Wayne Kasich, Retirement Rookie

After 33 years in the newspaper business, the publisher of the International Falls Daily Journal retired last month. Wayne and Stan worked for the same parent company for as many years, and their friendship endures beyond the business connection.
The new retirees are now busy comparing notes on Social Security quirks, Medicare, earning some side income to supplement fixed incomes, and how to get the best deal on lunch. Yesterday they enjoyed a fine dinner with Kathleen at the Canterbury Card Club ($16 for three dinners, plus tip. Chicken breasts on a bed of rice, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and lettuce, includes beverages. Stan and K split a generous plate. He ate ALL the mushrooms, which was just fine with K.)
Rising extra early this morning (never be late) the carefree 60-somethings golfed a reasonable round at Stonebrooke with a dozen assorted used balls they picked in the yard last night. (Seniors Only Golf Special: $37 includes 18 holes of golf and motorized cart and free lunch: a Cuban pulled-pork-pastrami-and-cheese-on-a-hoagie, soup and icy beverage at the 19th).
The thrifty retirees enjoyed watching Twins baseball last night (free) and again this afternoon (free) before Wayne took a quick shower downstairs (free) and enjoyed a free cup of coffee (above) before heading home to The Falls.
Stan and Wayne are veterans. Their golf partner today was retired neighbor Tom Story, also a veteran. He says he heard last week that veterans can ride free on the Metro Transit system if they get a Military ID card. This may be an urban myth and probably wouldn't work for the Twins Express bus anyway, but Tom will research this just in case. However, Stan already has his Veterans ID card because he heard you can get 10 percent off at Menard's if you show the card at the register. He's never actually done it, but he might, if he ever builds something again. And he just might flash the card next time he boards the Twins bus to Target Field after parking free at the park and ride. Can't hurt.

To supplement his income, Wayne helps tourists find walleye and northern pike in Rainy Lake on the Canadian border where he lives with his wife, Mary Ann. He had to get a security clearance and ID from the government to do this legally. Al Qaeda, you know. His brother-in-law owns "Woody's Fairly Reliable Guide Service" and from time to time Wayne helps him by guiding a boatload of anglers, catching and cleaning their fish, then frying up a tasty shore lunch, before boating them all back to the base in time to catch a plane out of town. Wayne's special treat is a snack of thick, salted bacon over lemony vidalia onion slices held by slabs of soft white bread. A day of fresh clean air opens the senses and stirs the appetite. Wayne takes full advantage.
Fairly reliable guiding can be lucrative, but also wearing on the bones of a new retiree, so Wayne actually prefers acting as handyman and lawn boy for his wife's rental housing business, even though it doesn't pay anything you can put in your pocket.
Retirement can be a difficult job.

One of the "Fairly Reliables." (File photo -- 2007)