Typical Day Post Retire

[Music Lover]

Most of my life was spent moving around. I realize now what I missed out on by not having roots and close friendships.

That comment reminded me of a couple of good friends from way back in the day. We had a gang of good friends that spent most weekends together...parties all the time, hitting the bar, BBQ's, playing ball tournaments, etc. The couple was part of a group of 15 or so people.

Then they bought a cabin and were spending every single weekend at it...right out the door Friday after work, and then back home Sunday night. They no longer went to parties, played ball tournaments, or went to BBQ's because they all happened on the weekend and they had their "cabin". Unless it was a wedding, they never stayed in the city.

Fast forward to 20 years and they had had enough of cabin life and sold it, but all their close friends had long since become acquaintances...after all, you can only miss so many events before people stop inviting you. The group had all developed deeper friendships over the years while they were the couple you only see every few months. I went to their 25th anniversary a few years ago and they were saying that they never see anyone any more. Their constant weekend "travel" to the cabin over the years had robbed them of some close friendships.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

Today I discovered that there is an extension open space to the Torrey Pines State Preserve that I never knew was there!

A wonderful space nestled in the surrounding slopes and crags with some great trails and overviews.

The weather was perfect - clear, some sun, a bit of breeze atop the bluffs with a serene view of the beach down below.

Spent about 2 hrs just exploring the area.

Absolutely delightful 'get away' for the morning.

I snapped some pics:
http://erikt.cts.com/Pictures/torrey-pines-extension/Torrey-Pines-Ext-1.jpg
http://erikt.cts.com/Pictures/torrey-pines-extension/Torrey-Pines-Ext-2.jpg
http://erikt.cts.com/Pictures/torrey-pines-extension/Torrey-Pines-Ext-3.jpg
http://erikt.cts.com/Pictures/torrey-pines-extension/Torrey-Pines-Ext-4.jpg
http://erikt.cts.com/Pictures/torrey-pines-extension/Torrey-Pines-Ext-5.jpg

Great Photos! Looks like the wildflowers are in bloom. Thanks for reminding me about this part of the park. We will have to get out there in the next few days.

 

[ERsoonihope]

I see my parents/neighbors etc who are retired moving ... to low (tax - traffic - cost of living - maintenance- etc. - etc.) areas. Taking cruises, world tours, always going somewhere that will be better than where they are now. I have friends who have moved six times in ten years of retirement.

What is it that keeps people from staying in one spot? Inability to identify what is truly satisfying? Unhappiness with current life situation? Grass is always greener syndrome?

Will this happen to me? Right now I am thinking a ton of bike rides. Taking care of all those home upgrades I always craved, but never completed. Get a puppy and train her to visit schools and nursing homes. Learn to play piano (finally)? Take up cross country skiing again?

Anything but never being able to stop and smell the roses. While working have had to be on the go all the time. Let me catch my breath!

 

[BBQ-Nut]

Great Photos! Looks like the wildflowers are in bloom. Thanks for reminding me about this part of the park. We will have to get out there in the next few days.

Well - I had a great time 'discovering' this spot.

I kept grinning and saying to myself 'this is so cool!'

I'll definitely be back with the DW - maybe we'll see you there!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I see my parents/neighbors etc who are retired mowing grass, painting the house, sitting around doing normal everyday things. I have grandparents that have literally stayed put for the last 30 years.

What is it that keeps people in one spot? Age, money, family, no desire?

Will this happen to me? Right now I an thinking a small cottage on a quiet beach for awhile. A month in a ski resort. A summer exploring the North Pole. A winter in Panama?

Anything but nothing. While working have had to stay in one place. Let me out of here!

I think we are still trying to decide what our perfect retirement will be, but here is some food for thought from Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk reported to be extremely happy based on actual brain scans -

"Happiness is not the pursuit of an endless succession of experiences. That's a recipe for exhaustion more than happiness. Happiness is a way of being. "

Life Lessons From The World's Happiest Man - Esquire

I'm signed up for a meditation class at a local Buddhist monastery. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Which end of that retirement rainbow has the pot of gold?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS4pGizNXJo

 

[Car-Guy]

What is it that keeps people in one spot? Age, money, family, no desire?

Retirement preference!

 

[petershk]

Whether you travel or don't travel... You don't have to discuss it in a Monday morning meeting, gain consensus, communicate with peers and than evaluate your performance at the end of the trip/non trip .

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[FIYes]

Love to travel, but love to get back home. We take a few one, two, and three week trips per year with the three week usually being overseas. We are typically traveling about eight weeks per year, but not all at once. This suits us well...a chance to travel but plenty of time to enjoy home.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[RobLJ]

I love England/Scotland, Italy and the Rockies but would like to explore the Cascades and Puget Sound area, as well as Croatia and New Zealand.
Also like the home place.
It's not an either/or.

 

[RAE]

We tend to stay close to home in the summer since our great summers in Vermont are our dividend for putting up with winter.

In the winter we travel, in part to get away from the snow and cold. I suspect at some point in the near future we will just become snowbirds.

Yep, we are the same way. We live in northern Michigan, and I love the summers here (and spring and fall can be very nice too), so it's hard to persuade me to travel too far from home during the good weather months. Winter is a different story.....I do not look forward to winter anymore, which is why we travel to the Gulf Coast for 2 months every winter. As the years go by, I'm starting to think that we should stay down south for at least 3, if not 4 months, as 2 months is not nearly long enough to escape all of the cold weather. But I can't see being gone for too long from about April thru October/November.......just too many enjoyable things to do around home during that time.

 

[LinCella]

I'll admit here - though I wouldn't admit to folks in town - I spent my first year in retirement resting and getting my life in some order. Now I'm 3 months into my 2nd year and I'm doing nothing. I sleep in, take the dog for a walk and plan meals. Im too broke at the moment to travel (which I love to do), now suffering from a neck problem that makes me way less mobile and so I know that I am falling into a lazy rut and possibly depression.

I have a huge list of things I want to do - have wanted to get back to writing - several unfinished books to write - back to walking 5 miles a day (ha! I can't even consider leaving my warm bed). Im finding that I procrastinate on everything that would make me happier.

Waiting for a townhouse that I am on waiting list for and feel like I am "waiting" to begin my life. Can't seem to shake this inertia.

 

[heyyou]

My typical day post retirement:
Some days, I read a book. Start in the morning, then stay in the recliner until the book is finished. If I stay up late, it doesn't matter, I can sleep late. For me, reading like that is a luxury--I didn't know that I could read a book, cover to cover, in one sitting, without interruption. Never happened during all of those work years.

Several days a month, I go backpacking to my wilderness trail segment where I volunteer to do the trail maintenance. Been doing that for eight years and it is getting stale. Retiree tip: Use a hammock for sleeping, much better than sleeping on the ground, but you do need extra down insulation to stay warm in it.

Other days, I do house chores or day hike. I enjoy cooking and I clean up after myself to keep her happy. As mentioned in another thread, we eat better at home than in restaurants. At home, we use less salt and less fat, and have healthier ingredients--for example, baby kale with the spinach, no lettuce.

Retiree's wife: What are you going to do today?
Retiree: Nothing.
RW: But that is what you did yesterday!
R: Yes, but I didn't finish.

 

[Philliefan33]

I'm only 25 days into ER, so it's too early to tell what is/will be "typical". I am surprised at how quickly I fell into the habit of lingering over breakfast and coffee. While w*rking. I would eat breakfast at my desk in five minutes as my computer booted up. Drank my coffee as I answered emails or in a meeting. Now I'm sitting around with breakfast and coffee for an hour or so as I read this forum, play Words with Friends, and do the USA Today puzzles on my iPad.

I have been spending a lot of time with projects around the house, mostly related to cleaning up the deck and yard and getting ready for Spring.

 

[Christine]

Thanks to my disability I have to take it really slow the first 8-10 hours of the day. So I make breakfast, read the news on my laptop and try to do simple things which don't demand a much of brain nor body.

Perhaps reading my emails and flagging important ones to be followed up later. Starting the washing machine I prepared the previous evening. Writing a shopping list. Having a nap. My mum live next door so we might have a chat. If I'm in my RV I might drive a short distance less than an hour.

Then in the evening when my body start working I get busy doing all the important things like making dinner, shopping a couple of days a week, online banking, washing and cleaning, visiting friends or tinkering with my budget and investment plan. Watching TV, reading or playing my guitar. Again if I'm in my RV this is when I drive a longer distance up to 4 hours if I have a driving day.

I record everything I like on TV and watch one episode each evening. And then I go online reading about my favourite topics - including this site - before going to bed.

 

[kneehigh]

My typical day post retirement:


Retiree's wife: What are you going to do today?
Retiree: Nothing.
RW: But that is what you did yesterday!
R: Yes, but I didn't finish.

Never underestimate the value of doing nothing...