Retirement

[Mobasser]

In four more weeks, I'll be retiring from 35 yrs of carpentry work. It's kind of a turning point, like getting your first car, or getting married.                                                      I was hired with a local union in 1985, in the carpentry apprentiship program. I had to attend classes 2 nights per week, and work during the day.                          The early years were hard.  I spent most of the apprentiship packing concrete forms on commercial jobs. I had many days when I wondered if I was really cut out for this work, as it was so physically demanding.                   In 1989, I took the test to make journeyman. I failed the test once, but 4mos later passed

 with a perfect score. Journeymen carry more respect on the big jobs, but the work is still very hard.                                               I started having some knee problems and a slight hip problem by 2000, so I left the union and hired in with a general contractor, supervising a crew on home remodeling, and older house rehab and the last three years I've worked for my daughter who buys some older homes and rents or re sells them.                                                               I plan on staying busy, helping a friend who has a small home repair business 2 or 3 days per week, mostly on small jobs.                 I'm hoping I have more time to spend with my family and grandkids. Maybe some more fishing time also.                                        It's. been a long, tough road.Ive packed so much lumber, driven so many nails, and cut so many boards I think I could do it in my sleep.                                               I have 4 yr old grandaughter who comes over to our house most every Saturday afternoon. Last time she was over, she was sitting at the kithcen table, working on her coloring book.                   She overheard my wife and I talking about all this retirement stuff, and said" granpa, you should be happy, you made it!"                                                       My granddaughter Trinity summed it up well. That's right Trin, somehow I made it.

 

 

[Way2slow]

It took me a long time to feel comfortable with being retired.  I was always thinking I should be doing something, or doing something you want to do and feeling like there's something else you should be doing.

At first, you will be coming up with different things to do because you are just looking for something to do.  After a while, that passes, it's worse than when you were working, trying to find time to do something you need to do.

[Tennessee Boy]

Congratulations.  

[Glenn]

[roadwarrior]

                        

[MN Fisher]

Sounds like you've earned it, sir. Congrats...

 

Now, long as you don't end up like me - my 'retirement' consists mainly of caring for my semi-disabled wife. My chances to go out fishing currently are very limited...we are working to correct that imbalance though.

[Bankbeater]

Congratulations!! 

[throttleplate]

i retired at the age of 49. I then moved to the Philippines and bought a motorcycle and drove around till i got tired of driving around exploring. I even took up fishing and snorkeling but the rivers are extremely polluted and the surrounding ocean waters have been destroyed by drag netting over the corals, dynamiting, cyinide fishing and water pollution as the native use the ocean as their garbage dump.

 

I was needing something to do as a retired mechanic that i was starting to offer to help people with fixing broken engines but getting parts in the phlippines is like finding a 12 lb bass in a swimming pool.

 

I was really losing my mind with boordom and some days felt useless and to work in the philippines which as an american i couldnt get hired anyway the wage for a mechanic is $3.00 to 6.00 a day. A college teacher makes $300.00 a month and a doctor about $400.00 a month.

My wife working in retail made $185.00 a month and she only did that so she wouldnt be bored at home everyday like me.

 

I got so damned bored after waking up my entire adulthood and as a kid with a paper route at 5am that to this day now 60 yrs old i still wake up at 5am even if i go to sleep at 3am still up at 5. It took me 3 years to get over the anxiety of not working and teaching my mind to mellow out.

 

Now that we are back in the usa i am now using fishing as my main source of taking up my time and enjoying every minute of it.

[Mike L]

Congratulations!!

Theres nothing like it. 
Do what you want, when you want and don’t answer to anyone. 
(As long as the money holds out) ??

 

I’ll never forget the morning after...

I got up at the same time. It’s still dark, the house is quiet, Mrs Mike is sleeping. 
I get a cup of coffee, lean on the sink and say to myself..

”Well Michael, what the hell do you do now?”

 

The best unsolicited piece of advice I can give you my friend is take your time, don’t rush into anything. 

The best years of your life just started. 
You earned what’s next. 

I wish you the best. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[flatcreek]

Congratulations,i’m a retired carpenter and I wish you well sir.hopefully you’ll be able to fish more now that this time has arrived.your getting out at a good time(precut studs 7 dollars each)don’t envy anyone trying to bid a job these days.good luck with your retirement and fishing

[J._Bricker]

Congratulations @Mobasser on your well deserved retirement!  It’s everything that you heard it is and enjoy your time with your family, friends, and fishing

[Hammer 4]

CONGRATZ...

 

I missed working when I retired, was bored to death, but I soon found ways to keep me busy, and for the past 13 years have been enjoying the retired life.

Being a carpenter/contractor was not an easy life, but I loved it, as I'm sure you did.

Have fun and enjoy life.

[Bubba 460]

Thirty five years as a carpenter, that's  a lot of hard work. Congratulations on "making it."

 

I did seven years (off and on) on a carpenter crew framing houses. Started in 1965 at $2.25 an hour working like a dog. There were no "nail guns" it was all hammer work. Three hits on a 16 penny nail and two on a eight penny nail. I have carried the equivalent of the entire north west Olympic forest from the wood pile into the houses being built. Back, knees, hips shot. My right arm hang to my knees and I have fallen asleep more then once while eating dinner at the table after work. So I know where you're coming from. 

[Log Catcher]

Congratulations and enjoy your retirement.

[NYWayfarer]

8 hours ago, Mobasser said:

    I was hired with a local union in 1985

Perspective. I started working in 85 as well while going to college. I got another 10 years at least to go before I can retire.

 

Enjoy it. You earned and deserve it.

[Scott F]

I blew out a disc in my back in 2016 when I was 61 and had to retire. After having a job or being in school for over 50 years, I was so happy to finally be in control of my life. Nobody to tell me where I had to be, dealing with bosses or being on call 24/7 every few weeks. I go to bed when I’m sleepy, and get up when I’m not. I can take as long as I want to drink my coffee. If the roads are bad, I stay home. I’m happier today than I’ve ever been in my life. Congratulations. Enjoy yourself!

[jimmyjoe]

   I've been retired for 5 years. My son told me, "Dad, you just do anything you want to do." So I did, and I still do.

   I found out that the day I retired, my former boss told the secretary, "One or two months and he'll be bored out of his mind. He'll beg to come back, you just wait and see."

   They buried him 3 months ago.

 

   So I'll tell you what my son told me: You just do anything you want to do.  ?        jj

[gim]

You retired fellas make me kinda jealous. I still have 25 years in the workforce.

 

On the plus side, my financial advisor said there is a high likelihood I can retire at age 61 based on most projections!
 

#thecountdown

[throttleplate]

35 minutes ago, gimruis said:

You retired fellas make me kinda jealous. I still have 25 years in the workforce.

 

On the plus side, my financial advisor said there is a high likelihood I can retire at age 61 based on most projections!
 

#thecountdown

invest your money, 401k plans, cd,s when they are paying good interest rates, the stock market goes up and down but in 25 years you could be a millionaire easilly.

[Dwight Hottle]

Congrats on the retirement & take the time to enjoy it. 

[Columbia Craw]

Congratulations and enjoy the new chapter in your life!

[N Florida Mike]

Congratulations, !  You come up with some of the best topics on the forums. I expect more of the same now that you’re retiring!

As for me , I doubt if I’ll ever retire. Love my job, I can fish in between stops and when I get home, and Someone’s got to keep the family fed, etc...

[Guitarfish]

Congrats.

I'm retired and hope to be debt free in about two more months.  I'll have no house payment, truck payment or boat payment.  Thank god we all have taxes & insurance to pay eh?

I want to putter around woodworking and doing any remodels the new place needs.

Like above, I go to bed and get out of bed when I feel like it.

I just packed two big boxes of fishing reels to put away for the move. Going from mostly salt to fresh is going to take some getting used to.  

[TnRiver46]

On 5/14/2021 at 8:52 PM, Scott F said:

I blew out a disc in my back in 2016 when I was 61 and had to retire. After having a job or being in school for over 50 years, I was so happy to finally be in control of my life. Nobody to tell me where I had to be, dealing with bosses or being on call 24/7 every few weeks. I go to bed when I’m sleepy, and get up when I’m not. I can take as long as I want to drink my coffee. If the roads are bad, I stay home. I’m happier today than I’ve ever been in my life. Congratulations. Enjoy yourself!

Wait a minute...... if you take too long to drink the coffee it will get cold...........shew 

 

congrats @Mobasser

[volzfan59]

Welcome to the club! I retired at 53 in 2013 and never looked back. I have a good pension, but worked part time for four or five years before completely retiring. I'm going to start drawing s.s. in September.