Retired guys, help requested.

[gregintenn]

I retired today. I've never not had someplace to be tomorrow. How did you make this transition?

[E4 No More]

Can't help as I'll probably retire when I'm dead, but congratulations.

[buck1032]

I got married on 03 and I retired in 05 from the USN. Our plan was for me to be the house husband. We both had our own guns and motorcycles with plans to shoot and ride. I stayed busy with house work, yard work, vehicle maintenance and cleaning guns and handloading ammo. In 06 our son was born. Motorcycles sit idle most of the time and guns are locked in the safe. I am ran ragged doing what needs to be done. I cant remember how I got anything done when I was still on active duty.

[MacGyver]

Just hope you don't wind up like a friend of mine who's partner said, "I married you for better or worse, not for lunch. Go find something to do."

Congrats!  That's a big deal.  

We're it me, I'd take some time to truly to enjoy it.  Then if I were in your shoes, I think I would look at it in terms of, "I'm financially secure, healthy, and my kids are more or less out of the house. I'm also in the prime of my life. What is it that I want to involve myself in next?" 

You've got options and security. That's worth a lot.

 

[RED333]

12 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I've never not had someplace to be tomorrow.

While I am not retired, I do have a yard that needs mowing, wood that needs splittin and a few other things that you can do. 

[tacops]

Congratulations...I'm jealous.

[Alleycat72]

My oldest turned 18 today. We adopted 3 several years back. They are now 9, 10, and 11. The three young ones are all considered special needs. One is 100% dependent on us and meds. The youngest is probably around 60% normal. The 11 year old is 85% normal. My Wife and I have been out together alone 5 times in the last 8 years. Trust me brother....your doing well. Make dates with your Wife. Hug her every day. Make that time. It's okay if you want to leave the kid with someone every once and a while so you can go out. Make sure your kids know you love their mother. That's important. 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Alleycat72

[gregintenn]

20 minutes ago, RED333 said:

While I am not retired, I do have a yard that needs mowing, wood that needs splittin and a few other things that you can do. 

Hell, pm your address.

 

[gregintenn]

17 minutes ago, Alleycat72 said:

My oldest turned 18 today. We adopted 3 several years back. They are now 9, 10, and 11. The three young ones are all considered special needs. One is 100% dependent on us and meds. The youngest is probably around 60% normal. The 12 year old is 85% normal. My Wife and I have been out together alone 5 times in the last 8 years. Trust me brother....your doing well. Make dates with your Wife. Hug her every day. Make that time. It's okay if you want to leave the kid with someone every once and a while so you can go out. Make sure your kids know you love their mother. That's important. 

Wow! You are now my hero. Seriously.

[Alleycat72]

Just now, gregintenn said:

Wow! You are now my hero. Seriously.

I'm not. I'm not sure what day it is most of the time.  LOL

[gregintenn]

5 minutes ago, Alleycat72 said:

I'm not. I'm not sure what day it is most of the time.  LOL

I could never do what you have done. If no one else respects you for it, rest assured I do.

[mikegideon]

51 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I retired today. I've never not had someplace to be tomorrow. How did you make this transition?

Guns and a wood shop. The wood shop works better if you're not cheap. I figure you need something that will challenge you some like your old job. Can't replace building big radio stations with Harbor Freight tools. They're toys.

You already know how to work the guns. You are better at it than me  

[Grayfox54]

You'll be surprised at how fast you can get used to not working for a living. 

I'm retired, single, financially sound and the kids are grown and out on their own. I go where I want, when I want and do what I want.  Other than the law, there's nobody I have to answer to. Its a kind of freedom I never knew before.  Honestly, some days I get downright bored. After the life I've lived, I like that! 

But then you have a wife and kids. Trust me, they'll keep you busy. 

[Grand Torino]

I retired from the military after 26 years. I've been all over the world and thought I'd miss it. Not!!! Then went to work as an interior trim carpenter and after 6 years ending up with my own company. I made a boat load of money but the 12 hour days 7 days a week nearly killed me...literally. A quad bypass convinced me to sell it and get out. By this time the missus got transferred to Arizona and I packed my stuff, left the house for the kids to maintain and went with her. We had an awesome 5 years in the southwest.  

Upon returning to TN I decided with what time I may have left I was going to lead a stress free life. I watched a YouTube video one day about knife making and thought "I'll bet I could do that". The rest is history.

All this said my wife is my best friend and has been for 35 years....and I've had some totally awesome friends. If you're fortunate to have one that supports you you're half way home. The key is stay busy doing something. A hobby or something you have always wanted to do. Keep your mind and imagination going...just know when it's time to pack it in for the day and relax. Don't make it a second job. Don't be afraid to stop what your doing at the moment and have a beer or cup of coffee. Whatever you were doing will be there when you're finished.

God bless you and wish you all the best with your new beginning...whatever it may be. It's not that hard really...if I can be happy retired anyone can...trust me.

[jpx2rk]

You'll probably catch up on all the "things" you want /need to do around the house, but be careful, it can get expensive doing some of those "things" you have in the back of your head.  Once all of those are done, you'll start finding other things to do, whether it's still mowing the yard, the leaves, new landscaping, etc.  Remember, some can be $$$$$$.  Eventually, you'll say to hell with it all, and just go to the gun range or for a bike ride.  Everything you think of "to do", you can do it tomorrow, or the next.  None of it is going anywhere until you do something about it.  Enjoy

[Snaveba]

4 minutes ago, Grand Torino said:

I retired from the military after 26 years. I've been all over the world and thought I'd miss it. Not!!! Then went to work as an interior trim carpenter and after 6 years ending up with my own company. I made a boat load of money but the 12 hour days 7 days a week nearly killed me...literally. A quad bypass convinced me to sell it and get out. By this time the missus got transferred to Arizona and I packed my stuff, left the house for the kids to maintain and went with her. We had an awesome 5 years in the southwest.  

Upon returning to TN I decided with what time I may have left I was going to lead a stress free life. I watched a YouTube video one day about knife making and thought "I'll bet I could do that". The rest is history.

All this said my wife is my best friend and has been for 35 years....and I've had some totally awesome friends. If you're fortunate to have one that supports you you're half way home. The key is stay busy doing something. A hobby or something you have always wanted to do. Keep your mind and imagination going...just know when it's time to pack it in for the day and relax. Don't make it a second job. Don't be afraid to stop what your doing at the moment and have a beer or cup of coffee. Whatever you were doing will be there when you're finished.

God bless you and wish you all the best with your new beginning...whatever it may be. It's not that hard really...if I can be happy retired anyone can...trust me.

And you make hella-good knives. 

[Grunt67]

Greg, get the notion out of your head,  that you have to do something,  or nothing to do.  Believe me there will be plenty of things pop up to do.

In the mean time, go fishing, hunting, or whatever you never found time for.

It'll fix itself.

[Whisper]

I'm retiring myself on Dec. 3.  I've had many, many guns over my lifetime but have never worn out a gun barrel.  I plan to try.

Cheers,

Whisper

[Snaveba]

Growing up my dad always said when he retired, he would get a job a a small nursery selling plants and flowers because he loves to garden. Instead he got his Master Gardner’s certification and built a large vegetable garden to support a retirement and Alzheimer’s center.  Then he got into bees to help the garden, and then got me into bees. He is almost 82 now and still trucking along. 

[gregintenn]

27 minutes ago, Snaveba said:

Growing up my dad always said when he retired, he would get a job a a small nursery selling plants and flowers because he loves to garden. Instead he got his Master Gardner’s certification and built a large vegetable garden to support a retirement and Alzheimer’s center.  Then he got into bees to help the garden, and then got me into bees. He is almost 82 now and still trucking along. 

Sounds like a really cool fella.

[papa61]

Congratulations! I'm sure you can fins something to occupy your time. I have model trains waiting for the unlikely time when I retire. Electrical. construction, engineering, planning. Then operation.

[Snaveba]

52 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

Sounds like a really cool fella.

Thanks, 

I think so, but then again, my opinion might be a little biased. 

[Jeb48]

I took early retirement 15+ years ago and always find things to stay busy. Lot of hobbies and such. I took two weeks of planned vacation soon after I retired and came back and just continued vacation mode and never missed work.

A few things I used as my guide:

I wake up each morning with nothing planned and if I get half done by evening I'm happy.

Doing nothing is very hard to do ... you never know when you're finished.

Procrastination is totally a good thing. You always have something to do tomorrow, plus you have nothing to do today.

[Defender]

I retired from the military a long time ago, in 1993. Nearing the end of my second career, but I go to the store and buy 'retirement' tickets (lottery) every week, lol.

[Trekbike]

22 hours ago, gregintenn said:

I retired today. I've never not had someplace to be tomorrow. How did you make this transition?

Make sure you leave some time to enjoy that motorcycle you got recently.