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Stick a Fork in me...I'm Done. Retiring 1-1. Suggestions?

Started by Lud, December 15, 2007, 07:50:54 AM

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Lud

I'm a lucky fella. I worked for one company for 34+ years,  just wrote the last mortgage check 2 months ago and found the love of my wife 27 years ago.  Next August I'll celebrate the 50th anniversary of living here at Fairmeadows Farm,  our 87 acre patch of heaven.

And yesterday was my Last Day Worked.  I'M RETIRED! 8) 8)

And I have my extended family here at the Forestry Forum.

I couldn't ask for ANYTHING more............except..........Any Suggestions? ???
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

sprucebunny

Congratulations  8) 8) 8)

Only suggestion I have right now is ... don't go to town in that suit !!!  :D
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

WH_Conley

Now that you are retireing you will have to go to work. :D Between what you want to do on 87 acres and the honeydo list you might have to see if that company will let you come back to work from time to time to get some rest. :D :D
Bill

Qweaver

Congrats!  The only problem with retirement is that time just flies by and there is just not enough time in the day.  I retired in 2000 and it seems just like yesterday and I love it.  I'll bet you will too.   Have fun. 8)
Quinton
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

slipshod

Right behind you, I am retiring March 27.2008. Congratulations!

woodbowl

What's retiring mean? Does that mean folks don't have to work anymore? I've heard that some folks have to work more. ...... I dunno.  A fellow told me the other day that he was retarded. I said huh?  Then he said retired ...... same thing.

I'm over the hill now and find myself thinking a lot about retiring. Trouble is, I've always been self employed, no investments. Looks like I'm doomed to work for the rest of my life.  :-\    How can I be like Lud?  Well, maybe not not exactly.  ::)  Nice suit.  ;D
Full time custom sawing at the customers site since 1995.  WoodMizer LT40 Super Hyd.

Part_Timer

I see a picture of you with a mill.  That would make a good start.

Congrats
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Lud

Thanks, Joan ,  I'd gotten an electric  hoist to haul some wood up in the barn and had to see if I could fly!  One thing led to another  like any tale of silliness and misadventure.
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

pineywoods

Congratulations, welcome to my world of old retired farts ! It's a drastic lifestyle change, but I love it. I thought I'd have time to do all the things I had always wanted to do. That was 12 years ago, and I'm further behind now than ever.  ENJOY.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

JV

Congrats on your retirement.  You may find yourself busy than ever, especially when others find that you are retired.  You may get phone calls asking "could you do this".  I worked with some people who would not retire because they didn't know what they would do, their work was their entire life with no outside interests.  One of my coworkers, an electrical engineer, retired and is now working with Habitat for Humanity fixing homes.  He is having a ball.  Most communities have some sort of adult evening classes such as photography, auto mechanics, etc.  There are countless opportunies out there to "keep busy".  Enjoy every minute, life is too short.   8)
John

'05 Wood-mizer LT40HDG28-RA, Lucas 613 Swing Mill, Stihl 170, 260 Pro, 660, 084 w/56" Alaskan Mill, 041 w/Lewis Winch, Case 970 w/Farmi Winch, Case 850 Crawler Loader, Case 90XT Skidloader, Logrite tools

DanG

Good for you Lud!! 8) 8) 8)  It will take a little while for the reality to soak in.  Enjoy that time!  Every morning is like a kid at Christmas when you wake up and don't have to go to work.  You don't have to worry about finding something to do...there will be people to do that for you.  If you're like me, you will soon find it very irritating if you have to be anywhere or do anything at a particular time.

A sawmill is a good thing to have. ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

scsmith42

Lud, congratulations! 

I retired in 2005, and have really enjoyed it.  I'm still busy, but I don't push myself as hard (very few 18 - 20 hour work days post retirement...), but I do stay active.

The thing that I found was that for the first 6 months both my wife and I went through an adjustment period.  In her instance, she works out of the house and all of a sudden I was around all of the time.  In my case, part of it was the loss of my 'identity', as frequently we identify ourselves with our jobs/positions.  Fortunately both of us survived both of our adjustments, and life is now better than ever.

Since you asked for suggestions, my advice - have fun, but don't relax to the point where you are inactive.  Folks that fall into the latter category always seem to end up getting sick or dying, and you don't want that!  Think of what you'd like to do, and go do it.  Other than the high price of fuel, getting and RV and seeing the US and Canada is a great way to spend a few months each year.  It's also a great opportunity to spend quality time visiting friends and helping others.  Most of my first year of retirement was spent helping others, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

wesdor

Congratulations!  As someone said to me recently, "retirement is highly under rated". 

I retired in 2002 and wondered how I could possibly have ever found time to work.  The reality is there are lots of things that just don't get attention when you have a full time outside the home job.

Like others have said, you will find a multitude of things to do.  My advice is to keep busy - don't just sit in the house and watch TV.

My grandfather retired when he was 65 and didn't find anything to do.  He just sat in the house, watched TV and smoked cigars.  His health quickly went downhill and he was dead by age 72.  The moral of that story - stay active and enjoy life.



Riles

There's no job like no job.

I went back to school and loved it.
Knowledge is good -- Faber College

pigman

I am convinced now. I need to get myself a job. That way I can later retire and enjoy life. 8) That's right, I am enjoying life now, so I guess I don't need a job. ;)
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

faronskid

 :D My suggestion would be to do some pantyhose modeling ;D  "That's Hawt" :D
5 rugrats = no dull moments here

mike_van

Quote from: DanG on December 15, 2007, 10:07:38 AM
  If you're like me, you will soon find it very irritating if you have to be anywhere or do anything at a particular time.


DanG, I couldn't agree more!   Since I started first grade in '58 it seems I was always on someone else's clock - Now, I don't want anyone resetting the hands on mine!       Good luck Lud,  you'll know you're really out when you can't remember what day it is -  :D :D
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

thecfarm

That ain't fair.I still have a ways to go yet.There is nothing more that I would like to do.Stay home all the time and work at all the projects that I will never get done.I'm always outside,in the warmer months,doing something.This colder weather slows me down to just cutting wood.Have fun being retired.If you happen to have any free time and need something to do I will gladly send you directions to my place.No need to pack a lunch.My wife will gladly feed you.  :)
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Tom

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say "Don't do anything". 

Do you realize how hard it is to do nothing? 

When a fellow leaves his punch clock job, he has a retraining to do.  There are very few humans who  waste away, although there are a few.  When you work for the other man, your time, life, education, goals, entertainment and most everything else are mandated by that other person in some form or another.   Like scsmith42 said, you need to find your identity. 

After all of those years of doing other's bidding, one owes it to himself to do a little of his own.  Go fishing, hunting, sight-seeing, or, if you can do it, do nothing.  Doing nothing is really hard.  I have found that the closest I can come is sitting in the yard swing with a cup of coffee and watching the buzzards soar over the thermals of the field next door.   Doing nothing makes you realize that there really are colors in the trees and the grass and that the lawn is full of little flowers and the ants follow each other around just like they did when you were 5 years old.   The air coming in the car window seems fresher, traffic on the hiway becomes  a bunch of single cars instead of a mass movement of hardware.  You even realize that there are people in them.

The local restaurant has folks your age stopping in for a cup of coffee.  There is time to say Howdy on the street corner.  Little league and Pony league baseball becomes a spectator sport again.  Doing nothing is a lot of fun and takes a lot of practice.  Not just anybody can do it.

It also gives you the incentive to do something.  It's so hard doing nothing that a fellow begins to look for a little respite.  The first you will probably find is visiting old friends. Before you know it, you will be sawing and trying to win a buck.  You might even get involved in other hobbies.  This is dangerous.  Punching someone else's clock has already trained you to feel that you must be productive in every venture for every minute.  If you fall for it, you will become insatiable when it comes to productivity.  You might even find yourself punching someone else's clock again.  That would be a failure.

Yessir, do nothing for awhile.  :)

Handy Andy

  I retired from my building business 6 years ago, and now just enjoy being stress free.  Of course I still farm, and help the neighbors with their building projects, but I just refuse to take on a job that has a finish date. 
  Since retirement, my wife and I have been going on trips about twice a year.  Look at travelzoo, sign up for the email, and worry free vacations email, or maybe you would rather go on cruises.  If you shop you can find some great deals.  The first trip we took had scuba lessons, so I tried that, not the wife, and thought it was great so I got certified.  Now we go only to places where there is diving.  Cozumel, Jamaica. Wife loves Jamaica, food there is so fresh, like they just pick it in the garden or ocean and cook it right up. You have to work at spending money if you are like me, my habit was keeping a firm grip on my checkbook.  Jim
My name's Jim, I like wood.

Cedarman

Tom, I like your take on things.
My son and 2 others gave this do nothing  thing a trial run for a bit this Oct.  We took a canoe and hiking trip down the Green River in Utah.  There were times we would sit around camp after being on the river or a nice hike and practice.
We would even comment that we planned on doing absolutely nothing.
We would just sit in the lawn chairs and talk or just stare at the beauty of the place we were at.  Sometimes for an hour or two. In the evening we would watch it get dark after we ate and look up at the heavens. We were looking for satellites or shooting stars.  Drink a glass of wine.  Watch the stars, often no one spoke for a good bit.  Usually, just a "Did you see that one"?

And I don't think anyone felt guilty about "wasting time".

I've got a few more years before I can practice full time.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Lud

Tom.......well said.  It may take a bit to slow the RPM...I'll tinker a bit , and work hard a bit,  work on her list a bit, etc. .  I'm a bit behind you on that meditation thing,  tho like you ,  I've got the body of a god.........Buddha!

DanG, scsmith42, HandyAndy......sage advice.    "Sometimes I sits and think,  and sometimes I jest sits" plus "hold onto your wallet."

Have pity on the retiree's wife, she gets twice the husband and half the money!

Wesdor.........I am a cigar smoker.  I will likely remain one.  Something is going to get us all.  If you don't have some vices,  you don't have any baggage to throw overboard when a storm hits, as Hal Holbrook/Mark Twain say.    If I don't make a 100,  so what?  I hope to slide into the coffin on a 4 wheel drift saying , "Sheesh, What a Ride!"

My gig at the plant was in HR,  so I'll wait a while before doing the volunteer gig.  I've  been treading water in the septic tank of human relations for over 30 years... I need a break!  I feel like I've been facing a firehose of chickensh*t  and it's time to clean off.  In the last 16 months alone I helped 1800 folks process out of the auto business- all voluntarily .  Can you imagine how much hand holdin' and explainin' I've had to do?  I'm whipped!

I will be busy,  I want to balance the mental, physical, emotional, spiritual,  and financial elements of life on a daily basis.  I read constantly, i.e. always have a book. ,I know there's a difference between working and working out,
that helping and sharing is good for the soul, that you got to have fun and not be wasteful along the way.

Balance is not easy but we humans have been doing it for millenia, right?  Standing on our own hind feet isn't easy!

So ,  Thanks to all so far for the very good discussion so far.......
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

sawguy21

You seem to have a very good take on your situation. I hope you thoroughly enjoy it.
I never really thought about retirement, heck, that is for old guys. :D All of a sudden I am a year away from qualifying for an early Canada Pension. YIKES. I am going to look into it versus pounding salt for the man for another five years. I might go for it and work 20 hours a week in a low stress job and spend more time fishing. I would also like to have a small wood working or mechanics shop as a hobby for beer money. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

fat olde elf

Good for you, Lud !!  Bonnie and I sat just behind you at the 2006 Pig Roast. So I recall your comments about HR at FoMoCo....Lots of my high school and College friends have retired from the auto industry.  I agree with a lot of these comments especially DanG and Scott.......One of my greatest pleasures is reminding those still working to keep paying that Social Security........I love seeing that electronic deposit each moth...I paid in for 50 years and very seldom missed a day at work.  Now I really hate appointments and love sleeping  on MY schedule...I am sure you will do well........
Cook's MP-32 saw, MF-35, Several Husky Saws, Too Many Woodworking Tools, 4 PU's, Kind Wife.

bitternut

Congratulations Lud. I doubt that you will ever have any free time now that you are retired. When I was still working all the retirees that I used to work with all said that they figured they would whittle down the jobs on their honeydoo list but that never seemed to happen. As soon as they got one job done ten more were added to it. Makes you wonder how you ever got anything done while you were still working. They were right!

I am like Quinton and retired in 2000 at age 58. Worked 10 hours a day right through Christmas 1999 and when Jan2, 2000 rolled around never went in. Been on 7 day week-ends ever since. 8) Seems like it was just yesterday.

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