Last night, during dinner, I mentioned to Motor Man that I didn’t have any ideas for a blog post for today.
He replied: “Yes, you do! Your letter. That’s news.”
Monday, when I checked our mailbox, inside was one of those little forms showing that our mail carrier had attempted to deliver a certified letter to me. It was odd, though, because it was addressed to me using my last name before Motor Man and I married.
Of course, all sorts of thoughts ran through my mind between then and yesterday morning when the post office opened, and I could claim the letter.
When the postal clerk handed me the envelope, of course, I immediately looked at the return address. It was from an insurance company. Opening it, I was met with some good news.
The letter stated that I am eligible to receive a retirement benefit, beginning this summer, from the local packing plant. I went to work there right out of high school and was there nearly nine years before leaving just before Marshall was born. Sixteen years later, I returned and worked there for a little over a year.
The home office is still in our town, but the building itself was demolished in 2013. Although I can’t say I enjoyed every day that I worked there, I was sad to see the building destroyed.
Oh, the trips I made up and down those stairs
A few years ago, someone suggested that I contact the human resources office to ask if I would be eligible for any retirement benefits. When I did so, I was told that I hadn’t worked there long enough to qualify.
So, needless to say, I was quite surprised by this happy news.
Motor Man has been teasing me that the amount I receive will probably be $3.42 per year (before taxes), and that it will be just enough to put us in a higher tax bracket. Of course, he’s also been jokingly telling his friends that he’s going to retire because he just found out that I’ll be receiving a huge pension.
Of course, I have no idea what the amount will be, but I don’t think we’ll start shopping for a yacht or private jet.
“Retiree”….I like the sound of that.
~These Days Of Mine~
these days of mine 
Congratulations! I can vouch for the fact that being a retiree is totally fabulous……and even if your “windfall” isn’t a huge one – it’s money in your pocket!
Pam
Good news! Like finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
Congratulations on your retirement money. They probably reevaluated and you came in over ten years, or they changed retirement standards. Either way count yourself among the fortunate. Happy News is a wonderful thing!
Don’t you just LOVE surprises? … Especially those that might help you fulfill a bucket list item. CONGRATS on the news.
Always good to have a little extra… !
gas is going back up, after all …
Congrats, Dianna! Hope you do better than I. I got the letter a few years ago. At first they said I would receive 19 cents a month ( Yes, you read it correctly) Chuck and I had a good laugh. Then last year before I turned 65 they sent me a form asking me if I wanted lump sum or monthly checks. Of course I said lump sum. It ended being about $120.00. Happy ending thanks Smithfield Packing!
I love it! Now Motor Man can retire, right????
Well, even if it’s not much of a windfall, it’s still nice to get a good surprise in the mail! P.S. Don’t spend it all at once. 😉