Retirement life

[BG2015]

So I retired in the summer from my teaching job after 29 years. I'm nearly 57 so I've retired, early but my love for the job just wasn't there anymore and after recovering from a cancer diagnosis in 2021 I just decided life was too short.

Im waiting to start my very flexible part time freelance job delivering speed awareness courses which I plan on doing for about 12 hours a week.

But I am loving having a slower pace each day. I can't say I've been bored at all.

I've enjoyed swimming three times a week, walking with a local Nordic walking group, meeting a couple of friends for coffee, reading, cooking new things from scratch for our evening meal ( I live with my DP, adult son and his gf), watching TV and just pleasing myself.

Anyone else newly retired? How are you finding it?

@goudacheese we live in a landlocked county, it's a good hour+ drive for us to get to the coast sadly, so I envy your beach walks.

My DC are early 20's so no grandchildren yet, but I'm looking forward to it when/if it happens.

I havent worked full time since I was 58...66 now. Dh retires next month and I will too.
Lots to do.....we go away each month, love food and drink, culture, gigs. Dh gardens..I read.
We have recently downsized and will decorate next year.
We are fit and healthy, I spin,do weights and pilates ,he cycles. We love walking.
Ds took his own life last year and it has made me realise that there are no second chances.

As someone thinking of retiring next year age 60, these insights are what I need. It just feels so final to walk away from a high level career but I do think having less stress will give me a longer and happier life

Oh my goodness, I just saw the last line of your post. My heartfelt thoughts go to you. How devastating.

@Mikart.

I'm so very sorry to hear that. What an unbearable time you've had, 💐

@Mikartim so, so sorry to hear your sad news. I think illness, death and other sudden life changes definitely make us reassess our futures. I can't imagine how you have coped over the months 💗

Oh it has been utter shit and I consider myself a strong person. But it has broken me. I will never be happy again but I am trying to find joy in things.

@Mikart that's terrible ❤️

@Mikart Oh my goodness, how awful. I can’t even imagine what you are going through. I am so, so sorry.

Yes there are no second chances so leaving teaching at 61 has meant I can concentrate on what actually matters.

I have done a couple of hospital apps with my mum and in-laws. Take MiL to a couple of gardens as we are both keen gardeners. And I don’t have to worry about leave or getting permission. I do a pottery class (but I am rubbish at it) and a language class. - they are both term time things. I meet girlfriends for a coffee, cheap cinema or exhibition trip even on a school night 🙀 And DH and I go out for lunch or early evening meal on a regular basis now.

so sorry about your DS @Mikart

As the weather is starting to change, I wondered what people do with regards to heating.
Previously all 4 of us were out of the house for most of the day so the heating came on for an hour or so from 6am and then again from about 4.30pm till about 8 ish.

Now I'm going to be home everyday I fear the heating will be on more. We have a modern 3 bed semi, no fire. It's a quite warm house once it's heated.

DP and I both have blankets we use every night when sitting and we dress in layers (although my DP is a year round shorts wearer 🙄).

Im using our bedroom as an office for when I start my training job so I'm wondering whether to get a heater just to heat that room.

I hate being cold.

Like You I was a teacher for almost 25 years. I also early retired at 57. After years of giving it my all I was a bit burned out. My DH retired early at 60 last year. We like to go to different places for day trips or sometimes 2 day breaks. We went to Oxford and visited Blenheim Palace. It was a lovely little break. We go swimming at private spa. We often have a breakfast or lunch out and walk around the lake near to us. DH does chess puzzles on his phone. I cook from scratch quite often trying out new recipes. We go to watch the live county cricket as have membership of county club. We go on 3 2 week holidays each year. I'm going on a cruise with my sister in November. I read a lot and we watch some crime thrillers too. DH walks his dogs. We go out for dinner most weeks.

I retired 5 years ago at the age of 49. I really enjoy it but I do have a few jobs to keep me busy. I'm a steward for our local football team. I also do exam invigilating. And I work one day a week in a safeguarding role for a sporting organisation.

I'm out quite a lot, so haven't noticed an increase in having the heating on (apart from when I was having chemo and was cold all the time!). I am quite 'active' when I'm home, doing housework/gardening/working out, and I have got a heated throw thing if I decide to read on the sofa.

I was given a National Gallery membership as a retirement gift, and with the Over 60s Oyster, that's a very cheap/free day out 🤣

Cruise with P & O to see the total eclipse in Spain - August

Oh thank you, OP - didn't know about this! Going to book a trip to Spain ♡

Edited - duplicate post.

I can recommend a small electric oil filled electric heater by DeLonghi. We bought several when we had heating supply issues. They are very effective.
( Dragon )

I retired a few years ago aged 58.

Strangely, DH and I have been out for the day and the subject of heating came up then. He pointed out that we can’t have the heating on all the time, which I hadn’t really thought about. He suggested that I go and get myself some vests! When I protested the wife of our friends who had come out with us laughed and showed me that she was wearing a vest. She has thermals too apparently so maybe I should think about it. We do have a log burner which we can put on in the living room if it gets too cold during the day. I’m more worried about one of my cats. She’s tiny and is now 16. I bought her a heated mat last year which she used for about two days then ignored. I think she will move out to my DM’s who lives next door who has the heating on about 25c constantly (I think she’s forgotten how to adjust her heating).

@Icequeen01 thermal vests aren't a bad idea actually 👍🏼

17 years , secret stay active , have a routine it's great , well done little at a time ,enjoy William near oxford

So one of my ideas for my retirement was to volunteer at a local cat sanctuary (it’s one of the Celia Hammond sites). I plucked up courage and emailed them and heard back two days later. They have asked me to go and see the sanctuary and have a chat with them. Hopefully they can make use of me for a morning or two 🤞

I have a couple of thermal vests from M&S! Plus thermal socks. Means we don’t have the heating on during the day except when proper winter or when we have guests.

Thanks for the reminder to enjoy retirment - I had been making some things a bit of a chore, and forgetting that I don't need to rush to do anything!

This is one of the things I’ve struggled with too - remembering I don’t have to rush things. My calendar is full of appointments of things I meant to do whilst I was working (eye tests, dentists, hearing tests, car service, podiatrist). I keep forgetting I’m not on half term so no need to squeeze all these appointments into one or two weeks, I can space them out! Yesterday was a beautiful day and I took the opportunity of just sitting in the garden reading. DH was out, neighbours kids were all at school and no one seemed to be around. The quietness was a new experience and I loved it ……. until I had to leave for my podiatrist appointment 🤣

The past few days have been interesting. I decided that the freelance job I was doing was just stressing me out so I've decided to stop. My DP has said I've not given it chance but it was making me so anxious that I just thought that it's not worth it. I've not stopped teaching which left me drained and stressed for a job that's giving me stress too. What's the point in retiring.

I've felt relief ever since I decided and have slept better too. Definitely the right decision.