Available again this year (for 2010, not 2002, this time) ... limits about $25,000. single and $35,000. married. I was pleased with myself last year, in having arranged my affairs (via substantial charitable and some political contributions) ... ... to reduce my Federal tax load to zero. And the provincial liability was low, possibly nil, till I got down to the recently-initiated Health Levy and had to pay a few hundred for that. But I should not complain ... as I made substantial use of the healthcare services, for nil or minimal cost, during this past year. And I used to say that we should all be willing to pay a portion of the cost of running the country ... ... and then light fires under our legislators when we believed them to be running it/them improperly! At least ... we can do that, most of the time, without getting banged on the head for our trouble. Or locked up. ole joyful

Donna - of Kitchen Table fame, It is extremely difficult to lose one's mate. Your usual friends will want you to get on with your life - they won't want to hear your stories (more than) half a dozen times. Some years ago, after my wife's departure, I attended a group of Parents Without Partners. It was a fairly new group, and we became great friends, though we were very different people. Many of us felt that we had instant acceptance, there - as everyone else knew what we were going through. After a while, everyone went their own way - but some years later, when we attended one another's funerals, etc., and if we had a get together, or just met one of the others during normal living, there was a big smile and a handshake, often a hug, exchanged - we'd gone through hell together. My ex- died last summer, as a matter of fact - after 33 years apart and only minimal commuication. Our young uns are clearing out the house that was home to them for a number of years, though not recently (the youngest hit the big 40 last fall). Do you know whether there are any groups for recently bereaved persons in your area? You might find some companionship and empathetic people there. The ones who have lost a loved one recently will have an open wound, so to speak, as you do. The ones whose bereavement took place longer ago can still understand your pain. Maybe ask in local churches, synagogues, mosques, comunity agencies, health-related agencies. Or, perhaps some funeral homes, etc. whether there may be such groups - and where to find them. If not, some of those agencies may know of people who might like to consider joining such a group, and some of them might be interested in facilitating such a group's formation. Doing such inquiries would get you busy doing something worthwhile, also. As I said once to someone, "You feel as though someone just cut your leg off". That person looked at me and asked how I knew. I replied that I'd been there. Feel free to come back and share with us, Donna. Quite a number of people at the Kitchen Table forum ask for one another's help and there is a great spirit of fellowship and concern expressed, by many, there. One of my best friends died a few weeks ago and the family asked me to officiate at the funeral. I've visited with them several times, since. His wife is beginning to become used to her being independent, now. Quite a number of bereavement counsellors advise people recently bereaved to try to avoid making major decisions for a time - for often, after life settles down some and they feel somewhat more back to normal, they may regret them. Good wishes for the days ahead. ole joyful P.S. I think that my email address is available - send me a message if you feel so inclined. o j

Aw, shucks. Thanks for the compliments. Actually, I've been saving pop (and beer) can tabs for a friend for about 14 years - starting back about the time that I sold those corn-fired heating systems. I was able to send some blue ones, some green ones, and some with a different shape, to Jaybird. Even crossing the border, the postage wasn't too bad. I asked recently why the people who sell them to buy wheelchairs don't save the whole can. Haven't had an answer, yet. On a recent discussion here on that topic, someone suggested that they thought the reason was efficiency - that there was about as much aluminum in a tab as in the rest of the can, but that it took up a lot less space. I replied that I didn't want to be disagreeable, but that I thought that there was a lot less. So, I saved 2,000 tabs, which nearly filled a 2 litre ice cream container (which is slightly under 2 quarts). They didn't weigh more than a kilogram (2.2 lbs.), I think - a kilogram and a half at the outside. About 32 pop cans weigh in at a pound. Which brought me to a certain conclusion. If any of you have removed a bunch of tabs from pop cans, you know that it is a tedious, time-consuming task. As the tabs and the cans, which the scrap metal dealer says go into the same barrel, bring in the princely sum of about 50 cents/lb. ... I think that I'll just give my friend the collector a buck (or even ... maybe ... two) on occasion. And not remove any more tabs. By the way - when you're 75, in good health and receiving three pensions, which in total are more than adequate (for a frugal lifestyle) ... every day is a good day. I don't think I've taken a pill in about 30 years. By the way - if you are taking serious meds, maybe you should join the busloads of U.S. people who travel to Canada from neighbouring states to buy their meds, saving most if not all of the cost of the trip. You know what the result of that will be - soon we Canadians will be paying more for meds! No way the drug companies are going to put up with that nonsense for long. Have you seen the book by the Harvard doc, "The Truth about the Drug Companies"? That most of their highly vaunted patents, etc. are not for new and original research, but mainly a slight variation on an old formula (that allows them to carry the patent protection forward for a substantial number of years). Good wishes to you all for a great autumn. ole joyful

This is totally OT, but I simply can't help myself. Those electric tea kettles would never do in my family, as we are Irish and Scotish. We make tea the proper way: 1. Pour RAPIDLY BOILING water over tea bag 2. Allow to steep for 2 minutes 3. remove bag and discard (cannot be used again if you want the tea to be any good!) Sorry all you people who do it differently. I see nothing wrong with doing it differently except for one thing: When I was in high school and college, I worked as a waitress. I brought tea to a customer, who said in front of me, but to her companions, "Eh, I HATE when THEY do this!" as she removed the tea bag. Now, FYI, I always poured the water at the very last second before I went to a table (after I had everything loaded up,) so the tea didn't get too strong, as I know that some people do not like it strong (just as I do not like strong coffee.) I was thinking to myself, but did not say aloud, for fear of reducing my income, "Eh, I hate when people don't ask for what they want, and then complain when they don't get it." Please specify to your waitress how you want your tea made. I ALWAYS ask them to pour the water over the bag. Sorry to go so far OT. I suppose I should add some frugal tip to make amends. Hmmmm....Oh, I like this one: Do you ever print junk (short-term useful information) off of web sites and then throw the paper in the recycling bin? Well, don't do that! Turn the paper over and use the perfectly clean, white side. Then, don't forget to put it in the recycle bin. ;)