For those that are retired

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kenny thomas

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Tell me the advantages. I have been off for 8 days and have 2 more days off. I ain't accomplished much at all with this rain and mud. Bored to death. How do you handle it once you retire? I have worked 35 years at this job but this week has made me want to stay another 10 years?
 
I worked harder after retiring than I ever did while I was 'on the clock', but part of that is because of the axwipe I'm working for.
Buy yourself some old 'almost' wore out equipment Kenny.
I'll send you 5 lbs of Chinese tallow seed...you'll stay busy enough...
 
I retired after 33 years of federal civil service. I was 60 years old at retirement. I have a great annuity. I Was able to invest in some of my own retirement instruments so I am financially secure.

You are making an important discovery. If you don't have some enterprise or vocation to keep you engaged, I very strongly urge you to remain in employment. Employment provides a routine that keeps you engaged. If I did not have the farm and cattle, I sincerely think my life would digress into bad habits. When I get idle time and am sitting in the house, bad habits take over. Whether it is eating, drinking or just being idle, it is not healthy.

Candidly, I had interesting and engaging assignments in my federal career. My last assignment was Remedial Project Manager on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal outside Denver. Not a day goes by that I don't miss the strategy, planning and interaction that job provided.

Think long and hard before you pull the pin.
 
You will not have a bit of problem staying busy. I am sure you have guns to clean, farming, working at the cattle barn, also you will have more time to spend with Kathy, etc.

I sure don't miss the job I had.
 
jltrent":qwh00v3t said:
You will not have a bit of problem staying busy. I am sure you have guns to clean, farming, working at the cattle barn, also you will have more time to spend with Kathy, etc.

I sure don't miss the job I had.
I looked at 25 guns a couple days ago that hadn't been out in a long time, 200 more to go, too muddy to farm, don't work at cattle barn anymore, and Kathy is ready to run me off because I have been here so much.
I'm sure pretty weather would make it better. I still have 11 weeks of vacation on the books. Have to take off 5 1/2 weeks next year. Plus 15 days of holiday. May have to take off and work for someone else just to get rid of the time. Good problem to have I guess.
 
I've said this before: "retirement" is subjective. My husband retired when he was 54 (I was 40) and he drove me freakin' nuts because he had no clue what to do with himself. Numerous home projects ensued, some of which are still "hot topics" and should never be mentioned again. Bought the ranch the following year, I also "retired" and suddenly life once again had a purpose. Hardest work ever but absolutely worth it and there is a lot of down-time (fences don't need fixing & cows aren't calving 24/7/365). We're both on Boards (non-profit & profit), keep active in the community and I spend way too much time (and $$$) redecorating the house. But as Ron pointed out, it's easy to get into lazy routines so you have to keep engaged. Plan your day as if you were still on the clock and get up/go to bed at the same time.
Maybe you could continue to volunteer as a fireman or do CPR classes/training? Not sure about your neck of the woods but around here, burning pastures is huge (primarily starting in March) and a lot of farmers/ranchers would welcome your expertise to oversee such a project. Start your own side business? The possibilities are endless but I strongly suggest you take your time & focus on your passion(s) or just something you've always wanted to do but didn't have the time.
 
kenny thomas":38x14bk4 said:
jltrent":38x14bk4 said:
You will not have a bit of problem staying busy. I am sure you have guns to clean, farming, working at the cattle barn, also you will have more time to spend with Kathy, etc.

I sure don't miss the job I had.
I looked at 25 guns a couple days ago that hadn't been out in a long time, 200 more to go, too muddy to farm, don't work at cattle barn anymore, and Kathy is ready to run me off because I have been here so much.
I'm sure pretty weather would make it better. I still have 11 weeks of vacation on the books. Have to take off 5 1/2 weeks next year. Plus 15 days of holiday. May have to take off and work for someone else just to get rid of the time. Good problem to have I guess.
Come on down I'll find something for you to do. Heck I'll even take you bikini watching in Florida.
 
True Grit Farms":3lijnezk said:
kenny thomas":3lijnezk said:
jltrent":3lijnezk said:
You will not have a bit of problem staying busy. I am sure you have guns to clean, farming, working at the cattle barn, also you will have more time to spend with Kathy, etc.

I sure don't miss the job I had.
I looked at 25 guns a couple days ago that hadn't been out in a long time, 200 more to go, too muddy to farm, don't work at cattle barn anymore, and Kathy is ready to run me off because I have been here so much.
I'm sure pretty weather would make it better. I still have 11 weeks of vacation on the books. Have to take off 5 1/2 weeks next year. Plus 15 days of holiday. May have to take off and work for someone else just to get rid of the time. Good problem to have I guess.
Come on down I'll find something for you to do.
I have actually considered offering to help work cattle for just room and board. I can promise anyone that I will be worth the cost.
 
On the other hand, my brother waited until July 2017 to retire (he turned 67 that june 1). He didn't see Thanksgiving that year or ever another birthday. He just waited too long.

I have actually considered offering to help work cattle for just room and board. I can promise anyone that I will be worth the cost.
I figured you would be tired of traveling by now.
 
kenny thomas":3dyrp4a4 said:
True Grit Farms":3dyrp4a4 said:
kenny thomas":3dyrp4a4 said:
I looked at 25 guns a couple days ago that hadn't been out in a long time, 200 more to go, too muddy to farm, don't work at cattle barn anymore, and Kathy is ready to run me off because I have been here so much.
I'm sure pretty weather would make it better. I still have 11 weeks of vacation on the books. Have to take off 5 1/2 weeks next year. Plus 15 days of holiday. May have to take off and work for someone else just to get rid of the time. Good problem to have I guess.
Come on down I'll find something for you to do.
I have actually considered offering to help work cattle for just room and board. I can promise anyone that I will be worth the cost.

You're hired. Look no farther. Room and board and a new gun a year. When can you start?
 
greybeard":h4x3898m said:
On the other hand, my brother waited until July 2017 to retire (he turned 67 that june 1). He didn't see Thanksgiving that year or ever another birthday. He just waited too long.

I have actually considered offering to help work cattle for just room and board. I can promise anyone that I will be worth the cost.
I figured you would be tired of traveling by now.


I saw a chart somewhere that for every year you work past 60 your life expectancy goes down.
I stay busy.
 
I retired at 48 and got so bored I kept myself busy by doing yard work, which I hate. That wore off and i bought a restaurant and worked my a$$ off for little money. Switched to catering and stayed so busy the wife made me quit because she was afraid it was killing me. After that I settled in and retired. Love it as I'm still my own boss and do as I please. I now tell people that I'm as busy as I want to be. I hire out to mow pastures and light garden plowing and such. Sometimes I get bored in bad weather but I get over it quick.
 
People asked why I was buying a ranch when I retired. My reply was if you don't understand there is no use in me trying to explain it. I stay busy. I help the neighbors every time I get a chance. Bad weather is the worse because it limits what you can do. The thing to do is save up shop type jobs for when that bad weather strikes. Even if it is building things that you think might work. If they don't work at least they kept you busy.
 
JMJ Farms":1g6r09yz said:
kenny thomas":1g6r09yz said:
True Grit Farms":1g6r09yz said:
Come on down I'll find something for you to do.
I have actually considered offering to help work cattle for just room and board. I can promise anyone that I will be worth the cost.

You're hired. Look no farther. Room and board and a new gun a year. When can you start?
Don't say it if you ain't got an extra room.
Actually what I mean to say is if you or anyone is going to work a herd that takes a couple days I might help just to get too see the country and meet the people.
 
Hey Kenny, can you run a baler from a climate controlled cab? Can keep you busy for a few weeks in late July through to mid Sept.

A week of working cattle in late Oct and early Nov. when it can be 0 F will help those retirement blues!
 
kenny thomas":b7ebqr51 said:
True Grit Farms":b7ebqr51 said:
kenny thomas":b7ebqr51 said:
I looked at 25 guns a couple days ago that hadn't been out in a long time, 200 more to go, too muddy to farm, don't work at cattle barn anymore, and Kathy is ready to run me off because I have been here so much.
I'm sure pretty weather would make it better. I still have 11 weeks of vacation on the books. Have to take off 5 1/2 weeks next year. Plus 15 days of holiday. May have to take off and work for someone else just to get rid of the time. Good problem to have I guess.
Come on down I'll find something for you to do.
I have actually considered offering to help work cattle for just room and board. I can promise anyone that I will be worth the cost.
Take off some of that time in an extended stretch to see how you cope. Of course it won't be exactly the same because you are still hooked in to your job and know you are going back.

A question is, if you retire, why are you going to retire?
 
kenny thomas":17td96tm said:
Tell me the advantages. I have been off for 8 days and have 2 more days off. I ain't accomplished much at all with this rain and mud. Bored to death. How do you handle it once you retire? I have worked 35 years at this job but this week has made me want to stay another 10 years?

Train some coon hounds and rabbit dogs that will keep you busy and aggravated like your on a job.
 
skyhightree1":dacy63xy said:
kenny thomas":dacy63xy said:
Tell me the advantages. I have been off for 8 days and have 2 more days off. I ain't accomplished much at all with this rain and mud. Bored to death. How do you handle it once you retire? I have worked 35 years at this job but this week has made me want to stay another 10 years?

Train some coon hounds and rabbit dogs that will keep you busy and aggravated like your on a job.
I actually love coon hunting but can't train one to tree a possum.
 
kenny thomas":b84l2slo said:
skyhightree1":b84l2slo said:
kenny thomas":b84l2slo said:
Tell me the advantages. I have been off for 8 days and have 2 more days off. I ain't accomplished much at all with this rain and mud. Bored to death. How do you handle it once you retire? I have worked 35 years at this job but this week has made me want to stay another 10 years?

Train some coon hounds and rabbit dogs that will keep you busy and aggravated like your on a job.
I actually love coon hunting but can't train one to tree a possum.

Then training should keep you pretty busy :lol: there's so many Coons here now take 20 steps in the woods and dogs start trailing
 
I joke about a possum dog but for the last 3 years I have challenged all the local hunters to train or find me a small dog that will tree a possum and only a possum. It doesn't interest me to kill a lot of what I tree anyway. So far nobody has came up with one.
 

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