RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2015 40 years after I set my finals, I retired on Friday 22nd May 2015. Half my career was with Northern Ireland Railways and most of the rest was in local government. Its now Monday morning and I don't have to go in to work. Its a great feeling. Now where do I start in my shed? Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations - enjoy the retirement, build plenty of "trains" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2015 Welcome to the club. You will of course find so much to do that you'll wonder how you ever had any time to go work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations! I can only concur about modelling time as I seem to have less free time than I had when I was working. Enjoy a long and happy retirement! Baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 It's great, keep busy and have fun! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2015 In the few occasions that I drive in morning rush hour, it's a great feeling when you get cut up and and can shout WAGE SLAVE! You will need to manage your time though - it fills with jobs much faster than when you're at (paid) work....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2015 I hope that you enjoy your retirement. My ambition is to draw my pension for longer than I paid it and I am now less than 2 years off getting to the halfway mark. There are still as many half built or unbuilt kits in my wardrobe, though a different selection. You will of course discover that others have ideas as to how you should use your time productively and of yourse you never get a day off any more. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ROSSPOP Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations!!!! When the modelling takes over you won't know whether its Monday or Sunday..... And you won't care.... John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purley Oaks Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations! And you can visit a pub at lunchtime, have more than a fruit juice then go home for a snooze... Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations Colin, I retired last October and can highly recommend it as a 'profession'. I still get a kick out of receiving my monthly pension slip and having to do nothing for it. I feel it important to keep in touch with the rhythm of the working week, if only so you can gloat on Monday mornings. To that end I devote Monday to Friday to sloth, weekends and bank holidays to indolence, and I am rigorous in never mixing the two. Seriously, as has been observed, you'll wonder how you ever had time to work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2015 Enjoy it. You Others will find plenty to fill your time if you don't. My ambition is to draw my pension for longer than I paid it and I am now less than 2 years off getting to the halfway mark. My Father served 25 years in the Fire Brigade in the days when 'Smoke Eaters' (full-time front line men) could retire on half pay after that length of service. He died recently after drawing his pension for 42 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations on retiring. I retired a few years back, and consider it to be the best thing I ever did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations! I don't really yet know if I can afford to retire yet...although I am of 'that' age......next year, State pension is available....and NI ceases...so..even though the tax man will get excited, I still don't yet feel the 'need' to retire..although, recently, I have been coming around to the idea! However, my son will need my support [and his Mum's] for many years to come......and they cannot 'make ' me retire. So, I 'twixt & between' at the moment......but I am pleased for those who can 'go'....and I won't actually 'miss' work at all..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Welcome to the club, three years in and I haven't had a day that I regretted the decision to retire early, the only downside I have seen is to totally lose track of what day it is! Best of luck with retirement, make the most of the first year, it's probably the most time you will get to do what you want to, rather than find you are fully employed doing stuff for friends and relations, as noted by others you will soon wonder how you ever had time to go to work. It also took me about a year to feel comfortable going out during the week, I kept feeling that I was skiving if I was wandering around Smith's in the daytime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 It also took me about a year to feel comfortable going out during the week, I kept feeling that I was skiving if I was wandering around Smith's in the daytime. Yes, I can relate to that. Even though I had generally worked from home, for a few months I'd often get this feeling that there was something I ought to be doing, a mild feeling of guilt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2015 Enjoy it Colin. I hope to join you in about 7 weeks time, although I won't feel it until September when the schools return after the Summer break. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBAGE Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations Colin. I'm semi retired. I work 3 days a week doing just about the same job as I did for more than 25 years. Money for old rope. The up side is that every weekend is like Easter weekend. The down side is I think my time (hour by hour) is less productive than when I had a 2 day weekend. I'm not ready to retire fully and as has been said on this thread already, I don't know if I can afford to fully retire. Do kids ever stop being a drain on resources? Anyway, happy modelling and try to keep more time for your hobby. You've earned it. Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnb Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I retired some six years ago and have found it to be an excellent career move! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2015 Colin, I'm just looking forward to the end of the year, when this Colin gets to retire. Hope yours is long, happy and above all, healthy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judge Dread Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I've been retired some 12 years now and I have never, ever, looked back. The truth is when I'm asked "When did you retire?". I reply "1962, but I didn't tell any-one!" A good shed is required, if you already have one, as I did, then get a bigger one, as I did! Attend retired employees "get together's" and check the list they provide of those "who are no longer with us", if your name is not on it, enjoy it and roll on next year. Finally, embarrass the grand children at every opportunity! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 "Money for old rope" reminded me of working nights on the Merseyside underground station refurbishments at the turn of the century. Possession was gained most nights at around 1.00am, sometimes later if stock movement was going on, and signed off at 4.30am. Paid 10 hours at time & a third Monday to Friday, double time for the weekend. With only working for three and a half hours not much sleep was needed, I was in bed by 5.30am, up at noon and didn't have to leave for work till 11.30pm. I played in a band and would do a gig before going to work at the weekends. That piece of old rope was 18 months long.. After that I had a lucrative year of nights with Rolls Royce Power Engineering. Then things were beginning to change, agencies were starting to take a hold, supplying cheap labour with no contracts I used the next few years to set out my stall as I could see I could not work under these conditions. I stopped working at 59, I'm now 64, I miss work for the companionship but would never go back. It is great being retired, especially with the free bus and train travel on Merseyrail. I can hop on a train to Chester and have an ice cream by the Dee to pass away a few hours. Now as for getting jobs done, I sometimes find nothing gets done as it can always be done tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 ...manage your time though - it fills with jobs much faster than when you're at (paid) work....... It's quite amazing how many folk will decide that now you are not working there is a little something that they would like you to do instead. I play the Kennedy defence, specifically blunt variation. Ask not what your fellow countryman can do for you, but how you and yours can get off your posterior(s) and do it for yourself. That said I feel it is personally very beneficial to take on some well defined voluntary activity, as it does keep you engaged and active; let alone the hoped for benefit to others. ...Do kids ever stop being a drain on resources?... Funnily enough this was the very discussion among the gathered throng at yesterday's lunch table. Very high consensus that provided the kids - and their offspring - enjoyed good health, then they were brought up to understand that they were generally 'on their own' as independent adults expected to be able to take care of all normal life experience. At bottom that is how you learn best, having hopefully had an upbringing which stressed the accumulated learnings of experience. Which also means that when something does go seriously wrong, there is family resource immediately available to march up and assist; it's not already tied up in an existing round of expected 'help' which has to be 'renegotiated'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations. Always nice to hear about someone having that great feeling. I'm looking forward to it. 7 years and counting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium rab Posted May 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2015 Congratulations and welcome to the club. But forget about the list of things you're planning to do. If you couldn't find time when you were working you certainly won't now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I just realised.....it's a year since I finished and it's been fanbloodytastic! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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