Retirement has arrived with a bump

[PaulinKendal]

What's on the bench? Not a clue! I just can't bring myself to sit indoors in this blazing weather. We've also been sailing in the Golfe de Morbihan in southern Brittany - and I've retired!

I hadn't been meaning to, but my employers acted like such monumental numbskulls that I really had no option. A shame really, as I loved the job, and I'm a couple of years off state pension age, but I just couldn't in all good conscience do what they were asking me to.

So I'm done! Retired, for two weeks and counting.

[Ian M]

I can only say two things-
1. Congratulations!
2. Right now a better place to take an early retirement is hard to think of.

[Jim R]

Congratulations. You'll see retirement as a real plus in your life even though it may seem slightly daunting initially. One thing you will find is "How the hell you ever found time to work".

[Airborne01]

Congratulations Paul! However, if your wife is anything like mine you'll finish up working harder than when in 'employment'! Having said that you'll soon realise that time is yours to do with as you will - 'er indoors permitting of course :tears-of-joy:
Steve

[Tim Marlow]

Congrats Paul. Your story seems similar to mine. I went (very) early in the end because I simply didn’t want to do what I was doing any more. I loved my job, until we became a “private government company “ and the lunatics took over the asylum. The last two years I got pushed into a role I never asked for and didn’t want so thought, what’s the point. Haven’t missed it in the slightest. Enjoy your time mate, you’ve earned it.

[Andy the Sheep]

It's a huge step in a man's life (and in a wife's life too! :smiling.
I'm not formally retired (have to wait till next october) but, for all practical aspects, I am and it's a nice change even if I loved my job.
Hope you'll enjoy every moment from now on and sailing around Brittany is a nice start ... and this is said by a pathological sea/air sick guy :dizzy: .

[Dave Ward]

The company I worked for decided to close the British office - I was offered a job in Cologne, but I decided I was too old to go and work in another country, so I gratefully took their ( generous ) severance package.
Do I miss it? - Emphatically NO - although I enjoyed my work, afterwards I realised how stressful it really was, and the effect it had on me - I reckon most of my health problems had their roots in that stress. I no longer have to get up at 06:30, deal with stroppy underlings, and even stroppier bosses! - and keep my own design work on schedule. Most people would think that I'm just aimlessly drifting at the moment, but after 40 years of continous work, its bliss!
Dave

[Allen Dewire]

Great news Paul!!! Being retired does tale a bit of getting used too though. I'm retired for a year and a half now and it took me about a year to realize it. I'd get up in the morning thinking I had to go to work, drink my coffee and start getting ready to leave. Bang, then it hit me that I was retired and didn't have to go any where...

Enjoy it Sir, and hope to see you at the bench sometime soon...

Prost
Allen

[Gern]

I'd been doing agency teaching work for a few years until my local unemployment office got fed up of sorting out new claims every few months that only lasted for a couple of weeks before they had to change them again. They decided I should take early retirement at 60. That was 10 years ago and it's been blissful! I only have two commitments on my weekly timetable - shopping once a week and helping my grandson PJ for a few hours each Monday. The rest of the time is all mine to do with as I choose.

Enjoy your retirement Paul and don't let other folk - apart from SWMBO of course! - try to tell you what you should be doing with your life.

[Waspie]

Ahh, retirement. It's what you make of it.
For me, ten years ago I took early retirement!! 61 - great!! I thought. I lasted 3 weeks - bored to death. Found a nice quiet night job watching super yachts being built. Then at 68 I finally decided I had enough. So packed it in. Retired proper!!!
Then SWIMBO's list of jobs needing looking at raised its ugly head. Still working my way through it. I'm sure it's in a loop!!!
I am informed I have a day off tomorrow. (Well - after the loft underlay is repaired!)
Enjoy the ability to control your own day.

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks for the VERY kind words, folks! Sounds like we're all enjoying retirement in our own ways.

I just spent a glorious day with one of my nephews and his girlfriend in Little Langdale - fell walking, wild swimming, and dinner in the back garden of a tiny cottage looking out at this view of the Langdale Pikes, bliss!

And no work tomorrow - or ever!

[Airborne01]

Thanks for the VERY kind words, folks! Sounds like we're all enjoying retirement in our own ways.

I just spent a glorious day with one of my nephews and his girlfriend in Little Langdale - fell walking, wild swimming, and dinner in the back garden of a tiny cottage looking out at this view of the Langdale Pikes, bliss!

And no work tomorrow - or ever!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1202560[/ATTACH]

That's a beautiful view! I retired a little over 15 years ago at 60 - my wife and me are avid world travellers and experiencing days like those are truly what life is about! She is much younger than me and we are looking forward to facilitating her early retirement in a year or so when we can fully indulge our passion - first stop Bhutan! Hope you enjoy many more similarly wonderful days!
Steve

[Waspie]

That's a beautiful view! I retired a little over 15 years ago at 60 - my wife and me are avid world travellers and experiencing days like those are truly what life is about! She is much younger than me and we are looking forward to facilitating her early retirement in a year or so when we can fully indulge our passion - first stop Bhutan! Hope you enjoy many more similarly wonderful days!
Steve

Nice, I did all my globe trotting when I was a lot younger than I am now. Only place I regret missing out on was Viet Nam.
Now it’s all about getting beaten up by grandkids!!! Oh! And thrashed on Ps5!!!! (That’s when I’m not painting something!!!)

[Andy the Sheep]

Thanks for the VERY kind words, folks! Sounds like we're all enjoying retirement in our own ways.

I just spent a glorious day with one of my nephews and his girlfriend in Little Langdale - fell walking, wild swimming, and dinner in the back garden of a tiny cottage looking out at this view of the Langdale Pikes, bliss!

And no work tomorrow - or ever!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1202560[/ATTACH]

I had to google "Little Langdale" to be certain it exists as I thought the land in the picture was The Shire! I bet there are some Hobbits somewhere in this pic. :upside:

[adt70hk]

Congratulations on making the move..... Even if it is not in the circumstances you would have wished for.