Sunday is my last day!!!!!!!

[Cattusbabe]

This coming Sunday is my last day at work.  I am a registered nurse who worked 12 hours shifts every weekend for the past three years.

DH and I are doing cartwheels. We have several trips planned with Mystic Conn. the week after I FIRE being the first one    We will be traveling to Masa Verde National Park with Elder Hostel in October with a stay in Albuquerque NM thrown in. If any one has been there I would love to hear what you thought about the place. I'm stoked.

DH got a Suzuki Bergman motor scooter and has been tooling around on that.  He is trying to get me on one but I have never been on any sort of cycle and am not sure if fifty is a good time to start. Can you teach old dog new tricks? In honor of our respective retirements he is going to have DINKS on FIRE painted on it.  Dual Income No Kids /Financially Independent Retired Early. Love the ring of that.

 

[Danny]

Congrats!

Interested in how the Elder Hostel works out.

Never been to Mesa Verde - but spent time on the Navajo Res - at Canyon de Chelle & Navajo National Monument cliff dwellings - Loved that a lot...Mesa Verde should be awesome

Enjoy...

 

[astromeria]

We went to Mesa Verde 4 years ago--enjoyed it it very much. We stayed at a B&B in Cortez CO (smoethning like Karen's Inn?) and arrived as an elderhostel group's Navajo presentation was underway, and they invited us to join them. That was excellent. Also enjoyed the trails and kivas near the B&B. We happened to be in Cortez during their annual celebration and attended an interesting one-woman show about the preformers in an outdoor theatre as well as a parade--fine local color! We drove by Shiprock, NM--powerful spooky. We passed through Albuquerque...maybe it was our unfortunate route, but Route 1 north of Boston came to mind Much preferred Santa Fe. We liked Carlsbad Caverns, too--a place I'd dreamed of going since I saw "Journey to the Center of the Earth" as a kid.

I would definitely return to New Mexico.

 

[Danny]

We drove by Shiprock, NM--powerful spooky. We passed through Albuquerque...maybe it was our unfortunate route,

Did you take route 666 out of Shiprock by any chance?

 

[laurence]

Congrats! I'm jealous!

C-T, AWESOME pictures, (sigh) I need a vacation.

 

[Martha]

DH got a Suzuki Bergman motor scooter and has been tooling around on that. He is trying to get me on one but I have never been on any sort of cycle and am not sure if fifty is a good time to start. Can you teach old dog new tricks? In honor of our respective retirements he is going to have DINKS on FIRE painted on it. Dual Income No Kids /Financially Independent Retired Early. Love the ring of that.

Go for it! I want a scooter and am thinking about the Honda Big Ruckus:

 

[JWV]

But Cattus, there's already a shortage!!

Congrats!! I just knew when the post title was _Sunday is my last day_ that it was from an RN.  Have fun, Mesa Verde is beautiful. I would go Cortez to Durango to Pagosa (you'll see beautiful mountains) then south on 84 to Santa Fe (beautiful scenery of a different kind) then take the Turquoise Trail (SR 14) from Santa Fe to Albq. http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2094/travel.html Old Town Albuquerque is great, and Rte 66 through town is interesting.  There are some great old Pueblo Deco buildings in Albq.  We've spent a lot of time in that area and there's more to see than you'll have time for-you'll just have to come back.

Judy (fellow RN, semi dual income and 2 kids-does that mean it'll take me twice as long?)

Martha, I have a friend who has a scooter, and she loves it.  Great for getting around Tucson and great gas mileage.

 

[cj]

Love the DINKS on FIRE logo!

Congrats for sure!

CJ

 

[Retire Soon]

Congratulations on your decision to retire early. It takes a lot of courage to make hard decisions.

 

[Billy]

Cattusbabe,

Congratulations on your decision. We know this is a HUGE change in your life, and also know that -- in our case -- it was one we never regretted. The opportunities and personal growth that are going to find you in the future will change you forever. Good luck and keep us posted of your adventures.

Regards,
Billy
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement