'Don't just retire from something ...

18 years ago

... have something to retire to." -Harry Emerson Fosdick

That was part of the heading on an article on "Phased Retirement" in a newsletter just received from a mutual fund management company along with their statement of my account.

As is important in the situation related to a number of other major changes in one's lifestyle, it seems wise to make some substantial preparations for one's retirement.

It was a part of rural wisdom some time ago, when farmers' lives were pretty well wrapped up in their farms, to observe that many a former farmer seemed to move to a village/town on retiring from farming ...

... and, about six months or a year later ...

... turn up his toes and die.

So much so that in some cases, people were reluctant to advise some old farmers, even ones suffering substantial pain or disability while they continued their work, to sell their equipment off, retire and move to a local village.

The article suggested that it is becoming more common for people to continue part-time working in their former situation, or at some other employment, or operating a business of their own. Or getting involved in a comunity betterment project, charitable activities, etc.

Especially since people are living longer, often enjoying good health for a number of years, those extended periods of life after retirement become a larger proportion of their whole life, especially as contrasted with their working years, during which they saved to pay off mortgage, educate offspring, as well as save to fund those retirement years.

And as the Boomer generation moves into retirement, they predict a labour shortage, so there will be more need for continuation of the working years on the part of people who would have been retiring at, say, 65, or even 60, possibly earlier, in earlier years.

As for you folks who have been stay-at-home-wives, encouraging the breadwinner to add some more strings to his violin before he retires is something of a matter of self-preservation.

For years you have been fairly used to having the house to yourself. Can you feature a husband with an active body and brain, bored without adequate activities and interests to keep his body and mind busy, following you around the house, saying, "You know, dear, if you were to do that task in such and such a way, it would be more efficient and easier ... plus take less time".

Best not to wait till a month or so before he retires to get those other interests and activities a-borning.

Good wishes for a retirement that leaves you with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Plus enough assets to get by ... in that last year of life ... with a bit of cushion to enable you to avoid squeezing every nickel when that time comes (but, with inflation, it'll be a quarter, by then).

ole joyful

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

d0ug
18 years ago
It seems that most people are preparing to finish they lives and they set up some security and hope they will have enough. On the other hand you can move where the cost of living is very low and your pension goes farther, learn a new language to keep your mind active. Start a new life IÂm 65 in the past 4 years built a house with pool married a young women and have a two-month-old baby girl. IÂm starting my life not ending it.
joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Doug,

I think that you are more courageous than I.

Better start taking lessons now ...

... in how to cope with a teen when you are aged almost 80.

I'm there now ... and glad that I don't have a teen to cope with daily.

I think that one of my major tasks as a parent is to help my child prepare for independence.

I grew up on a fairly large farm during World War II ... when the farmhands had all gone to war shortly after it started in 1939, when I was 10. I had lots of responsibilities, and increasing ones, to deal with from a rather young age.

I'm of the opinion that if a child grows up knowing that as s/he shows him/herself able to cope reasonably well with responsibilities formerly given, that s/he knows that more will be granted, that much of the teen-age rebellion that troubles many might be, if not avoided, at least mitigated somewhat.

Good wishes for a flourishing life.

ole joyful
Related Discussions
Something Georgia kids don't get often
Q
Comments (11)
My 16 year old was praying like the dickens he would have a snow day today...but ours turned to rain about midnight...so the streets were just wet...the little snow we got was still on the ground...That was some of the biggest snowflakes I've seen in awhile...wish I woulda thought to grab the camera... As we were leaving the driveway, I mentioned to my son that the northerners would be laughin at us having a snowday for what little we got...they just don't understand that we have forgotten how to drive in it and usually why we get snowdays is for ice instead of snow and ice just isn't fun to drive in...I can remember as a kid walking to the bus stop with snow up to my knees...it had to be REALLY bad to get a snow day in the north.
...See More
I just don't understand it....long
Q
Comments (27)
Dottie, I can't imagine the past year that you and your family has endured, and again hope that this year is brighter. But I CAN understand the frustration you're feeling. I too think she may well have begun a relationship and is either embarrassed to tell you or not sure how to. I see this type of thing so often and I just don't understand it! To completely cut off communication is a terrible thing to do to someone without at least saying a reason. If you're angry with a person, tell them. If you don't feel comfortable with them, tell them. If you don't trust them anymore or whatever the reason, at least don't leave them hanging. It's a very cruel thing to do. It's natural for you to be concerned. If you're close to her mother, I think I WOULD call just to see if she's all right. If you're close to her mother she may share some info with you or at least give you a reason if there is one other than our suspicion. I can imagine your fear for her well-being. I have a cousin out state who cut off all communication suddenly for a couple years or more. I never understood it and it bugged me. I knew there were some marital issues and with such an abrupt cut off altogether, I was to the point I had a PI friend do a little checking to see if she was alive. I had a real bad feeling that something bad happened. Finally she got a hold of me and apologized and explained that she and her husband had been having rough times both marital and financial (which so often goes together) and she was too ashamed to tell me about it. There's been other times too and like I said, why can't people just open up a bit and say something? If you do contact either, I would suggest you not raise the grave issue. If there is a new person, there could be an issue with even going to the grave. Some people are strange. I imagine your first concern is her health and safety. I'm guessing she's just confused. Good luck and hope you find out something soon. And here's to a much brighter year for all!
...See More
Help Pls, Don't Want Kitchen Curtain... But Want Something?
Q
Comments (33)
premier, the window isn't as small as it looks in the photo I posted. Not really an expert at taking digital photos. budge1, looks like someone found your example - and I like it. I am looking on the interet to find some material I like. Not that I need a sewing project now, but chances of finding the colors I want already made is probably very slim. I think a lot of little things wouldn't be good either - either just one teal or aqua clock or a valance. dekr8 - are those your curtains? Did you make them or do they come already made up? If you made them, did you use a pattern? I really like that idea. I can almost picture some brown and aqua valance hanging from those pegs - I like the use of pegs - different than most valances. The first material, (link posted below) edged in brown would look great on my window I think. DH and I love aqua too. We once went to look at a boat and when we walked up and saw the interior was aqua, we just looked at one another and knew we were going to buy it. This is the first time we have used it in our decorating. Well except maybe years ago when the southwest type colors were in. retro cotton fabric, scroll down for photo vintage hip chocolate and brown Thanks for everyone's help. I have never bought anything on ebay before, I might try on that first fabric and see how it goes - I have 5 hours to think about it or I could just order one yard - since it is 54 inches wide that is probably all I would need - or I could get two yards and do a couple of pillows for the family room sofa or a table runner for my dark table. Would too much coordination with the same material be too hokey?
...See More
Got slammed for posting something similar years ago, don't care!
Q
Comments (43)
I don't care whether the next panel is coming off of the front or the back, though I somewhat prefer the back ... and it looks to me as though that is the style in the original pic. As for the panels feeding at the front, and there may be splash from the men if the toilet is too close ... train your guys that civilized men sit down to pee. In a discussion at a friend's house a number of years ago, a lady with a husband and a couple of nearly grown boys and a couple of girls in similar age bracket said that she'd told her guys ... that if they chose to stand to pee - they cleaned the bathroom! The problem that I have with many of the holders that have a bump at each end just a bit smaller than the tube of the roll, but a thin bar in between, is that a number of the rolls are narrower than they used to be, and the bump at the one end doesn't hold them correctly, so the roll sits askew, and tends to bind when a person tries to pull some paper off of the roll. I remember a discussion here a few years ago when that narrower roll practice began, people were complaining that some stores (I think a major one being Mal Wart) were selling the new narrower roll, and they didn't like it. If I recall correctly, someone suggested that such rolls appeared to be intended for tight-assed people. When I was visiting that receptacle a couple of dozen times and more per day, back there in the winter ... I became quite concerned about using the paper carefully ... and wisely ... and even learned how to reuse it (should anyone have any interest in such a subject). By the way - do you remember my story several years ago about how some people had learned how to recycle toilet paper ... and then came on to say that I'd used the wrong terminolgy, that "recycling" necessitated some reprocessing, and the situation to which I'd referred was actually "re-use", as no "reprocessing" was involved (unless one called re-rolling a strip of the paper back on the roll as "re-processing")? It had been a different kind of "re-use" that time, though. Hope you all have a glorious weekend. ole joyfuelled
...See More
d0ug
18 years ago
Hi Joyful

Growing up on a family farm is in my opinion a great asset; you had dad and mom 24/7. When I was growing up both parents worked so the time spent with them was very precious though limited. Best times that I remember is when I was 1 on 1 with my dad and mother. Most of the time they had to worry about making a living and paying bills.

Seems grandparents have more ability to deal with young people that there parents

This is my first child. IÂm up for the challenge of giving my daughter all that she needs to have a good live. I have many qualifications to be a good father but the only one that is important is I want too.

When I was young I lived in your old neighborhood St.Thomas On.

All the best Doug
joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi DOug,

You and John Kenneth Galbraith ... among others.

My Mom was sick for several years in hosp. from the time that I was about 6.

When I read that you said, " ... married a young women ..." ... I began to wonder just how young and chipper you are, anyway.

Seems to me that one wife is about all that most of us can handle (if that).

Have a fine time closing out the year and good wishes for many interesting things to do and people to meet in the New One.

ole joyful
Jonesy
18 years ago
My husband retired "to" his hobby of collecting and restoring Cushman Motor Scooters. We belonged to the state and national clubs. It was hard to tell he was retired, he spent most of his time in the garage playing with his scooters. He told me that every night when he went to bed he would plan what he was going to do in the morning. Always excited like a kid at Christmas time.
bill_h
18 years ago
well considering theres nothing i love more than sitting on my ass doing nothing, looks like i`am set for retirement.
joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
bill h,

Careful - with all that "sitting" ...

... you may not be in for a long retirement!

Keep fit.

Body.

Mind.

Emotions.

Spirit.

Confining one's self to sitting on one's ass ...

... gets *awfully* boring!

Soon!

Don't believe it?

Ask those who've been there!

Good wishes for an interesting retirement.

o j

'Don't just retire from something ...

Comments (7)

d0ug

joyfulguy
Original Author

Related Discussions

d0ug

joyfulguy
Original Author

Jonesy

bill_h

joyfulguy
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

'Don't just retire from something ...

Comments (7)

d0ug

joyfulguyOriginal Author

Related Discussions

d0ug

joyfulguyOriginal Author

Jonesy

bill_h

joyfulguyOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

joyfulguy
Original Author

joyfulguy
Original Author

joyfulguy
Original Author