I have a total of 27 days left to work until being made redundant I say redundant it is voluntary last working day 12 March 2015. At the ripe old age of 58 I will be hanging up my clogs having worked for my local Council for 38 years.

The good news I get my final salary pension straight away so no money worries. We still have the flower shop and the boss wants me to go and work there with her. There will be busy times mothers day valentines day Christmas but the rest of the time just a couple of hours a day.

We will be fitting in a lot more weekends in the puck away, I have plenty of hobbies so wont go stagnant. We will see!

Morphy.

Congratulations..................you will soon wonder how you ever found the time to go to work.

Yes it is. Retired at 55 love it. We are away next week in an apartment at Looe, then we just book when we want where we want, thought I'd miss work but no, love retirement, and I' m the kid in the class who got no qualifications and was told I'd never achieve anything 3 careers later all with promotion starting from the bottom, here we are, must have done something right! Algorithm's / logs / latin Never used any of them!!!! Life skills is all

Like wise Agger, no qualifications also told I would never achieve and be a nobody made it to the top in my profession. I agree life skills and dedication with a can do attitude pushed me forward enjoying life's challenges being thrown at you.

I think it may be different now qualifications seem to be the way forward for todays youths. A lot of the old skills being lost very few apprentice positions being created in my opinion a real shame.

Morphy

Quote: Morphy wrote in post #4

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Like wise Agger, no qualifications also told I would never achieve and be a nobody made it to the top in my profession. I agree life skills and dedication with a can do attitude pushed me forward enjoying life's challenges being thrown at you.

I think it may be different now qualifications seem to be the way forward for todays youths. A lot of the old skills being lost very few apprentice positions being created in my opinion a real shame.

Morphy

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9 months 25 days until I retire at 60.
After 40 years in computing can't say I'll miss work.
Kim will work on for a few years as she's younger than me unless we win the lottery.
David

I love retirment - but I earned it LOL. I'm sure a Parky has other skills or crafts learned over the years of chucking kids off the skating rink, as in my day, so hopefully you will enjoy it. Of course working alongside SWMBO is up to both of you and I do know one couple with those sort of issues but who knows?
Good luck

I've been retired for six years now and have not regretted it one bit...
I think the key is in having lots of hobbies and interests to fill the time that work used to take up.....
Looking back over my working life I think that I spent all of it looking forward to retirement..it couldn't arrive quick enough for me.
Work always seemed to get in the way of the things that I would rather have been doing....

So glad to hear that you will soon have more time to do the things you want Steve. Mind you, it sounds like you may be kept busy helping out at the shop. Here's hoping that you both get to enjoy your beautiful little Puck this Spring and summer. Good luck to you both. Ellen and Mark

I was lucky enough to be able to put my feet up at 52, the last 10 years (9 of which have been as an Eriba owner) have been fantastic, Go when we want, where-ever we want and for how long we want. But with just a little niggle thrown in over the last 3-4 years Mum has Dementia which is getting worseso we have to consider her situation before our own.
Anyone who gets the opportunity should grab it with both hands and make the most of it JMHO

Hubby retired at 52 but carried on working until I was made redundant at 54 six months ago. Retirement is what you make it (although admittedly part of that is what you can afford to make it). We are currently spending a month in the Alps (on a tight budget) learning to ski. We return to the UK for 6 weeks and then toddle off in the Eriba for 4 months in Europe over the summer. These things we have never been able to do before because of lack of time.

I gave up work Sept last year and the run up to Christmas was hard, feeling useless, no purpose etc. Even if you don't miss 'work' you will miss the people, status etc. So allow yourself to grieve a little. You are on the edge of spring though, so lots of things to do and keep you occupied.

One of our goals for the last 20 years was to retire early, as soon as the kids were through Uni and had proper jobs. I will work again if I need to but I would tighten my belt even further than it is now to avoid it!

I got a six month notice must be one of the longest notice ever given back at the beginning of October. This period has gone really slow seems to be taking for ever. It feels at the moment I am wishing my life away to get to the 12 March.

I have lots of hobbies, I fully intend to keep my mind fully active. One thing I do which I want to keep doing is cycling 12 miles a day at least four days a week. This keeps my level of fitness to a decent standard and something I enjoy doing especially the way I go up a very long steep hill.

After reading all your replies no one has said they don't enjoy I belief sixty is the new fifty. It is an exciting feeling but also worrying my job is hands on with the public can be very busy. During the summer months it is constant full on non stop so will miss that hey ho we will see.

Morphy

Good luck, good living and good Eribaing, you'll make it.

Blue Yonder have you learned snow ploughs yet??

Yes Derek! Took my first Blue today (only second day). We usually only do ski du fond (cross country) but challenging ourselves in retirement! Elder son who is a master skier is here helping us, but he goes home tomorrow!

Good for you and don't try and blind me with that other language, thought you would have moved on to reds by now, after a month of superb tutoring.
Carole did the 3 valleys in one day two weeks ago and she is over £$%^^^^^^^7?

Keep at it, it's great when it clicks, good luck