# And just like that...RETIRED!!!



## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

After 21 years, yesterday was hubby's last day at work. He came home in the middle of the day, showered and slipped on his pajamas and slippers. He's still wearing them and reveling in the fact that he can do that every day now, if he so desires!:grin:

I expect that to last for another day or so, before he hits the ground running on Monday. We've got a series of projects planned and can't wait to start working on them.:dance:


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Congrats to him!! That's awesome!


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## SmokeEater2 (Jan 11, 2010)

Good for him! He gets style points for the pajamas and slippers on his first half day of retirement imo. :happy2:


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Congratulations. Live long and prosper.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Good un-work.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Thank you all!! He did manage to put on some street clothes and we went out for lunch to discuss our plans. As predicted, Monday will be the start of the first couple of projects: some minor repairs/upgrades to our home's interior.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Best wishes to you both, and did you ever decide on a place down south (Florida I think)? 

(Oh, and if he starts hanging out in just a tee shirt and boxers, make sure you have a driveway alarm to alert you when company is coming.)


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Cool! So glad to hear one more made it! I retired 8 years ago and said in about a year I'll be able to get caught up on all these projects! Wrong.I'm still looking at another decade! Don't let him get caught in that trap about"I can do that!"

Wade


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I retired in April of this past year and I swear the time is going even FASTER now than when I worked!!!! Have fun working on all those projects.  Seems like they NEVER end once you retire!!! LOL!!!


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## Declan (Jan 18, 2015)

Keep his Honey Do List long. Don't let him fall into that trap of just sitting around awhile. Awhile becomes forever with a lot of retired people I have known.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Congats to him.
Although what's his now being home most all the time mean to you? :huh:


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

His honey-do list has been long for the past year, so he won't run out of projects any time soon! We have rental properties and we're planning to pick up a few more. We are looking for a snowbird home in Florida and something smaller for us in NY. We are planning to get our current home ready for tenants. It was originally a 2 family house that we've used as a 1 family for the past 20 years. I am working on another degree in Aeronautical Science and it will be challenging to have him underfoot during the day. Hence the need for lots of projects for hubby!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Initially, retirement is extremely stressful, right up there with quitting smoking and speaking in public. Even if you hate your job, leaving it is profound. My Dad gave up smoking the day after he retired and landed in the hospital.

Glad he is resting up, glad he has projects to look forward to.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Make sure he makes some time for himself....








and you together....having fun and enjoying retirement, a lot.


I have no honey do list, made sure of it, by signed contract, for 2 years. It was her idea. WE have a 2 year written plan and are sticking to it.


Well, more fun, less work but we get our exercise, no sitting around. We are back at the beach for a few days....James


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Retirement was not a bit stressful for me to start or continue.

When I got my buyout and walking papers first thing I did was stop off at the river to fish for an hour to let rush hour traffic ease up and then on the drive home I tossed my military issue wristwatch in the creek that runs under the highway home.

Once home I cleaned the fish I had caught , showered and put on my cammie jammies, went to bed and slept for 15 hours.

When I woke that night before my usual time to leave for third shift, I watched a movie and went back to sleep.

I didn't get out of my pajamas for 5 days and had to remind myself to brush my teeth and shower as I relaxed for my first week free,

During the 15 years since I still haven't shifted out of first gear and a week goes by at about the same perspective as a day at work did.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Shrek said:


> Retirement was not a bit stressful for me to start or continue.


That's my experience also. I'm sorry about the issues Maura's Dad had, but I left the stress at the door on my way out.

One other piece of advice for the new retiree though: Don't set any arbitrary deadlines, only those that are absolutely necessary (and there should be few of those). Enjoy the journey and don't stress over how long stuff takes.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

My husband and I retired the end of January, 2014.

A year later, I'm still having problems with crawling out of my drawstring pants and thermal top before 10AM

I guess it's all those years of getting up, sometimes at 4:30AM to make it to work by 6 or 7AM and having to get moving the moment I get up.

I guess there will come a point, probably in spring when I'll get in gear earlier in order to get things done around the old homestead but at the moment, I'm still enjoying the novelty of not being a slave to the clock and time.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I love being retired! It's a mixed blessing in some ways, however, if one is a procrastinator (as one is, lol). Without the deadline of having to be at work certain hours, I tend to put off until tomorrow whatever I don't have to do today, and I am really good at looking for reasons I don't "have to". 

Congrats to your dh, Martian Chick!


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

He's been working on a couple of small de-cluttering projects, but nothing earth shattering. Today, he's dressed in his Pittsburgh Steelers gear and is currently watching the second season of Boardwalk Empire on dvd. Next up, is a one day home improvement project in the front entryway. Life is good!


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## Avalon Acres (Dec 1, 2006)

Ramblin Wreck said:


> That's my experience also. I'm sorry about the issues Maura's Dad had, but I left the stress at the door on my way out.
> 
> One other piece of advice for the new retiree though: Don't set any arbitrary deadlines, only those that are absolutely necessary (and there should be few of those). Enjoy the journey and don't stress over how long stuff takes.


I retired on January 1st of this year. After working in local government for twenty-eight years, I am very aware of the positive changes in my personal demeanor in only a few weeks. My biggest challenge, to this point, has been thwarting people with good intentions who want to help me find a job!


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Avalon Acres said:


> My biggest challenge, to this point, has been thwarting people with good intentions who want to help me find a job!


Fight them on the beaches at Gulf Shores. Fight them on the heights of Cheaha Mountain. Fight them on the streets of Birmingham if need be. But never, never, never let them take you alive to such a horrible fate. :hobbyhors


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

There is some concern in our household that someone will tell certain relatives about the retirement. These are the folks that will try to rope him into providing free labor for household and vehicle repairs. Prior to Friday, we shared hubby's retirement plans with no one that we know in real life. The day after he retired, he phoned each of his 11 siblings and told them that he'd quit his job.

They all reacted with shock and disbelief and asked, 'Why would you do that?'

He replied, 'That's what people do when they retire!'

In 21 years of employment with this company, hubby had only missed a couple of days due to illness.Our neighbor used his snow blower to clear our 3 driveways and walkways on Monday evening. He assumed that hubby was sick because the car was in the driveway and no one had gone outside to shovel during the storm!


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

TheMartianChick said:


> There is some concern in our household that someone will tell certain relatives about the retirement. These are the folks that will try to rope him into providing free labor for household and vehicle repairs. Prior to Friday, we shared hubby's retirement plans with no one that we know in real life. The day after he retired, he phoned each of his 11 siblings and told them that he'd quit his job.
> 
> They all reacted with shock and disbelief and asked, 'Why would you do that?'
> 
> ...



Now that's a good neighbor! Hang onto him! As for telling people he's retired,(Since I know you said he sees your conversations on here at time I'll direct this to him) YOU big dummy! Don't you know that's like telling people you just won the lottery?!? What were you thinking?!? Now they are conjuring up all kinds of things they can get some free help in doing!
Well, that was fun! Congrat's again on the retirement.

Wade


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## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

Martian Chick- check out Avon Park and Sebring, in Highlands County, Florida. About 1 - 2 hrs SSW of Orlando. No public transport, lower cost of living, friendly people, close to almost everything in Florida worth seeing (except Wakulla Spprings- that's a 6 hr drive!) Lots of lakes, boating, fishing, and we only have snow every 12-20 years! (and then it's just a dusting!)


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

1shotwade said:


> Now that's a good neighbor! Hang onto him! As for telling people he's retired,(Since I know you said he sees your conversations on here at time I'll direct this to him) YOU big dummy! Don't you know that's like telling people you just won the lottery?!? What were you thinking?!? Now they are conjuring up all kinds of things they can get some free help in doing!
> Well, that was fun! Congrat's again on the retirement.
> 
> Wade


He just had the Homer Simpson (Doh!) reaction. It was definitely a boneheaded move to tell folks. He has enjoyed the first week of retirement and he agreed that it does feel like winning the lottery, in many ways. Thanks, Wade!


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Grandmotherbear said:


> Martian Chick- check out Avon Park and Sebring, in Highlands County, Florida. About 1 - 2 hrs SSW of Orlando. No public transport, lower cost of living, friendly people, close to almost everything in Florida worth seeing (except Wakulla Spprings- that's a 6 hr drive!) Lots of lakes, boating, fishing, and we only have snow every 12-20 years! (and then it's just a dusting!)


That area is definitely on our radar! We essentially drew a circle around Orlando and then began examining the available properties and their merits. We'd like to be no more than about an hour and a half from Orlando, but don't want to be in an urban area. We have been checking out some of the 55+ communities because they are usually gated and we won't be in residence much. Later, we will buy something where we can have a few critters and rent out the 55+ home.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

TheMartianChick said:


> We have been checking out some of the 55+ communities because they are usually gated and we won't be in residence much. Later, we will buy something where we can have a few critters and rent out the 55+ home.


In the Summer of 2013 I took a temporary consulting assignment back at my old university. While there, a retired former colleague came by for a visit and was just gushing about the very active 55+ community she and her husband had found near Orlando. To further expound on the "virtues" of the place, she said "it has a very high level of STD's" ... lots of happy, active folk it seems. So, take care in your search ... and are you sure New York doesn't work for you?


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Ramblin Wreck said:


> In the Summer of 2013 I took a temporary consulting assignment back at my old university. While there, a retired former colleague came by for a visit and was just gushing about the very active 55+ community she and her husband had found near Orlando. *To further expound on the "virtues" of the place, she said "it has a very high level of STD's" ... lots of happy, active folk it seems. *So, take care in your search ... and are you sure New York doesn't work for you?


That would be The Villages in Ocala...HA!!! I came across that news story while doing my research and just about fell out of my chair. Euuuwww!!! What a thing to be known for!!! I know that older folks do the deed, too...but they obviously need a few lessons in safe sex.

We do love the Ocala area and already own a piece of property in Dunnellon, but The Villages did not make the cut in our search. The development is just too large. Another one that didn't make the cut is the one called, On Top Of The World. Their monthly fees were comparable to paying rent and that would be on top of the price that we paid to buy a condo or house!


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

I think you are right! It was Ocala not Orlando. She was actually giddy over the prospects of living there.


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