My humblest apologies, I was planning to write my ‘Day 10 Christmas Wish List Fulfilled’ but I should pause to reflect on an eventful 2023 and make needed adjustments to navigate 2024’s oncoming financial headwinds.
“Black birds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven.
First and foremost, 2023 will mark the loss of my long time dear friend and forever roommate Debora. It will be some time for me to adjust to a much quieter household without her presence, joy and endless optimism. We were opposites yet she was Ying to my Yang. She often had some input in what I post here on Hive and wrote in some of her suggestions. By habit, I still glance over to her favorite chair as if seeking her opinion.
The loss is still fresh and there are times I can feel the depression wash over me in waves. I can also see it in my two sons, they are of adult age but they still need me as much as I need them. I depended on her more than I realize, se now we have to be on our own.
Christmas has been a whole lot different this year.
Before New Year’s day, I was teaching Tax planning to my son on how to reduce his net Taxes coming due to our government by April 1st, ironically April fools day. Part of that strategy was planned donations. The gist is that donation rules favor the donor after $200 in total annual donation to a registered charity.
He chose the Canadian Cancer Society, I couldn’t be more pleased. I rather see this top heavy organization use the funds much more efficiently than see his funds filtered through a wasteful government. And, at the same time this act become his personal tribute to Deb.
With most of her Estate matters settled it is time for me to recover.
My theme for 2024 is to get my heath back.
I’ve been on Medical leave since August 2023. Working my full time nights and caring for Deb during the day did exact a toll on me. I dropped my side gig leaving me bare bones room for Hive. Compounding my health is the loss of my fine motor skills with my right arm is now generally diagnosed as a form of Parkinson’s disease. My GP thinks it is bought on by the repeated injuries of my right shoulder from my bike accidents as well as my history of nursing work related causes.
At this point the condition seems degenerative suggesting that I should apply inn advance for the Disability program as my condition may not allow me to return to work until my GP says so. Long Termed Disability may NOT cover my entire income profile but I feel that I can manage with my current financial footing. I'll have to crunch the numbers to be more sure. Deb had a modest life insurance policy that covered her funeral and legal expenses, pay off our home repair loan, outstanding Car loan debt, replenish our Emergency reserves leaving enough, and she insisted, to get a few of my dream coins. “I want you to be happy for me.”
Recovering from burnout began with resetting my circadian rhythm from a Night owl to being active in the days and sleeping nights. It’s not an overnight kind of reset so I’ve been training myself out of that routine, it’s just taking longer than I thought. Otherwise, eat right, get exercise and get enough sleep.
I’ve volunteered to be a Patient driver and attendant in my church network, it is suited to my medical experience and knowledge of the treatment system. This spares the patient a lot of logistical costs and hurdles that all patients in the Cancer treatment system face. And I get the satisfaction of doing something positive and meaningful. Donating cash is fine but offering our talents and time is just as important putting a compassionate face on an imperfect health system.
Being back to a regular church service since the Covid pandemic to see old friends and find new ones is refreshing. With my sleeping most nights I wouldn’t worry about falling asleep in the service as I used to. I assured my Pastor it wasn’t his sermon. In our ordeal this fellowship had demonstrated their love providing practical and tangible support during our struggle with cancer and Deb’s eventual departure from us.
The primary factor now concerning me is surviving this crazy economy and politics. I will be limited to a fixed income with real inflation that can undermine me if I don’t factor in realistic inflation in my budget. My property taxes jumped more than 10% in 2023, and that put the lie in governmental claims of 3% factoring out energy and groceries. I’m not looking forward to the 2024 Property Tax bill.
Two CIBC bank branches that I use in my town have closed with little news. Yesterday Jan 3rd, I stopped by my local bullion dealer and they said that they ran out of gold Maple Leafs and to call them to confirm stock tomorrow. Could these events be related? My instincts are sure getting the better of me so I may have to step up my stacking this year.
Both silver and gold 2024 silver Maple Leafs have been slow to roll out. Citing supply constraints I bet. It’s the latest it has ever been when new coins should have been out mid-November 2023. The Silver Institute predicted another silver deficit in 2024 and yet silver price hasn’t moved up, damn movie physics. The Silver Institute has been criticized lately for understating the true depth of the silver supply deficit as lacking any urgency in publicizing it.
Read it for yourself, what do you think?
The controversy continues but I find it entertaining in the whole scheme of things. The links are here for what they're worth, neither my magic Eight ball nor I are financial advisors but more like tiny entertainers upon a massive world’s stage.
Just do your own research.
Meanwhile, I have a budget to revise. Thank God for spreadsheets.
And to my friends, keep stacking that Hive, HBD and precious metals!
Crypto I currently hold are;
| Hive Token | Liquid | 180 Hive |
|---|---|---|
| Hive Token | Powered up | 19,671 Hive Power |
| Hive Backed Dollars | Liquid | 85 HBD |
| Hive Backed Dollars | Savings | 1,323 HBD @20% APR |
| Bitcoin | Liquid | 0.2019 |
| Ethereum | Liquid | 0.522 |
| Litecoin | Liquid | 19.58 |
| BNB | Liquid | 0.3007 |
| Dogecoin | Liquid | 15,400 |
I'm so close to my 20,000 Hive Power goal I can smell it!
Aiming for 25,000 HP by 2025.
Reward setting at 100% Hive Power.
Basic Strategy; HODL responsibly.
Have a happy and prosperous New Year my friends 🎉
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh… welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got! ☠️
12 Days of Christmas Wish list posts;
Day 1; 2013 $50 Canada HMS Shannon & The USS Chesapeake
Day 2; 2017 2 oz.Davy Jones Locker silver round, Privateer Series.
Day 3; 2013 $1 Tuvalu The Dementer, Famous Ships that never sailed series.
Day 4; 2015 Finding Silverbug Island Community Round.
Day 5, St. Bee’s Silver Throwing Star.
Day 6, 2022 $5 Niue Grand Shipwrecks of the World; San Jose.
12 Days of Christmas Wish List FULLFILLED Posts;
Day 7, A Gift from my Mentor; Gold Spartan’s Silver Pirate ship V2.
Day 8, A Gift from my Secret Santa Predatum in Mundo.
Day 9, A Gift from @enginewitty; 2022 Samoa 2 Tala Princess of the seas.
References
My own pictures shot with an ancient 2018 Samsung SM-A530W
P. Image under Pixabay
W. Wiki Commons
☠️🎃 Page Dividers by thekittygirl. ❄️🌞
KITCO; Silver Outlook 2024 Constrained supply rising demand…
Cameo Raven Brooch from The Black Wardrobe.
Silversaver’s 2023 Hive Silver Round, to order this 2023 Hive round.
