3 days to freedom

[jambo101]

After 30yrs at the same company the time has come.I'm trying to put words to how i'm feeling but my vocabulary is failing me.I guess anxious,excited,sad,emotional all come to mind.
The only time in my past when i felt this way was when my first wife and i separated forever 40yrs ago.
The job itself was crap but the pay was good,I think what i'll miss most is the social interactions with fellow workers and the feeling of being a part of something.
Heady feeling looking to this new beginning thats about to happen.
I guess my signature takes on a real meaning.

 

[martyb]

Congratulations! I hope to follow in your footsteps in 5 years. By that time, it will be 36 years for the same employer, uncle sam.

 

[mountaintosea]

Welcome! You will find great support here! I've been retired a month and am quite happy. I went through some of those emotions but for the most part they have passed.

 

[Khan]

Trite but true:

It will be the first day of the rest of your life.

anxious,excited,sad,emotional all come to mind

All those and then some.

 

[Dawg52]

Congrats! I had similar feelings but had no problem moving on. I stay in touch with my old buddies and will see them in a couple of days at the company Christmas party.

You just have to get involved with what ever hobbies or projects you want to do. Good luck with your transition.

 

[template]

Congratulations and welcome to the forums. You've found the right place here.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

...
The only time in my past when i felt this way was when my first wife and i separated forever 40yrs ago.
The job itself was crap but the pay was good
...

I felt the same way after my divorce

 

[Safe Harbour]

I'm envious. I just signed up for another two years - even though I just want to go. Markets make me nervous, but there is really no reason to worry, if I can just do the right things! More power to you!

 

[RetireeRobert]

,I think what i'll miss most is the social interactions with fellow workers and the feeling of being a part of something.

Congratulations As to missing social interactions and being a part of something, there are lots of places/ways to replace those.

Hobby clubs, social organizations like Elks/etc, gamut of organizations you can volunteer at (from A to Z), church groups, and/or self-formed networks.

As to self-formed networks, after I retired I started a lunch group of former co-workers/retirees who meet several times a year for lunch and shooting the breeze. Started with a few, then it gradually expanded as the first of us few asked more and more acquaintances to come. Popular group and people were just waiting to be invited. And now I have an email list for the network, and lots of news about people gets passed along this way. Try being the organizer---set it up and they will come.

Or pick a favorite organization needing volunteers, then volunteer. Maybe you will get the chance to try doing something or helping somewhere you never had the chance to before. You will get the social interaction and the sense of being a part of something, both.

Maybe new hobbies might pique your interest. Find classes and clubs related, and voila, more social interaction, more sense of belonging, and more friends.

The whole world of possibilities is waiting just the other side of the door.

OPEN the door!!

 

[jambo101]

Four days into retirement and a problem has arisen,Seems the wife now expects me to do everything household related,I never had a problem doing my half when i was working but now she has started to boss me around like a personal house slave saying that because she is still working and i'm not i have the time to do it all,this attitude is totally unexpected and i'm wondering where i'm going to get time to do all the creative things a retired person dreams of doing if all i'm doing is household chores,taxi service on a moments notice,picking up after two kids and a wife who all tend to be slobs,
At least at work i was getting $25 an hour.

 

[FinanceDude]

Four days into retirement and a problem has arisen,Seems the wife now expects me to do everything household related,I never had a problem doing my half when i was working but now she has started to boss me around like a personal house slave saying that because she is still working and i'm not i have the time to do it all,this attitude is totally unexpected and i'm wondering where i'm going to get time to do all the creative things a retired person dreams of doing if all i'm doing is household chores,taxi service on a moments notice,picking up after two kids and a wife who all tend to be slobs,
At least at work i was getting $25 an hour.

Well, the problem is you didn't let the wife retire at the same time...........silly husband........

 

[TickTock]

Dang, sounds like you two had differing expectations and didn't discuss them beforehand.

 

[retiringby50]

Seems the wife now expects me to do everything household related

And this is why you'll never have to worry about what to do with yourself after retirement! You won't get paid, but your "master" will be so much more appreciative than your other one (your past employer).

 

[Dawg52]

but now she has started to boss me around like a personal house slave saying that because she is still working and i'm not i have the time to do it all,this attitude is totally unexpected and i'm wondering where i'm going to get time to do all the creative things a retired person dreams of doing if all i'm doing is household chores,taxi service on a moments notice,picking up after two kids and a wife who all tend to be slobs,
At least at work i was getting $25 an hour.

I've got a blonde bitch at the house too but she never says a word to me.

 

[TickTock]

jambo101,

You didn't ask for advice, so this is unsolicited and I'll shut up and walk away if you're not interested.

You had a situation where there was Husband does job + 1/2 housework, and Wife does job + 1/2 housework.

Now, there is the same amount of housework, but only one job.

If the situation was reversed, would you expect DW to pick up at least some of the housework?

I recommend sitting down and discussing with DW how the housework should be split.

Good luck!

 

[bbbamI]

A big change has been made...give it some time.

 

[jambo101]

So everyone who retires with a working wife/husband is now expected to do 100% of the household chores?.Is this a downside of retirement that nobody talks about? i didnt see any mention of this potential conflict of interest discussed previously in the forum
Any other surprises that may be upcoming?

 

[chris2008]

Some ideas about the household issues:

This kind of work has no real volume. So it tends to blow itself up if there is more time to be filled. Some of the issues you are asked to do now have been done not at all before (driving kids around without notice) or have taken much less time as you and DW have been more in a hurry.
Solution: sit down with DW and make a list of household tasks and reasonable time estimates. Then re-negotiate. A fair outcome IMO would be 33% for DW, 66% for you or 25% / 75%. Be prepared that DW puts some items on the list that you never realized before.
Do not forget to involve the kids and allocate some of the tasks to them as well. How old are they? Make them responsible for their own stuff and space.

If I have some time off I try to do some (not all) of the household tasks that DH normally has on his list, so that we both can enjoy more time together.
Your wife is probably hoping for such a result as well. Take her complaints as a sign that she wants more quality time with you. Isn't that a good sign?

 

[tightasadrum]

This is easy. Either, 1) Go get another job, one you like...or...2) take a long, solo camping trip to get in touch with your inner self (or some some other similarly ridiculous excuse.)

But whatever you do, DON'T, I repeat, DON'T pick up extra housework. You do that, pal, you'll own it forever. I've travelled that road already.

 

[Sandy]

DH is not working, and it only makes sense for him to fill in the gap as much as possible, so that in the evenings and weekends we can be more relaxed (less frantic) trying to get everything done. From both of us, this seems like a reasonable approach to the partnership.

 

[simple girl]

DH works full-time, I work half-time. I do all of the household tasks. It's a division of labor. When I worked full-time, we shared the household tasks. We just divide tasks up so they are equitable.