Some rambling thoughts about impending ER

[Sheryl]

Our first real step into ER is now only 28 days away. SO has given his notice, and there's nothing left to do but change health plans and roll over the 401(k). He claims to be too engrossed in the push of finishing up his final project to even think about the change, but I'm not.

I'm excited, but worried about how it will all play out. Certainly there will be some huge changes around here. He's always worked a minimum of five twelve hour days, more often it stretches into six days and fourteen hours. Now he'll be around the house 24/7.

He has lists of projects a mile long, and I know I'm looking forward to the help around the house, since I'm going to keep working 35-40 hours.

Health and health insurance are the biggest conundrum we face. To people who know us, it seems a little backward that I have the health issues but he quits working. He feels funny about that too, but it feels right to me. I need him at home more than I need to be at home myself. And I'm just not quite ready to leave my career behind. We don't really need the income, but we do need the health insurance. Company will pay for SO as my "spouse" and now that I'm unhealthy and uninsurable individually, I feel like I need to keep working. [Can we all see the irony here?]

Continuing to work will not only bring in my income, but save us $1,500 a month or so on insurance premiums.

But hey! This post was not supposed to be about health insurance. It was about the excitement and anticipation of the impending ER date. I'm feeling sort of nostalgic, even maudlin, about all the support, camaraderie and information I've found on this board over the last three years. If I had not read about others doing it I don't think we would have had the confidence to jump into these unknown waters.

In celebration, I'm putting this post in Life After Fire, instead of Young Dreamers.

 

[Nords]

Our first real step into ER is now only 28 days away. SO has given his notice, and there's nothing left to do but change health plans and roll over the 401(k). He claims to be too engrossed in the push of finishing up his final project to even think about the change, but I'm not.

You'll have to keep us posted on the "transition process"!

So is he going to start posting here, or is he already?

 

[Moemg]

Good Luck Sheryl ,
The retirement water is just fine jump in !

 

[Sheryl]

You'll have to keep us posted on the "transition process"!

So is he going to start posting here, or is he already?

Nah. The less time spent staring at a computer screen the better, in his opinion. Of course that may change, once he actually HAS some discretionary time!

 

[Martha]

Congratulations to you both! Having a non-working spouse at home to cook and take care of everything is a luxury few seem to have anymore. Enjoy it!

 

[SteveR]

Congratulations to your SO. Too bad you can't ER with him. I am sorry to see you have some health issues. That can be a major bummer; DW has some so I do understand.

Your SO sounds like me. Lots of hours, lots of lists of things to do and no time to do any of it. Now that I am ER'd my list has grown but in differnet ways. What was once a priority is not any longer. Also, we have been so darn busy in ER we have just not had the time (taken the time) to do the more boring stuff on the To Do list.

ER can be an adjustment for some folks. ER is not really about slowing down as it is about spending your former work time on thinge you really would rather do. The first few weeks and months will be a transitional time for him and for you. Give each other some space during the day.

Good luck and glad he is counting down the days.

 

[Buckeye]

My 58 year-old husband does not work full-time (I do) and it is a wonderful arrangement. He enjoys doing part-time driving and volunteering with the Red Cross. Of course, he takes care of everything to do with laundry, grocery shopping, cat to the vet, making me lunches for work, etc. He is 10 years older than I am so hopefully he will be around longer with some stress free years since he started working at 13. I always wished I had a wife and now I have one (no slam on my husband's manhood).

Working would be so much more difficult if we were both working full time (which we did for the first 12 years of our marriage). He would much prefer I was back in Florida working (big bass) rather than Ohio but he hasn't chosen the option of going back to work full-time to speed up ER. Neither one of us wants to go back to the old days when we were both working and life was a lot more crazy (even without kids). I accept having to work more years due to his not working because our quality of life is so much improved on the journey to ER.

Also, be careful what you wish for because wishes do come true. That's a whole other topic.

 

[Telly]

He has lists of projects a mile long, and I know I'm looking forward to the help around the house, since I'm going to keep working 35-40 hours.

Hmmmm, is your hubby well-versed on the high art of napping? I can see that a lot of practicing may be in order...

 

[chinaco]

Congrats to the SO and you. It sounds like you are transitioning into ER.

DW and I are doing the same.

Keep us posted on how things go.

 

[Sheryl]

Hmmmm, is your hubby well-versed on the high art of napping? I can see that a lot of practicing may be in order...

Yup. I have no doubt that catching up on 35 years worth of missed naps is going to be a high priority in the first weeks.

Right after we do our practice RV trip. We are renting a 26 ft. class C for a week to see what we and Milo think of the lifestyle.