Aging Can Be Brutal

 So there I was, enjoying a Friday am, and I got a text from an old friend of Wifey's, asking for some legal help. Turned out it was up my alley -- she tapped a car in front waiting to turn, and is now being sued. I explained that, since she and her husband had opted to carry a small amount of liability insurance, indeed she needed local, personal counsel to make sure her carrier gets the case settled before she faces financial catastrophe.

This happens a lot. People loathe paying insurance premiums, and so go uninsured, or under-insured. The first lesson of ANY financial planner is to protect what you have, before you worry about investing and making more money -- but it's a lesson many fail to follow.

But the bigger issue is that the poor woman was desconsolate -- with a bunch of health issues that have been plaguing her. Last night she texted to thank me, and was clearly a mess -- it seems everything was falling in on her at the same time. I felt awful -- wished her well -- and reassured her the legal issue was probably going to be fine.

I knew the bigger issue. As we age, EVERYTHING is far more daunting. If we're lucky, we have people around us who can help us along. But often older women, in particular, seem lost -- and it's sad.

My mother and suegra were lucky. From the time my Dad died, I sort of learned the stuff you need to know to get along -- aided by my brother in law Dennis, the family CPA. Dennis did the financial, and I learned about paying for insurance, and home repairs, and condo issues.

My suegra had my help along with Wifey, who became her full time case manager as she aged. I'm sure my suegra never really appreciated all Wifey did for her, in Wifey's sisyphean task of making her mother happy.

Wifey has a dear friend who is vital and appears far younger than her late 70s age, and opted to move into what I call a tryptik place -- with independent living, ALF, and nursing home all on premises. She is a widow, had no kids and only an out of state sister close to her age, and she realizes that as she declines, she needs, or will need, more and more care. She is truly a pretty but sore thumb in this facility of walkers and wheelchairs, but happy and confident -- she has pre paid for what the future will likely bring to her.

Anyway, we had a terrific grandson Sunday. Joey had to work, and we helped D1 keep the amazingly active Baby Man and Little Man occupied, to minimize intrusion on their beloved Papa. We mostly kept Wifey off her phone, and she engaged quite a bit with the beautiful boys.

I poured myself a tall Zhyr from a bottle I had gifted them, and toasted these amazing gifts from the Big Man. Then we UberEated in Society Barbecue, which was delicious. D1 ate later and reported they had the most delicious baked beans in history. Indeed they did.

And I shouldn't hold myself above the aging fray. I just got a text from the car company my consuegro is using to buy Wifey's old SUV. I FedExed the title to them, and despite a photo guide, signed the thing in the wrong place! Fortunately I will go online with a video notary to clear it up -- but this is a mistake a 50 something Dave never would have made.

I guess we ALL need to get out of the way of the young -- let them run everything -- especially the government. Oh wait -- our next president will be old as fuh, as the Millennials say. We are indeed doomed.