Are You Retired And Did You Look Forward To It?

I'm trying to hold off till age 70 to collect SS so I have about 2-1/2 years to go, but YES, I will be ready for it.
 

I couldn't wait and if I could have afforded to do so would have retired earlier than age 56.I have been retire now for 23 years and love it. Life is good.
 
My wife and I had both planned on working until 66, which we are now, but my employer went through 2 rounds of layoffs and one caught me and my wife's company folded up at almost exactly the same time. So, we were both out a year earlier than planned which was unfortunate because we planned to put a lot of our 2 last years away. But, we were both so sick of corporate America that we just said screw it. My severance carried me through almost up until full SS retirement age, so not too short. We didn't get the mortgage paid off because of that last year we both missed which makes it a bit tighter than planned, so I'm thinking about something part time within the next few months to fill in.

The weird thing is that, while I was working, all I could think about was having enough time to pursue the hobbies I only had been dabbling in the last several years. Now that I have the time, I don't seem to want to do anything! Just sit on the couch, read my books, drink coffee and pet our kitties. I'm angry at myself for being this way but so far, that hasn't helped. Maybe working some, so that I feel a sense of urgency about time again, will help.

Edit: ...I did look forward to it mainly because I really hated all but two of the jobs I ever had.
 

I'm still working and will probably continue to do so at least until age 70 as I don't want to start my SS and already start dipping into my savings. I have a total of 7 people on both sides of my family who lived to be 88 and beyond so I have to plan for the possibility of a longer retirement. The second reason for not retiring as yet is that I am not yet ready to become a full-time caregiver to my 94 year old, slightly demented, handicapped mother. I currently spend 5 nights a week with her and about 18 hours each on Saturday and Sunday, but if I had to be there 24 hours a day 7 days a week with no one else to talk to I'd go absolutely crazy. During the week I have an aide come in 4 hours a day because I don't want her being alone all that time.

But to answer your question, I AM looking forward to retiring. There are so many things that I want to do that I can't do now and I can't wait.
 
Please don't take us back to the mid 60's when women were frowned upon working in what was considered a man's job. Please don't take us back to a time where we were making even less than what men were paid then. Please don't return to a period in our history which did not allow us the freedom to choose whatever we want to do with our life.

No one will go back to mandatory retirement at age 65. Not enough people have the money to support themselves now and people such as myself who might live till we're 112. Retiring before anyone is ready will only put them on the taxpayer toll.
 
I retired at sixty-three, so long ago I don't remember what I did when I was working.
 

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