# Done talking about retirement...



## jpackard56 (Nov 22, 2020)

The recent discussion on this topic, some health issues that I am still working thru and my 43rd wedding anniversary 11-11-2020. 
I'm out with my wife and we've looked at this a few times over the last few years.  She says "I'd rather have more time with you than the extra money"
I planned on working several more years and the nagging thought has become, why?  
New management that literally has no "boots on the ground experience" making changes that include doing more with less people, pushing projects scheduled for two years into 9 months, fighting the weather, fighting supply chain shortages, then add in Covid. The clincher, one of my colleagues was doing the same because he felt he needed just some more in that retirement fund to start traveling with his wife and enjoying his grand-kids. I transferred to another area and lost track of him for a few months. One of his sons let me know "Dad is really doing poorly" and before I could go see him he passed. 
So I did the paperwork and officially retired Veterans Day 2020 !! 
Yes, I'm stilling getting up at 4:30 each morning even without the alarm...working on things around the farm to get ready for winter, cleaning in the shop (I actually have paths now and am planning the wiring to hook up my Wells-Index and Lodge& Shipley), organizing projects, prioritizing cars, trucks and tractors as to those I still plan on rebuilding, using, or selling and each day I'm wondering how did I ever get anything done working on the road? If you are on the fence about retiring DO IT. 
I'm guessing NOBODY on their death bed says gee I wish I had spent more time at work....
This last Monday we drove two hours to my oldest gran-daughters birthday party on a weekday !! Even with masks that was way better than being on a work site !


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## vtcnc (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations on your retirement! 


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## HarryJM (Nov 22, 2020)

jpackard56 said:


> I'm guessing NOBODY on their death bed says gee I wish I had spent more time at work....


Another congratulations on your retirement!

I believe you have the key to a good successful retirement in having things that you look forward to doing on retirement time as it sure does beat cramming those things into before and after work/weekends/holidays. And as we get old we never know when the proverbial s...t hits fan will happen.

Retirement for me is like a second childhood of an endless summer of doing whatever I want and can afford to do.


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## pdentrem (Nov 22, 2020)

Waiting too long is never good although finances can dictate when or if retirement is the thing to do. 
No matter who it is, one has to have something to do in retirement. Travel, hobbies, hide from their spouse etc.

The lazy boy with beer and cigarettes is a death sentence for most people.


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## savarin (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations on your retirement, its a wonderful feeling.
Its great when you dont have to listen to dumb clucks with no experience who think they know everything anymore.
Enjoy and take care.


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## reds (Nov 22, 2020)

I retired in 2010 and there are not enough hours in the day to take care of everything. Keep busy and you stay in better shape.


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## Gaffer (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations on your retirement!!!! I see your alreadly reaping the benefits, and I'm sure you'll never regret it.


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## reds (Nov 22, 2020)

Gaffer said:


> Congratulations on your retirement!!!! I see your alreadly reaping the benefits, and I'm sure you'll never regret it.


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## Nutfarmer (Nov 22, 2020)

I heard around the farm. You aren't retired. You only went from working two jobs to one. Just kidding. Enjoy having the time to choose what you want todo.


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## FOMOGO (Nov 22, 2020)

Good for you! Enjoy. Mike


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## Flyinfool (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations.

Just be ready to duck when that Honeydo list comes flying around the corner.......


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## RJSakowski (Nov 22, 2020)

I retired at 69.  It was partially due to financial considerations but a key driver was that I liked my work. My biggest problem was that between work and personal time, I was overbooked.  So much so that I resented any additional demands on my time.  But having it to do over, I wouldn't do anything different.  

My wife retired from her business three months after me at 55.  The following year, we spent 6 weeks in Europe.  However, my health at 76 is nowhere like what it was twenty or even ten years ago.  Things that I would have done at 65 are out of the question now.  I no longer consider any foreign travel. Even an overnight is a struggle now.  

Nobody wants to spend the last years of their life eating pet food or working as a greeter at Walmart for minimum wage but there is a huge range between that and having more money than you will ever need.  Each of us has to strike a balance that works for us.


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## Stonebriar (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations!  You worked for it. Now you can enjoy.


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## kb58 (Nov 22, 2020)

jpackard56 said:


> ...
> I'm guessing NOBODY on their death bed says gee I wish I had spent more time at work....


I'm blessed/cursed to likely have a long life still ahead of me due to good genes, as both parents lived into their 90s. That means that I need more retirement savings than those who expect a quick end in their 70s. Of course, thoughts of living into my 90's is tempered by the fact that both my parents slowly drowned in dementia in thier later years. I guess the question is: if you're too demented to realize that you're broke, does it matter?

Those who say that retiring early is great invariably have sufficient savings. Meanwhile, we never hear the other side of the story, from those living in cardboard boxes under bridges, because they aren't on social media...


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## Alcap (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations !!  Hope you and your wife enjoy your extra time together , Al


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## markba633csi (Nov 22, 2020)

Good for you! Give your wife a hug and make something tasty for supper  
-Mark


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## Aukai (Nov 22, 2020)

Add my congratulations to the list also


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## Superburban (Nov 22, 2020)

jpackard56 said:


> I'm guessing NOBODY on their death bed says gee I wish I had spent more time at work....


No but many in their old age have, or at least say they wish they had paid more attention to their 401K's. Congrats, life is short, enjoy it while you can.


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## randyjaco (Nov 22, 2020)

Congratulations. I retired 15 years ago and have loved every minute of it. The main thing is to keep busy. Stay away from the couch and TV. My shop keeps me pretty busy as there is always something that needs my attention. Good luck


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## jpackard56 (Nov 23, 2020)

Nutfarmer said:


> I heard around the farm. You aren't retired. You only went from working two jobs to one. Just kidding. Enjoy having the time to choose what you want todo.


Thanks !
Lot of truth in that ! 
My wife has done a good job of keeping things moving whenever I've been away, but winter is coming on and for some reason she is shy of using the newer JD for putting out round bales for the cows. (I think it is cause she knows what it cost ) The other one is an older 4010, she was fine with it ( far more complex control sticks) but I've got it partial;y apart for over two years now ! She is at home on the Ford 3000 and she really loves raking hay. She has no concerns with the Ventrac or the Cubs we cut grass with either. The new one though honestly once you climb in is more like her car than a tractor. No wait to start system, Heat/Ac, ws wiper, shuttle shift, joystick hydraulic controls...It is the kind of tractor that allows older farmers to keep farming less painfully !
Whenever any of the boys are home they can't wait to have a reason to use it, I have been thankful for it every-time I climb out after finishing some task around here in a rush in time to pack to travel back to some work-site. So now as you said I can choose the tractor and schedule the projects in a much less stressful manner.
 BP was 127/68 this morning !
Retirement is good !


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## jpackard56 (Nov 23, 2020)

WOW 
Thank you ALL for the positive thoughts, I'm overwhelmed with the response ! 
I really didn't realize how many folks even would read one of my posts, let alone respond !
Thanks again,
Jim


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## DavidR8 (Nov 23, 2020)

jpackard56 said:


> Thanks !
> Lot of truth in that !
> My wife has done a good job of keeping things moving whenever I've been away, but winter is coming on and for some reason she is shy of using the newer JD for putting out round bales for the cows. (I think it is cause she knows what it cost ) The other one is an older 4010, she was fine with it ( far more complex control sticks) but I've got it partial;y apart for over two years now ! She is at home on the Ford 3000 and she really loves raking hay. She has no concerns with the Ventrac or the Cubs we cut grass with either. The new one though honestly once you climb in is more like her car than a tractor. No wait to start system, Heat/Ac, ws wiper, shuttle shift, joystick hydraulic controls...It is the kind of tractor that allows older farmers to keep farming less painfully !
> Whenever any of the boys are home they can't wait to have a reason to use it, I have been thankful for it every-time I climb out after finishing some task around here in a rush in time to pack to travel back to some work-site. So now as you said I can choose the tractor and schedule the projects in a much less stressful manner.
> ...



I’m late to the party but a hearty congratulations on waving goodbye to work!
My dad retired at 55. I’m 54 and still have a few years to go. Planning to retire at 60 if all goes well. 


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## Mini Cooper S (Nov 23, 2020)

Congratulations, thal is a wise choice.
Richard


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## Reddinr (Nov 23, 2020)

Congratulations!  Enjoy your retirement!


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## Just for fun (Nov 23, 2020)

Congratulations Jim!  Enjoy your time! 

I have 186 days left and I'm doing the same!


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## NortonDommi (Nov 24, 2020)

Now you are officially retired all I can say is you will be glad there are some holidays coming up.


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## hotrats (Nov 24, 2020)

Congratulations! Retirement - the best job I've ever had.


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## aliva (Nov 30, 2020)

Things to remember about retirement is you normally work on holidays without extra pay, you have to work weekends, no vacation time, work days usually more than 8 hours, and you cant say you don't have the time.
Happy retirement enjoy the time.


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## samstu (Nov 30, 2020)

Congrats from up the highway a bit.


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## Janderso (Nov 30, 2020)

Good for you,
August 6th, 2022 or any day after February 6th 2022.
< That's only 433 days, but who's counting?
432 days....


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## Aukai (Nov 30, 2020)

It goes much slower when you're paying attention, ask me how I know


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## KevinM (Nov 30, 2020)

I have no desire to die with a lot of money in the bank or with a well preserved body. At this point I'm killing it!


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## jpackard56 (Dec 1, 2020)

samstu said:


> Congrats from up the highway a bit.


Bolivar ! One of my favorite exits on my way North to see family, thanks. 
Bought my 67 Chevy P/U at that exit, hoping to have time to take it on power tour this coming year ! 
Exit has enough of the quick food stops handy to please all the discerning taste-buds of passengers, nice park along river and you gotta laugh at the camp songs playing at McD's when NTR is open !


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## jpackard56 (Dec 1, 2020)

Which part is slower ? I'm asking cause I'm really wondering how I ever had time to work those 12 and 14 hours days !
Oh wait, maybe you mean the time it took to reach the retirement phase ?


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## jpackard56 (Dec 1, 2020)

vtcnc said:


> Congratulations on your retirement!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks !


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## Janderso (Dec 1, 2020)

Aukai said:


> It goes much slower when you're paying attention, ask me how I know


Wait a minute.
You live in Hawaii.


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## Aukai (Dec 1, 2020)

Even slower....


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