Adjusting to retirement

Yno

What the hell day is this?

I have been retired now for three months, and am getting to the point that I have to check the calendar to know what day it is. And I must say I love it! I have been so much busier than when I was working, though. I am still at the stage where I have to be doing something since I don't have to work. Yesterday was the first day in all this time that we stayed home and didn't do anything except watch TV and drink wine. (Well, we always drink wine...) The 'staycation' was due to the atmospheric river that dumped a season's worth of rain on the Bay Area in one day. We were not among the 150,000 people who lost power, or got trees dropped on them, or had their homes flooded, and for that I thank the microclimate here that keeps me out of the worst of nature. We did have at least a month's worth of leaves to try to pick up today. Got the bulk of them, but will wait until dryer weather to get the blower out and clean up. Then that damn tree will get trimmed.

So my whole purpose of this epistle is to ask "how do you retired people find time to Egg?" I have only done a few cooks a month since then. So many day trips to take, so many wineries to visit, so many weeknight events that I could not do before. And the honey-do list... Ynette retired before me, and she is better at it, but expects me to take care of a lot of things for which I never had time.

Methinks I just need to buy some meat and get out back and cook!

loco_engr

In my case, it's about the same before I retired as my job with the railroad, I was gone for app. 1 1/2 days and home for app. 2 days. I would think of things to try for when I knew I was going to home for awhile . . . sometimes even that was unreliable. 

lousubcap

First up get a watch (if you wear one) that shows the DAY/date.  Day being the critical piece.  I volunteer on Tuesdays and Thursdays so there's that option.  
And early on I realized that as the clock moved forward I slowed down.  Every one of us recalls how it was-my standard reply when the conversation went to "How in the world did I do all this when working..?"  You moved 3-5 times faster then.
Embrace and enjoy!

RRP

Unless I missed it I didn't see what you did before retirement. In my case I was in a high stress job and jumped at the chance to bail out at age 60. My wife retired 2 years before I did. 

My adjustment ...and I'm dead serious...was NOT getting up at 5:45 and taking a shower every day! Took me 2 years before I figured out that was stupid! Now at age 77 I know just how critical "me time" is since life has thrown me a nasty twist. My advice is DON't get impatient with your new found free time as life can change on a dime!

Ike

My philosophy of retirement is that most employees get sick days, retirees get give-a-sheet days....go at the pace you want

TEXASBGE2018

Must be nice, I've got oh another 30plus years to go of hating work.

Yno

I do have a watch - a Fitbit. I had to lose about 70 pounds two years ago to keep my doctor from putting me on pills. Last year Ynette and I got the Fitbits and have become slaves to the step and mile count. In just less than a year I have done 5.6 million steps and 2,300 miles, with a best day of 41,000 steps and 17 miles. I also work out on a TRX suspension trainer. This all takes a bit of time, but it allows me to enjoy the food and drink part of my retirement.

littlerascal56

Retired from a high stress job in Jan 2019 (manager for a electric utility). I had worked for them for 41 years, but walked out at 62.  My blood pressure dropped to normal, and I got off my meds within a month.  Dropped 30 lbs too.  Have loved every day of retirement since. Just bought a new house, which was built in 2019.  We are re-modeling it to our likes, and having fun doing so.  No more phone calls during the night, and emergency outages to deal with.  No more CEO's and CFO's complaining about budget over-runs.  No more Union employee grievances. Life is good, and wish I would have quit at 60! 

Fred19Flintstone

I think I told this story before, but…
A couple of years ago, my Mom passed away (from dementia.  It was a blessing, really) and we were at the funeral home receiving visitors. I was chatting with my brother who is four years older than me when George, his childhood buddy (same age as my brother), who lived across the street from us rolled up.  He says to my brother, “Bill, retirement is great!  I get up when I want.  I go where I want.  I do what I want.  I just got back from Myrtle Beach (he’s deeply tanned compared to us pale Michiganders) and it was great!  Hey Bill, when do you retire?”

My brother says, “Well, we just got done putting our youngest through Michigan State.  Probably four or five years to recover from that.”

George looks at me and says, “What about you, Bob?”

My youngest was standing next to me and so I asked, “George, have you met my daughter?  She’s in sixth grade.”

Big laughs and then George said, “You poor bastid.”

Retired RailRoader

Congratulations on your retirement! I was very fortunate to retire at age 50 after 30 yrs. of service in the RailRoad industry. Like you I made myself very busy when I first retired. I started out building walk-in master bedroom closets, moved to gutting and completely renovated the master bath, replaced our hot water boiler and domestic hot water system, to even residing our house. I did have a couple of other retirees help doing all these projects. We always stopped work around 3:30 - 4 for a couple of cold ones and a dinner cooked on the egg. Some days it would be just burgers. Other days spatchcock chicken, steaks or whatever my helpers wanted to eat. The most important advise I can give you is always make time for yourself. Even today 17 yrs. after I retired I find myself still not setting aside time for myself. 

dbCooper

fishlessman

you guys are making this tempting, did you find that retirement expenses were less than you thought they would be. number crunching tells me my expenses drop 50 percent just by selling the house and moving into the camp, thats huge.

lousubcap

@fishlessman - As we all are aware, "You know how much money you have, you don't know how much time."   If the numbers support, being generous with post retirement expenses and entertainment then it comes down to the "You know when it's when."  Once you arrive at that place, go for it.  Always remember the great pearl of wisdom from Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige, "Don't look back, somethin' might be gainin' on ya."  FWIW-
Edit:  The wasted year+ (2020 and beyond) thanks to covid may have skewed some numbers...

EggNorth

I just ended a 30+ year Software Engineer (formally called Programmer in the old days) career, 6 months ago.   Few years shy of 60, so good to be out while the going is still good.

Expenses are about the same for the wife and I because I have been working from home for many years, so the clothing. fuel etc are the same.  Expect for food, which is now about half, now that I have time to think and plan meals.  We have also cut way back on Beef,  just because the prices bugs me.

Interesting seeing the rail roaders here .... kids got me hooked on PC game 'Factorio' and as I'm typing this I am trying to get my trains to stop hitting each other .   I have a new appreciation for railway signals!

Gulfcoastguy

When I decided to leave my 34 year career things changed. For 2 weeks my dog kept trying to wake me up to go to work . After 2 weeks he just crawled into bed.

Retired RailRoader

EggNorth said:

I just ended a 30+ year Software Engineer (formally called Programmer in the old days) career, 6 months ago.   Few years shy of 60, so good to be out while the going is still good.

Expenses are about the same for the wife and I because I have been working from home for many years, so the clothing. fuel etc are the same.  Expect for food, which is now about half, now that I have time to think and plan meals.  We have also cut way back on Beef,  just because the prices bugs me.

Interesting seeing the rail roaders here .... kids got me hooked on PC game 'Factorio' and as I'm typing this I am trying to get my trains to stop hitting each other .   I have a new appreciation for railway signals!

It’s funny you have an appreciation for rail road signals. I was a Signal Supervisor for 12 years. My last 3 years I was promoted to plan, write, design and manload a new signal system for a new major expansion. This included two new tunnels, three interlockings and a station terminal. Please try not to have two trains bump into each other😂

Corv

I retired at 59, got a bit lucky there, remodeled my kitchen (built my own cabinets) and bought a MBGE and promptly put on a bunch of weight. Just got the weight off and bought a BlueStar stove.... we'll see how the weight goes now.

I took on a long-term project after the kitchen and I'm still working on it. It absorbs my interest and keeps me busy. So boredom isn't even on the table, never has been.

Botch

I retired one month before my 60th, and two months before the Pandemic started.  Hence, I had a LOT of time to use my Egg, and I posted an inordinate amount of cooks that spring/summer.  I got my Bluestar cooktop (with its wonderful wok ring) end of summer, and concentrated on that for a long time since then.  I'm kinda back to my normal cadence, except instead of Egging on the weekend and living on leftovers, I live on leftovers until I run out, and Egg again.  
I wanted to work until 62~65, but like so many of you I was in a really bad work situation and just said eff it.  No one yet has mentioned sleep patterns; the last ten years of my career (when I was in Maintenance) were so bad I had nightmares all the time, waking up yelling/gasping and me being soaked with sweat.  I had to use the bed in the guest room many times to finish the night.  Once I packed my boxes and left, that lasted less than a week, and now I sleep so well; still have weird dreams, but that was the case before and they're sometimes a lot of fun!  
Retirement, for some of us, is a lifesaver.  

alaskanassasin

A lot going on there @Botch glad you are doing better.

bucky925

I too was a rail worker for 34 years.  My wife retired at 50 and I lasted till 58.  If it weren't for Covid we would be spending more than when I was working.  

Sleep times are inconsistent .  We will go through stages of staying up till 3am and sleep till 10.  Then we will slowly gravitate towards a more normal bedtime and the best thing is, either way IT DON'T MATTER!

Canugghead

Retired just past 60, wish I did it at least 5 years sooner.
@EggNorth another mainframe here 

Yno

After quitting the 45 mile per day commute in my F250 I started saving quite a bit on fuel and insurance. At least $100 per week!

AprèsSki

Calling it quits in 91 days after 31 years.

Planning to ski until May and then figure out what I am going to do with all my free time besides; fish, bike, cook, read and try to get back into pre-grad school shape.

Ozzie_Isaac

I day dream about retirement all day.  I keep asking the wife when she will let me quit.  Single pay healthcare is all that stands between me an endless days of joy.

Botch

I had a late lunch at a spot far, far away, and it got kinda late today.  As I approached I-15 I noticed it was a parking lot, so I drove to HAFB South Gate and thru base to get home.  The early shift was just getting off, so I was in a miserable bumper-to-bumper traffic jam to get back off base, and home.
I had forgotten how much I don't miss driving in rush-hour traffic!  Nice to have a reminder once in awhile (but I'm good now for two more years), and I'll forego the late lunches from now on.  

alaskanassasin

No comment 

JohnInCarolina

I envy you guys that have been able to retire relatively young.  You need to post more cooks and show us how to do it right.

RRP

JohnInCarolina said:

I envy you guys that have been able to retire relatively young.  You need to post more cooks and show us how to do it right.

John...Personally I had always planned to retire at age 62 but given the chance to go at age 60 because I HATED the DUMD F**K superintendent  that an INCOMPETENT Board of Ed hired I jumped at the chance at age 60 and have NEVER looked back!

Enjoy what you do, but if the scene turns sour then pick up your marbles and RUN for the door!

Gulfcoastguy

I think a common thread about us early retirees is that we didn’t like something about where we worked. Often it was effecting our health so when the money got close enough to right we left. One of the reasons that I left is because I saw that the lieutenant governor was likely to become governor. I knew he was a “starve the beast” type even though after two major recessions and no tax increase for 39 years we were already starved. Personnel  availability was already so low that I only avoided violating federal law by frequently working 70 hours a week since my technicians had to be paid overtime and there was no budget to pay it. There were other reasons also but this one will do. Btw since I was management I didn’t get overtime.

Legume

I think people become less tolerant as they age.  Probably for a variety of reasons.  Closer you are to ‘can retire’ the less bs you’ll be willing to accept.

Ron, I thought you worked in a bank, not a school.  No?

RRP

Gulfcoastguy said:

I think a common thread about us early retirees is that we didn’t like something about where we worked. Often it was effecting our health so when the money got close enough to right we left. One of the reasons that I left is because I saw that the lieutenant governor was likely to become governor. I knew he was a “starve the beast” type even though after two major recessions and no tax increase for 39 years we were already starved. Personnel  availability was already so low that I only avoided violating federal law by frequently working 70 hours a week since my technicians had to be paid overtime and there was no budget to pay it. There were other reasons also but this one will do. Btw since I was management I didn’t get overtime.

WOW! 

Well said though different scenarios for most of us, I too worked 6 days a week SOLID for the final 8 years and always carried home “stuff” to work on much less the mental burdensome weight that carried!

Call US stupid, but that’s just the way we learned to “be successful” during the 1960-1990’s. 

YES, “burn out”:was common…

Would  I do it all over again? By the standards for expectations for success back then? HELL YES!…did  I benefit? I guess, back then financially and then still today? YES…I still believe hard work pays for those of us who want to pursue that lifestyle