "hut" her mother made her in a corner of the couch.
(Blackie is out in the carport asleep on the ride on mower seat)
Two little verses that appealed to me on Instagram & I thought I'd share them. The first one is funny (& certainly true for this "woman of a certain age) & the second one is VeRy true.
Thank you as always dear friends, for your ever-welcome visits here today,
Sending much love & friendship to you all,
Belated birthday wishes. Looks like you had a great weekend. Hmm, yes the furry ones don't like it when disruptions to the household are happening. Unless they are the centre of attention of course.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful birthday Julie filled with love, friendship, happiness and family xx Miss Pip 😻
ReplyDeleteThank you so much my dear friend. You know what a Princess that Miss Pippi is 😉♥️xx
DeleteHappy Birthday Julie! Lovely celebrations and gifts, that table runner is just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHere in UK we get Old Age Pension at 67. It used to be 60 for women and 65 for men but it changed around the time I got mine. Big contention here and lots of court cases here from women of my age who spent most of their life expecting pension at 60 and then finding they had to wait much longer. The problem was not that we didn't think it fair to up the pension age but that we were not given sufficient notice to prepare.
xx
Happy belated gold card birthday Julie. Spending time with friends and family is the best. Hope it's not too cold and wet for you guys.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Julie. In Oz the retirement age is 67! Always enjoy your blogs. Glad you had lovely family celebrations. They become more precious the older we get 😘
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your lovely comment - I am really enjoying reading about the differing retirement ages in all the countries. xx
DeleteOh! Yes! A very Happy Burfday Julie....65...Wow! HeHe! :)
ReplyDeleteI remember when i was 65...that used to be the age, that
one was entitled to the 'old age' pension...now~a~day
it varies, and depends when you started working, my
pension started at the age of 60...as l started working at 16...
It was either a refund, or the start of ones pension...! So, l do
very well ouit of my three pension l'm paid now...But then l
certainly paid a lot taxes during my working life, and being
a single parent for 14yrs never help either, single parent Mums
were being paid a lot more than single parent Dads...of which
there were only 7 single parent Dads in the whole of the county
l live in...100's of single parents Mum's...But! Then..It's 'all' changed
now...! It's all equal...!
And...It looks as if you had a lovely family Burfday Julie...Love the
cake...Bet..that did'nt hang about very long...
I suspect Alec got into that, after he finished his popcorn...mmmmM! :).
The weather over here is opposite to yours, the last week it's been 30+
36 here where l live to~day, 38 in London...and 40+ in some places in
Europe...! :( So, it's all a bit Phew!
Well..Best get on...Getting carried away again..HeHe! Nothing new there
then...Once l start, there's no stopping me...HeHe! :)
"Friends Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears....."
(l'm sure you all know the rest)....! :O).
🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂🍃🍁🍂
PS..
Hope you don't mind Julie, would like to forward the bottom two sayings,
to a few friends...and enemies...Bless! Thankyou..! :).
Happy birthday, dear Julie. I'm glad you had a splendid day followed by another lovely day on your actual birthday. I hope the rain doesn't bring floods - we can have too much of a good thing!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your grandson time - it passes so quickly.
Many Happy Returns, Julie. It looks like you had a lovely time. The table runner is exquisite - what a talented lot you are! Miss Pippi definitely looks less than impressed with the furniture moving and much happier curled up in her corner. Love the photo of Little One (of course!) Cats always sit on the very things you don't want them to so it isn't surprising he is on the bedspread! I relate to some of the things in the first instagram meme but agree with the second one wholeheartedly - time off for yourself is absolutely vital in this non-stop world we live in.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely rest-of-your-birthday-week
Best wishes
Ellie
Happy birthday! I'm in Australia and although I'm also 65 since my husband and I are self funded retires I won't get any pension when I turn 67. I think NZ is a little more generous!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Barbara. There is talk of them making it 67 over here too - there has been talk of this for awhile now as I don't think they can afford to keep it at 65.
DeleteDear Julie, I wish you the most happy, belated, birthday. It seems you had the best gift of all. Family time. And what a delicious cake the Mr. picked out for you. Bet that was a hit after pizza. Time with Alec, you don't get to see him near as much since they moved so there's another gift. At 65 in the US, we start collecting retirement pay from the government if we worked enough time here, 10 years minimum. And we sign on to government health aid which is a blessing as commercial aid until that time is exorbitant. I hope what ever the government is doing for you is worth while. Just watched a show about Auckland, but since I would never surf, I really doubt it is the city of my dreams, lol.
ReplyDeleteWe had a short 2 morn cool down, but with our 4th celebration tomorrow the heat is back on. But I figure the rain we have had non stop will now be over until November. Lynn and Precious XX
Happy birthday you! Congrats on turning government worthy...:)
ReplyDeleteWell a belated happy birthday Julie, so is that like getting the pension, no we have to wait til we are 67 over here, its nice to have the family together every so often hehehe.
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday Julie. Here in Canada, we can get our Canada Pension early like 60 if we so choose. This is the one we pay into every month while working. Then we have Old Age Security which does not enter the picture until 65. This is a pension that we do not pay into and is supposed to keep us above the poverty line (doesn't do so any longer). We also have the Guaranteed Income Supplement that was added in when it was found the other two pensions would not be enough. We don't get the last one (though I might if something happened to Harvey) as we have retirement savings that put us above the line.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Another great post , Happy Birthday to you sweet friend .
ReplyDeleteYou get a card for your 60 wedding Anniversary from the King .
Have a great day Hugs June.
Happy 65th Julie dear!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord shower you with a bounty of blessings in the year ahead and bring lots of laughter and joy your way each day. ♥️
Belated many Happy Returns Julie. I don't think you can beat a big family get together for any or even no occasion. it really is the best thing. It looked like a lovely spread and that cake is making my mouth water.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday dear Julie! Im glad you had family around you to celebrate the occasion. I don't know what superannuation is? is it pension? i.e. you get an income from the government and retire/no longer work and the pension is paid from your contributions to tax and insurance over your lifetime? if so yes I got mine in February this year :) when I turned 66. Betty x
ReplyDeletep.s. I should also add that I am a UK Waspie Woman, who should have had pension at age 60 and currently this is being campaigned but the Government, despite being told they must compensate refused saying insufficeint funds to do so.
DeleteYour birthday celebrations look wonderful. That carrot cake, so pretty & was it yummy?? That runner was so hard to capture the true colour, I made a cushion from the same fabric & its the same. No doubt the cats went into hiding with all the visitors?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and what a lovely way to celebrate it. 67 is the age here in Aus and it is means tested so not automatic. You also need to have stopped working to qualify (though you can start again). The amount you get will depend on your assets and income....
ReplyDeleteHugz
Happy Happy Birthday Julie, looks like you had a fabulous day/s celebrating with family and friends.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Pam. Yes we had a lovely get together thanks - just nice to spend time together as a family. xx
DeleteWell, it looks like you were well celebrated for your special birthday. So good to have family come--especially when they haven't visited in so many years. You deserved being fussed over.
ReplyDeleteIn the US you can start drawing retirement a little sooner than 65, but it reduces the amount you receive. I think my brother chose to start drawing Social Security funds at 62. On the other hand, hubby chose to wait until 68, and that increased what he receives by a bit.
So much gifty goodness. I had seen the table runner on Leeanne's blog--it is a beauty! Lucky you!!
I see the furry ones are up to their usual. ;)
I enjoyed the two thoughts you shared at the end. And I have to say that number 7 on the first one is a constant source of irritation for me. LOL
Belated birthday greetings dear Julie - I have been MIA thanks to a cold my grandson brought home from school and shared - and my ole body has just not been able to shake the side effects....
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 'Golden Birthday' as I call it, and receiving your Gold Card - use it, it's worth it :) I have had mine a decade later in the year - ouch, that makes me sound old....
I see the 'purry furrys' rule the roost - they do here also. I have been "kitten sitting" the two ragdolls as the family have been away for the holidays - and I have had lots of snuggles with them, but have had to keep them separate from my old boy as they don't really 'like each other - lots of hissing when they meet. I think he will be glad when he gets me to himself again when the others are home.
I am pleased to see you were well spoilt for your birthday :)
Blessings
Maxine
Hi Julie, here in Canada the "normal" age to begin payments from the Canada Pension Plan is 65 but we can choose to claim it as early as age 60 or as late as age 70. Our payments are based on how much we've contributed during our working lives and what age we choose to start getting payments. We also have Old Age Security that starts at age 65 -everyone can get it but it is income tested meaning the higher your income from other sources is, the less you get. The Old Age Security was never intended to be enough to live on as your only source of income (people are expected to work and plan for their retirement) so people whose only retirement income is the Old Age Security are also paid a small Guaranteed Income Supplement.
ReplyDelete