Retirement Gloat

[drw]

Well it finally happened...as of July 1, I am officially retired! While I had a great career and worked with some wonderful people, I am excited to be entering this phase of my life in good health and good spirits. We recently completed an addition to our house that includes a small shop, so I plan to get in a lot more shop time, play more golf, read books that have long been stacked beside my chair, and make more frequent trips to see the grandchildren.
:gar-Bi
Life is good!
Donn

 

[froglips]

Congrats! Sounds like you have one heck of a plan too!

Jim

 

[ScottM]

Congratulations....Enjoy your new life.:icon_thum

 

[LeftyTom]

Glad you have turned the corner on a new chapter in the long, strange trip it had been.
(Wow, I got 3 cliches in one sentence. Does that score extra points?)

 

[Trent Mason]

Congrats! Sounds like you've got it all planned out. :icon_thum

 

[RayH]

Donn,

You are right. Life IS good. And retirement is even GOODER!! :wink_smil I've been a practicing retiree for about 10+ years now, and still can't figure out how I had time to go to work back then. I am astounded by my fellow retirees who can find nothing to do without having someone organize it for them.

My only recommendation is to pace yourself. Don't want to suffer early burnout:gar-La;

Congrats and best wishes to you,
Ray

 

[Canuck]

Congratulations Donn!:icon_cheers

YES retirement is SO GOOD!!!

The advice about pacing yourself is a good one. I am sure that you will find that you don't really have that much extra time on hands. I haven't stopped working on the project list for the past five years and I still seeing family members adding to it. No need for tool justification with all this work on your hands.

Enjoy and by all means look after your health as number 1!!:wsmile:

Wayne

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Congratulations, Donn. And ++ on what Ray and Wayne said about being retired. I crossed over to the "light side" three years ago and it's been great. I keep wondering how I managed to get all my chores done when I was still working, but seem to have even less free time now. Of course, it could be that I sleep later and spend more time in the shop every day. :rotflm::rotflm:

Welcome to the light side.

Bill

 

[JackLeg]

Congratulations, Donn! :icon_thumAs my buddy told me, "There ain't gonna be one thing you don't like about it!!"
And, he was right. I've never had a day with nothing to do, never been bored, and feel I am a blessed individual to be able to live in this country where we can have this lifestyle! I only hope it continues! :wsmile:

 

[Ray Martin]

Donn,

Congrats on getting to such a great place in life. I'm more than a bit jealous. Here's hoping you get all the shop time you want from now on.

 

[drw]

For all the great advice and encouragement, Thank You! Indeed, I feel very blessed to be at this stage in my life.

Cheers!
ccasion1
Donn

 

[Glennbear]

Congratulations Donn :eusa_clap I retired 3 years ago and love the new lifestyle. Another member once made the observation that retirement gives you the license to overextend yourself and I have found that to be very true. :gar-La; One learns fairly quickly to budget all the new found "free time". :wsmile:

 

[willarda]

I retired from the EPA on June 30 to spend more time teaching woodworking and making furniture. The great thing is that my wife is so supportive--nothing better! Plus no kids, no debts and our mortagae is about gone.

 

[richlife]

Congratulations Donn :eusa_clap I retired 3 years ago and love the new lifestyle. Another member once made the observation that retirement gives you the license to overextend yourself and I have found that to be very true. :gar-La; One learns fairly quickly to budget all the new found "free time". :wsmile:

Congratulations, Donn! :icon_cheers This will be perhaps the most fantastic part of your life. I retired more than 6 years ago and can only agree with all the positive comments about it. I think I must have been the one that Glenn quoted as having a "license to overextend yourself" (or else someone else used exactly the same words). It is so true -- but the best part is that you can always adjust those deadlines! :rotflm:.

Keep on keeping on! And remember that your shop may be your mainstay, but there as SO many other things to be done and to be enjoyed. With all the internet forums, you can find something new or something to improve an existing skill. Although I've been grilling for almost 40 years, it's only this year that I got a really good grill (and now a smoker -- craigslist is your friend) and have begun to be a true grillmaster! (Emphasis on "begun" ).

Enjoy and feel free to "over-extend". :gar-La; Rich