$ and ¢

The morning was beautiful. The air was crisp and the sun was shining. Still, it is all due to change later today. It is good to be able to enjoy it while it lasts.

The fact that I can notice the lovely morning is a good sign. I even caught myself laughing with the morning DJs as I drove to work. I figured that it would be a good day to tackle some of the items lingering on my to-do list.

Yes, believe it or not, I am still in the process of dealing with paperwork related to my husband’s death. My latest frustration is from the pension plan from the grocery workers union. I have mailed them the items requested in their letters several times, only to receive a new list of required itmes a couple of weeks later. To date, I’ve sent them three sets of forms and documents and, as of today, I still don’t know if he is even entitled to pension benefits. “We are still trying to determine this, ” they told me, “That is why we need these additional items.” So I may be doing all of this work for nothing; my efforts may yield no benefit at all.

It seems to take so much energy just to begin the attempt. I received this last letter several weeks ago. I let out a long sigh after reading it, and then put it in a stack to deal with later. This stack includes other items requiring my action.

One such item involves an old retirement plan of mine for which I was never noted as a terminated employee in the system. Now I need my old employer to terminate me, I need complete forms (and signature guarantee them) to change my name on the account, document my husband’s death, and then I can complete the requested rollover. But that is another story.

My point is that it all is much harder than it should be. Really!

Here I am being asked for “certified” copies of his and her birth certificates, our marriage certificate, and his death certificate (which I mailed in July). While each of these documents will cost me money to obtain certified copies, I still don’t even know if their will be any benefit in complying with the song and dance routine.

It’s all about $ and ¢ (or is it sense – common and good). *sigh* Whatever. The sun is still shining. Perhaps I’ll go for a run.

…or NOT.

I don’t have all of the “required” items.