Volunteer volunteer volunteer, I was a Senior Peer Counselor for 6 years and it was a wonderful experience. I saw one client at a time, one afternoon a week, and twice a month met with other counselors and our supervisor. Check with your local senior Area Agency on Aging. Now I still see one client unofficially atho I have quit the program, and I help her with her chores and shopping (she is 89 and blind, living independently). And I am on the Advisory council for the local AAA. Again, very rewarding.

You can volunteer with kids, with seniors, with animals. But get out of the house and stay busy.

www.volunteermatch.org might have something for you to consider.

Jim

Thanks, Sushipup and Jim, for the suggestions!

Another thing about volunteering is that the people who you work with will see your work ethic and it just might lead to a paid position somewhere. Jump in and do everything the right way!

Jim

Hi colorcrazy,

What is it about freedom that you find disconcerting?

ole joyfuelled ... with a bit o' help from a shot o' coffee, now and then

I can understand your mixed feeling, crazycolor. We've been retired for a couple of years. DH is fine sitting at home daily; not me so much. I also have solo hobbies as well.

I'm considering doing big brother/big sister. I did it in my earlier years and found it extremely rewarding.

Well, colorcrazy ...

... how's retirement going?

Have you been able to cope with it reasonably well?

Hope it hasn't been getting you down.

It's a big, old world out there - full of interesting things to see, experience and do ... plus share.

ole joyful

I too am interested to know how Colorcrazy is finding it?

I am less than two weeks away from retirement & my DH won't retire until summer of 2022.

Edited - Never mind, I just noticed this post was from Oct 2013,

This post was edited by decordummy on Sun, Jan 4, 15 at 19:01

Hi, everyone. I was invited to come back to work right after I retired, and negotiated a part time schedule - 20 hours/week. This week will be my last week. I have been looking at volunteer work, plus have a few standing "events" once/month. I have some hearing loss which limits my volunteer opportunities to people with strong voices or with deaf people who know the kind of sign language that I use (there are at least two kinds used in the US).

I have lots of hobbies, but the only one I've been doing consistently is knitting. Plus playing solitaire on the computer and reading the local paper, FaceBook, etc. Need to start going to the gym! I do have a pilates class once/week. Getting out definitely helps. The class is across town, so I see interesting things on the way.

Hi, decordummy! Yes, my name was colorcrazy. (For good reason - I love bright colors.) Next week, I will send an email to Gallaudet, offering to tutor there. Tomorrow is my last day of work. Will miss the work and the people, but not the politics.

Find something you love doing. I'm retiring well before my husband as well. My early retirement plan includes working my own part-time hours to continue growing a residual monthly income through a wellness company that helps people become healthier and makes homes safer - it's a feel good kind of work (quite different from the corporate world). It will allow me more time and money to do other things I love such as traveling & volunteer work.

A comment that stuck with me: You should retire "to something", not just "from something". That is, you need to have goals and plans in mind.

Since your husband intends to work 'til -- 2020, did you say? -- why don't you look into another job? You don't indicate that money is a big concern, so even if it's just a retail job, it should be enough to keep you busy and put a little money into the coffers.

AND while you're working at this other job, make it a priority to build some plans for your retirement. You AND your husband. Set goals, come up with a list of things you want to do. Seek out and become invested in some social groups. That way, when 2020 arrives, you'll both be enthusiastic and ready to meet that new stage of life head-on rather than with ambivalent feelings.

How have you gone lately? I hope well.

Looking forward towards something is really important for our well-being in all ways, body as well as mind. So finding what we each look forward to is a key.

Every one of us is unique - there's no one else anywhere identical to your life story so each is special. And finding what interests us can take some trial and error until we do find something that we love doing. Its worth trying all sorts. And it can change.

l love learning and there are so many opportunities for on-line courses now, its just wonderful. l've tried a variety. Some led further, some I stopped through lack of interest.

Hope you all find something to look forward to.