Retired 1 Year - Things I've Learned (communities, fighting, engage, adult)

[nancy thereader]

Life is good, getting better each day

Hi, tressa. Everything still going okay for you?

love being retired here in so Cal. Once you are retired for a couple years, you will learn that just wasting time doing absolutely nothing...maybe even for days at a time is cool.

I totally agree , dirk (as a retired teacher). I love doing nothing . Just nothing at all.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

What a great post.
This is the forum at it's best.
I am still 3 years away, but have already bought the house and have made great connections with neighbors, etc.

I do not think I'll miss work, but in some areas I will. There is just a special commorodarie (bad spelling) at the firehouse, borne of shared experiences that few others see or deal with. Also, guys tend to gauge their self worth on their vocation...I do not think I do, but many guys do, then are "lost" in retirement.

Frank D.

I've read about 5 books on firefighter life and because you cook, eat and sleep together in the house, do things together and have shared experiences, I would think your co-workers are more like family so I think it would be hard to leave that, the same way some people don't want to move away from brothers and sisters.

It's too bad former firefighters can't get together and start their own retirement community. I read somewhere that retired Postal workers have one.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by LauraC

It's too bad former firefighters can't get together and start their own retirement community. I read somewhere that retired Postal workers have one.

Do they all wear bullet proof vests?

[Tressa]

[quote=nancy thereader;5363472]Life is good, getting better each day

Hi, tressa. Everything still going okay for you?

Well good morning Nancy, life is continuing to get better each day. We are currently in Alaska for a couple of weeks and even thou our family is up here we do miss our new life in Nevada and can't wait to get back to our laid back atmosphere we created down there.

We had one of our kids come down last week and he too loved it, we are trying to show our kids that thinking ahead to retirement is the way to plan for it. Him and his wife didn't want to leave but he is many years from retirement, my daughter and grandkids will be down for Christmas this year.

My mother inlaw had hip surgery so my husband is up here taking care of her while I work my two week schedule, one more hitch up here and then I believe I am done for the winter. We will then try to do a little bit of traveling with our cat in the motorhome and experience that as well.

Life is good and getting better each day.

[nancy thereader]

Life is good and getting better each day

I am glad to hear it.

[Tressa]

So how is southern California, didn't you come from back east.

[Chickrae]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

What a great post.
This is the forum at it's best.
I am still 3 years away, but have already bought the house and have made great connections with neighbors, etc.

I do not think I'll miss work, but in some areas I will. There is just a special commorodarie (bad spelling) at the firehouse, borne of shared experiences that few others see or deal with. Also, guys tend to gauge their self worth on their vocation...I do not think I do, but many guys do, then are "lost" in retirement.

Frank D.

My husband is a firefighter and will retire in March of 2012 when he has 30 years. I worry about him missing the closeness that firefighters have because of all the hours they spend with each other. I hope I can make our retirement as exciting. I am taking him to a place far far away from where we currently live...with lots to do and beautiful scenery, so I hope he will adapt and love it like I think he will.

[Avalon08]

Speaking of firefighters, I live in a Jersey shore town where there are a lot of retired Phila. police and firefighters. They all join the local Elks club, which is the social hub on a year-round basis. It's a very close-knit group.

[Chickrae]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

Speaking of firefighters, I live in a Jersey shore town where there are a lot of retired Phila. police and firefighters. They all join the local Elks club, which is the social hub on a year-round basis. It's a very close-knit group.

sounds like a fun thing to do. He is just used to people coming up to him when he is wearing his t-shirt with the city name and asking him..."do you know so and so" I think he will miss that.

[nancy thereader]

It's too bad former firefighters can't get together and start their own retirement community. I read somewhere that retired Postal workers have one.

Not sure I'd want to live in a retirement community with all teachers, though. Would you?