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Hot Rods Retirement work load

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by in the weeds, Nov 20, 2019.

  1. CURSED GEARS
    Joined: Jul 21, 2016
    Posts: 149

    CURSED GEARS
    Member

    I retired three years ago. I took a little part time job in a Hotrod shop, but left after a year. I have fun in my garage, and working in the yard. I also took over the house chores. I keep a schedule of sorts that is now my routine. Most of my friends retired, then went out and took another 40 hour a week job. That don't make much sense to me, yet, I can't help think of the money that I could be making. A nice pension once a month, and two more checks per month? Can't help think of all the cool parts I could be buying, and the traveling I could afford. Still, is it worth selling your decent health for cash? Want to be healthy enough to do the things I enjoy. Anyway, guess I'll settle for all the free time I can stand, and haven't been bored yet.
     
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  2. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,331

    Fortunateson
    Member

    I'll be retired for two years at the end of December. I taught for 38 years and I was missing the interaction with young people. Got on the Sub list and now I get Called every day but I don't take a gig if is sunny! My wife retired six months beforehand me and she is really busy with our precious grand daughter and a district elementary choir which she took on a year before she retired plus her fabric arts projects along with her aging parents (96&97 living in their own home).
    I thought I'd have my OT project done by now but lost a little momentum but getting it back now. I read the paper every morning as I'm a news junkie and a spend part of the day on the HAMB.
    I have to be more dedicated to my projects in order to resurrect the motivation...
     
  3. I retired nearly five years ago at 66, hammered away on my to-do list for six months, then decided to slow my roll and began to encounter a bunch of non-health-related setbacks, from financial to loss of pets. Went back to work part time as a substitute teacher, which unexpectedly turned out to be a great thing. Small rural school that needs me, good faculty and students. The money issues are about solved, and I'm dialing back the days I work now, just because I need more rest and relaxation, and the hotrod that I've been working on for 45 years inches just a little closer to being drivable. My wife retired in June, so we are spending lots of time just enjoying being home and doing routine things at our leisure. I'm glad I retired when I did, still have stuff on the to-do list, and I'll get to them when I feel like it - but not tomorrow. Maybe the next day.
     
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  4. I was an airline pilot and absolutely loved my job. I went on medical leave in 2000, three years before compulsory retirement, because my bone marrow cancer was out of control, and I was on the list for a bone marrow transplant. I did a lot of research in medical libraries, and found out an experimental drug, that had onerous side effects, but was also known to have a 30% success rate.
    I lobbied my specialist until she finally started me on the drug, and the rest is history. Instead of checking out to the big workshop in the sky, I am still alive and although I have many serious issues, I am still doing a lot of the things I enjoy.
    I have been told that I am to stubborn to die, but life isn't about fear of death, it is about making the most of every day I am alive.
    I thoroughly enjoy my life, and have no regrets, but I still look skyward almost everyday and remember. I satisfy the longing by flying the flight simulator, when I am not healthy enough to do physical work.
    Life is good.
    Bob
     
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  5. scrap metal 48
    Joined: Sep 6, 2009
    Posts: 6,079

    scrap metal 48
    Member

    Retired at 51 in 1999 and been building hot rods ever since.. My wife fosters cats, transports dogs and we both enjoy our own dogs and cats.. We love eating out and our investments are letting us do the things we love.. Now back to the Plymouth project.....
     
  6. choptop40
    Joined: Dec 23, 2009
    Posts: 5,113

    choptop40
    Member

  7. Yeah, in addition to what you are doing, we even sponsor a therapeutic riding horse, and it feels good to know we are helping disabled kids.
    Bob
     
  8. rusty valley
    Joined: Oct 25, 2014
    Posts: 3,883

    rusty valley
    Member

    my theory is we are going at it backwards. we should be born old and wealthy and wise. then, as you get younger you would get poorer and dumber until finally you dont have nothing, then you dont know nothing, and then you are dead! but, as it is, at 64 i plan to be done this year while i still have may health. not rich, but no debt either
     
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  9. My goal is, to live long enough to be a problem for my children. It is funny, in that my son is already babysitting me. When he finds that I am going to do something like go up on the roof, or strip a tire on my 5 ton, he either attempts to convince me to wait until the next visit, or he drives for 3 hours just to prevent me from hurting myself.
    It seems I am getting closer to my goal. (inadvertently, of course)
    I just forget I am getting older.
    Bob
     
  10. What pisses me off, is that there is no justice. I love coffee, and my condition does not allow me to have the first cup of real coffee, let alone. Instead, I have to drink that decaf crap that tastes like it has been filtered through a used work sock.
    Oh well... :)
    Bob
     
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  11. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    Well I'll piss you off even more bob, I'm a type 2 diabetic, been for many years, was a real good boy for a long time, got used to black coffee and never liked it, a year ago I started kahlua and forty creek in my morning coffee, my A1C went down and I enjoy the hell out of my only coffee of the day. Went to the doc two days back, 7.3 A1C, he said don't change a thing, I even quit checking my own blood sugar a year ago. Damn, though, its good coffee. Had two this morning, spent the rest of the day on a 41 dodge pickup, life is good. Glad you're doing o.k., hang in there bud.
     
  12. I forgot to mention the best thing about being retired..............taking naps without feeling guilty.
     
  13. hotrodjack33
    Joined: Aug 19, 2019
    Posts: 4,128

    hotrodjack33
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I BLAME IT ALL ON CLOCKS
    When I was working, it seemed all the clocks in my life ran much slower...so it was easy to get all required work done each day. The day I retire (5 years ago at 62) EVERY clock in my life began to run much faster. I get up in the morning, get about 1/2 the shit done that I planned, and the day is over . Friggin' clocks:eek:
     
  14. It is necessary to explain a little for the point to make sense.

    To allow me to live on Vancouver Island, I flew overseas for 35 years and commuted to work by car and ferry, my own aircraft, commuter flight, and even once by boat.
    Because our contract required that I could be called at any time, and "drafted" for a flight on two hours notice, I always had one eye in the air, and always had a plan just in case I was called. I have some crazy stories relating to the things I had to do to get to work sometimes. Think of the move Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, with Steve Martin and "Uncle Buck".
    It happened that I was drafted enough times, that it had a PTSD type effect on me that I had refused to acknowledge.
    It took until about 5 years after retirement until I didn't jump about 5 ft every time the phone rang. I finally had to turn the phones off every night.
    It is a silly thing to have to recognize, but once us humans find that getting beat on the head is routine, we attempt to get used to it, rather than changing to a better situation.
    I used to put a day aside every year, to determine if commuting was still worth the effort, and we always came to the same conclusion, it was, but I unknowingly paid a price for it.
    Bob
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2019
  15. I'm jealous!!! For a good part of my life, lots of black coffee was never a problem for me. On a long overseas flight, 9 or more hours, 16 hour duty day, I could drink more than 10 cups with virtually no effect. Now, if I have one cup, because of my non remission but controlled cancer, and the long term use of prednisone to treat my multiple auto immune issues, the BP goes
    through the roof after one cup.
    I do cheat once per week, when I go out with my buddies, but I pay for it. It seems everything after 76 has a price.
    BTW, today was a beautiful day.
    Bob
     
  16. upspirate
    Joined: Apr 15, 2012
    Posts: 2,299

    upspirate
    Member

    I retired last year in Sept and love it.(hadn't worked July-Aug because of back issues)
    Worked 45yrs for UPS since I was 19. Spent way to much early on and spent many yrs playing catch up. I decided I had to be debt-free to be comfortable so in spring 2018 I achieved that goal. Wife hasn't worked since 2009, so we both don't have a schedule.

    We are making it on my pension and wife's SS and will take my SS next Feb at 66.

    Been working on projects I couldn't get to as best my heath will let me. Started going back to the gym to get that in order...whoo-hoo, free gym, thanks Silver Sneakers!

    Had the kitchen and 2 bathrooms redone last spring, then new windows and doors. Getting all my boats in order, will be traveling on our cruising sailboat (fixing that up to cruise now) as our floating RV.
    Going to give up the rodding, so need to liquidate all my acquired parts, engines etc.

    Do have several retired boating and car friends to get together with for boating ,lunches and working on stuff.
    Trips to see the kids up in Tenn are in the future also

    Kinda wished I had done it sooner for health reasons, but had to have the financial end taken care of to be comfortable.
     
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  17. Lobucrod
    Joined: Mar 22, 2006
    Posts: 4,122

    Lobucrod
    Alliance Vendor
    from Texas

    Since I retired I play with cars full time!
     
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  18. exterminator
    Joined: Apr 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,695

    exterminator
    Member

    Been retired since 2014. Enjoying retirement.I came up with this saying.( Every day is a saturday except sunday), since church is on sunday- at least for me.:)
     
  19. dcs13
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 110

    dcs13
    Member

    Retired in 2018. Built a new house. Went to work part time at an awesome HotRod shop close by my new place.. We're REALLY busy right now. Looking forward to cutting my hours back and working on my own stuff.
     
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  20. turdmagnet
    Joined: May 19, 2008
    Posts: 384

    turdmagnet
    Member

    Been retired for just over 2 yrs now and enjoying every moment. Wife is still working - got a year and a bit to go then she's done too. I did pick up most of the household chores so she had free time when she comes home. Very fortunate to be able to do the freedom 55 thing while most of our friends are still having to grind. People ask what I do all day - "I putz around" I say. But between hobbies, family stuff, house stuff, the days are full. I said if I ever start watching the tube all day, I'd find a part time job but that ain't happening. Don't miss the working life at all!!!


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  21. jetnow1
    Joined: Jan 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,152

    jetnow1
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from CT
    1. A-D Truckers

    My better half is 8 years younger so she has several years to go. She gives me a honey do list every morning, sometimes it is a full days work, sometimes just an hour or so, then the rest of the day is mine.
    I seem to get more calls to do jobs for people since I retired than when I was doing it full time, but I
    only take jobs I want to do for a few extra $$$ in my pocket. If I am working the better half cuts down
    on the list. I do most of the housework and most of the cooking now.
     
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  22. 26hotrod
    Joined: Nov 28, 2009
    Posts: 1,151

    26hotrod
    Member
    from landis n c

    Some days I don't answer the phone...………..But I am having a ball...…………...
     
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  23. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    I am reading every one of these. I continually ask retired people what they have learned. Hindsight is always 20/20. I am eligible to retire at 58 1/2. April 28, 2027. Guess what day I am leaving on? Yep. April 28,2027.

    I have a living document on my work computer that has all of my goals for the next 10 years. I review it every 2 weeks and update it when I get paid.

    I plan on having everything paid for in the next 5. I am down to the house and the wife's car.

    I am maxing out my IRA, planning (hoping) for retirement. I want to make sure I don't have to eat cat food in retirement. I am a Dave Ramsey follower so I am trying to follow the plan as best I can.

    My goal is to travel the first few years of retirement, prior to having any health issues (hopefully). Get all the traveling out of the way. See everything I have dreamed of, then start in on the home projects.

    2714 days until retirement, but who's counting?
     
  24. Monte 123
    Joined: Sep 21, 2019
    Posts: 29

    Monte 123

    I can't call myself retired even though I'm not working for anyone except myself these days, I simply have more time now for the mountain of projects I've always had. Living the dream!
     
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  25. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Roothawg, you mentioning a specific day you are going to retire, I also had a specific day I had to retired. I signed papers June 1,2007 for a plan for mandatory retirement June 1, 2012.
    During that five years, I lost my wife. I remarried and my wife, also a widow, contacted her employer to see what the earliest date she could retire. After doing their calculations, by adding age and years of service, they sent her a date....June, 1, 2012! We retired on the same day! Been enjoying it ever since!







    Bones
     
  26. exterminator
    Joined: Apr 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,695

    exterminator
    Member

    Is the forty creek the whiskey you are talking about? Never heard of it before.
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2019
  27. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    Same company, but a cream liquor, WAY better than baileys or for that matter, anything else.
     
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  28. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 4,609

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Not looking for sympathy, just telling it like it is. I spent most of my life traveling for work. First as a Boilermaker and when the bottom dropped out for that, I started driving truck over the road. With both jobs, I was gone from home sometimes for months at a time. Combine that with moving for jobs 22 times in 52 years of marriage and you don't have time for hobbies or friends. I did all my racing in the early years of my marriage until the decision had to be made between feeding the family and racing. I kept up with stuff through magazines and television but few of the people I worked with had similar interests. Now I'm 75, living in E. Tennessee with a sick wife. I have to find the time and things I want to use on my projects without a network of friends. My only social interaction is on the HAMB.
    Because of what I read and see here, I may actually be able to get my flathead powered 27 T on the road
    Without this site, I probably would have been better off to continue working until they forced me out of a truck or I died.
     
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  29. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,274

    williebill
    Member

    Very inspirational stories from a lot of you, many thanks for posting. As I read this, I'm sitting at work on a rainy day, at my business that's probably going to fail because of the internet and people's changing habits, plus my fatigue after 43 years. I took my 18th radiation treatment this morning before work, with 21 left to go, to try to beat something I thought I'd beaten 18 months ago. During my off-season, I always try to bring some little piece of my project to work with me, so I can at least do something instead of watching the clock, and wondering when the next customer is coming in. I'm 67, and don't know when the finances will line up for retirement.
    You guys tell some hellacious stories about your journeys through life, and I'm in awe at your perseverance at times.
    Thank you for your personal stories.
    I'm going back and sand and file on a one-off piece of my car that I brought in today. One more microscopic step forward, while trying like hell to not go backwards.
    Thank you for the inspiration. Bill
     
  30. I turn 65 in 3 months and retirement is going to be in April or May 2020. I have had enough of the corporate world and the "blood from a stone" mantra they'd like us to follow. Money will not be an issue, have my 2 pensions (one is a lump sum $120k + deal), my fat 401k, my late wife's 2 accounts plus 2 pensions that have some survivor benefit.

    I'm a little beat up from a 2011 car accident, that slows me down a lot. I survived a widow maker heart attack in 2016 and feel good otherwise, no real heart damage. I think I'll be busy enough between the house and gardening I enjoy, and more time to play with cars and machined parts. I plan to improve my machine shop area by expanding the garage another 12' or 15'. This frees up 1/2 of my garage easily. This should keep me out of trouble. Also plan on going somewhere warm each winter for at least a month.
     
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