I'm so glad to be retired........

[cpaharley2008]

After watching the grid lock on I95 south of Baltimore all the way down to Richmond, Va. It is one giant parking lot due to the snow. I used to drive in that area while employed but now can watch it on tv and shake my head. It seems drivers south of the Mason-Dixon line can not handle foul weather. I feel sorry for them somewhat.

[Mike Lewis]

I was thinking the same thing: I'm glad I'm not caught up in that anymore.

[Iowa Dave]

Our dog Jake likes to get up at 5:30 AM. He might not even need to go outside , just wants to get up and bark at the neighbors some as far as 3/8 of a mile away when they exit their driveway. He’s a good watchdog and I can live with getting up that early. Because after things calm down we both go back to sleep and take our first nap of the day. I cannot believe that I got up at 5:40 every morning, even on the weekends when I was working. So now I just assess the load of traffic on the county highway for about 15 seconds and say Man, I’m glad I am retired.
Iowa , where you can slide into the ditch on your way to coffee and walk. 1/4 mile to a farmhouse, wake a farmer, get pulled out with a used $150,000 tractor, and be rejected when you offer him money for the tow. But when you get to coffee, 5 miles away, and you’re late, everybody knows where you went in, who pulled you out and that since he didn’t charge you, (never does) you ought to pay for everybody’s breakfast.
Love those Internationals

[cpaharley2008]

Interesting story that mirrors what I experienced while at Parsons. Pulled over to check a rattle (expression my father used) and lo and behold started to slide down the shoulder. It is about 9 pm in the middle of a nowhere and next to a cornfield. No cell phones back then. Saw some lights on a house up the road, walked down and knocked on the door. Explained to the farmer I was stuck and he said he would would be down in 30 minutes. Pulled up with his red Farmall tractor and pulled me out. Refused any money.....true story!

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Our dog Jake likes to get up at 5:30 AM. He might not even need to go outside , just wants to get up and bark at the neighbors some as far as 3/8 of a mile away when they exit their driveway. He’s a good watchdog and I can live with getting up that early. Because after things calm down we both go back to sleep and take our first nap of the day. I cannot believe that I got up at 5:40 every morning, even on the weekends when I was working. So now I just assess the load of traffic on the county highway for about 15 seconds and say Man, I’m glad I am retired.
Iowa , where you can slide into the ditch on your way to coffee and walk. 1/4 mile to a farmhouse, wake a farmer, get pulled out with a used $150,000 tractor, and be rejected when you offer him money for the tow. But when you get to coffee, 5 miles away, and you’re late, everybody knows where you went in, who pulled you out and that since he didn’t charge you, (never does) you ought to pay for everybody’s breakfast.
Love those Internationals

I detest being barked at by neighbors' dogs; when I'm in my own yard minding my own business, why can't they do the same? But there's no reasoning with someone else's dog.


I grew up in Michigan. I remember the winter day I was running a high fever (maybe 8 or 9 years old?) and my parents bundled me into the big Pontiac Catalina to take me to the ER (it was a Saturday, and back then doctor offices were closed all weekend). The snowdrifts were so tall the tops would blow over the hood when you hit them. Some of the time the only way Dad could guess where the road might be was by gauging from the tops of the fenceposts just across the ditch. We got stuck in a drift almost in front of a neighbor's farmhouse. Soon old Tony came outside, fired up his Caterpillar dozer, came and pulled us out. Good neighbors. I never forgot, and over the years now that we live in OK where folks aren't used to the white stuff and the ice, since I always keep a vehicle with AWD or 4WD handy I've stopped to help pull out a few hapless southern drivers, too.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

After watching the grid lock on I95 south of Baltimore all the way down to Richmond, Va. It is one giant parking lot due to the snow. I used to drive in that area while employed but now can watch it on tv and shake my head. It seems drivers south of the Mason-Dixon line can not handle foul weather. I feel sorry for them somewhat.

Hi: cpaharley2008... I'm so glad too!!! Just got my pension statement from my employment pension. They have already paid me more than twice what I paid them, & I got a raise to boot. This isn't counting the two Gov. pensions I get.
Best job I've ever had!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[ghosthunter]

I just retired on December 31. Love not having to go out if I don’t want too.

[Mike G]

I have at least 3 years to go before I can retire. Unless Alf and some of you other lucky guys would like to donate to my early retirement fund? Ohhh, to be able to visit the national parks in the off-season, and to follow the fall color southward for a month or more. I keep hoping someone will volunteer to go back to work, and send the earnings to me....

[tractors1]

No more driving in the dark, ice, and snow. We no longer carry snow brushes in our vehicles. Don't have studded tires anymore, and haven't used chains in 20+ years.



After I retired my commute is a 700 ft stroll down to my shop. If it's bad weather or icy, I just wait it out..........


Life is good!

[Iowa Dave]

Jake is a little different. He barks when he’s inside the house and nobody but us hears him. Outside he is preoccupied with other sights sounds and especially smells. My neighbor put a set of deer antlers out along the woods to dry and bleach out. Jake ran by them about 15 feet,
Threw on the brakes, pointed and crept in. The antlers didn’t fly but they will need a little more time to dry now.
I have pushed snow over the hood a number of times. Best plow truck ever was a 1972 3/4 ton Full sized Chevy pickup with BF Goodrich Super All Traction tires. Just had the right balance, a naturally balanced engine and lockout hubs on the front, and a positraction rear end.
I love the winter, wouldn’t want to live anywhere else than where I do. 74 winters and counting.
Iowa Dave

[sherminator]

48 months for me, not that I'm counting or anything. Of course, either my employer or I could get tired of the other before then and create another contributor to the Great Resignation.

[sofmerc]

"Semi retired"....I work for a month and then get a month off..

[stratos175]

How can someone not like being retired?

Soon to be 4 years ago I got fired from a company that for most of the 21 years my rep firm represented them they told me I was part of their family, told many of the other firms they would never fire me, they were 85% of my firms income. Well guess what, they changed their mind. At first I panicked then some of my money advisors said Steve how much a month do you truly need to live on? Well after doing the math and having two retirement counselors check it I've never looked back, happy to say I got to retire at 57.

Only problem I have is my better 1/2, she is not quite ready to call it quits yet, 3 more years she says so we only get to use our Escape a few times a year.

Enjoy the journey,

Steve

[rmitch]

After 4 wonderful years of retirement. My standard answer to anyone asking how retirement is. " I highly recommend it to everyone!"

[Oldtimer]

Retirement is wonderful( 11 yrs now) with one exception ……… the honey do list get twice as long lol

David

[cpaharley2008]

Sixteen years now, my father said the length of retirement should equal and exceed the length of employment to earn the retirement....14 years to go!

[Oldtimer]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Sixteen years now, my father said the length of retirement should equal and exceed the length of employment to earn the retirement....14 years to go!

May they be great long years

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Our dog Jake likes to get up at 5:30 AM. He might not even need to go outside , just wants to get up and bark at the neighbors some as far as 3/8 of a mile away when they exit their driveway. He’s a good watchdog and I can live with getting up that early. Because after things calm down we both go back to sleep and take our first nap of the day. I cannot believe that I got up at 5:40 every morning, even on the weekends when I was working. So now I just assess the load of traffic on the county highway for about 15 seconds and say Man, I’m glad I am retired.
Iowa , where you can slide into the ditch on your way to coffee and walk. 1/4 mile to a farmhouse, wake a farmer, get pulled out with a used $150,000 tractor, and be rejected when you offer him money for the tow. But when you get to coffee, 5 miles away, and you’re late, everybody knows where you went in, who pulled you out and that since he didn’t charge you, (never does) you ought to pay for everybody’s breakfast.
Love those Internationals

Love IT ! My Father's whole family was from Iowa on The River(he has gone back, Well, Prairie WI). I go back when I can.

[Chasing Trials]

I was in home Construction for 40+ yrs. The last 30 yrs of that, was self-employed Handy WOman. Been retired really the last 9 yrs, but still "self employed", as in truly working for myself. I'm slowly finishing my last house, I designed to "Age In Place" in. My Father is 95, so could be in it awhile, if I'm not driving around the country someday in the future.

[emers382]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Sixteen years now, my father said the length of retirement should equal and exceed the length of employment to earn the retirement....14 years to go!

Almost caught up with you Jim. First career booted at 50. Second career ages 57-63, so that's seven plus eight more now for 15 total. But I'd need another 20 to be retired as long as I've worked. I doubt I'll make it to 91 though.