My turn has finally arrived

[Gere Flewelling]

After working the last 45 years fixing vehicles and equipment for others, it is my turn to try out the retirement thing.  My wife retired in April and is enjoying it very much.  We decided that I should join her at this time.  Been working at the ski area for the last 17 years chasing broken snow cats on steep mountain terrain as well as other support equipment that only seems to break down on the steep snow and ice.  I'm not complaining, it just that the mountain seems to have gotten a little steeper these last few years and it seems to take much longer to heal up  :D these days.  Work better suited for young guys.  Plus since I purchased a saw mill a few years ago, work is always interfering with my hobby.  Now Lord willing I can spend more quality time with the wonderful woman who has put up with me all these years and pursue the passion this sawdust addiction has created.  I am excited to be joining the ranks of many of you on this forum. 8) 

[taylorsmissbeehaven]

Congratulations!! That is an exciting new adventure in life. I hope you both enjoy every minute of it, Brian

[Jeff]

Enjoy!

[Magicman]

Congratulations !!!  I will look forward to reading about your retirement adventures. 

[olcowhand]

Congrats!
Enjoy it. I don't know how I ever got anything done when I was working.
Steve

[kelLOGg]

Welcome to "retirement", Gere. I did it 12 years ago - took 20 minutes to adjust and now I spend more of my time on sawmilling related stuff. Wish you the same enjoyment.

[K-Guy]

Congratulations!! I hope you enjoy it.

[moodnacreek]

Be careful, you could wind up busier than when working, congratulations.

[YellowHammer]

Before long, you'll have so much going on, you'll wonder how you had enough time to work your old "real" job!  Congratulations.

[kantuckid]

Have fun as you join the ranks of those who plan their own time, or don't. 
As you plan, allow space for things that refresh you and try to avoid overdone days. 
My wife and I have always contended that we really didn't need a "job" to stay busy as we are very self-contained people with many interests. The issue then becomes one of knowing when to kick back.
In retirement "it's (mostly) all about one's health", I wish you both many healthy, active days. I also hope you have family such that your days are never lonely. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Congrats and I hope you have a great time in retirement. 

   I always said retirement needs to be a case of shifting gears to do what you want to do when you want to do it rather than what you had to to do and when someone else told you to.

[TroyC]

Congratulations! You will find that after retirement, it takes a lot longer to do normal things. Takes me almost all day to mow the yard or change oil in truck! I could do both in an hour before retiring.  ;D

[rusticretreater]

Retirement, where every day is Saturday except when its Sunday.

Congrats!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v8KEbQA8kw

[21incher]

Congratulations.  It's  fun to wake up every morning and say what do I feel like doing today.

[Bert]

Congratulations! That's got to be a good feeling!

[Wlmedley]

Hope you enjoy your retirement.I know I sure have.

[Nebraska]

  congratulations, I hope to have that adventure someday day myself.

[low_48]

I retired 8 years ago. I had 2 years of euphoria, then my Mom started her serious decline due to dementia. It started out pretty easy, just extra trips to her home. Then by 2018 she was gone. The toll it took on me just knocked the sap out of me. I dropped all my plans of making furniture and artistic woodturning stopped. I started riding bicycles to clear my head when I was visiting her in assisted living and then REALLY needed that when she moved to the nursing home and she didn't recognize me any longer. 15,500 miles latter I still ride. It's pure joy riding at 15mph and smelling the air, seeing animals, and just plain relaxing. So my word of advice is don't worry about what you thought you were going to do in retirement, just take life as it comes along and enjoy the ride.

[Walnut Beast]

Time to have some fun and enjoy life!!

[SwampDonkey]

You got'r made now. Lots of sunshine and sawdust ahead.

[thecfarm]

I could enjoy doing that!!!!  ;D

[Gere Flewelling]

Thank you all for the many kind words of encouragement.  I feel quite fortunate to have found this Forum a few years ago.  It has become an important part of my life and daily routine.  I look forward to being an active and contributing member of it for as long as I am able.  I might even get better at posting pictures on it as time goes by .  GF

[Bruno of NH]

Gere,
Congratulations enjoy your Sawing time even more.
Climbing around a ski mountain is tough business. 
I couldn't imagine working on the groomers right on the side of the mountain. 
If you ever get time stop in for a sawmill visit. 
Bruno

[maple flats]

I retired 6.5 years ago. I kept getting up at 5-5:15 for almost 3 months, just out of habit. I finally and gradually slept later, so now I get up between 6-7:30, whenever I wake up.
You will soon find why others have told you they were busier after retiring than before. I never believd it before I retired. Part of it will eventually be because you work slower to get anything done, but that will take a while, it happens slowly.
May your health remain good and don't make the "to do list" too long. I gave up on those lists, they kept getting longer and longer, so I gave up on them. For the most part I now plan for that day, but I do still keep long range plans in my head. Enjoy retirement!

[Spike60]

I'll happily be joining this club come this December. (138 days actually) Looking forward to the change. Not at all worried about finding stuff to do. I already see that "working slower" effect maple flats mentioned. What I used to get done in a day and a 1/2 on the weekend might take the better part of the week now.

People often told me that when it's time to hang it up, I'd know it. Sure enough, that's just what happened. No months and months of wrestling with a decision. Thought about it a few days, and that was it, I'm baggin' it. Surprisingly clear decision too; no second thoughts at all. Only so much sand in life's hourglass, and we can't flip it over either.

Funny part for me is that a lot of people seem to think that owning a business should in some way alter the timeline vs a person that just leaves a job. They seem to think that finding a way to ensure the business continues should precede retirement. And I've seen guys in my shoes do that, sometimes with a sad ending. They burn up the remaining years they have trying to sell the business, and sometimes they never get out until they are wheeled out on a gurney. Be nice if someone takes over the shop, but regardless, I'm out of there at the end of the year.