DH Has Retired....

[Dog]

So, DH retired from USPS this month and we also listed our primary home on the market. He celebrated with a week of golf in Palm Springs with some buddies. Meanwhile, House has sold pending the VA appraisal with a tentative close date of 6/24. Our home on The island will be our primary residence now. I retired almost two years ago and have my routine including lots of activities (hiking, snowshoeing, climbing, kayaking, cycling and gym classes). I've also basically maintained both houses and yards. I have been happily very busy.
DH enjoys golf, putzing in yard and projects. We use to have a boat and we really enjoyed our time on lakes and the Puget Sound. He is not much of a joiner and not good at instigating activities. We've discussed this numerous times and I've told him that I would like to continue my activities while Im still healthy and able (we are 58). He is not interested in these type of activities. I want to help him adjust to retirement in an enjoyable way, but don't want to end up as the social activities director. We enjoy each other's company and do share many common interests. I just don't want him to end up like his Dad who just sits in front of the TV all day.
He is thinking about another boat which I think is great. He just can't decide on how big a boat.
Meanwhile, we have lots to do to get the house cleared out and settle in at the island house.
Friends and family tease me about how I'm not going to get to "play" anymore. Any suggestions, advice or thoughts on how others have dealt with a similar situation are appreciated. He's a great guy, though a bit stubborn. We LBYM to get here and I want him to fully enjoy this new stage of our lives as much as I do.



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[rodi]

Dog - congrats to your husband and best wishes on your move to your forever home.

A boat sounds like a good solution - something for him to do (vs couch potato'ing) but has appeal to an introvert. My husband had a boat when we met - and we're considering getting one again, once the kids have fled the nest.

As far as size of boat - my preference has always been for something you can trailer. Saves on storage/dock fees and gives you options for where you can use it... go to lakes, boat on the sound, etc.

 

[languagefan]

Congrats! I would take things slowly without too much proactivity to allow things unfold as they do slowly.
Have fun!

 

[travelover]

Congratulations to your DH. A boat will provide a good safety valve to having too much money. If a small boat doesn't tamp it down, a larger boat will do the job.

 

[btdt22]

You might check out the C-Dory 'brats' web page. The boats are trailerable and seaworthy. I'm retired and recently purchased a Tomcat 255. I keep it at a nearby marina and amazed at how much it has impacted my 'mouse-potato' life style. The C-brats are an ad hoc group with no one in charge and no 'titles' like in the Elks, Lions, Power-Squadron etc. I think a few of them are getting together at Friday Harbor this weekend.

 

[racy]

Now for something completely different: motorcycling.

 

[Gill]

Now for something completely different: motorcycling.

Not such a bad idea. I took it up at 58, had 15 enjoyable years of riding and gave it up at 73. It's a great activity if you're careful.
Bruce


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[JOHNNIE36]

I once had a 19 ft Sea Ray bow rider, inboard with an out drive. I always thought it was the ideal boat for just pleasure and water skiing. I had a boat lift at out lake house but I also trailered it. Then my son took it to Naples, FL and later went into Donzi's. He now has a 23 ft Donzi Classsic and says it's getting to be too much to trailer and is going to sell it. Says now he might go back to a 19 ft Donzi. I know the 23 ft would ride better but the 19 ft deep V hull on the Sea Ray did pretty good. I think that would be a good size to trailer.

By the way, tell him congrats on the retirement.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

Not such a bad idea. I took it up at 58, had 15 enjoyable years of riding and gave it up at 73. It's a great activity if you're careful.
Bruce


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About to take the motorcycle trip I wanted to do last year before I retired. Instead did some day trips with the wife on the back.

Find I'm having trouble handling the bike--not riding problem but walking it out of the garage, getting it up on stand to service it, etc. If I drop it, I think I might be able to pick it up but no guarantees. How big a bike did you ride and how did you deal with these issues?

 

[Dog]

Thanks for the feedback.
Thinking back, the first 9 months of my retirement, I was consumed with taking care of my mother's affairs after she passed away. So, I was quite busy and it tapered down allowing me a transition period.
DH's parents are starting to have health issues and are being advised by doctors to consider assisted living, but they won't talk about it. So, he will probably become more involved with their living arrangements (he is executor). They have a big house packed full of "stuff" that will need dealt with as well.
I have also decided to cut back a bit on my activities for a while until he finds a routine. We do have plans for fall & winter travel.
I think I just panicked a bit


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