Retirement

[Nick Armstrong]

Activities that working life doesnt seem to allow time for:

Proper coffee.

Certainly not true, in my case!!

[teamsaint]

Certainly not true, in my case!!

fair enough.

I'll concede the coffee point.
But then I am a tea person , really.

[ahinton]

fair enough.

I'll concede the coffee point.
But then I am a tea person , really.

Well, the giveaway's in the first three letters of your forum ID - but doubling as a closet P. G. Tipps Mk. II, peut-être?...

[Serial_Apologist]

Very happy for you Cali.

Had I still been working I don't believe I'd have been able to enjoy London to the extent I have these last 10 years - and continue to.

[Nick Armstrong]

Well, the giveaway's in the first three letters of your forum ID - but doubling as a closet P. G. Tipps Mk. II, peut-être?...

You are on fire today, ah - the veritable Oscar Wilde de nos jours.

Shall I reboot myself as Caféfan ?

[ahinton]

You are on fire today, ah

Does that mean that I need to be put out? (FF might have an answer to that!)...

Shall I reboot myself as Caféfan ?

Oh no - no need, really! We like you the way you are! And in any case The Eternal Breakfast at tea-fan is not such a good idea...

[antongould]

Well done Rumpole - you will love it .....

[Ferretfancy]

I've been retired since my mid fifties, and I've not regretted it for one moment. Looking back on work it seems like a different chapter, very enjoyable and rewarding at the time but not really missed. I've had all sorts of adventures since I made the break. I've travelled quite a bit, heard a great deal of music, and served on the governing council of a much admired scientific body. It was a fascinating chance that brought me that last interest, as I've never practiced science in my life.

Two things I would mention. First, when you are retired life seems less expensive, I've never quite fathomed why, do others feel this?
Secondly, those ambitions to read the whole of Tolstoy or Dickens tend not to be realised. I used to have a cosy fantasy of sitting in an armchair with a glass of something by my side, enjoying all those great classics that I had previously missed, but it hasn't happened yet!

Caliban, enjoy every bit of your well earned retiremen!

[Petrushka]

An excellent decision, Caliban! I only wish I could do so myself but despite being in two pension plans with another very small third one currently paying out a bit of pocket money, I'm afraid I'm going to have to go on to the bitter end and finish at 65 in three years time. The reduction in my company pension in going early (about 5% for every year) makes it a total non-starter. I've got one final salary and one deferred benefit pension. The former is now frozen after about 24 years service while I'll get six years worth out of the latter. I don't pretend to understand the first thing about pensions as it seems a total minefield so hope it turns out ok. Projected figures seem reasonable if not generous.

Everybody who has retired tells me how agonising the last few years at work are as you start to lose enthusiasm and desperately want to leave. One interesting aspect on the positive side is that, at the age of 61, I care less and less what I say, short of anything that can be construed as gross misconduct, because they can't touch me anymore. The bosses know this very well.

I tend to do my reading on the train so am cramming in as much as I can. Currently reading Churchill's The Second World War again for the 50th anniversary of first reading it and while this was initially a retirement project I couldn't wait any longer.

Retirement? Bring it on I say!

[MrGongGong]

One interesting aspect on the positive side is that, at the age of 61, I care less and less what I say, short of anything that can be construed as gross misconduct, because they can't touch me anymore. The bosses know this very well.

This strikes me as profoundly sad and a waste.
Hope it does work out for you

[Keraulophone]

Retirement affords one the time to secure a Valentine's night dinner for two at the finest restaurant in the southwest England, to have pink Champagne chilling in time for Mrs K's breakfast, to have heard Demidenko playing Chopin locally yesterday, to be preparing a cathedral organ recital, to be planning a month in India, to have time to devote to close family, and to give occasional encouragement to ex-colleagues, still beavering away, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Oh, and after five years of retirement, I've managed to perfect the early morning grand crème.

Welcome Cali!

[Richard Tarleton]

Two things I would mention. First, when you are retired life seems less expensive, I've never quite fathomed why, do others feel this?

I've found that too, Ferret, and also haven't worked out why.

Secondly, those ambitions to read the whole of Tolstoy or Dickens tend not to be realised. I used to have a cosy fantasy of sitting in an armchair with a glass of something by my side, enjoying all those great classics that I had previously missed, but it hasn't happened yet!

Well the contents of the book pile may have changed, but I'm certainly getting through a lot more books.

Caliban, enjoy every bit of your well earned retirement!

to that! I soon realised quite how bad my last few years at work had been for my health. Sitting at a desk in front of a computer, sitting in a car, sitting through meetings at increasingly distant locations (commensurate with my relatively greater importance), time spent in the field reduced to young Mr Grace style visits....Now I'm into my 4th year of retirement, I'm out walking and birdwatching most days and feel much the better and fitter for it.

[Beef Oven!]

I am delighted to report that at the end of April, having turned 55 later this month, I shall be retiring

Ironically, I'm childishly excited about it - increasingly so since last summer when it became clear that it was economically a distinctly attractive option. I'm only too aware I'm astonishingly fortunate to be able to do so (although it's not just good luck - there's been a certain amount of prudence and planning involved over the years).

Various trips (not least to spend more time with family in France), a couple of major redecoration projects at home, the prospect of actually trying to play properly the dozen or so piano pieces I've stumbled through intermittently for years (and other pieces besides), the ability to increase the amount of time I can spend as a flâneur in London, daytime cinema visits, freebies at the music colleges, &c. &c.... All these things I find enticing in the extreme.

Also doing something properly I've not been able to do for years: reading. Proust (see soon-to-be dedicated thread) will be one project: Book 1 already purchased and waiting. But above all, I mean to read Zola's 20-book Rougon-Macquart series of novels. I read 2 or 3 when living in France in the early '80s and loved them. Last year, my interest was rekindled by the first third of Radio 4's terrific "Zola - Love, Sex and Money" series (with Glenda Jackson et al.).

I've made it a task over the last couple of months to add to the 1977-80 Livre de Poche edition of the series, of which I bought a few back in the day, the design of which I love and the format and typeface of which make them ideal for reading whenever, wherever (I often find it easiest to read anywhere but at home, not least when travelling). The internet has proved perfect for this task, and this week I completed my collection from various French secondhand sites

Let me at it !!!!

I confidently expect not to miss the increasingly irritating aspects of work at all (a lot of them have already evaporated, and I already seem to be out and about much more late morning and mid-late afternoon )... and indeed, in the words of the cliché, to wonder how I ever actually had time for work. (There is actually one aspect of what I do, the most enjoyable, that I shall be able to continue on an occasional basis - once I've had the rest of this year off - to keep the brain/hand in and boost the pocket money)

I recalled this thread from a while back and have enjoyed reading the various reactions and experiences above. Any others gratefully received!

[Serial_Apologist]

I've found that too, Ferret, and also haven't worked out why.

Having the privilege of a free travelcard is a huge saving in my life. Without it either my expenditure would be doubled doing the things I love doing now, or would either mean giving them up or restricting them to summer, when I cycle a lot more of the time.

[Bryn]

I dunno. Here am I, 68 in a couple of months and just finished 17 9-hour days work in a row on Thursday, caught in the old State Pension entitlement trap plus a couple of very small private pensions all still slowly accruing, to look forward to (good thing the house is paid for). I think that only failing my annual work-related medical will signal retirement, though I might consider cutting back the hours in order to get to more concerts and enjoy more rural walking, etc. Good luck to you, son of Sycorax. Enjoy!