Full FIRE at last!!

[DD4L]

Hi All,

Long time lurker...correction loooong time lurker first time poster [emoji4]

I owe this forum more than it will ever know, the diversity of useful information found here over the years for my path has been phenomenal.

Not to mention all the hope it gives the burnt out folks hanging on in there for dear life sitting in the bathroom stall questioning their sanity and wondering how much more they can take of the corporate BS?

Semi-FIRE’d end of 2017 age 45 to travel the world for 2 years testing out geographical arbitrage in various global locations. Uncoiled from hardcore burnout then returned to work because the ego insisted we had unfinished business. Silly ego nonsense [emoji849]

Just fully FIRE’d 8th June 2020 age 47 after surviving 8 months back in Aerospace in Oklahoma City tornado-free [emoji946]

Aerospace Electrical Engineer - 10 years UK then 15 years USA. Dual Citizen for both, love both countries for different set of reasons.

Rental in Savannah GA another in Southport UK and a vast amount of dividend growth stocks that seem to want to “reset” too much for comfort so are being slowly switched out for Preferreds or just better quality.

Just moved to the Isle of Wight to make a go of it in retirement as a “caulk head” loving it and very happy thus far [emoji16]

Time to quit lurking and give back to the community that helped us get to where we are today...

Once again thanks for everything...all of you [emoji120]

DD4L

 

[omni550]

Welcome! Glad you've joined this excellent forum.

And congrats on retiring!

omni

 

[freedomatlast]

Congratulations. You will love it. Nothing like walking out of the office for the last time and beginning a brand new chapter of life.

 

[cooch96]

Bravo!

DW and I were just talking about Savannah, GA as our possible winter vacation spot this year.

 

[DD4L]

Welcome! Glad you've joined this excellent forum.

And congrats on retiring!

omni

Thanks [emoji120]

So happy to be here at this stage of life [emoji5]

 

[DD4L]

Congratulations. You will love it. Nothing like walking out of the office for the last time and beginning a brand new chapter of life.

Thanks [emoji120]

This final full retirement launch was a little different due to quitting while working from home during Covid. I thought I’d like it better doing my job there but found you just never escape the job stress. Job and personal life interact too much with each other for it to work.

Attending micromanaged meetings from the comfort of sitting at your breakfast bar is still getting micromanaged unfortunately.

I did get the chance to go back to the empty office to drop off the laptop though, it was eery but strangely comforting. Took my nameplate and felt the huge relief I was looking for, gave the badge to security and did the rear view mirror glance. [emoji4]

Now the new chapter is here!!

 

[DD4L]

Bravo!

DW and I were just talking about Savannah, GA as our possible winter vacation spot this year.

We were back there in October for our friends Halloween costume party, while DW was visiting her main office I got to drive around all the old places again - Tybee lighthouse, the beach, Huc-a-poos, walking around the squares downtown, Forsyth Park.

We came away both pretty much with the same conclusion that we still love the place after all the years we worked there and whenever the rental comes up we’ll work on the house and live there again for 6 months at a time.

The second retirement location on the list was Scottsdale AZ but when we went at Christmas we found we’re about 10 years too late and priced out. Pretty much like Florida it’s unfortunately full. Oh well *. Loved Tombstone, Sedona, the Canyons and all the cactus though.

Winter snowbirding is awesome, I never get tired of it. [emoji16]

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

Congrats! I've always wanted to bike around Isle of Wight. But what is a "caulk head?" Something local?

-BB

 

[Toocold]

Congrats!! Welcome to "I love Monday mornings" club!!

 

[DD4L]

Congrats! I've always wanted to bike around Isle of Wight. But what is a "caulk head?" Something local?



-BB

Thanks Bryan! [emoji4]

I go to the parents “up north” next week to see them and DS in Southport and finally pick up the bike and take a break from running. Anytime you want to bike around I’ll be up for it no problem at all at wherever pace is fine, the salesman selling us the little Peugeot 108 does the yearly ride at a nice pace and said it’s good fun.

Same goes for the winter Tenerife rides when the TDF teams are training, always wanted to do that too. Drink, ride, bask in the sun, repeat...[emoji41]

Caulk heads are your local Island folks that grew up on the water and spend most of their days working with caulk sealing the underside of their boat or out on the Solent.

Sounds like exactly what I need right now, but lots of sailing courses to get through first... ️[emoji16]

 

[DD4L]

Congrats!! Welcome to "I love Monday mornings" club!!

Thanks!! [emoji4]

It truly is one of the best feelings! No more of that stomach in knots anymore, no more schedules, no more milestones..

No more:-

“Hey hope you had a good weekend, can you email me back where your job is up to as well as your ECD?” (Deep groan and sinking feeling)

My old team is all back in the office as of today, Covid or no Covid. Herd immunity, second wave or bust. Timing couldn’t have been any better really.

Happy days!! [emoji16]

 

[Franklin]

welcome to full time FIRE. I hit the FIRE button a few years ago and bought a house on the inter-coastal waterway in Savannah. Every day seems like a Friday!

 

[rodi]

Welcome and congratulations. Did your wife retire also?

Love the term caulkhead.... LOL

 

[DD4L]

welcome to full time FIRE. I hit the FIRE button a few years ago and bought a house on the inter-coastal waterway in Savannah. Every day seems like a Friday!

Thanks, it’s good to be here!

Yeah every day is definitely Friday in Savannah!! Especially when you’re retired with the entire day free to enjoy it all.

As you can guess we both miss it a lot but Cowes is definitely making up for it right now, another big sailing location. ️

 

[DD4L]

Welcome and congratulations. Did your wife retire also?

Love the term caulkhead.... LOL

Thanks!! Very happy [emoji4]

Right now she’s furloughed and has been since Covid kicked off.

She usually does corporate travel working remotely part time for a few hours a week but that’s pretty much gone for the foreseeable future. Especially now that second waves are kicking off pretty much all over the world.

No matter though rentals, preferreds and dividends keep the ship afloat so I’m tending to monitor the health of the careers of the tenants and the health of company cashflows like a damn hawk right now

Yeah Caulkhead is awesome, there’s even a pub on the island named after it [emoji23]

https://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/the-caulkheads-p152121

Will need to check it out post Covid..[emoji16]

 

[Big_Hitter]

sweet, congrats!

 

[DD4L]

sweet, congrats!

Thanks [emoji120]

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

Thanks Bryan! [emoji4]

I go to the parents “up north” next week to see them and DS in Southport and finally pick up the bike and take a break from running. Anytime you want to bike around I’ll be up for it no problem at all at wherever pace is fine, the salesman selling us the little Peugeot 108 does the yearly ride at a nice pace and said it’s good fun.

Same goes for the winter Tenerife rides when the TDF teams are training, always wanted to do that too. Drink, ride, bask in the sun, repeat...[emoji41]

Caulk heads are your local Island folks that grew up on the water and spend most of their days working with caulk sealing the underside of their boat or out on the Solent.

Sounds like exactly what I need right now, but lots of sailing courses to get through first... ️[emoji16]

DD4L, Seems perfect! Thanks for the riding invitation. BTW, there are some nice rides along the PO river valley from Ferrara to the Adriatic in Italy. Ferrara is like Amsterdam...everyone bikes in the city (the most in Italy). You can ride on the (very wide) city walls, which is cool.

My wife and I live on a Swiss lake near the northern Italian border. Lots of weekend sailors messing about in boats here. But...it's not the ocean, alas.

Wishing you only the best for your RE life. For me every minute is a joy.

-BB

 

[DD4L]

DD4L, Seems perfect! Thanks for the riding invitation. BTW, there are some nice rides along the PO river valley from Ferrara to the Adriatic in Italy. Ferrara is like Amsterdam...everyone bikes in the city (the most in Italy). You can ride on the (very wide) city walls, which is cool.

My wife and I live on a Swiss lake near the northern Italian border. Lots of weekend sailors messing about in boats here. But...it's not the ocean, alas.

Wishing you only the best for your RE life. For me every minute is a joy.

-BB

Thanks Bryan, that area sounds pretty cool.

We have so many more places to go see while back here in Europe.

 

[Jane_Doe]

DD4L,

CONGRATS!! Also been known to lurk. Working on being semi-RE myself.

Wishing you great luck and see you around!

Jane

 

[DD4L]

DD4L,

CONGRATS!! Also been known to lurk. Working on being semi-RE myself.

Wishing you great luck and see you around!

Jane

Thanks!

Did give semi-FIRE the college try but the micromanagement was unbearable even in smaller doses.

Full FIRE became mandatory...even mid Covid *

Good luck to you too!

DD4L

 

[Katiek]

Congratulations! You've lived in some interesting places and had a nice break, but it sounds like you've landed in a great location. Enjoy your FIRE!

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Welcome- Looking forward to reading your posts!

 

[street]

Outstanding!

 

[Rianne]

Congrats and welcome! There's a blast of excitement in every one of your posts. Puts a smile on my face. Reminds me of summer vacation after a grueling school year.