Monday, August 27, 2012

Great News!

Our annual report came today...looks like things are in place for our plan to retire at the end of this year!  It's worth celebrating, yet I'd be a fool to say that I'm not just a little scared.  Nostagefright. Nostagefright. Nostagefright.  If I say it enough, it should take hold, eh?   I think we will celebrate tonight with a little wine!

We're also putting our plan in place to start a pet sitting business once we leave our 'regular' jobs.  The thought is that we'll ease into it up here, and later, in a couple of years, when we relocate to a more urban area, we'll be ready to spread our wings in the new location.  I've researched the name we want to use, and also little things like which association to join and how much of a budget we'll need to get started.

I should be honest and say that I am counting down the days...almost giddily...


Friday, August 10, 2012

144 Days and Counting

The countdown timer app installed on my phone says 143 days until the New Year, which means 144 days until my last day of work - working one day into the new year lets me take my vacation days that I've earned.  

The days and weeks are just ticking by...summer is winding down, the days are getting shorter and pretty soon, it'll be time to put away the sandals and tank tops and pull out boots and sweaters.  And then 'that day' will be even closer.  

We've chosen not to say anything (yet) to anyone at work.  There is some strange rash of retirements lately; there are at least three people at my work who have announced their pending retirements (coincidentally, the same time as mine).  Probably related more to the fact that there are a lot of baby boomers out there, I suppose.  But once they make the announcement, it seems they become regarded as 'short timers'.  Which, I suppose they are, but I don't want my associates thinking less of me or holding back projects that I am perfectly capable of finishing (or at least building groundwork for).  And then there's that other, less loving side of me that says I've seen coworkers be pushed to the curb with way less than the customary 2 weeks' notice that they would have been asked to give if leaving was their choice, and it makes me not want to be any kinder to my employer than I've seen them be to these friends and coworkers.

At any rate, the days passing by.  I am cautiously preparing my list of things that have been put on the back burner for too many years - lots of items that will go up on eBay or CraigsList; craft projects and scrap books that will be finished; collections to be cataloged; books to be read; gardens to be planned and on and on.  Hubby is putting a similar list together (and shall I say, I've also got a list for him!).  

We're starting to talk about what a 'typical' day will look like post-retirement - getting up without an alarm; a nice long workout inside or out, weather depending; maybe a trip to the local reservoir to fish - the list grows a little longer every time we have a chance to chat about it.

No sir-ee Bob, no stage fright here!