Book Review: When Can I Retire

 Dear Cindy, 

Since our road trip, I've been thinking a lot about Gilles' retirement. I don't think I'll quit working early as I like my job, it provides for time off flexibility and there is a growing pension at the end of it. 

I recently finished the book: "When Can I Retire" by Andrew Allentuck. 

It was published in 2008, so it is slightly dated and doesn't include the subprime mortgage crash or covid or other events of market swings since then. 

In the book, there were some recommended references to projecting and calculating retirement financial needs in Chapter 9. I looked them up. The links no longer were valid - as this is 13 years since publication. 

Well, I figured since the Wealthy Barber, David Chilton published an updated version of his book, I thoght perhaps Andrew Allentuck may have insight on current links to explore. 

I found his gmail address and sent him an email with the question of updated links. We emailed back and forth a few times. Then he sent me an email to say he would telephone me! 

So, I gave him my number and we chatted about investing and markets for about 45 minutes. 

He recommended three books for fun reading to aid my my personal investing strategies. 

1. This Time is Different by Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth S. Rogoff. 

2. Why Stock Markets Crash by Didier Sornette

3. In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio by Andrew W. Lo and Stephen R. Foerster. 

My other take-aways from the book is that in the book he recommends a bond investment mix equal in percentage to your age. So, 50 years old, 50% bond investment. During our conversation, he gave very different advice and no longer recommends a heavy bond mix due to their inadequacy for high returns. Where as the growth on stocks is infinite. 

At the end of it, he did not answer my question. So I'm still on my own to create an excel spreadsheet that will tell me when we will run out of money in retirement. 

I think I need to rebalance our portfolio to be heavier in dividend paying index funds or Canadian banks, rather than my will-nilly strategy of random mining stocks - that don't pay dividends and rely on growth only.

I also need to do some research on Annuities. I learned about them when I took the Canadian Securities Course. But I found them confusing and not relevent to that stage of our lives, so I didn't focus for a full understanding of that vehicle. 

November

 Dear Cindy

The days are short and go by quick. 

I have an agreement to work fully remote (from home) so I bought myself a really nice office chair. Luc had stolen my old busted one for his room - and I had no need to replace until I was back at work. 

I completed 5 sessions with a personal trainer to learn how to use the weight room at the rec centre. This way, as the boys are doing swimming lessons - I can keep myself busy in the weight room and do things properly. 

I may start using this forum to plan my meals. 

We have venison and chicken for our protein. We have a side of pork coming closer to the end of the month. 

Also at the end of the month we may have rabbit kits. Both our does were bred. We'll see if they take. They are getting older and may need to be replaced with younger ones if we want to continue with rabbits. They're pretty easy to take care of. However, their cages are now 5 years old, and are requiring maintenance and repairs. So we may need to take a break for that purpose. 

BC Hydro came and did some tree felling along their hydro line. This produced 2ft diameter logs in our yard that need to be cleaned up and used for house heating fuel or fun bonfire flames. 

Rest of October

 Dear Cindy, 

It's feeling like winter around here. Each night is below zero, but the days are warming up to single digits. 

We're set up pretty good going in to winter. There is still some yard clean up to do - but there always is. These next two weeks will be focused on finding at least two deer with antlers that can come to our freezer-camp. 

STRIKE IS OVER

I went back to work for the first time in 14 months during the last week of October. 

NOW I need to figure out a new routine and get back in to meal planning. 

Week of October 13 - 19

 Dear Cindy, 

Happy Thanksgiving. The brined turkey turned out well. 

We're still on strike for another week. 

Monday was spend cleaning up the yard in preparation for winter, and making turkey dinner. 

There was a minor hiccup. The bag I took out of the freezer - thinking was cranberries - was really cherries with pits. So ... I had to re-make cranberry sauce. 

I decorated the table, and surprised the family with a nice looking spread, and we all sat down and took the time to eat and enjoy.

Tuesday was virtual picket and I finished saving the tomato seeds. Gilles and I got a day together to plan the next steps of garlic planting. 

Wednesday is another day off for Gilles. So, more garlic planting with some walks in the woods looking for venison. 

Thursday Luc took a day off of school to plant all the garlic with Gilles. I had to virtual picket in the morning, and helped pop garlic and prepare food for the crew. 

Friday turned out to be a beautiful +10C day on the picket line. Before heading in to town, I made 28 mini-jars (125ml) of cowboy candy using the Pioneer Woman recipe. 

Cowboy Candy

Saturday we headed up to Quesnel for swim lessons. I bought lasagna making supplies for a future meal prep session. 

Sunday is an at home day. Catch up on homework. Practice the trombone for Patric. I have an ongoing LIST of things TO DO. Pretty soon, we'll have to rake the leaves in the front yard. 

I stewed down 8 gallons of tomatoes for canning. These were strained and put in to quart jars. Made some sourdough waffles (these were meh). And pumpkin waffles which is the go-to snack favourite.  

We had the last of the turkey soup for lunch. 

Scalloped potatoes is cooking in the instant pot - on slow cooker setting - and I'll make a ham for supper. 

Week of October 6 to 12

 Dear Cindy

Here's how the week shaped up. 

Monday - still on the picket line with no end in sight. There was a big march/rally on Vancouver Island and the southern part of the island is shut down of GEU and PEA workers. 

In the morning, I harvested the rest of our growing salad, froze the celery for future soups and cut all the pumpkins and squash off the stems so they can cure. The worst thing is a melting, uncured squash requiring cleanup by the back basement door. Gilles left some to melt while we were gone and there are now stains on the wooden shelf we use to store the squashes. 

I bought a used instant pot off FB Marketplace last week. It will come in handy to cook and freeze the pumpkins for long term storage. 

Tuesday - virtual picket day

Wednesday - self pampering appointment and picketing in town

Thursday - virtual picket day. Gilles also had the day off work. We worked hard cleaning out the garden and getting ready for garlic planting. 

Friday - I made a few pumpkin pies and put them in the freezer for future use. I also made some apple muffins for us and the picket line. 

Saturday - Patric is discovering the 'joys' of grade 7 homework. It takes a lot to keep him focused. So we worked on his assignments all day before driving him to a friend's house to sleep over. 

Sunday - This is the first time I'm brining a turkey. It's not often we get turkey as we normally have a lot of food. 

September 29 - October 5 Week

 Dear Cindy, 

I think we're finally finding a routine. Sort of. 

The strike escalated after the stat holiday. 

Luckily, we have a relatively low cost of living, and have savings, and know how to budget ourselves for the significant reduction of my income while on strike. I feel for the families where both partners work for the government and those just starting out, and those who live in a high rental/mortgage situations.... 

Monday is no school. So the boys plus one went swimming while I walked the picket line. 

I baked two loaves of sourdough and gave one away. 

I made some poached eggs and toast for breakfast. Minus hollandaise sauce. I've never been good at making that. 

I made up a batch of hamburger soup with venison from last night's taco dinner. 

I put a pork leg roast in the slowcooker so we have a supply of ready to eat meats for our egg sandwhiches lunches. 

Tuesday is a holiday so it's heavy garden chores with help. We need to: 

• harvest carrots, wash and put in buckets of soil for winter
• harvest potatoes, dry and bring in to cellar
• bring in the pepper plants
• bring in the cabbages
• remove the broccoli row
• take down the wall of green beans and harvest them for winter dried beans
• remove all the weeds from all the sections of garden
• pull out the cucumber plants
• eat all the salad that still remains

and I'm sure I'm missing some jobs.

Wednesday is picket and chess club and baseball

Thursday is virtual picket and garden chores

Friday is picket and tae kwon do and board game clube

Saturday is swim lessons, weight/strength coaching and the haunted corn maze

Sunday we got our killing frost. The boys are headed to a neighbour to help with pulling in their garden. 

Good week over all. Still lots to do before the ground freezes hard. Apples on the tree and beans to dry and store. 

September 22-28 week

 Dear Cindy, 

Picket line is getting in the way of getting the household ready for winter. 

Monday: clean house and go to town with a school meeting in the evening. Hot dogs for supper. 

Tuesday: zoom meeting and go to see Bryan Adams in concert. Hot dogs for supper. 

Wednesday: clean house and return running shoes in town; pick Patric up from chess club and Luc up from Baseball. Spaghetti for supper. 

Thursday: zoom meeting and harvest tomatoes. Butter chicken with pre-made sauce for supper. 

Friday: sell Clan of the Cave Bear book series to a person who searched them out;  Farmers Market; Pick Patric up from Magic club and Luc up from Tae Kwon Do. Purchased pizza for supper. 

Saturday: Swim lessons; Weight/Fitness gym coaching; Birthday party dinner at a friend's house. 

Sunday: Harvest more of the garden and a friend sleepover to Monday - which is a ProD day.