It has happened

[sollersuk]

I no longer work. I have indeed retired. Yesterday, for the last time, I went upstairs at 8:30 to do battle with the work computer system. For the last time I grappled with illegible handwriting. For the last time I went through all the time-consuming procedures that could take longer than the actual piece of work. For the last time I took my dogs

Comments

[heleninwales]

Congratulations on your retirement! It looks like I may get some part-time teaching again this year, so I'll take it if it's going and retire next year when I'll be 63. I have claimed my pension though and it's nice to feel that I don't have to work if I don't want to.

[sollersuk]

That's been the good thing about the last year or so. I managed to pay off the mortgage on my daughter's house so m.y expenditure went down to the point that I could retire whenever I felt strongly enough about things.

Part time makes a big difference, but I'm realising now that it didn't make a big enough difference.

[sartorias]

Congratulations!

[geoviki]

Congrats! I retired 4 years ago, but then I slipped back and forth at my former workplace for a few years. This April, I really, really retired. I discovered that the time flies by some days but that I do indeed get some of those long-term projects started and, yes, finished! Your picture scanning project sounds well worth doing. Will you be buying a dedicated scanner for that? And family research is way easier these days than it was when I started mine in the '90s. So much info is online now that it's amazing.

Enjoy the freedom of your days. Retiring in August is a good idea - so many folks I know do it at the first of the year and there you are, housebound in the dead of winter. (if one is in the northern hemisphere, that is).

[loupnoir]

It took me two years to unwind enough to sleep past 5AM and another to quit feeling like I was going to get swept up by the work-avoidance police. Once you get used to the fact that you control your schedule, it's wonderful. Your dogs are going to be so happy to have you home.

[sollersuk]

Work-avoidance police - yes, that's exactly it!

And that won't really hit me hard until Wednesday: I only worked Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, though they were very long days.

I thought being tired from three long days in succession was why I lacked energy, but I worked a full week last week, had a major celebration with various friends Friday evening, went out to Manchester Pride on Saturday and then Saddleworth Rushchart on Sunday and still had the energy on Sunday evening to do dinner for my next door neighbour/oldest friend and myself. Today I've done more about the house than on any two days previously and caught up with tin whistle practice, and it's not yet four o'clock. I've also planned out the next chapter for the historical novel, taken the dogs for a longer than usual walk, and done the week's shopping. This bodes well.

[lexin]

Congratulations! Very well done, you!