Edd here and going solo for this one.

“Septuagenarian” is your word for the day. It means “someone in their 70s,” which is what I am.

To be exact, 71 as of a few days ago.

You may wonder, “What’s it like to be that old (careful with that ‘old’ word 😉)?” Not because you care what it’s like for me. What you’re really curious about is what it might be like for you.

Of course, I can’t help you with that one. But I’d like to share what my world looks like at this age as a possible glimpse into your own future. Let’s run through the trifecta of mind, body, and spirit.

Mind ~

Yeah, I can’t remember stuff sometimes. Not important matters like “Who/where am I?” 😵 

Usually it’s someone’s name or when an event happened. Or I’ll use the wrong word and think, “Did I just say that?”

Guessing I’m not the only one with a paddle in that rowboat.

But the old “steel trap” is still functioning pretty darned well. I attribute this to two things: 1) eternal curiosity, and 2) challenging myself to l...

Cynthia:  I was lying in bed this morning thinking back to ten years ago. So much has happened since then!

Edd:  Let’s see. At that time we’re still in a desperate financial situation in Las Vegas. We’re preparing to move to Ecuador, and in the midst of that chaos you’re about to be diagnosed with breast cancer. What an ultra-stressful period! You’re right—we not only live in a different country now, it’s really like an entirely different life.

C:  Plus we had no grandchildren then, and now we have four! Most of our “exotic” travel has taken us to New Jersey and North Carolina. No regrets about that though. We just got back from spending a wonderful Christmas in both places and had so much fun, right? 

E:  For sure. Decorating two trees and going to the mall for Santa photos twice was a double treat! You know, Cynthia, we could have never predicted creating three best-selling Books and a successful online Program. Also, lowering our cost of living has put us in a much better place m...

The famous Andy Williams song proclaims, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But what about when you’re living abroad? How do expats celebrate the season? Or do you celebrate at all? And what about the locals?

Like so many things in life, the answer is—it depends. Not so much on the country as the individual. There are expats who go all out during the holidays and others who do nothing. We’ll give you an “insider look” at what goes on during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s in Cuenca, Ecuador where we live.

Thanksgiving ~ It should come as no surprise that for locals this holiday is just another day here. But that doesn’t mean expats aren’t able to celebrate. Turkeys are a specialty item generally available in grocery stores only around this time of year for Christmas. So numerous restaurants host a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the expat community.

Plus many friends celebrate together in their homes. We joined a group of 18 amigos in Yunguilla (about an hour ou...

Cynthia:  First conversation we’ve done in a while and it’s called “Lappy Labor Life?” I can’t believe I’m okay with such a silly title.

Edd:  Well, we said we’d be focusing on fun and the alliteration seemed kind of catchy. Anyway, Labor Day weekend. The last hoorah for summer. It’s an odd holiday, right? To celebrate work by—not working.

C:  Hah! And just another day in Casa Staton. Ecuador has more than its share of holidays, but Labor Day isn’t one of them. Wow, talking about this subject makes me realize neither of us has had a real J-O-B in over a decade! How do you feel about that?

E:  Is that a trick question? I feel absolutely great about it! Yeah, we consulted with a tour company here. I wrote for International Living for 5 years and we spoke at their conferences. And now we’re doing our thing with Retirement Reimagined! But since retiring abroad it’s all been on our terms.

C:  I think that’s probably a hard concept for most people to grasp who are still caught up in havi...

“My goal is to work as long as I possibly can. At least until 70. In fact, I hope I work so long that when I finally do retire I’ll be too old, too tired, and too sick to enjoy the few years I have left.”

Said no one, EVER!

If you listen to the experts...

Yet to believe what most financial writers say, that’s the hand you’ve been dealt. You haven’t saved enough so you’ve gotta work, work, work. And slash your current budget immediately because you’ve gotta save, save, save. Even Suze Orman proclaims that 70 is the new 65.

Oh, and after all that working and saving, downsize those retirement dreams of yours too because, well, by then you’ll probably be a candidate for long-term care so there goes the old nest egg.

Wait a minute...

Isn’t retirement supposed to be fun?

Didn’t you enter the workforce way back when with a vision of your future that included relaxation, the freedom to travel, maybe spending quality time with grandkids if they came along? 

Whatever your definition of f...