A boring morning view today, nothing special, just grey in grey and it is still quite cold. It is days like this that I am glad that my working life is over. There was then no choice of going or not going, you had a job and had to go. I was retired at the age of 64. Originally it would have been 62, but the Swiss government decided to add a couple of years for women’s retirement. The stupid thing was that I was retired a year earlier as the company were having a re-organisation. However no big problem, as I had worked there for 30 years they continued to pay my wages for the following year, although I was no longer working. I just lost a year of pension money, but I seemed to have survived. I was reminded of this yesterday when I read that Switzerland is now again revising the female retirement age. They seem to have a shortage of funds in their pension scheme and it will now be increased to the age of 65. I have now been retired for 10 years so am out of the system and just getting my regular state pension. It seems to me a bit stupid. The work market is not as it was. When I began to work, no-one ever dreamt of a company reducing its work force or changing a pension age, but that was more than 50 years ago. Now we have automisation, computers to do the work for us and we must be glad tp have a job. Why increase the female retirement age, when they probably lose their job in the meanwhile.
I was surprised yesterday to see that my robin and the blue tit were sharing their food table on the bird house. They usually like to do their own thing in private, but they kept to their own sides of the house and did not really mix.
Eventually the robin was left to do his own thing,
Although the tit was keeping an eye on the action and when the robin left, he returned to enjoy the meal to himself.
Yesterday was again a day at home. I spent some time organising my files. Retired life is often paperwork keeping various aspects organised. Mr. Swiss always did his own thing with documents and I did mine. However with age and both being golden oldies our details are now more or less the same, so instead of everyone having their own files, we have gradually amalgamated them. It is easier to find the details you need when everything is in the same place. I also had a few bills to pay which we both do online. However, life does not get easier. The post and banks are developing new methods to torture the office organisation of golden oldies. Although the basics are still there, you can now scan the bills into the computer which makes it much easier to pay (so they say). I am still working on that one. Mr. Swiss only has bank, but I have bank and post. Basically it all comes together eventually. We grew up with computers so it is just a matter of adaptation. However, not all are so gifted. I remember my dad who grew up with cash payments everywhere and had no idea of computers. My Swiss mother-in-law had a similar problem and both clung onto their own system until the end. It would now no longer be possible, but they have both passed on in the meanwhile.
I will now move on to the daily tasks, but no great stress. I have even organised my week-end shopping, sent off the order for online delivery yesterday evening and am now covered with food supplies until next Tuesday although will be doing the next order for the next week at the week-end. I am really into the system. I can only say thank goodness for the scheme our supermarket chain has for regular customers. I was invited a year ago to their new project for the cost of 8.50 Swiss Francs a month. Included were free deliveries up to the order value of 80 Swiss francs (which is easily reached), bonus payouts and double points on all purchases. This means that every two months I get my points in vouchers, usually amounting to at least 50 Swiss francs as well as dividends paid automatically onto a special card I have monthly. When I go shopping in person now and again I usually get everything without having to pay for it as I use my vouchers and plastic card dividends. I have calculated now after a year that I am really doing well with this scheme. I also notice, as a regular customer of this supermarket chain for at least 40 years, that I am getting good quality produce and not just the left overs. It seems they are now expanding the scheme to others and I got a notification yesterday that as an original customer, I will be getting no increased annual charges. For new members it now costs a little more, but not so much really.
And now to really move on as I am sure our Swiss supermarket organisation interests the least of my readers.
Keep safe and avoid stress where possible.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 
Actually it is interesting to read about your supermarket organisation. Here many shops deliver to homes but I think they charge a minimal amount. We have a cooperative store and we have been buying grocery from there for decades. I call and give my list, they pack and keep, we go pay and bring them. A few months ago they have started accepting credit or debit card. Birds are such a joy. Take care, both of you. Regards, Lakshmi
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It is also interesting to learn how other countries handle the business. I live on plastic cards. Indeed we are now advised to avoid money where possible due to the pandemic and spreading of germs. Since being a little more isolated, the birds are one of my connections to the outside world.
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Good morning … Happy St Patrick’s Day !!! I guess it is not as much of a holiday in your world as it is in my country (USA) … I was actually never into the drinking part that much .. in my younger years I actually had a second job after my day job .. as a cook in my friend’s pub … and so it was always a big money maker day … but for me … it sort of marks the unofficial end of winter in my world … usually the forsythia is all budded out, the tulips are up and the daffodils are in bloom. This year things are budding, but no rush of new spring buds as of yet … so we are a little bit behind but the curve of spring growth is truly on the upswing. Yesterday I purchased six tulips … I place them in an old casserole dish and add a bit of water and watch them grow for spring in front of the window on the dining room table. When I came downstairs this morning and turned on the light in the dining room …voila!!! .. they had grown overnight from just peeking out of the dirt to over 6-7 centimeters tall over night … so that is exciting … day by day … we leave winter behind for the promise of spring and the hope of new beginnings … happy day to you and make it a good one … SLP ….
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Yes it is St. Patrick’s Day, although not such a big thing in Switzerland. At the moment everything has come to a still stnd with nature here. It is too cold for anything to develop. My tulips are growing, but no buds yet and my daffodils have been thinking about it for a couple of weeks, but the buds have not yet opened. I will be glad when it is no longer so cold and I can again venture into the unknown. It must be a great pleasure to watch you bulbs develop.
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I have to agree with the upping of the pension age. When it’s already literally impossible to get a new job after 50, how will that look for anybody in the over 60 bracket?
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I can only agree. I am glad to be out of the whole thing. I still get my 80 francs monthly pension from the Brits
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Wow, that’s generous!
I worked for the full 8+ yrs I was in England, but I did it out of love and have no money to get, as I was never paid…. easy calculation 🙂
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I worked as a Brit for a couple of years in England and paid my social security and national pension, so I am entitled to it.The funny thing was that when I became 65 years old it was the Swiss government that drew my attention to the fact and they made the first contacts with the Brits for me, so I have something to be thankful for. Since my official British retirement I get my pension money regularly monthly (on top of the AHV if course)
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Have a good day, the birds have no worries except to share the food
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It is more the survival of the fittest than sharing.
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yes it is
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Good Morning/Afternoon!
My Pa retired many years ago, and became busier than he had ever been during his career! Although he is not a horticulturist, he grows bonsai stock (small plants that bonsai artists develop into bonsai) on his small farm on the Olympic Peninsula, across Puget Sound from Seattle. He is less than a quarter of a century older than I am, but is of a very different time.
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Bonsai is very interesting. I have always wanted to try it myself. You do not need such large pots and not a lot of room for the results. I am also interested in learning new skills and hobbies.
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Bonsai is an intense art. That is why I do not enjoy it like my Pa does. He believes that it is the ultimate combination of horticulture and art. However, I could do without the art part of it. I just like to grow things. Some of the bonsai specimens in my Pa’s collection are very old. Some were started by someone who is now deceased.
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Good evening, the weather is still spring-like and I have seen some buds starting. The plants of Oregon grape plants are the best I have ever seen. The yellow flowers should be especially nice this year. The third-floor window in my apartment is making a show. The geraniums both red and pink are in full bloom. The yellow can be seen. I like learning about other countries’ pension funds. Here they can’t decide on rather the age is 62 or 65. Both my husband and myself were born before Social Security was started. We were twenty when got our cards. Enjoy a stress-free evening.
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I wish our Spring would arrive, although next week should be warmer. I am staying at home and keeping myself occupied with bird watching. Our gardens are quite bare at the moment and there are no leaves on the trees – yet.
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