Want2retire is retired!

[cardude]

Very cool! The first few months are going to be a blast! The rest of the time will be great as well, but especially the first few months.

 

[ziggy29]

Yep - using facilities like the gym, the neighborhood tennis courts, whatever during "normal" work hours - not to mention grocery shopping mid-morning! - these are all HUGE benefits of being retired!

They go away on the weekends though! If you live in an urban area you'll come to dread the weekends. Can't even sit out in your own back yard on the weekends because everyone else is out catching up on their mowing!

Yep. Most retired people I know hibernate in their homes all weekend. I can't imagine looking forward to Mondays. Must be a weird feeling...

 

[W2R]

Yep. Most retired people I know hibernate in their homes all weekend. I can't imagine looking forward to Mondays. Must be a weird feeling...

I can see how that feeling might grow on a person after a while. It was really neat to go to the gym at 8:45 this morning. No waiting for the machines, not even for the popular ones. An 83 year old woman, who said she has been retired since 1962(!) showed me how to work the rowing machine. It was nice to have plenty of time to try it out, since my routine up to now has never included that machine.

My gym is just off the busiest street in the entire area, but when I left the gym there was almost no traffic. Sure made driving home a breeze.

 

[DRiP Guy]

I can't wait to see the results, to see what my nestegg on Retirement Day ends up being, and consequently what my SWR will apply to!

LOL!

Way to go on getting there, Congratulations! WOOT!!!!!

 

[Bikerdude]

Yep. Most retired people I know hibernate in their homes all weekend. I can't imagine looking forward to Mondays. Must be a weird feeling...

That would be me. Since I retired I hate weekends and all the working stiffs that get in my way. So I stay home if possible.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Yep. Most retired people I know hibernate in their homes all weekend. I can't imagine looking forward to Mondays. Must be a weird feeling...

SO and I anticipate Mondays like we used to look forward to that long-off retirement day. Coffee shop is less crowded, it's fun to watch the 8-5ers trail in at 5:10 looking for a good seat; and the crossword puzzle is easy on Mondays. OMG, there are only 3-1/2 days until Saturday. mn, today is Saturday, sort of. The swimming pool I go to is actually semi-crowded when I go as that is the time when some lanes are reserved for re-hab, but I do have a lot in common with the nice old fogies there.

Glad to see you in the club, W2R, and off-line during w*rking hours.

 

[audreyh1]

Yep. Most retired people I know hibernate in their homes all weekend. I can't imagine looking forward to Mondays. Must be a weird feeling...

Well - you definitely start feeling cheery on Sunday evenings - just the opposite from when you were working.

Actually, we kind of "solved" the weekend thing when we became perpetual travelers. We tend to travel on Saturdays and Sundays if making a long trek. City and interstate traffic tends to be lighter and you don't have to fight rush hours. Sunday is optimal for crossing a major urban area.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

An 83 year old woman, who said she has been retired since 1962(!) showed me how to work the rowing machine. It was nice to have plenty of time to try it out, since my routine up to now has never included that machine.

Wow - that's impressive! A long retirement! If she's doing the rowing machine at 83, she's keeping those bones in great shape!

When I was working with a personal trainer, we often were scheduled after another client - a 94 year old woman who was trying to improve her golf game! She said she never subscribed to anything because she never knew how much longer she'd be around!

Audrey

 

[Goonie]

Yep - using facilities .....whatever during "normal" work hours - not to mention grocery shopping mid-morning! - these are all HUGE benefits of being retired!

......If you live in an urban area you'll come to dread the weekends. Can't even sit out in your own back yard on the weekends because everyone else is out catching up on their mowing!

....Most retired people I know hibernate in their homes all weekend. I can't imagine looking forward to Mondays. Must be a weird feeling...

.....Since I retired I hate weekends and all the working stiffs that get in my way. So I stay home if possible.

Ditto ALL of the above!!! We do our running around, banking, grocery shopping (especiallY!), and other stuff Monday through Friday....however we do try to avoid the bank on Fridays 'cause all those wage earners are there cashing there checks...we usually go mid-morning on Tues., Wed., or Thurs.....they're never busy! Also we almost never leave the house on weekdays before 9 a.m., so we don't get in the way of all those poor ol' souls trudging their way to work or school...It's our contribution to them!!!

I always try to get all of my outdoor work done on weekdays, so on weekends I can sit on the patio with a cold beverage, and watch all of the neighbors hurrying & scurrying & working their tails off trying to get all of their yard work done before they have to hit the grindstone again on Monday. Besides, that way they think that ALL that I ever do ALL day, EVERYDAY, is sit on my @ss and do nothing, and that just serves to irritate them even more on top of the fact that they have to go back to the salt mines on Monday morning and slave away, while I (in their mind's eye) sit up my posterior, mocking them!

(me = .... neighbors = .... me = )

 

[sirion]

I'm so happy for you and so jealous all at the same time! I'm a new joiner, age 35, with hopes to retire at 55. Good luck in all your pursuits!

 

[theloneranger]

You will wake up tomorrow with a big empty feeling. Thinking....'Is this really it?' Not knowing what to do you will probably head to this nearest Walmart inquiring about a 'greeter' job. I'm so sorry for you. It can be a very disappointing experience.

I on the other hand will wake up tomorrow, have a cup of coffee, feed the mutt, then have a little breakfast with great anticipation for my 10:00am tee time. Assuming Ida takes a hard turn to the right.

IDA's gone east for the Winter.
This is a great day to practice your knockdown shots.

 

[W2R]

It is beautiful and sunny outside today in New Orleans! So sunny I had to wear my sunglasses, and 70-75 degrees or so with a light breeze. I went clothes shopping at my favorite shop, and at the cash register I was surprised when the cashier gave me a 10% senior discount that is unpublicized and only available on Tuesdays. Then walked through several other stores just because I can.

Yes, that 83-year-old at the gym was pretty cool. I would have guessed she was under 70 years old and she was trim and very fit for 83. She was there with her husband. She says she isn't so great with the weight machines, and usually does them with the minimum weight. But at least she does them.

 

[Budman]

W2R, Congratulations, You are going to love this as you are probably starting to see. One of the really cool things that happened shortly after I retired, I went into a department store and realized, the crowds were at work and I was free to shop around at my leisure. It felt so liberating. I just felt like laughing. Since then I have had this overwhelming fun free feeling, no pressure, no guilt, no stress, no time limits, just free, free, free! In fact, this morning, 5 months post retired, I told my wife, "You know...this retirement stuff is just totally awesome". Once again congratulations and keep us posted with you're thoughts and wisdom!

 

[freebird5825]

Day 1 sure sounds like it was fun.

 

[W2R]

Day 1 sure sounds like it was fun.

It really, really was!!

And there is more to come - - endless days of play, as Goonie said.

 

[unclemick]

Well - you definitely start feeling cheery on Sunday evenings - just the opposite from when you were working.

Actually, we kind of "solved" the weekend thing when we became perpetual travelers. We tend to travel on Saturdays and Sundays if making a long trek. City and interstate traffic tends to be lighter and you don't have to fight rush hours. Sunday is optimal for crossing a major urban area.

Audrey

Yep - and I only roll down the road 6-8 times a year with the old Chevy Equinox.

My internal clock used wake me for several months after ER - I enjoyed(weather permitting) making a pot of black coffee and sitting on the back deck watching those poor suckers heading to work crossing the Twin span into New Orleans from Slidell, etc. Like the cat who swallowed the canary.

heh heh heh - Remember you are facing a long career of 'doing nothing in particular all day'. It's a tough skill to master - as of this yr I've been working at it for 16 yrs. .

 

[Disappointed]

Congrats. It is always nice to see people set goal and achieve it.

Please continue to let us know what life is like without work.

mP

 

[Dawg52]

IDA's gone east for the Winter.
This is a great day to practice your knockdown shots.

We actually got a lot of rain last night and this morning. Too much standing water to play this afternoon. Maybe try tomorrow. Just watched a couple of movies while listening to my dog snore all afternoon.

Two for Tuesday, yup....time to take advantage of 2 Mexican dinners for the price of one. Take one to good old mom tonight. I may have to take an extra med or two tonight to put out the fire.

 

[clifp]

W2R, after watching your countdown over the final years. The final 10 days reminded me of a rocket launch 10..9... we have ignition....

One question, if you are going to change your user name a why W2R? You've done it girl no longer Want to Retire

Oh and congratulations of course.

 

[Midpack]

I was traveling/working yesterday and missed it, tied up receiving my annual performance review - something you never have to deal with again.

We've probably all been watching your countdown while enjoying you many posts/contributions.

Congratulations on achieving one of life's greatest milestones, very well done.

 

[Lsbcal]

I enjoyed just now reading the 8 pages of congrats so far and now will add mine to the list: Congratulations W2R!

 

[Khan]

W2R, sorry I'm late. Looks like you're starting off right.



It took a few weeks for the Sunday afternoon gloomies to go away.

 

[W2R]

W2R, sorry I'm late. Looks like you're starting off right.



It took a few weeks for the Sunday afternoon gloomies to go away.

No such thing as late! I have all the time in the world, now, and you too.

Maybe I can think of some way to cheer up Sunday afternoons again. They don't need to be gloomy anymore.

 

[powerplay]

Congratulations W2R I bet you can't stop smiling.

I look forward to reading about your retired adventures.

 

[NW-Bound]

Congrats! I was among the posters who referred to you with the nickname W2R; it's a convenient shorthand. Well, as the official screen name, it's as good as any, and keeps you linked to the past posts.

What will you do tomorrow? Be careful not to go shopping too often!

And beware of the travel bug's bite. Before you know it, you may be shopping for that RV!

By the way, I just discovered a nick name for the RV sewer hose. It has been called the "stinky slinky", due to its flexible goose neck construction.