Practice Round for Retirement

[leechlake]

I spent ten days at the cabin starting before Memorial Day.  I had a couple days of work on Tuesday and Wednesday after Memorial Day so I stayed up there rather than drive home and drive back up.  Here's what I found.

The walleyes were biting the best ever on our lake and fishing became boring.  Before you nail me for saying that I wouldn't think I'd ever say that myself either.  I started fishing other spots scouting around to see if I could find them there instead of the three really good spots.  The other thing I found is that when the limit is four fish you can't keep anything which in some ways seems very noble doing catch and release it isn't the same as bringing in some fish to clean.  Maybe that's just me.

For me what was exciting is bringing others fishing.  I brought a neighbor out and I had a buddy come up the following Friday.  Seeing them catch fish is kind of like seeing a young kid bag his first deer, it's very rewarding to see the excitement they have.  More reason to think I should guide if it only paid more than zero a year!

Tasks around the cabin kind of got done but kind of didn't get done.  It rained on and off so staining the deck was out.  One rainy day I made cookies which took up a couple hours and one day I went and grabbed some squash seeds and planted a make shift garden.  I was still on the phone with my normal job tasks but just at a location which frankly suits me more than the cities.   

I guess what I'm learning is 48 isn't a retirement age and being retired alone isn't for me.  Don't get me wrong, absence from the wife had it's great points like not getting the vibe or words that question my every move but if it wasn't for two dogs with me I may have gone nuts. 

Finally, the great news is when I got home Sunday I was already planning the next trip which will be with my son and a couple friends this weekend.  I hope the fish are still cooperating for them. 

[Reinhard]

Kris, it sounds like the fishing up where you are is very good.  Being there is always better than back in the cities, anytime.  When I was young, I spent a lot of time in the woods alone.  Most of the time, but at times with a friend or my brother.  I didn't mind being alone at all back then.  I've talked before about being chuckled at because guy's that I was with noted that I talk a lot in the woods, but not to them in my younger years.  Well that was because I was alone so much and liked it that way, that all I had to talk to was the trees and animals I saw LOL.  Don't do it much anymore but I do catch myself doing it during firearms season. 

Having the two dogs to keep you company is sure a big plus, Big plus.  They will always be your loyal best friends and will never complain about your cooking as long as they get some of it.  I think some get a different take on retirement.  I hear it all the time.  "must be great to be retired" and so on.  Sure it is but I'm busier now than I was when I was working.  You would think I could fish everyday and do whatever I wanted.  LOL, sure you can, that is, maybe if you had never married and had kids and thus would not have grandkinds.  The empty nest syndrom is not in my world, nor would I have it any other way.  I can still fish, but now I share this time more with family and friends than I ever could when I was working and that's a plus.  Stay busy,  and enjoy the moments of that cabin up there Kris.  good luck.

[Boar]

nicce reportt kris. i myselff ccould retrire.at anytime. hopeing to.semi retire.wen the wiffe fgets her DNP. ive got somany thing id rtather do. id work ffor a resort. help.cookie iff he needed it. work on a garden to ccan wi ter ffoods, work on my smoking ffor winter ffoods. ccome to.ccampapalòza man.  wed enjoy ur ccompany!!

[leechlake]

when and where is Ccccccampalooza?

[dakids]

when and where is Ccccccampalooza?

My place east of boy river a few miles.

[Boar]

lllol! and ffirst weekend in august. you ccan take me anff the wiffe ffishing sincce i dont have a boat. ol'elguideo' lol!!

[LPS]

Retirement.  I am glad you started this Kris.  I am a couple of years away from retirement.  I have waited for it my whole life.  Now it has a different feel to it.  I am still excited about it but I wish my wife was able to retire with me.  She will have to work 5 - 7 years after I retire unless we hit some get rich scheme.  lol   I do like my job so maybe I will wait a year or two.  The longer I wait the more moola I will have to retire on of course.  I like to hunt and fish but I can't do that every day.  I have had 2 jobs for so long that maybe I just need to retrain on relaxing and having more fun. My wife says I don't have anything to worry about with all of the daily things there are to do.  She is probably right.  If I get everything done during the week we will have more time to have fun on the weekends.

AND that is some great walleye fishing you are into LL.  Good man.

[LPS]

AND every morning I say to the wife that I am not going to work, I am calling in sick and then we laugh and I get up and go to work...  Actually I can't wait....

[ThunderLund78]

Three things:

1. I can still feel "The Vibe" 250 miles away.

2. I also value my solitude and often joke that I'd be a GREAT recluse. But your right, more than a day or two without some companionship and you start to go nuts.  Like a line from a song I know: "The quiet can scrape all the calm from your bones."

3. LPS, I do the same thing with my wife every morning.  That's pretty funny.

[LPS]

When I said actually I can't wait I mean for retirement.  I do like my job but would be great to just putz around at home.  May have to do more golfing like some of you guys.   

[LPS]

I was hoping for more how great retirement is stories here.  Come on how about a little pep talk.....

[deadeye]

I never actually retired.  I got laid off 8 1/2 years ago and never had time to look for a job.  I had too much fun and too many things to do.  I still haven't "caught up" so there is no intention to look for work. (paid work that is).  I think I have another 10 years or so of things to do.  As a matter of fact, I plan to go work at my new cabin in the woods today.  Retirement is not overrated.

A couple days ago I found these growing on my land. 
 

[Reinhard]

Those are really nice Deadeye!!  My brother was a police officer for almost 30 years and after one year retirement, he went and got a part time job in airport security at the Duluth Airport.  The rest of the time he fished and hunted a lot. Last year he quit that job and now fishes and hunts a lot [fishes almost everyday].  I was told prior to retirement that a meatcutter's average lifespan after retirement is two years.  I retired in 2007 and still here.  I don't know where they get those stats.

Keeping busy I was told was the key.  Well I sure dont have any problem with that.  I do believe that keeping busy is a must.  Doesn't matter if it's working around the house, chasing grandkids, or fishing and hunting.  Being active and not sitting around the house in front of the TV.  Now my mother-in-law who is 90 and is living with us does the opposite.  She loves to just sit around and watch TV all day.  She has been doing this since she moved in with us in 2007 when her husband Kurt died.  Tried to get her into senior clubs and meetings but she has no interest.  But she is still healthy even she is moving around slower these days, so it works for her.  Me, I can't do that.  Wish I could fish every day like my brother.  His son is a police officer in Duluth.  He's in for a surprise now.  His son was blessed with a baby girl so he may have to give up a few days in the future LOL.  I've got 5 grandkids from 2 to 16 so I've been busy for awhile.  good luck.

[leechlake]

from my experience with my dad's retirement and a few others it seems you either pick up a few new hobbies/interests or maybe it's that you actually have time to do them.  My dad read a lot, did more tinkering wood working projects, went and fished some farther off places, and seemed to make a list of tasks for us to do when we arrived! 

We'd load the toddlers in the mini van and head up there after work on a Friday and when we got their I'd try to get one foot on the ground before he was barking/suggesting some tasks for me to do.  "I've got a job for you to do" was his pick up line usually.  Something pressing like removing the air conditioner from the window which took three minutes.  You may as well do it before removing the kids from the car seat so he'd relax a bit...oh those were the days.

He also got pretty involved in the volunteer aspects of the Legion, honor guard, chapel, committees etc.  The grand kids loved watching Grandpa march in the parade and eventually graduate to being pulled on a trailer as a VIP sort with the other elder statesman.  At his burial when there were 25 plus honor guard shooting off their guns he would have been very proud.

I myself will never be the guy bagging groceries for some part time work and time to fill.  First, I hate bagging groceries and I stink at it and would get fired when Harriet tells me I didn't double bag the meat.  Tough luck   

[Boar]

great memories kris,.very nicce. my dad alowwed u to trake offff ccause it was eaier ffor him tro do than listen tu ffight and squable.lol. now days. i tell.day just show up, i got it all ccoverd. relax.