Do you think retirement was what you pictured to be?

Lawrence00 said:
Not even close. My ex-wife killed my business and I've been struggling against age discrimination ever since. Plus I still am providing a second bedroom and more for a daughter that is both autistic and unwilling to face working for a living.
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What kind of discrimination?
 

My retirement will have to wait, even though I shall be eighty next birthday, work still beckons. Fact is I enjoy work, both for the camaraderie and the mental stimulation. I get up in the morning, and I have a place to go and something to do, that's what I like.
It's more like having a paid hobby. My wife is happy for me to keep on working and I have promised her that when it becomes too much I will step down.

There are lots of examples of others working beyond retirement age, a good one would be the outgoing US President. When I was a teenage boy a surgeon saved my shattered leg after I had been knocked down on a pedestrian crossing. That surgeon was 76, my father wept when he shook hands and thanked him. The surgeon joked about his eyesight but he was able to not only repair bone fracture, he repaired all the nerve ends that allowed me to wriggle my toes.

Retirement is not for everyone, but I do express sorrow for those who would prefer to be retired but are financially restricted from doing so. To those for whom work is an enjoyable stimulus, go for it. To retirees, enjoy your retirement, it's what you've worked a lifetime for.
 
Michael Z said:
What I expected, more or less. I hoped to travel a bit more during winter, With our new dogs and other matters we are not traveling much. So a little bit of a let down.

On the “better than expected side”, I have managed to rehab my shoulders with resistance bands to a level much better than when I was working. I can now do overhead work and sleep on my side. Also, better than expected are finances partially due to all loans being paid off and Medicare taking up insurance costs.

My prostate cancer seems to be in remission but now I am getting treatment for beginning stage glaucoma in one eye. But I am thankful for the quality care I am receiving. It’s hard to foresee something like this but you just have to deal with it.

Ice fishing has been better than expected!
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Tell us about your dogs!😀
 

My retirement isn't what I expected because I thought I'd still have my acreage, still ride horses, and do foster care. Instead, I got to the point I didn't want to do barn chores anymore, I didn't want to go out on cold days, or drive a tractor or even use a saw, so I moved to a 55+ senior community that I love, but I do regret that I can't do foster care here since it is strictly 55+. Probably if I could I'd find I'd gotten too old for that too.

I didn't anticipate the lower energy of aging.

My favorite part of retirement is not having to get up too early in the morning.
 
Honestly, I'd hoped... but I no idea what to expect. For me, the retirement transition was smoothed by the fact we'd established ourselves on a small rural acreage in a scenic area 30 years before. We'd bought the land (with a livable, upgradable house) unbelievably cheap (!) compared with today's prices. We were raising food. We needed to develop various shop & studio spaces, so it was helpful that I'd learned construction skills in my early 20s. We've been fortunate to enjoy a growing friendship circle here over the years.

Our purchase of the land occurred within a couple years of the launch of my non-fiction writing career. After about 16 years, I put writing on a back burner when I landed a job managing a regional business association. Along the way, I and my wife (who'd also worked since adolescent years on) had found a very good financial advisor and we invested. With both writing and the business association, a perk was interaction with many fascinating, often creative people. When I quit the management position, I'd say I did miss that aspect for a while.

Being retired allowed DW & I to travel more and further—having learned, many year before, how to do travel well on a tight budget. I also got back into writing, and I've edited people's work to prepare it for publication. So in retirement, this aspect has still had a place in my life. One of my most fulfilling current involvements is with a group that does environmental conservation and restoration, working in and along our river.
 
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BeefStu said:
They say God doesn't give us any more than we can handle in our lives. I do hope that saying is correct.
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BeefStu...I am amazed at what you have done and continue to do. I have been though some of this and I know how really difficult it can get. I think you know when you get through all of this, you will be very glad you hung with it! God Bless and keep you...
 
I have just embarked upon retirement. I am turning 70 this year and could have kept working, however it was becoming more challenging to keep up with the physical requirements at work. I wondered how long I would/could go on...because in these days it takes so much money to live.
I worry I may have to return to some part-time work in the future to make ends meet, but right now not wanting to do that at all.
I live in an old maintenance-intensive house so I won't run short of things to do as long as I have the inclination...lol.
 
jhummel73 said:
Tell us about your dogs!😀
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We have an Australian Shepherd and a Sheltie. Truthfully, these were all my wife’s idea. We had dogs when the kids were growing up and it was good, and if I were living alone, I think a (nice small calm) dog would be nice. But these dogs, especially the Aussie, are too high energy for my liking. Fortunately, we have 3/4 acre of lawn with an in ground fence for them to run around. Hoping they calm down a bit as they age - both are under 2 years old.
 
I was surprised for a few months after I retired at how much of my identity was tied to my job. Beyond that, it's slightly better than what I expected. Don't misunderstand. I expected a joy, and it is that, only a bit better.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
We got up and worked for 40+ years- that's approx. around 10,000 workdays. Now, that you are retired is retirement what you thought it would be? Any surprises?
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I’m bored to tears. Retirement was a bad decision that I’m trying to change. I’m replying to you now because I took a break from planning a new business.
 
I faced several challenging years, having retired during the pandemic. However, four years later, my life is truly wonderful. Every day, I have a club to attend, each offering outings and trips that keep me constantly engaged. I’ve met countless people and built a rich social life. The journey to this point was not easy, and I walked some very dark paths along the way. But now, I feel incredibly fortunate—physically fit and well—making the most of life at last.”
 
I’ve been semi retired for 12 years. The first 8 I spent with my husband traveling in our motorhome with 4 dogs and some European trips. During that time I lost 8 friends because of cancer. We also helped a few stay out of facilities which meant we helped them daily.

4 years ago I divorced my cheating husband and bought a small condo. I finished my bucket list travel by going to Europe 2 more times.

I helped another friend through a year illness and am helping another now. I’ve made some new friends that replaced the ones that died. My oldest son is local so I see him weekly. So things did turn out differently than I planned.
 
I expected to be settled on a farm in the Ozarks with my 1st husband. Animals galore. Grandkids coming over all the time... He got addicted to prescription meds, became a completely different (abusive) person, we divorced. I met and married current hubs, we moved south on a small piece of land with critters and I don't get to see my grandkids or son.
 
I don't think about retiring. I have a few years left anyway.

But honestly? I enjoy what I do for a living. It's not physically demanding, and I like the people.

I'm not the only one in my department that feels that way, either. At 61, I'm the youngest. There are three others, aged 66, 68, and 74.

None of them have any indicated they have any desire to call it quits, either.

The young guys call our department The Hospice.
 

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