For some reason, I can’t post pics! Frustrating.

Congrats on your freedom! I felt such relief when I retired. I never, ever, ever wanted to return to a job. Fortunately, I haven't had to. But I have learned several new skills.

Congratulations! Isn't it a strange feeling that first day that you no longer have to go to work? May 29 was my last day and I knew I was ready for leisure time rather than more work for pay. I'm busy managing our lives just as I was before but it's so much more enjoyable now that I'm not trying to cram everything in along with a demanding job plus I have more time to see my friends and do fun things like learn to play golf.

Hopefully you'll be able to add another post with the pics - would love to see them!

Wonderful. It really takes some getting used to. When i was working it seemed like things were coming at me right and left. After I’d been retired awhile there were times when I’d have to think now what.

Congratulations! We had neighbors who would drive by on their way to work, slow down to remind my husband what day it was when he was out getting the morning newspaper. “ hey John! Today is Wednesday, have a great day!”

I've found that if I reduce the pixel size of photos, they will post more quickly here.

Congratulations! I LOVE not having to get up for work in the mornings. One thing I've found, though, is I still treasure my "weekends" as if I were still working. It hasn't yet become one long weekend like I thought it might.

Enjoy your new life!

Congratulations! Enjoy this new pace of life.

As a 1 year and 1 month ago early retiree, Welcome to the club! I was a bit lost when I first retired, but I enjoy doing so many things that I quickly got over the 'What next?' feeling. Like Oly, weekends still seem like they're special. I enjoy having more time to give the dogs the attention they want so badly.

Sixteen years since my retirement, I can't believe it. Where did the time go?

For a very long time after retirement I felt as tho I was on vacation from my job. Also since I had worked in a busy office, every time the phone rang somewhere I had the feeling I needed to answer it - stores, other offices like the doctor's and even the the car repair shop, or peoples' homes. ha

Congratulations on your retirement. I hope you enjoy every minute as I have.

Congratulations! I hope it's a wonderful time in your life.

We've been on vacation and I find myself equating these days to my eventual retirement. I don't think I would ever get bored if I no longer had a job to go to every day. We so quickly settle into a routine, even when we're away from it all, and there's just something quite comforting about that to me.

Congratulations! It took me no time to adjust to retirement, although I do miss my students every now and then. I hope you love being retired as much as I do!

I retired (early) in June. I love it and have not missed working one bit. I am not bored at all and am involved in lots of things. I also help with my 89 year old father, who is not in good health. He is able to still live on his on, but my sister and I help out. He no longer drives. Example, yesterday we went for a dr. visit, then to get him a haircut, then out-to-eat. Before coming home we went to the drugstore for his flu shot. I did not work 40 hours a week before retiring, but I really don't know how I kept up with everything and worked. I am so thankful and happy to be able to retire. My husband and I are in our 50's (late) and he owns his own business and works from home. He is able to be extremely flexible with his schedule and that has been great for us! We enjoy our time together. I hope you too enjoy retirement!!

I hope that you soon find your new groove and enjoy the retirement you worked so long and hard for!

Congrats - and welcome to retirement. It's amazing how quickly you adapt and become really good at it!

Congrats! I retired nearly five years ago and don’t miss working at all. I hope you enjoy having every day to do as you please.

Congratulations!

Congratulations! I retired last year along with a move, and I too initially ( like maybe for the first 3 months ) felt like I had taken a day off. Now it feels regular and I too honestly LOVE it.

It helps, I suppose, that where I worked was really deteriorating . I do keep in touch with some of the people and it has continued the downward spiral. I am so happy to not be there.

Fortunately here we found out about Lifelong Learning Institute nearby at a local university which offers courses for retirees (on the college campus but totally separate program for retirees) so that is a nice focus, especially when the weather turns cold. Definitely something to check out.

In general though, I keep saying how I am shocked how NOT bored I am. I LOVE IT!!!

Thanks everyone!! It’s good to hear from all of you retirees, especially when I know through this forum how full and vibrant your lives are. I’ve been in a severe PTSD mode for many years (primarily from raising a special needs but high functioning child whose relationship with his environment has not always been predictable or smooth, despite how far he’s come). Lately, my professional work — a great source of fulfillment and pride for my entire working life — has been less than gratifying, for reasons similar to salonva’s.

fortunately, things are infinitely better for my son and I dare to hope that he’ll continue to thrive and adjust. I now want to be more present and learn a different way of thinking and hoping. I sometimes wonder if I retired prematurely, but I know this is what I need right now.

So, thank you for being happy for me and the encouragement. y’all are the best!

now, that’s hilarious, Annie!!

I have been retired for 10 years now and love it, never ever been bored. Many of my friends are retired and we are all so busy it’s almost impossible to find a date and time together. Congratulations and wishing you a smooth transition!

Yes, congratulations!

And perhaps your photos are large and taking a long time to load completely? Did You try posting 1 photo at a time, and/or going away for awhile while they're loading?

Carol, I did try posting one at a time, unsuccessfully. How do I reduce the size?

I'm on a Mac desktop and use Paint S for this. I open the image I wish to alter in the app and the 'Image' menu has 'Adjust Image Size' as an option. Other apps would be similar.

You can also crop the image to make it smaller.

Carol, I’m nit finding that option on my phone or my iPad.

Congratulations on your retirement! We have been self-employed for decades. DH did all the legwork, I did all the paperwork. DH aways from the house, me mostly at home. DH was very hands on (daily) with our commercial real estate. We started selling three years ago. It's been hard for him to adjust, but we went out of town and it helped. Also, we were finally able to enjoy a vacation without worrying and no phone call from a tenant. The adjustment for me has been having him at home more. I like my morning quiet time, and it is never quite now. I sometimes find it odd at how busy we still are, just in a different way. A more enjoyable busy.

Annie, a Seenager yesyesYES! I just told my husband last week that our lives now are even better than those happy days when we were first married because we have no stress about work and family and a lot more money and time to enjoy life :).

I wrote a treatise in another topic so will add to the chorus that after only 3 months I already have realized how little I miss the working life. And I was a dedicated professional who derived a great deal of my identity and self worth from my job.

However like you nuts and others, my work environment had changed markedly for the worse in the last couple of years before I finally left. As the saying goes "living well is the best revenge" and although I'm not yet at peace with my feelings of dislike and resentment toward my last supervisor (he got canned 2 weeks before I left haha), it's sweet indeed to know that not only did I leave on my own terms but that life after retirement is indeed as great as all those folks kept assuring me it would be.

And we too have quickly found our routine in retirement. Husband has several volunteer commitments that keep him busy usually at least a day or two weekly, and I've got my own volunteer and community stuff. Like so many others we have aging parents we help--MIL is in assisted living, my dad is still on his own but declining and headed for some change probably sooner than later. I'm doing the doctor runs and the biweekly outings with each of them and it's great to have the time to devote with no stress or worry about other tasks waiting--at the office or at home :). My daughter just got engaged so I'm joyously starting the process of helping her plan a wedding. Life is very, very good.

saw the work around for the houzz photo problems on the pet pics thread that Ida started. So, here are my flower pics. all gathered on my first day of retirement. All from my garden except the white roses which are my husband’s weekly contribution.

Your Houzz Bookmarks · More Info

Your Houzz Bookmarks · More Info

Your Houzz Bookmarks · More Info

And this from today.

Very lovely - especially today as I watch snow flurries out the window.....

Lovely bouquets. You must a beautiful garden

Beautiful flowers! i Retired 16 months ago and am tremendously enjoying this new phase of life. It is so nice to be able to pick up and go the spur of the moment. It is wonderful to not be tethered to a work schedule!

The floral arrangements are gorgeous, Congratulations on your retirement , wishing you a successful and joyful retirement.

We just returned from 2 week vacation with a group of 14 friends, 5 of us still working. The retirees were all looking forward to returning home to their fun activities, the rest of us were not in as much a hurry to get home. That said a lot right there.

3katz, we have had the opposite problem here. Temps in the 90s all of September and october until yesterday.

cran, it’s pretty but seriously overgrown.

Bonnie, good to hear from you other recent retirees above that retirement is fun.

Jill, hopefully you can join your friends in the persons of leisure group

Congratulations on your retirement! Never thought to bring in some beautyberry for an arrangement...but I will now. It's such a lovely plant. Looks like you are quite the gardener. That for sure will keep you busy. I just got back from up north and my place looked like a jungle. Been busy getting it back in shape and sharing a lot of plants and clippings. Enjoy each and every wonderous day!

Thank you tiwall! Beauty berry is like a piece of jewelry! I like to use it in different arrangements when they’re in season, because of The vivivd color, upright strong stems and lasting Power.