The First Monday of Freedom

C

caninelover

Full time employment: Posting here.
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Today is my first Monday free of wage slavery! My last day was officially Friday January 21st. Friday night SO and I went out for a nice steak dinner to celebrate, and Saturday afternoon we gathered with some close friends at a local winery to continue the festivities.

Sunday was amazing! Normally I'm out running around to take care of errands and get groceries for the week. Not yesterday - I relaxed and binge watched 'Alone' on Hulu most of the day :LOL: Last night there was no stress as the mind wandered back to new w*rkweek ahead.

This morning I woke up around the same time (even with the alarm off) so I'm guessing it will take some time to really adjust to life without the 9 to 5. So far I'm enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee (and not slurping it down during my commute) and watching the morning news. Later I'll head out for groceries when the store is (hopefully) empty. Then maybe a few chores around the house, a leisurely lunch, then an afternoon workout. After that whatever I want until dinner.

I have a few projects on my list to keep me occupied if I do get bored - I have many old photos that need organizing, my closet is in real need of a cleanout. I plan to take over our veggie garden from SO - but I have a brown thumb so I'll need to read up on how to properly do so. I also signed up for a 10k in April and hoping to get back to running. I also want to add strength training into my workout routines.

Our big trip this year will be a Galapagos cruise at the end of June. It will feel amazing to not have to worry about w*rk during that trip!

I can't believe I crossed the finish line. I will have to pinch myself a few times this week :dance:
 
Congratulations! May your life of leisure be all you hoped it would be.
 
Those feelings of freedom of the first few days are ones you will never forget. When I think back of my first day, I can still feel that unique day.

Congratulations.
 
Congratulations! Enjoy every second of it. I look forward to being able to make a similar post one of these days.
 
caninelover said:
Today is my first Monday free of wage slavery! My last day was officially Friday January 21st. Friday night SO and I went out for a nice steak dinner to celebrate, and Saturday afternoon we gathered with some close friends at a local winery to continue the festivities.

Sunday was amazing! Normally I'm out running around to take care of errands and get groceries for the week. Not yesterday - I relaxed and binge watched 'Alone' on Hulu most of the day :LOL: Last night there was no stress as the mind wandered back to new w*rkweek ahead.

This morning I woke up around the same time (even with the alarm off) so I'm guessing it will take some time to really adjust to life without the 9 to 5. So far I'm enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee (and not slurping it down during my commute) and watching the morning news. Later I'll head out for groceries when the store is (hopefully) empty. Then maybe a few chores around the house, a leisurely lunch, then an afternoon workout. After that whatever I want until dinner.

I have a few projects on my list to keep me occupied if I do get bored - I have many old photos that need organizing, my closet is in real need of a cleanout. I plan to take over our veggie garden from SO - but I have a brown thumb so I'll need to read up on how to properly do so. I also signed up for a 10k in April and hoping to get back to running. I also want to add strength training into my workout routines.

Our big trip this year will be a Galapagos cruise at the end of June. It will feel amazing to not have to worry about w*rk during that trip!

I can't believe I crossed the finish line. I will have to pinch myself a few times this week :dance:
Click to expand...

The bolded parts - heaven, isn't it? :LOL:
 
CindyBlue said:
The bolded parts - heaven, isn't it? :LOL:
Click to expand...

It really is the little things, isn't it? That is what I told people when they asked what I was going to do when I retired. I said slow down and finally have time to smell the roses!
 
caninelover said:
It really is the little things, isn't it? That is what I told people when they asked what I was going to do when I retired. I said slow down and finally have time to smell the roses!
Click to expand...

You got it! A favorite thing for my DH and I is to get up early (because we just always do...it's ingrained!) and go out for coffee and a paper. We sit and watch the people rush in to grab a cup and rush on out to work. We just grin at each other and talk about our luck that we are able to retire!
 
CindyBlue said:
You got it! A favorite thing for my DH and I is to get up early (because we just always do...it's ingrained!) and go out for coffee and a paper. We sit and watch the people rush in to grab a cup and rush on out to work. We just grin at each other and talk about our luck that we are able to retire!
Click to expand...

Oh that sounds fun!

Many of the museums around us have a free admission day but of course they are always during the week. It's always been a FIRE fantasy of mine to go after I retired. One of these free admission days is next week and I'm going (assuming I can snag the required tickets)! Going to explore, have a nice lunch there, and then head home before rush hour traffic gets bad!
 
Congrats! Mondays are my favorite day of the week, without a doubt! I can even watch 60 Minutes on Sunday night without having heart palpitations! ;)

As far as waking up at your normal time, I have actually started getting up earlier than when I was w*rking. It's a different animal when you get to ENJOY the mornings instead of rushing around. There is nothing better than a nice cup of coffee while watching the sun come up.

Oh, and I will admit that on occasion I will pull up the traffic cameras from my home town (Atlanta) and just laugh. I even took the commuter train a few times in the AM after I retired to remind myself how miserable w*rking/commuting was. I know, to revel in another's misery isn't nice but...
 
"I will pull up the traffic cameras from my home town (Atlanta) and just laugh. "
This is priceless (very big grin!)
 
ExFlyBoy5 said:
Congrats! Mondays are my favorite day of the week, without a doubt! I can even watch 60 Minutes on Sunday night without having heart palpitations! ;)

As far as waking up at your normal time, I have actually started getting up earlier than when I was w*rking. It's a different animal when you get to ENJOY the mornings instead of rushing around. There is nothing better than a nice cup of coffee while watching the sun come up.

Oh, and I will admit that on occasion I will pull up the traffic cameras from my home town (Atlanta) and just laugh. I even took the commuter train a few times in the AM after I retired to remind myself how miserable w*rking/commuting was. I know, to revel in another's misery isn't nice but...
Click to expand...
Funny I thought I was being a wierdo but that's another FIRE fantasy of mine - to take the commuter train in the AM (as I did for a couple of years pre-COVID) to remind myself how much I hated commuting! And then just spend the day leisurely wandering around the area, have lunch and then go back home!
 
ExFlyBoy5 said:
Congrats! Mondays are my favorite day of the week, without a doubt! I can even watch 60 Minutes on Sunday night without having heart palpitations! ;)

As far as waking up at your normal time, I have actually started getting up earlier than when I was w*rking. It's a different animal when you get to ENJOY the mornings instead of rushing around. There is nothing better than a nice cup of coffee while watching the sun come up.

Oh, and I will admit that on occasion I will pull up the traffic cameras from my home town (Atlanta) and just laugh. I even took the commuter train a few times in the AM after I retired to remind myself how miserable w*rking/commuting was. I know, to revel in another's misery isn't nice but...
Click to expand...

Oh, yes, that Tic, Tic, Tic on Sunday night! No longer bothers me.
We just enjoy leisurely mornings, don't even go out and about until after 10 to avoid morning traffic.
Retirement life is wonderful.
 
caninelover said:
Funny I thought I was being a wierdo but that's another FIRE fantasy of mine - to take the commuter train in the AM (as I did for a couple of years pre-COVID) to remind myself how much I hated commuting! And then just spend the day leisurely wandering around the area, have lunch and then go back home!
Click to expand...

I highly recommend it. As odd as it sounds, I found it cathartic and would remind me that I was quite fortunate in life.
 
One of the best parts is shopping weekdays with no crowds, no parking issues, less or no traffic, and shorter checkout lines.
 
38Chevy454 said:
One of the best parts is shopping weekdays with no crowds, no parking issues, less or no traffic, and shorter checkout lines.
Click to expand...
Yes! I went on my weekly grocery run today (instead of Sunday). My Trader Joe's is in a super busy shopping center that also has a Target. On weekends its so busy, it's horrible to find parking. Today - Monday at 10 am -it was lovely and so pleasant. Easy parking, in and out of the store so fast. Loved it!
 
Thanks for the report on your first Sunday night and Monday. Sounds like a busy day today, but one at your own pace and if your own choosing. Can’t wait to hear how the rest of the week goes, and the weeks after this one, too!
 
caninelover said:
Yes! I went on my weekly grocery run today (instead of Sunday). My Trader Joe's is in a super busy shopping center that also has a Target. On weekends its so busy, it's horrible to find parking. Today - Monday at 10 am -it was lovely and so pleasant. Easy parking, in and out of the store so fast. Loved it!
Click to expand...

Isn't it amazing? :LOL:
 
caninelover,

Welcome to the best chapter of your life! :D

omni
 
HealthyFuture said:
Thanks for the report on your first Sunday night and Monday. Sounds like a busy day today, but one at your own pace and if your own choosing. Can’t wait to hear how the rest of the week goes, and the weeks after this one, too!
Click to expand...
To me, I felt unproductive today. That's something I'll need to work on (my mindset) in terms of adjusting to FIRE after nearly 30 years of working non-stop!
 
Wait, today is Monday:confused:


Huh, felt like Saturday...


Congratulations on your retirement!!
 
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