first days of retirement - Decompression Zone

moneyistooshorttomention

Very perceptive indsty.

There is an element of grieving. It's not for the "job I once had" - it's for the job I had never had, but took a long time hoping I might see an opportunity for one day.

In the end - I gave up hope of that and just sat tight waiting for the pension - as do many of my colleagues. I'm far from the only one in that set-up that has taken that view over the years. We were all steadily getting treated worse and worse over the many years I worked there and there is even worse to come for those still left.

So I do know that I'm in a sort of what-might-have-been but never was type of mourning. I long ago "threw my focus" outside work - but I suppose it's inevitable to still feel an element of that. There's a very very long story in there that I won't bore you with (it would do a much better job of sending you off to sleep than counting sheep and drinking hot cocoa:rotfl:).

I can understand your six months "recovery time" period you have taken before "looking outside". On the one hand - I think "give myself some recovery time and it takes as long as it takes" - as I'm still so tired in every way. On the other hand - a good friend rang earlier today to see how its going and there was a bit of an intake of breath when I reeled off the list to date and the comment "You certainly didn't waste much time...".

greyfox

Chesky

What a co-incidence; we were at Zedel for lunch yesterday, too! Fabulous, isn’t it? We’ve been a few times now & have taken various friends (including an American friend who’s stranded here for a few days as her flight home was cancelled & a bona fide Frenchman), all of whom love it. I used my “Boris card” for the first time, too, so it didn’t cost me anything to get there.

Moneyistooshort

I don’t know where you live, but since we retired (early) 4 years ago, we’ve done all sorts of things for free or not much money. For example, it’s worth looking at the Freebies board & subscribing to the Free Cinema tickets & the Free Theatre & Concert Tickets threads. I know we’re luckier than most because we’re in Greater London, but there are often previews etc in other parts of the country.

Enjoy your retirement!

chesky

greyfox wrote: »

Chesky

What a co-incidence; we were at Zedel for lunch yesterday, too! Fabulous, isn’t it? We’ve been a few times now & have taken various friends (including an American friend who’s stranded here for a few days as her flight home was cancelled & a bona fide Frenchman), all of whom love it. I used my “Boris card” for the first time, too, so it didn’t cost me anything to get there.

If only we'd known, we could have waved. First time I've been - took my two granddaughters who thought it was the smartest place ever!

pollypenny

OH and I had a great trip to Cosford RAF Museum today with our local U3A. We paid a small fee for a guide - well worth it, he was informative and amusing.

A good soup and cake lunch, as well as good company added to the day.

I was lucky that I loved my job, but retirement is the first ever that I've been able to do what I like.

moneyistooshorttomention

Just stopping for coffeebreak and feeling halfway normal at the thought of a bit of "progress".

A friend is coming round in a minute to help me out for the day and the programme for today is:
- clear out loft
- clear out backyard

Both of which are not small tasks. I've been trying to use the backyard on this house as the garden I sorely miss having. So more of the "you CAN miss what you've never had" (well - I did whilst growing up - but never have yet as an adult).

There is one errrr...rather large heap of stuff in the backyard from my attempts to use it as said garden and I can understand why so many backyards are just left be sitting empty - all those containers and that compost to deal with...yikes....so loads of compost to be bagged up and disposed of at some point and various other things. I shall deserve my nights sleep tonight.:D

So those two areas to clear and a few catch-up DIY tasks being done by my friend whilst he is here - so one large thing for the day, rather than just a few small bits being decluttered at a time.

pollypenny

Wow! Clearing out our loft ready for insulation took two weeks! Quite a bit went back, too!

Every time the kids boomeranged back more stuff was added to OH's hoarding.

moneyistooshorttomention

:rotfl:Polly at 2 weeks to do loft - I have done a couple of bits of decluttering over recent months - so maybes had a bit of headstart there..

Tired now:
- lots of stuff from loft has now gone down the tip
- some is destined for charity shops
- some still up there for me to investigate further at some time
- back yard had all rubbish piled up in one corner/loads of stuff taken by friend to a "good cause" he has in mind
- stuff I'm undecided about (much of which will probably head to another "good cause" in a pile)
- minor damage to a wall sorted out (apart from paint retouching)
- bathroom fire pronounced "dead" and in need of replacement
- front bedroom pronounced verdict as to what to do on redecoration front and told I need to buy two new lampshades (that let out more light) I have to go and buy at some point
- slight damp patches on bit of ceiling in one room and bit of wall in another pronounced on and told what suggestions he has for them
- slight thing on p.c. dealt with
- slow movement of water in shower cubicle pronounced on as to cause and cure I have to deal with
- couple of lights sorted out

WHEW!!

Tired - and grateful for friend who is usually prepared to come round and help out as wanted on things like this and so I have a "head start" on getting this house more "sorted out".

LOADS of catch-up housework to do tomorrow and I'm not even going to think about springcleaning-type housework yet:eek:

If this is how much I can get through in a day where I am still very very tired just watch me once I have my energy back and I'm on a roll....

I got my first bit of "proper" accommodation together in 4 days flat when I moved out of bedsits many years back. One unfurnished flat had duly had bed/cooker/fridge-freezer/washing machine/curtains/sofa all bought and in place in that 4 days. It took me until about a month after I moved in to get B.T. to install a phone in the first place (well...I suppose that wasnt bad going - as, at that point, I think it normally took about 2 months...but I knew a man.....) and to have the furniture I had ordered from Habitat arrive and get assembled (duh! I hadnt realised that any furniture came as flat-packed at that point - and it only struck me when I got home from work and my father announced it had turned up and he had assembled it all for me...ahem....)....I had just assumed that ALL furniture came in one solid readymade piece...ahem....

(Oh...and if anyone knows of good cheap failsafe methods to remove graffiti it would be much appreciated. I havent had any done on the walls of my house - but there has been an outbreak on Council property and private property nearby in recent weeks. I've given the Council a list of it all and requested removal. If it's still there in some weeks to come - then I will get out there myself, if need be, and remove all graffiti visible from my front door at least - but I don't know how to...). I know I can remove it from ordinary painted walls by having a bucket of hot soapy water and a scrubbing brush - but I'm not sure about other surfaces (eg that sort of pebble-dashed type surface or "nubbly" stuff that gets put onto some walls type surface).



The plan/hope is to start in on my Retirement Lifestyle next week.

Dunroamin

It's been raining and I've spent most of the day in bed reading. I love this retirement malarkey!

iltisman

Plane spotter-40 years air traffic controller-Plane spotter again.

lessonlearned

Congrats on your retirement msm.

And well done on the loft.

I did mine a couple of years ago and made £1100 selling it all off. It's now full again :eek: - mainly my sons' stuff.

I have to say you are sounding better already and it's only been a week. You sound much happier..

I start drawing my state pension on Tuesday so I guess I can now call myself officially retired.

I gave up work in 2006 to be a carer for my husband. He finally went into a nursing home on December 2011. Needless to say it was awful. He is very poorly and probably won't be with us for very much longer so I do visit him most days.

Like you - although for different reasons - I felt a complete wreck, I felt so ill and exhausted.

Now 10 months later I feel so much better, my energy has returned and I feel much fitter and healthier. I have slowly put my house back together, redecorated etc. The wheelchairs and disabled equipment made a terrible mess and it took some time to put things back to rights.

I now feel ready to start a little business of some sort. I've always been keen on art and design and I've dabbled a bit in the past in furniture restoration and collecting antiques and bric a brac.

So that will be my little business - just doing a few antique and craft fairs as and when I feel like it.

I don't want to commit my self to too much because I want to spend as much time with my husband whilst I can. It is not the retirement I had hoped for. I would love to travel a bit.

However I take the view that I can do that when my husband is no longer with us.

In the meantime I am happy just jogging along, getting stronger and healthier each day.

I've joined a choir and a book club - both great fun. I meet with friends for lunch and I've managed a couple of mini breaks. I've not got huge wads of cash to spare but I'm happy and content.

I'm going to do a couple of courses after Christmas.

It's early days yet for you. It is sad that you struggled so much at work - but - that is all behind you now.

Your new life awaits....