**I stopped by Walgreens to pick up some Thank you cards on Sunday. For the kids' birthday. Got pushed way to the wayside with my dad's health and everything (his heart attack was the day after the kids' birthday party).

I figured I should maybe get on the Thank Yous, one of these days.

While there I grabbed some fiddle faddle, m&ms on sale, and a "flying disc." Went to the park twice since, with the flying disc. Minus the thank you cards it was $3. Dh looked at me like, "what the heck?" when I Returned home. I said, "$3 worth of heaven - don't start with me." It doesn't take much to make me happy.

----------------------------------------

**Dropped off van yesterday. They called today to say used door did not work out - new door would cost more in labor. Revised estimate from $2000 to $2200. Van will be out an additional day or 2. I don't care. Dh was kind of annoyed. I know what an "Estimate" means, and am maybe more sympathetic since I work in a field where it is quite impossible to estimate anything. Quite simply, we don't give estimates.

Anyway, I figured the thing will probably cost somewhere in the range of $2k - $2500 (other estimate we had). Could always come in less - but won't hold my breath!

-----------------------------------------

**Dh picked me up in no-AC car yesterday. (Reminds me, now we can't take his car in until next week - I will probably book an appointment for Monday).

Weather was 95 - wasn't near as bad as I imagined. Was a nice breeze by then. Will probably survive the week. I have a reverse commute so no doubt they were more miserable sitting in traffic on the way to pick me up. I told dh to throw some water in the freezer and keep it in the car at all times. Last thing you need is to be on a windless day, no AC, stuck in a traffic jam. Cold water is really key. Weather calls for 100-ish all week. Reminds me I should call him and remind him. I would like some ice water please - today we have a lot of driving to do.

Tomorrow is the same (appointments and such) - though Thursday and Friday I may be able to just take the car. Then again - don't want it sitting in the sun all day - may be preferable for them to drive me

------------------------------------------

**So yeah - 3-4 days of one car is turning into 6 or 7 days, quite rapidly. Times like these is why I am quite aware we could survive with one car. And also reminded why I would not want to survive with one car. The inconvenience factor is huge. Definitely high on my list of luxuries I will pay for. I love me my car.

------------------------------------------

**I have another subject to bring up - completely different topic.

At the end of a mortgage - does it really matter if you pay it off or keep the mortgage? My answer is no. Or, I guess I should say - it's more important to have a manageable mortgage - and not to borrow into eternity - more important than anything else.

I think it is my parent's example that is precisely why I am in no rush to completely pay off the mortgage. If I could in a few short years? sure, why not? But why tie up all those assets if it is going to take over a decade either way.

Was thinking on the subject since so many people have commented, with my dad's situation (not sure if he will ever return to work) - so many comments that they are so lucky/smart to have a paid off mortgage.

Truth is - does it really matter? Their payment was only $400/month. A VERY small fraction of their disability or SS income, and a minuscle fraction of their income before all this.

& interestingly, my parents never really prepaid a dime on their mortgage. They actually started out with a massive mortgage payment (moved somewhere extremely expensive for job opportunities, bought in 1980 or so when interest rates were double digit). So, when interest rated lowered, they refied a couple of times, and settled on a 15-year-loan.

For all intensive purposes they started out in the craziness that has hurt so many people in recent years. I think the key is they never particularly borrowed more against the home. & they started repaying more rapidly once interest rates dropped dramatically. For all that, they aren't even the greatest example of buying well within one's means. But they never bought up, etc., which I guess is more the key here. (They even did the starter home thing - but everyone in our family has - it's really the only way to own anything decent in California - start small and buy up with equity. Start with a condo - be lucky to afford 1300sf SFH some day. On the flip side, no one in our family has bought up past age 30. Which is more to the point).

But at the end - does it matter if it was paid off or not? Not really. They paid it off when the balance hit the $20k range. The house is worth far more than what they paid - so these days they have a paid off home, but they invested enough over the years that they have far more in savings than the house is worth. I would probably argue that the savings is more useful in their situation. But in the end - it doesn't really matter. The $400/month mortgage wouldn't make or break them - even if their only future income is social security.

Probably where I get my attitude from. I just want a manageable mortgage! & I've said before, with rents so high here, the managable mortgage is a dream in comparison.

So often when the "prepay vs. invest" debate comes up, someone comes back with, "It's stupid to have a mortgage in retirement." As if there is no middle ground. Who said I was going to have a mortgage in retirement? Not in my plans. No, no one in our family has had a mortgage in retirement. Even with all the unexpected early retirement flying around both sides of our family.

If my parents could pay off their mortgage in their early 50s, I have no doubt we can pay ours off sooner. We have more income potential (between the both of us), far lower interest rates, and a much smaller mortgage (compared to income), to begin with. IT will be interesting to see how it pans out. I don't feel comfortable taking on a 15-year mortgage today. But at my age my parents were taking on a MASSIVE new 30-year mortgage. I assume a 15-year payoff is not so far off in our future. WE are on so much better footing at the same age.

If my spouse returns to work we will just pay off the mortgage because then it can be done in a few short years. That makes all the difference, to me. Being house rich and cash poor doesn't appeal to me much, overall. Will pay it off if we can be cash rich too.