Two Years Out

[robcanuck]

Passed the two year mark at the end of June. Some surprises - pleasant and otherwise. It took about 9 months to get over the "uneasy" feeling - I should be doing something, I'm missing something, something is not right.

Major unexpected house repairs in the first 6 months post retirement. That was unsettling, living in a construction zone during a harsh Canadian winter was very stressful. But we survived it.

Partner is still working. Big surprise was that there has been very little strain on the relationship with me at home and him going to work. The usual to and fro about housework (never was my forte LOL). He is beginning to think about scaling back but I don't think he will every completely retire.

We've travelled quite a bit these past two years - Australia, New Zealand, the Phillippines, Hong Kong and Japan. Plus we're going to Peru this fall followed by another trip to New Zealand in the winter (partner's biz trips).

I've kept my law practice certificate active. Been doing a bit of pro bono as well as real estate and wills and estates for family and friends. Have taken a few contract assignments for my former employer but they've all been very short term where I'm in control of the work schedule. My terms are always "no regular office hours, face to face meetings only if absolutely necessary and nothing interferes with my ability to travel with my partner when he's going overseas".

One of my personal goals after retirement was to lose the extra weight I've been carrying for the last 20 years and get into better physical shape so that I can continue to enjoy retired life. Happy to say I've taken off 17 of the 25 pounds I need to lose and have hit the gym 3 or 4 days a week pretty faithfully over the last year. I find I have lots more energy and a better outlook too.

So on balance, life is good. I now see that I could have pulled the pin a couple years earlier but no regrets.

Major focus these days is making the most of our rather short Canadian summer.

Cheers everyone

Rob

 

[chris2008]

Congratulations!
Your life looks perfect to me. I wish you many more thike these two (except the construction zone...).

 

[Dawg52]

Congrats! Looks like you have it figured out. Nice trips, exercise with good results and a little work to stay in touch. Sounds good to me.

 

[flyfishnevada]

Fantastic! Glad you're enjoying.

I've been retired a year and I still get the feeling I need to do something or be somewhere. That's a tough one, glad to hear you got over it.

 

[W2R]

Fantastic! Glad you're enjoying.

I've been retired a year and I still get the feeling I need to do something or be somewhere. That's a tough one, glad to hear you got over it.

Interesting! Somehow I escaped that feeling. Instead, I feel secretly gleeful, as though I'm "playing hookie" and getting away with something.

Well, MOSTLY secretly. I might have mentioned this once or twice on the board before....

 

[obgyn65]

Congratulations.

 

[Alan]

Major focus these days is making the most of our rather short Canadian summer.

For working folks, if it lands on a weekend they can have a picnic. Now that your retired, you can have your picnic no matter when it happens.

Congratulations on your ongoing retirement.

 

[Moscyn]

Congrats. I wish I can lose some weight. I too have been hitting the gym 3 to 4 times a week but I've gained 2 lbs since I retired 11 months ago. I think I eat too well nowadays as everyday is a holiday.

 

[mexico]

I read in " The Joy of not working" that a primary concern before retirement is having enough money & after, people are more concerned with their health vs having enough money. Losing the weight will go a long way to assuring a happy & healthy retirement.

 

[robcanuck]

Keep at it. I had the same problem during my first year of retirement. Lose 2 or 3 and then gain 1 or 2 (or 4). Here's what I did - cut out all meat during the day, cut back on the carbs, snack on veggies and fruit instead. I eat a normal sized meal at dinner with my partner. Then I started to see steady weight loss. Plateau'd in the last month or two. So now I'm cutting back on alcohol. Limiting myself to wine with dinner on the wkds and the occasional beer or two during the week. In a week that I find I've gained instead of maintained or lost weight, I don't beat myself up about it. Just look back at what I ate and drank the week before and try to do better. My ultimate goal is to get down to what I weighed in university (12 more to go) but if it takes another year or so that's ok. I'm amazed at how much more energy I have since I've lost weight and started to get back in shape.

Good luck. And continue to enjoy your retirement.

Rob