The flurry of ERs

[Martha]

It seems a lot of posters are retiring very soon, in the next month or two. Retire Soon, Johnny M, CJ, and Dex, with Alta Red following shortly. Anyone else?

We should have a party.

Congratulations all.

 

[cj]

Yes, it's helpful to me to have company!! Thanks, Martha for arranging the party.

CJ

 

[Rustic23]

Sometime in May. I have not picked a date yet.

 

[wallygator69]

It seems a lot of posters are retiring very soon, in the next month or two. Retire Soon, Johnny M, CJ, and Dex, with Alta Red following shortly.  Anyone else? 

We should have a party. 

Congratulations all.

Yup! Decided in the last few days another 2 years of work to save another hunk of change just isn't worth it. Thanks guys!

Shooting for late summer, have lots of loose ends to tie up and I just goofed and extended the lease on our retirement home in Myrtle Beach by 6 months. Renter will be out September 3oth.

I have many healthcare questions I'd appreciate help with. (I did order a book yesterday that has been highly recommended here). We are both in good health except for minor 41 year old issues.

I need surgery on my Toe (Arthritis due to misalignment problem that can be fixed, won't bend much) and want to get it done before DW quits and loses good medical coverage. Will this potentially cause problem with getting healthcare Insurance? 10 week recovery so i wanted to wait until Fall. Any opinions on whether I am better off getting it done ASAP and then potentially use COBRA for a year afterwards? I've heard you should try to minimize things in the year before going solo because it makes the chance of rejection less?

When you relocate to a new state and get new insurance do they get/review Medical Records from previous insurance carrier or directly from your Primary Care Physician?

When do you start working with an Insurance agent to get coverage? Assume retiring on June 1, do you start now or is may 1st soon enough?

Thanks again for the push!

Wally

 

[MJ]

It seems a lot of posters are retiring very soon, in the next month or two. Retire Soon, Johnny M, CJ, and Dex, with Alta Red following shortly. Anyone else?

We should have a party.

Congratulations all.

Timing is everything. As usual, mine was off. I could have waited another year b4 retiring and be part of the celebration. As you might remember my company retired me laid me off with severance just about when I was going to pull the plug (bless them) so I never got a going away party.

 

[setab]

Add me to the list. I left last Friday. I can't believe how fast the days go now; they used to drag at work. In one short week I feel better mentally and physically. I sleep better and I haven't had this much energy in years. I have only one regret...why did I wait so long?

setab

 

[yakers]

Don't know if this counts but my wife is retiring in May after 25+ years of teaching.

 

[Retire Soon]

Yakers, tell your wife congratulations for me.

Retire Soon

 

[Martha]

setab, congratulations! What are you doing all day.

Are you going to keep your license to practice?

 

[REWahoo]

Add me to the list. I left last Friday.

Setab, I want to compare first week experiences. Do you wake up each morning, realize you are actually, finally retired and break into a big grin? I hope so, because it was a wonderful experience.

BTW, the big grin gets a little smaller over time, but a nice smile works for me.

 

[Martha]

So setab just retired and for shorttimers we have: Retire Soon, Johnny M, CJ, Dex, Alta Red, Rustic23, Wallygator, and yaker's wife. Any one else?

 

[bruce1]

I will most likely go later this year. One of my co workers is going Mar 30, (age 58) another will go early summer, (age 56) A friend (age 54) is retiring Mar 18 and starting a part time no stress rocky mountain resort cottage rental in Alberta. I am 52 and have an invitation to spend June/July 2007 in the mountains in Alberta. From there I would go to Yukon/Alaska and BC for a month. Anybody want to baby sit a St Bernard for four or five months?

 

[setab]

Martha,

I have already paid all my fees for this year, so I will keep my license at least through the end of 2006. I will probably keep it after that for a while just because, but I have no plans to practice at this point. As I told one person who already asked me if I would consider taking a few things, not now, never full time and not cheaply. I keep seeing Louie on Taxi when Jim gave him a blank check for destroying his apartment, "There's a number out there which is not too high, but not too low...." I have no idea what that number might be but it has at least two zeros behind it per hour.

As to what I do all day, I am finishing "Your Money or Your Life," which I highly recommend, I have a stack of books behind it that I actually want to read, I have begun taking inventory of my wine cellar, I have had lunch with my mother for the first time in years, done a few minor things around the house to help the spouse and encourage her to keep her part time job just a little longer, fed the birds and spent a lot of quality time staring out the window at the back yard.

That brings me to the big grin. Yes, it is still there and it is almost as cheesy as the grins that couple on the erectile disfunction commercials had a while back. I too will settle for a big smile, but I'm loving the grin so far.

One final note: I went slightly against the grain in making my decision. I do not have a big portfolio, my house is not paid for and I have a little debt to clean up. Everything but the house will be paid off shortly, however, and the pension kicks in next month. With the backing of an incredibly supportive spouse and faith, I am convinced this will work. I am astounded and elated at the same time. This can be done a lot more easily than most "experts" suggest. Sure, you have to make adjustments, but they are definitely worth it!

setab

 

[Jarhead*]

ReWahoo: I'm sure I supplied a month's full of "grins" to you with:

Jarhead, who agrees with ReWahoo, that Texas has the best college team in the Country.

In fact, I'll bet your "grinning" right now!

 

[Sheryl]

 I am 52 and have an invitation to spend  June/July  2007 in the mountains in Alberta. From there I would go to Yukon/Alaska  and BC for a month.  Anybody want to baby sit a St Bernard for four or five months?

Yeah, sure!  Drop him off here in NW Wa on your way north.   With about 300 lbs of dog food. 

 

[setab]

Only 300 pounds of dog food? What are you going to feed him the second week?

setab

 

[starry night]

Count me in on the "flurry". I'm writing from the office today, on MY LAST FRIDAY OF EMPLOYMENT!! Last day at work will be next Wed. 3/15. HOORAY!! Spouse gets set free on 7/1/06. We'll spend August in Pacific NW, then big trip to Australia in Oct.

And about the Australia Trip, have any of you all travelled with OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel)? This will be our first try with them. Any experiences??

 

[setab]

Well done Starry, Starry Night! Welcome to the club from a newbie.

setab

 

[REWahoo]

ReWahoo: I'm sure I supplied a month's full of "grins" to you with:

Jarhead, who agrees with ReWahoo, that Texas has the best college team in the Country.

In fact, I'll bet your "grinning" right now!

 

[laurence]

Geahhh! Stop it!

 

[bruce1]

Yeah, sure! Drop him off here in NW Wa on your way north. With about 300 lbs of dog food.

Where do I leave the food? You are close she eats 2.5 to 3.0 pounds a day plus several large treats. My cousins Lab eats more though. Actually I have two neighbors to look after her here if need be.

Bruce

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Wow...I have three dogs that average about 100lbs each and it takes the three of them a month to eat a 30lb bag of dog food, with one 14oz can a day also split between them.

Oh yeah, and the biscuits, chicken jerky (aka 'crack for dogs') and table scraps. And the stuff Gabe feeds Ted.

 

[Ginger]

Has anyone had this same head trip? I know that I could comfortably economically walk away from the job -- DH is retired, has a good pension, we have savings, IRAs, deferred comp, Roths, stocks up the kazoo, house paid for, covered health insurance but I just can't bring myself to give it up. It this a long process to go through until you feel confident enough to throw in the towel?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Take a month off, then see if you want to go back.

If they wont give you the month off, use that as an excuse to quit.

Either way, there you go!

 

[Sheryl]

Where do I leave the food?  You are close she eats 2.5 to 3.0 pounds a day plus several large treats.   My cousins Lab eats more though.  Actually I have two neighbors to look after her here if need be.

If I wasn't working all day,  I'd love to have a St. B. visit for the summer.  I have a crazy weakness for big shaggy dogs.   Always wanted a Newfie.     My dog is about 55 lbs. and averages about 1/2 pound a day.  But that doesn't count whatever he steals off the counter when we're at work.  Yesterday two stale muffins.  Tuesday half a birthday cake....   :

Martha - Re the original topic, my SO is tentatively scheduled for ER in July, but he's starting to waffle already.   I keep printing out FIREcalc reports with 100% success, but he just won't listen.