Celebrating Retirement in Lockdown

[Topaz67]

DH will leaves work next month (not technically retiring but no job to go to) He’s worked for the company for over 40, longer than his manager has been alive! I’m hoping that they will organise something even if it’s a Zoom call to say good bye. Ordinarily we would have gone to London, company would have put a lot of money behind the bar, we would have stayed in a hotel etc etc.

Just wondered if you or your DP have retired in the last 12 months and what you did to mark the occasion. We have 2 DS who are at school and college and I’m still working so at least we don’t have the disappointment of not being able just to take off on our travels. It’s at least 5 years away. Finally, DS1 goes into hospital the day before DH retires for a planned operation. I guess we delay everything until the summer?

You don't actually have to delay everything, there may be a smaller celebration and maybe you'll have a chance to contact your DS1 via Facetime or Zoom call the same day?
Just a nice evening together with the close family and maybe some friends ( if the restrictions allow so) would be great, I guess. When my dad had retired, his friends from work made a video for him, everyone had something good to say about my dad, they showed pictures from the meetings, shared some funny memories, etc.
You can think of someting like that and contact his collaegues or just family friends to see if they are up for that. It doesn't have to be a pompous video, just a simple slideshow that has short videos or photos from different people, it can be done online via free-online-slideshow-creator.com/ or in Windows movie maker, but it will come out pretty nice if there are at least 4 or 5 people saying something sweet.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. DS1 is having day surgery so will be home but uncomfortable. DH works in London a two hour commute and I have never met any of his work colleagues in 30 years as they work all over the country. I think they genuinely like him so fingers crossed for something. Close family is us four, as DH is an only child and so were his parents, no aunts, uncles, cousins. We can sometimes get as many as 7 for Christmas 😆 I will look at the video idea as he’s transferring his colleagues numbers to his personal mobile....