Retired and Still Working
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Last year Joe and I decided it was time to retire. Joe is very close to retirement age but I am a little bit younger (nothing like rubbing it in!). Our decision definitely wasn’t based on financial status as a few more years of work would have helped in that area. However, we both wanted to travel before one or both of us got to a point where we couldn’t do so. We talked to too many people who said either they or their spouse got sick (or worse) and couldn’t enjoy retirement. We decided it was time to spend the kids’ inheritance leaving them nothing but wonderful pictures of the places we had been, and to let them watch the dust on the wheels of our RV as we headed down the road.
I do believe it was the poet, Robert Burns, who said something like "the best laid plans of mice and men, oft times gang aglee" (go astray). Well, my plans "ganged agleed" alright :0
After a wonderful summer of traveling here and there and everywhere, I took a part-time position for the winter in the company where I had previously worked. I wanted a little mad money for Christmas and I really missed the routine of going to work. After all when you don’t have to go to work, you never have a TGIF moment! (just kidding) Really though, being the organized person that I am, I do tend to like routine stuff. Besides I am not a "sitter-arounder" and I didn’t want to spend the whole winter long staring at Joe and watching TV. (If someone would set up my Wii for me, it would keep my mind and body active :0
I started back to work last week and it really wasn’t too bad. I work only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays so Joe and I can have long weekends if we want to travel during the winter. Chris and Ponzi are safe from our visits as the distance is too great but there is always our son and daughter-in-law in Texas! Oh, lucky them!! I really kind of, sort of enjoyed being back to work. It was nice catching up on everyone’s lives and, trust me, there is a lot less stress when you don’t have a caseload on your shoulders, or a phone to answer or customers to please or a quantity of work to get out. Even though I am just doing paper processes, I will continue doing my very best quality work but it sure is great knowing my job performance won’t determine my raise or a year-end review isn’t breathing down my neck! And, boy-oh-boy, is it surrrrre nice knowing that come summertime we will be on the road again!
5 Comments
Christopher aka CM
October 15th, 2007
at 5:46am
Hello Judy,
Joe is….. Christopher’s Dad, your husband?
Oh, thats to bad you cant fly out to Seattle to see Christopher and Ponzi… I guess that means you guys still live in Iowa? I guess, your unableness to fly out there to see them, I guess that gives you a reason to yell at Christopher for living so darn far away lol.
Take Care,
Christopher
http://journals.aol.com/cmarlow330/ChristophersJournal/
Charlie
October 15th, 2007
at 12:28pm
I absolutely love the stories you tell on your blog. You are a natural when it comes to writing.
I don’t know about spending the kid’s inheritance though, some kids really count on that…lol…they might have to sell those wonderful pictures you and your hubby have been on eBay…lol…I can see a person like you missing the routine of work…most people I know said they would have retired at age 20 if they could have…lol…a friend of mine in his early 30’s, lost a job he worked at for awhile. He went on unemployment, which lasts about 6 months and the economy was so bad at that time, that The President of the United States extended unemployment benefits for another 26 weeks. After being on unemployment for 1 year, my friend said, “Too bad, I now have to look for a job.” Lol…I bet you that if he could have collected for the rest of his life, he never would have gone back to work…lol. But it is not true that when you do not work, you do not have a TGIF moment. You do, everyday is a TGIF moment…lol…I just saw a poll on the internet that said, if you won the lottery, would you continue to work? 71% said no, they would no longer work and 29% said that they would. Most people work so that they can pay their bills, save some money, and have some fun, I think if you had the money where you did not need to work, most people would rather have the time to themselves to do what they wanted. Travel, hobbies etc. You could still be the organized person you are without working. You can get up at a certain time, have breakfast, shower, clean, go shopping, read the paper, listen to the news, go to the gym, do some of your hobbies and the days would fly by. Let everyone else run around like a chicken without their head going to work while you relax and take it easy.
Keep your thoughts coming. They sure are nice to read.
Grace
October 18th, 2007
at 7:53pm
Miss Judy,
Nice work. I read. I enjoyed! keep it comin kid!
Your sis-in-law,
Grace….AKA Chris’ aunt
Ron Schenone
October 24th, 2007
at 5:01am
Hi Judy,
Your story brought to light some real hard facts that all of us must face as we age. We must balance the need for monetary stability as well as pleasure to be able to enjoy doing some traveling before it is to late.
Like you I am semi-retired and this past year my wife and I were able to spend a week with our older daughter and three grandkids, who also live in Texas. Then it was off to Connecticut for a weeks stay with the middle daughter & her husband and we were able to tour the New England states.
We just returned from a weeks visit to Hawaii.
I hope you and Joe get to do some traveling and enjoy each others company.
All the best, Ron
Russ Lawrence
October 24th, 2007
at 9:22am
I retired in 2005 and have not looked back at all… I had to sell my Goldwing motorcycle as it was to heavy (1000 lbs) for the arthritis in the legs to handle… I bought a motor scooter and love it…
I enjoy not working, getting up when I want to,,, usually 10 am,,, and not having a schedule to follow.
Enjoy your retirement…