[jshape]

My mom died four years ago at 85 - my dad is now 88. He remarried a very nice younger (82) woman about 1-1/2 years after mom died. His new wife is very nice and they do seem to get on quite well together. They have travelled quite a bit and are very happy.

When this subject of his remarriage first came up, I asked why did he feel he needed to remarry - he was 84 and able to drive at night! He could have as much company as he wanted in the retirement community.

But, he indicated that he really loved his new paramour and felt that getting married was the only right thing to do. They wouldn't even stay in the same room when the visited us at our cottage even though they were engaged. He told me that they ahd planned on staying in different hotel rooms on the way up from Florida but that the cost of getting two rooms was ridiculous. But they did get separate beds! Likewise, we put them in different rooms when they stayed with us.

Dad was totally against the thought of living together from a personal moral standpoint. He refused to even discuss it. Seems like his generation is a bit more put off by cohabitation than are current generations.

Financially, they have separate accounts but like many of their age today, the market has forced them to look at things more jointly than they did a few years ago. My guess is that if most of their finances will be used in supporting them. I'm totally fine with that. I'm just glad they're happy.

I called him last month to chat - new wifey answered the phone and indicated that they were right in the middle of duplicate bridge group and could I maybe call back later? That maybe was the best "gift" I ever got - my 88 year old dad was too busy doing something on his own that he enjoyed doing rather than waiting by the phone 24/7 to chat about the weather or whatever with his son!