Happiness with yourself

My husband retired at age 67 on July 4th, 2020 and it was tough for him to get use to doing almost, nothing. I keep him telling him that he needs to enjoy life. And that he is, he's buying books like they are going out of style. But, he is having a ball staying at home. He prefers to stay home ~ watch TV and read.

Enjoy your well earned retirement! Good to have you as a virtual friend.
Does he watch network TV? Netflix Youtube? etc. Just wondering. Were there any tricks that helped him do it? Did he use doctors of counselors for a while? Your husband is my hero. That was my full intention, and I've found it hard to do.

Wish that you guys were in Florida instead of Texas. I'd love to get together and hear hour your husband survived the transition.
 

Does he watch network TV? Netflix Youtube? etc. Just wondering. Were there any tricks that helped him do it? Did he use doctors of counselors for a while? Your husband is my hero. That was my full intention, and I've found it hard to do.

Wish that you guys were in Florida instead of Texas. I'd love to get together and hear hour your husband survived the transition.
Boy does he watch network TV. That man can switch channels like a pro. I get vertigo while he does this and go watch TV elsewhere (bedroom). He doesn't really care for Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. He loves to watch the news and has a crush on Brian Williams. I'm kidding about that; I'm a nut and you'll soon see more of my nuttiness.

He never went to seek the help of a counselor; I was his counselor. LOL And I got paid for it ~ $$$$.

I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else; my immediate family are all in Texas.
 
My wonderful wife is making sure that I get out a few times every day. No park is left unwalked, plus trips to grocery and Walmart. Nurses are incredibly high stress. How long did it take you to pull back and accept retirement? Did you need some pharmaceutical help for a while? I don't mean to pry. I'm just trying to tell how long this weird kind of panic goes on.
It took some time. You get up and go to work for around 45 years, you aren't going to break that cycle by Thursday. Yeah, you do feel like you want to be back at work. What I found that helped was planning to do things. Say you like to (insert your own fun idea), make a day of it, plan out the trip. Sooner or later, you'll view retirement not as being away from life, but having a life to do with as you wish.
 

I didn't know that you came out of education. Then you know how it is. I was literally addicted to the stress. Now I'm having stress withdrawal. Help me Packer. What do you do all day? I just need something interesting to fill the hours? Otherwise, I'll go over to the dark side and volunteer to sit at an empty desk and say, "welcome to the home".
To Daytona Al: I have always had some sort of hobbies and that has kept me very busy for the last 21 years that I have been happily retired. I do floor exercises when I get up. After breakfast I do a daily walk 5 times/week. I also play and sing with my guitar and I'm always looking for more songs. I've got over a thousands songs and still looking for more. I enjoy photography; putting my photos on the computer and sending them to folks. As a former teacher I'm a bookworm and always have a book or two on the go. I read each day. Sometimes I go to the library just to browse. I also have a KOBO e-reader so often download from the library. I have been a world traveler for years and have been to 66 countries. My last trip, just a few weeks ago was to The Yukon, here in Canada. When my wife was alive we used to make wine. I have made 66 batches over the years which amounted to nearly 2,000 bottles. I spend time on the computer but limit it to about 2 hours/day. News is always bad so I only glance at it. Been busy now for a few weeks putting my favourite songs from LP records unto USB sticks. I hate commercials so I have not had cable for over 2 decades. In the evening I watch my own DVDs that I order from Amazon (Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Kokaj, Streets of San Francisco, etc.) I never watch modern movies: can't stand the poor stories, violence and those terrible musical tracks they seem to stick in modern movies. Don't forget: there are 2 meals to prepare, laundry, every Saturday, dusting. I never had or will ever have a boring day. I got no time to volunteer nor do I have any time to sit around and feel sorry for myself. Life is just too short.
 
It took some time. You get up and go to work for around 45 years, you aren't going to break that cycle by Thursday. Yeah, you do feel like you want to be back at work. What I found that helped was planning to do things. Say you like to (insert your own fun idea), make a day of it, plan out the trip. Sooner or later, you'll view retirement not as being away from life, but having a life to do with as you wish.
Thank you so much fuzzybuddy. I'm not there yet but can see it on the horizon. The next hurtle is prostate surgery next week. That is all tied up with missing my work, and making me bit anxious.
 
@Daytona Al

I retired completely 16 years ago and it took me quite awhile to get settled into a new routine. Looking out the kitchen sipping coffee while my neighbors drove off to work in the morning made me feel a little guilty. ..... But LOL, I got over that in a few months. My wife, on the other hand adapted immediately. At this point neither of us would want to return.
 
Hi Al, they say that a view of the ocean lifts depression but I once knew a man who said that on a dark, rainy day, it made it worse. So he moved.
 
@Daytona Al

I retired completely 16 years ago and it took me quite awhile to get settled into a new routine. Looking out the kitchen sipping coffee while my neighbors drove off to work in the morning made me feel a little guilty. ..... But LOL, I got over that in a few months. My wife, on the other hand adapted immediately. At this point neither of us would want to return.
We have exactly the same life. My wife talks on the telephone, cooks, cleans and just loves it. She feels no different than she did if we were working. The only thing is that she is ten years younger and would like to work a few days per seek, but worries about me being alone in this tiny condo. I need to get adjusted, so that she can get back to home nursing a bit.
 
All will go well with your upcoming surgery. Keeping you in my prayers.

One day at a time...
Thanks so much Pam. I feel like you are becoming a friend. We drove six hours to Tampa for 20 minutes of pre-surgical tests. I assume everything turned out alright and we're on track. We're headed back (accompanied by a wonderful cousin) on the 20th, with surgery on the 22nd. With any luck, I'll be out after one night. I hate to be hospitalized three hours from home, but that it where the advanced robots are and they make all the difference.
 
Thanks so much Pam. I feel like you are becoming a friend. We drove six hours to Tampa for 20 minutes of pre-surgical tests. I assume everything turned out alright and we're on track. We're headed back (accompanied by a wonderful cousin) on the 20th, with surgery on the 22nd. With any luck, I'll be out after one night. I hate to be hospitalized three hours from home, but that it where the advanced robots are and they make all the difference.
I don't like staying in a hospital either. After my last surgery, the surgeon said I could go home; I jumped off that stretcher pretty fast before they sat me in a wheelchair to wheel me out. I was so happy to be going home. Hubby dropped me off and off he went to work a 12 hour shift. I was being watched by my mom from heaven and of course, God.
 
I don't like staying in a hospital either. After my last surgery, the surgeon said I could go home; I jumped off that stretcher pretty fast before they sat me in a wheelchair to wheel me out. I was so happy to be going home. Hubby dropped me off and off he went to work a 12 hour shift. I was being watched by my mom from heaven and of course, God.
Your husband sounds like a great and loving guy? What does he do in his 12 hour shifts? I it medical? My wife is a nurse, though taking some time off during out transition.
 
Your husband sounds like a great and loving guy? What does he do in his 12 hour shifts? I it medical? My wife is a nurse, though taking some time off during out transition.
He was a supervisor in the Emergency Room Admitting Dept. (at a medical center) He's retired.
 


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