jimmyt, we don't disagree here at all -- I certainly take no offense at anything you've said in this thread. (I know we disagree -- seriuosly -- about the Bush administration and the neo-GOP, but that's something else entirely.)

Don, I'm trying to do pretty much the same as you. I'm about ten years from "retirement" age, although with no pension to look forward to except the inadequate SS, I'll probably continue working, one way or another, until the day I die.

We recently refinanced the house -- necessary in order to reroof the house, repair some nasty termite damage, and put in central air/heat (pretty much a necessity in our climate, and cheaper to run than window A/C units). The new mortgage won't be paid off until I'm 69 and Peggy is 65.

My other main source of entertainment is reading -- three to five books a week, usually -- but I never buy a book; I'm such a regular library patron that I never have to show my card, they see me coming and pull the books I have on hold by the time I reach the desk. (If I *did* use bookstores to feed my habit, I'd need another full-time income!)

Unlike some of you Mudcatters suffering from "G.A.S.", I'm perfectly satisfied with one musical instrument, my 1969 Martin D-18 guitar. Sometimes I daydream about turing it over to a luthier for a "tuneup" plus installation of a preamp/pickup deal, but so far it hasn't become a high enough priority to actually spend the money.

Confession time: Our worst "luxury" expenditure is cable TV. Ten or twenty years ago, who'd have thought we'd be paying a monthly bill for TV?