Retired... now what ?

[baz]

After spending half my life working I made the decision and retired this past Friday. I'm excited... with all the various new things and adventures that are ahead of us for the next one third of our life.

I'm sure there are other Tugnuts that are retired, and so I'm joining the retiree club. 😀

I'm told retirement is vastly underrated !

 

[abcandjrc]

My wife and I moved aboard our Crealock 37 the day after my retirement and stayed afloat on it and an Atlantic 44 (sadly, switching to power was a mistake for us) for 8 years. I would not trade most of that time for anything. (Even working on the Atlantic........ sometimes 🙁 ).

The big problem, when living aboard, is that everyone except other liveaboards think you are insane. The number two question (after "How many does it sleep?", of course) is "What do you do all day?". We always had trouble with that until one morning when we heard the proper response on the "cruiser's net" in Marsh Harbour. The lady said "We tell them we get up at 0600 with nothing to do and when we go to bed at 2300, we haven't finished it yet!" Truer words were never spoken. You have no plan, no particular schedule, but the hours fill themselves with places, people, and things to do. If they don't, you are doing something wrong.

Not for one single moment have I wished to be back at work.

Bon Voyage (if you dare).

 

[Auklet]

Barry and Gil --- Don't worry about filling your time. The truth about retirement is that you will not gain any time. In fact you will have less of it. I have been retired for 16 years and now have to follow a strict "activity calendar" to discipline my time. The important thing is that I only do what I WANT to do. I have so many projects and services that they are now beginning to infringe on my boating. But we are working on that. I have never worked so hard and I have never enjoyed it more. Good luck to you. --- Cary

 

[JamesTXSD]

Wow, when we retired 6 years ago, we had spent a lot more than half our lives working. 😉 Most of us thrive in retirement... some have trouble with the adjustment. We retired in our early 50s, spent the first couple years trying to wear out our C-Dory, added another RV to the mix, and then decided to work an occasional season in the National Parks. I've been driving a cruise boat, my darling wife is managing the marina retail operation. For several months, we both work as hard as we did before retiring... but with the knowledge that it is "a fun summer job"... more of a diversion, from my perspective. Next summer, we plan to be back out boat cruising and/or RVing. As it is, we spend a couple months at our home and travel the rest of the time.

Even though we owned our own businesses, the best thing about retirement is the lack of schedule... oh, most of us still schedule our time, but you can say, "Let's head for the Keys... or the PNW... or Lake Powell..." when you decide. We let the calendar help with the locations.

Congratulations on this next chapter. For the "now what?" - enjoy!

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[knotflying]

Man, I am encouraged when I read those good things. I'm 57 and sold my business and have been having fun ever since. In the back of my mind is the nagging feeling of "hopefully the money holds out", but there is always the national park system to boost the finances and have fun doing it.

 

[eric]

I retired two years ago and then recently started a small business. Sort of sorry I did as its eating up time again. But if I work hard this winter maybe I can get it to point I can just hire someone and go boating full time again heh heh
Eric

 

[eric]

By the way. I still have it that every thursday afternnoon until Sunday night are dedicated to boating or whatever I want.
(if my Wife says so) :lol:
Eric

 

[baz]

Well, my first non get-up day is tomorrow... it will be then that being retired will hit... 🙂

First two days since last Friday have been helping son in law get his sailboat back into the water and the taking 8 family members and two children for a short cruise over to Poulsbo and back today. It was fun and we crossed paths with another Ranger Tug and we exchanged greeting over VHF with the other tug saying farewell and "see you at the rendezvous..." 🙂

I was quite pleased to see how ell the R25 accommodated 8 people and two children. A little cramped but with two adults sitting in the cockpit it worked out just fine.

End of August we set sail for Roche Harbor for a week and a bit to wander about the San Juan islands and meet up with more family members.

See you all at the Tug Fest Rendezvous... Sep 9-11 unless we hunker down at a favorite place and anchor. 😉

 

[Levitation]

I have not missed "the working life" for even one day since a sudden ailment put me down last October... Sold the business and the buildings and equipment and I am having a ball playing with my tractors, etc... Going to spend more time down South with the boat this winter, than last... But then I was only weeks from being down flat and helpless and my endurance wasn't anything to brag about...

As far as filling your days - that is up to you... I can't find enough hours to do it all... I get up, turn around three times, click my ruby red slippers together, and it's time for bed already... Guess they don't make ruby red slippers like they used to...

OTOH, one of my colleagues who retired about the same time is going through depression and says he feels useless... We each make our path through life...
To you, I say dive in with gusto... I suspect you will be happy like a clam in warm mud... If not, you have the option of working some on YOUR terms, like JamesTXD and others do...
Or even of un-retiring (uuuugh - knock on wood, salt over my left shoulder, turn around three times, and where is my lucky rabbits foot?)

 

[Stella Maris]

Barry,
First, Congratulations! Hard work and dedication are supposed to pay off in the end with a period of time in your life that you get to do what you want to do! You and Gil have been through a lot in the short time we have known you. Now is the time that you go out and enjoy each other and the world around you.

Cal on Misty Blue has the best saying for retirement. "It is not a time to quit work, simply a time to work a job that you want to and enjoy". Cal has worked at REI (!), Home Depot, and a number of other fun place since he retired. Maureen and I keep looking to the future when we too will "retire". My idea of retirement is to do as Jim has done, work at a National Park or some other "fun" location. My "dream job" is to pump fuel at the fuel dock a Dangling Rope Marina on Lake Powell. If you have not been there, it is 45 miles down lake from Bullfrog or 45 miles up lake from Page. Only one way in, boat....... see the connection? Our plan is to work six months a year, and boat six months.

Go out, have fun! Enjoy life to its fullest! Not one of us knows how long we will be here, don't let a day go to waste.

David and Maureen