The first step

To grow poor, gracefully or not, there are a few vital requirements. Accept it. Don't be ashamed of it. Sure, it's fine to do your darndest to avoid the situation, but when it overtakes you, move on.

I was on top of the world, but began to realize that things were slipping. I was what is known as an "enabler"...that's an AA euphorism for the spouse who tries to pretend that everything is just lovely. Actually, everyone knows it isn't, but she pretends they don't.

After about 25 years of this, I decided that I'd better act to preserve what was left financially. I became involved in what had been a hobby - speculative designing and building - and did pretty darned well. October 19, 1987 changed all that. My market (1 mil +) evaporated. Companies had been buying their CO's old houses so they could buy ours. That ended abruptly and I was stuck with three houses too many.

By 1989, I realized there was no way that I, at 59, could pay off $600,000 in bank debt...which grew daily in interest. I paid off all my subs, got in my car, said goodbye to my husband and drove to Florida. Living is easy there...

I couldn't stay at my old home. The worst moment was admitting that "I can't afford my friends." Sure, they were nice and invited me here and there, but how long can you accept their charity? No...gotta go. Gotta start anew.

I knew Florida pretty well from golfing vacations. So off I went by myself, car loaded down, with a bit of apprehension. I had enough money to subsist, but I needed a job. That's a long story. The point is that being totally new in town, I had no "position" to live up to. I was just another person moving there because I wouldn't have to heat a house.

I finally got a job ($4.75 an hour - Whoopee!). Several years passed. Six years later, I was up to $7.50 - and that's good in FL. Life was good though; mainly because I wasn't trying to impress anyone...no Jones' to keep up with.

That's enough for now...