40 Days till retirement

[Deek]

The thing about retirement, I think, is that it is a daily reminder that we are here but for a moment in time -- and that we are wisest if we take the limited time we have with those we are about most and enjoy that time to the fullest -- each and every day we have ahead of us after work and career stop.

There was a thread I saw some time ago asking if the price people paid for their motor homes, in their opinion, was "worth it." Now I'm sure that from a dollars and cents standpoint, that is a topic that plenty of people want to know about -- maybe even by motor home brand and model. But for me, that thread signaled a bigger question. I thought -- and commented -- that regardless of what it cost, if you are happy with your motor home purchase, and if you and your spouse enjoy the incredible adventure the motor home brings, whatever you paid for your motor home is worth it, precisely because of the joy in life it delivers.

Work is necessary for lots of reasons, of course, but retirement is too -- and when we stop and truly learn that, especially when we still have good health and the funds we've saved in order to enjoy our time beyond the boundaries of our careers, we have then arrived at the place we need to be.

Just my two cents ...

Deek

[gutsgolf]

Congrats, new get ready to be busy. Don't know how i held a job down. i sure am busy now....... it is really strange how that happens

[Jupiter]

Congratulations Dale! I retired just 4 weeks ago and I'm still adjusting. We spent the first two weeks on the road (wonderful and warm Hilton Head) and the second two weeks at home in somewhat of a lazy, hazy fog. We would have stayed south longer, but the DW had a medical procedure scheduled for early February.

For me, I think the adjustment that I'm still acclimating to is transitioning from a very busy and demanding daily work schedule in a large organization where I had to engage with many people every day. Sitting here thinking about it, I guess I could best describe the adjustment kind of like the sensation you get when you ride that lightning fast, wide-eyed, screaming roller coaster ride ......and then step off and slowly and quietly walk away! I've prepared a long time for this but the reality is that it's still going to take more time to find my new groove.

Now don't get me wrong. After 34 years at the same place of employment, which for the most part I sincerely enjoyed, I was ready and anxiously awaiting to pass the baton and "get off that screaming ride". I can assure you that I can already sense that I will adjust to this sweet life of retirement just fine My wife retired a couple years ago and we are looking forward to spending allot of our retirement income on diesel fuel!

Best wishes, Dale and to all you other folks counting down the months, weeks or days. Pace yourself and enjoy the anticipation because your day will be here before you know it! Seems like just yesterday when my iPad countdown was at 2 years!

cheers,
Joopy

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by manjammy

Retired last July, now everyday is Saturday!

Another reason I haven't retired, that would give my wife too many ideas for what I could do in my "spare" time!!

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Deek

There was a thread I saw some time ago asking if the price people paid for their motor homes, in their opinion, was "worth it." Now I'm sure that from a dollars and cents standpoint, that is a topic that plenty of people want to know about -- maybe even by motor home brand and model. But for me, that thread signaled a bigger question. I thought -- and commented -- that regardless of what it cost, if you are happy with your motor home purchase, and if you and your spouse enjoy the incredible adventure the motor home brings, whatever you paid for your motor home is worth it, precisely because of the joy in life it delivers.

I'm sure some are like us, we could go buy a much nicer motorhome, but why, if the one we have does all we want? Same for our house. I've been Looking at King Aires and thinking "wow, what a palace", but in reality we can pretty much do the same "camping" in our Dutch Star, although in a few years when we have to start taking money out of our annuities we'll need to do something with it.

[reubenray]

We both retired last August. I am 61 and once the SS checks start coming in we plan on upgrading our fiver to a motorhome. We have two trips (24 days) already booked for this spring and will book more/longer ones when we upgrade.

My wife is only 56. We had planned on this for a while and fattened up our bank accounts in case we decided to do it earlier. The final straw was when I argued with my wife about the job on her 56th birthday. It was either retire early or die on the job from the stress.

[WH347]

Hang in there. I retarded in Aug and now we
Are truly living the dream. Me and DW are in Ft.
Meyers. Week three of six. Loving it. There is life after
Work.
Congrats

[SAWTELLE]

Originally Posted by WH347

Hang in there. I retarded in Aug and now we
Are truly living the dream. Me and DW are in Ft.
Meyers. Week three of six. Loving it. There is life after
Work.
Congrats

Where are you in Ft Myers? We're heading south to Ft Myers this Friday and can't wait for the Florida sunshine!! Retirement was a little slow the first month and now we don't seem to have enough time for everything! Retirement grows on you VERY quickly!

[Superslif]

I wish the day would come....I'm looking at June 1st 2016.....20,000,000 +/- seconds, 351,000 +/- minutes 702 days....of time on the shop floor.....O I'm so ready.....Too bad our company doesn't do bye-outs....

But I'm confused because others at my place of employment are working till well into their late 60's or poor health conditions force them to retire. I'm thinking I'm missing something ??

Yes, our union pension has been cut 50% and health care coverage is getting very $$$. But working 40+ years till age 65+ is senseless.

I would say 20% of fellow workers retire at the 30 & out option, maybe in their mid 50's, but the remainder just keep going & going......

[so47]

Originally Posted by Superslif

I wish the day would come....I'm looking at June 1st 2016.....20,000,000 +/- seconds, 351,000 +/- minutes 702 days....of time on the shop floor.....O I'm so ready.....Too bad our company doesn't do bye-outs....

But I'm confused because others at my place of employment are working till well into their late 60's or poor health conditions force them to retire. I'm thinking I'm missing something ??

Yes, our union pension has been cut 50% and health care coverage is getting very $$$. But working 40+ years till age 65+ is senseless.

I would say 20% of fellow workers retire at the 30 & out option, maybe in their mid 50's, but the remainder just keep going & going......

I just think some people work so hard and for so long that they forget that there is a time in life to be selfish. I and my DDW worked our whole lives for our family, as did many many others. My W died young, having done nothing more than work hard for 40 years of her time here. I will be forever angry at how things happened and how fast she passed and how little of this world's wonders she was given time to explore. I guess it would be easy to just say time is infinite, but your's isn't, like so many have stated in many different ways on this forum. Some folks get it, some folks get it after a kick in the ass ( like me ).

[DaleM]

Awwwwwwww made it,

Had a couple days banked so retired today. Just short of 36 years with CP-Rail
gotta Love it
Hang in there all you people counting the days,You'll make it.

Dale M

[Thompsonsgt]

Sounds great. 30 years with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. 3 years and 24 days to go and I will be there too.

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by DaleM

Awwwwwwww made it,

Had a couple days banked so retired today. Just short of 36 years with CP-Rail
gotta Love it
Hang in there all you people counting the days,You'll make it.

Dale M

Congrats!!!

[CLIFFTALL]

Congrats. Here's a tip my DW gave me when I retired. She retired 9 years before me and had a hard time figuring out what day of the week it was till she realized that the Sunday paper was larger and that gave her a good reference to go on . Enjoy
Cliff