Final Countdown to ER

[bbbamI]

That is probably my all time favorite - I love short, stupid jokes.

Recently I found a photo of my Great Grandfather after the medal ceremony in 1919 when he received his Miltary Medal for bravery plus the officer's letter describing the event. That is all true and when I was discussing it with my brother and 2 sisters over Christmas one of them said "Didn't he get carried out of the trenches after a mustard gas attack as well?". I replied, "yes, he definitely was a seasoned veteran"

Bah doom ching!

 

[Dreamer]

Congratulations, Alan. You certainly will be hitting the ground running after your retirement. It is so nice that you will be able to be close to your children. Enjoy!

 

[Alan]

Congratulations, Alan. You certainly will be hitting the ground running after your retirement. It is so nice that you will be able to be close to your children. Enjoy!

DW will be booking the movers today

Friday today and only a 4 hour day (I work 4 x 9's and a 4). I turned off the alarm and went to bed late (10pm) but I slept in only 30 minutes and got up at 5:20. I feel like when I was a kid counting down the days to Christmas. I've heard others talk about it on this forum, but never really expected I'd have those very same feelings - strange.

This afternoon we are going to visit some very good friends (retired some 5 years now) who have a beautiful house on the river and do a "sleep over" to avoid driving in dark icy conditions and allow me to have a drink (DW doesn't drive at night these days).

We already have 2 more farewell dinners lined up with friends next weekend so the celebrations are starting

 

[Alan]

Hey, I just got a raise. $364/mo effective Jan 1st. No bonuses again this year though, but a raise is a raise and since I'll be paid for 2 months this year that is $728 unexpected dollars !!!

Yesterday I also received another unexpected $232. We had chosen the lowest removal company bid for our move to Texas and when I gave the CC authorization I added in the $232 insurance, but it turns out that was for info only, it was already included in the total price.

Meanwhile w*rk is pretty well non-existent and it's hard to not feel guilty at doing next to nothing every day.

We have now booked the first of our vacations this year - a month in Salida Colorado staying in this house for $2,100 / mo.

 

[Dawg52]

Hey, I just got a raise. $364/mo effective Jan 1st. No bonuses again this year though, but a raise is a raise and since I'll be paid for 2 months this year that is $728 unexpected dollars !!!

.

We have now booked the first of our vacations this year - a month in Salida Colorado staying in this house for $2,100 / mo.

A raise? And your leaving? Might be time to rethink things. Looks like your rental house has an extra bedroom. Just sayin'.....some of us has some free time on our hands..........

 

[Alan]

A raise? And your leaving? Might be time to rethink things. Looks like your rental house has an extra bedroom. Just sayin'.....some of us has some free time on our hands..........

As it happens DD and her husband are coming to stay for a few days, followed by DS.

We've done this in the past - renting a place through VRBO.com and inviting other family members to join us and it works very well. DD came to send a week in Quebec City with us a few years back, and in 2008 DW's brother and his wife came from England to join us for a week in a place in France we'd booked.

 

[W2R]

Hey, I just got a raise. $364/mo effective Jan 1st. No bonuses again this year though, but a raise is a raise and since I'll be paid for 2 months this year that is $728 unexpected dollars !!!

Yesterday I also received another unexpected $232. We had chosen the lowest removal company bid for our move to Texas and when I gave the CC authorization I added in the $232 insurance, but it turns out that was for info only, it was already included in the total price.

Meanwhile w*rk is pretty well non-existent and it's hard to not feel guilty at doing next to nothing every day.

We have now booked the first of our vacations this year - a month in Salida Colorado staying in this house for $2,100 / mo.

How terrific to get an unexpected raise! That should help bridge the gap until your first pension check arrives (not that I think you have any need to worry). Have fun in Colorado.

 

[Dreamer]

The house looks and sounds really nice. That is great that you are there for a whole month!

 

[Enuff2Eat]

20 days to go as I write this post, 15 actually days in work. I am taking vacation ahead of the official date and I know it costs me money etc, but I decided enough is enough. The last date was planned to be Jan 14th but with both my father and my MIL in England dying in October and December, not only could I not roll over vacation to 2010, I actually had to "borrow" some from this year, so Jan 26th will be my last day.

HR have still not calculated my pension or called me in to sign anything so there is still some stress from that, but everyone has known for months that I am leaving so the work transition has been underway for some time.

I did a handover of my responsibilities to other managers in early December (there is still a hiring freeze in place so no direct replacement) and the few remaining active projects on my plate I'm handing over this week and next.

I get on very well with the company management and all my co-workers so everything is hunky dory in the workplace, and envy is the main sentiment.

We have given notice to vacate our apartment end of January as we plan on moving back to Texas to be close to our 2 kids. We have an apartment already that we'll be moving to. DW's last day was in December so she is organizing movers. Yesterday she also booked the first of 3 extended holidays we are planning this year - renting a house in Salida, Colorado for a month in April / May.

I've "closed the books" on our finances for 2009 and know the figure that we'll start our withdrawals from, and have re-directed divends in our after tax accounts to our bank account. I have a budget set up with plenty of fat and until I know what my pension is I don't know what the initial SWR will be. (I won't let it exceed 3% and it will have to cover inflation in future years on the initial withdrawal plus inflation on the pension which is non-COLA).

happy for you, Alan. Since this is ER forum, do u mind sharing your age and how long you have been a member here??

enuff

 

[Alan]

happy for you, Alan. Since this is ER forum, do u mind sharing your age and how long you have been a member here??

enuff

I joined the forum in July 2005 and have learned plenty from the members here. I will be 55 on Feb 10th, DW is 9 months younger. You can read a lot more about me in the About Me section in my Profile document.

The house looks and sounds really nice. That is great that you are there for a whole month!

Our plan for the first few years of ER is to live in various places for a few weeks/months at a time, and get there by driving (if in this country) as we have never driven any substantial distance in the USA.

To that we end we have already downsized to an apartment and will be moving close to our son who will keep an eye on it while we were are gone (in return he gets to enjoy cheap vacations )

 

[vicente solano]

Hey Alan, I read that you have your kids in Texas, but are you not in the end returning to England?

 

[Alan]

Hey Alan, I read that you have your kids in Texas, but are you not in the end returning to England?

We love living here - and having just froze my butt off in ice and snow over Christmas in England reminds me why I like living in the USA "sun belt". We do plan to spend more time over there. (having said that we already spent 7 weeks over there in 2009 ).

This year we have a 6 week stay planned (in the summer) and next year a 6 month stay (also in the summer). During the 6 month stay we'll have the kids visit plus other friends from the US, and other family members in the UK say they want to visit as the place we'll be staying is very pretty.

 

[smjsl]

... everything is hunky dory in the workplace, and envy is the main sentiment.

Congratulation on your retirement! It's very exciting! I'll have to add to that envy thingie

 

[Alan]

Another small goal accomplished - we sold one of our 2 cars today. Apart from $6,700 extra into the bank, it felt good to call up and cancel the car insurance

Today was only a 4 hr day so I decided to have a lie-in, but work up at 4 and ended up in at work at 5:30. Still, it meant that I was home before 10:30

HR promised to have the pension options available sometime next week - I still need to see what the amount is and what the options are for 100% survivor, 50/50 & 25/75.

 

[W2R]

How exciting, Alan! That car will be one less thing between you and your retirement plans now that it is sold.

Glad to hear they are giving you a pension estimate before you retire. If HR people were more human they would provide it a long time beforehand.

By the way, a 4-hour day hardly counts.... You are so close I'll bet you can almost taste the freedom.

 

[Alan]

Glad to hear they are giving you a pension estimate before you retire. If HR people were more human they would provide it a long time beforehand.

So far it's only a promise, but hell may yet freeze over - the Saints have a shot at the Superbowl hehehehe

By the way, a 4-hour day hardly counts.... You are so close I'll bet you can almost taste the freedom.

I can't sleep so I get to work early and we're allowed to flex 4 hrs a week - so I'm planning on a 4hr Friday next week as well

I'm as nervous as a..., as a..., great big nervous thing!!!!

What lies at the bottom of the sea and twitches? A nervous wreck, arrrr, the shipwreck jokes be the best

 

[W2R]

So far it's only a promise, but hell may tet freeze over - the Saints have a shot at the Superbowl hehehehe

Yes, they do!! Or maybe it is a mass hallucination.

I can't sleep so I get to work early and we're allowed to flex 4 hrs a week - so I'm planning on a 4hr Friday next week as well

I'm as nervous as a..., as a..., great big nervous thing!!!!

What lies at the bottom of the sea and twitches? A nervous wreck, arrrr, the shipwreck jokes be the best

Arrrrr!!

Don't be nervous, though. Ahead of you, out here on the rolling sea of retirement, lies PEACE, calm, and happiness. Nothing in that to worry about. The Sea of Tranquility is not only on the Moon.

 

[Finance Dave]

Great news Alan, we want an update.

 

[simple girl]

So cool Alan! I will be curious to hear how your transition to one car goes. It is something we have considered and expect we will do...I think...?

Gosh you are getting so close!

 

[Alan]

So cool Alan! I will be curious to hear how your transition to one car goes. It is something we have considered and expect we will do...I think...?

Gosh you are getting so close!

We always had 1 car when we lived in England even after we had 2 children. The difference being that shops etc were within 2 - 3 miles and we had bicycles etc.

The place we are moving to has shops less than a mile away and the town center has LOTS of shops plus a big mall, and all other stuff we normally need only 3 miles away. There are 150 miles of hike / bike trails in the town plus big wide shoulders on all the roads if you want to cycle fast. Loads of people ride their bikes so motorists are used to them. All the traffic lights have pedestrian signals. We lived there between 2004 and 2008 so we know how well it all works, but this time when we move back neither of us will be working so we are confident that we won't need more than 1 car.

Only time will tell of course, but "who dares wins" - right?

 

[Stevewc]

Isn't it about time Alan gave another update?
How many working days left?
Is HR working for you any better than they did me? If so, I may be jealous .
I still don't know what my money will really be.
A friend I worked with, that retired many years ago, told me his money amounts changed several time after he retired until HR got their numbers where they needed to be.
Hope mine works out a little better and quicker than his did.
Come on Alan whats the lastest?
Steve

 

[Alan]

Isn't it about time Alan gave another update?
How many working days left?
Is HR working for you any better than they did me? If so, I may be jealous .
I still don't know what my money will really be.
A friend I worked with, that retired many years ago, told me his money amounts changed several time after he retired until HR got their numbers where they needed to be.
Hope mine works out a little better and quicker than his did.
Come on Alan whats the lastest?
Steve

This last couple of days have been hectic (relatively speaking) as I've been handing over my 3 remaining very active projects - I'm quite exhausted and glad to take a few minutes out to do a bit of private business

After today (90 minutes left) I have 5 more days at work, then I can drop-kick the alarm clock into the woods behind our apartment.

HR have still not come up with my pension numbers although on Friday they promised me again they'd have them. Yesterday I went in and filled in the change of address form and also went into payroll to be sure they knew that I would be a Texas resident so be sure and don't withold any LA state taxes from my pension checks.

My weight is climbing and my waistline increasing so my pants are now too tight (caused by so many farewell dinners and eating up the contents of the freezer - still got lots to eat up plus 4 more farewell dinners to get through).

10 minutes ago my boss's boss just told me to stop grinning so much or I'd sprain my face and he didn't want to risk having to report it as a workplace injury.

in the words of a Beatles song, "Getting better every day"

 

[simple girl]

After today (90 minutes left) I have 5 more days at work, then I can drop-kick the alarm clock into the woods behind our apartment.

Alright, I think you should be required to videotape that and post it here!

Living vicariously through you!

 

[Stevewc]

10 minutes ago my boss's boss just told me to stop grinning so much or I'd sprain my face and he didn't want to risk having to report it as a workplace injury.

in the words of a Beatles song, "Getting better every day"

I actually found myself feeling guilty and needing to apologise to my work buddies.
I couldn't get the smile off my face
Guilty because I knew I was escaping and the other folks couldn't.
I'm smiling now just thinking about it.
Steve

 

[Alan]

I actually found myself feeling guilty and needing to apologise to my work buddies.
I couldn't get the smile off my face
Guilty because I knew I was escaping and the other folks couldn't.
I'm smiling now just thinking about it.
Steve

I haven't felt guilty around my work buddies yet

They have all been just great and extremely happy for me.

On Friday, a 62 yr old guy, who had worked here for ever, dropped dead with heart failure. He was very well known and well liked. When things like this happen no one questions why you are leaving early and everyone wishes they were able to do the same.