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Retirement and what to do with it

Bull of the Woods

Bull of the Woods

Member
My career was in analytical chemistry.
My last 34 working years were for a very large chemical manufacturing corporation, where I rose to the position of Senior Chemist.
Over the years I always traveled an amount that I enjoyed. Visiting our various manufacturing sites in North America.
I supervised at one point fourteen people. Then as is common with corporations the number was slowly whittled down to six or seven. They cut back on staffing throughout the company and everyone was in the same boat.
Just before Christmas 2016 an offer of voluntary separation was made to all employees. I would get one years pay and benefits exactly the same as while working. I had just turned 63.
My job had become a nightmare as I was expected to get more and more done with fewer and fewer people.
So I accepted it almost instantly. Talked with my wife and we agreed first.
My first year of retirement was 2017.
Right off the bat my father in law took a nosedive with his Alzheimer's and I kept busy taking care of him. He and my mother in law live in our same country road.
Then in August my wife was hit head on by a young man who was driving while on heroin and alcohol. She spent three weeks in the hospital and has been in physical therapy since.
So far I haven't had to plan what to do with myself while retired. My wife is getting better slowly but surely. I have taken over all cooking, cleaning, laundry. We have a twenty two acre farm. Just chickens and growing a lot of vegetables so it's not a big operation. I am healthy and can physically do anything I have the urge to.
So I still need I guess plan what to do with myself during retirement but for now my plate is full.
 
Bull of the Woods said:
So I still need I guess plan what to do with myself during retirement but for now my plate is full.
Click to expand...
Dear brother, you appear to be basically in the same boat with me. My wife has been basically full care for some time, and God has supplied my health to keep her with me. I retired eighteen years ago, and when I did it was with rejoicing. I thought of Abraham and Sarah being returned to the time of life (Made young again), and the very first thing I asked God for was to not do that to me more or less in humor, but I sure didn't want to repeat it. I've personally never had the need to look for things to do. I no longer desired traveling, and when there's need, my Father knows just what it is, and supplies it. Enjoy what God has given you, and I believe you're going to be surprised at the outcome in Jesus' name. :wave2
 
In all seriousness, I have worked with more than a few people that retired, then died. All they ever did was work, and when they stopped working?

Anyway you seem free of that evil. I agree with the notion that God knew what was coming, and prepared you to be able to help your family, now.

May I suggest that as you care for your dear wife, that you bring this topic up for discussion with her? Just getting her mind moving in the direction of something to look forward to could do wonders for her recuperation, not to mention how all that might lift your spirits.

You might decide to invest yourselves in your home, increasing your farm either for self-sufficiency or profit. You might decide you don't like that idea at all.

I don't know how much of the region you've explored? I've never been to DC, the chance to learn more about our founding fathers would be fascinating to me. One of my two favorite places is the Outer Banks of NC. Off-season the fish act like they don't even know what a human is!

Western NC is cool too, driving through the mountains there's a memorable zoo. (More bald eagles out here though!) The Blue Ridge Parkway ...
 
We are big on the OBX. Most years for some time now we have rented a big house for a week there for the whole clan.
My wife and I are huge fans of Colonial Williamsburg. Been making at least two stays of about four nights a year for the last eight years. We have gotten to know some of the people who portray various characters.
 
And we have been members of Longwood Gardens for years. We normally go there at least ten times a year. It's very beautiful and relaxing. An interesting place too.
They have a good website if anyone is interested.
 
Bull of the Woods said:
My career was in analytical chemistry.
My last 34 working years were for a very large chemical manufacturing corporation, where I rose to the position of Senior Chemist.
Over the years I always traveled an amount that I enjoyed. Visiting our various manufacturing sites in North America.
I supervised at one point fourteen people. Then as is common with corporations the number was slowly whittled down to six or seven. They cut back on staffing throughout the company and everyone was in the same boat.
Just before Christmas 2016 an offer of voluntary separation was made to all employees. I would get one years pay and benefits exactly the same as while working. I had just turned 63.
My job had become a nightmare as I was expected to get more and more done with fewer and fewer people.
So I accepted it almost instantly. Talked with my wife and we agreed first.
My first year of retirement was 2017.
Right off the bat my father in law took a nosedive with his Alzheimer's and I kept busy taking care of him. He and my mother in law live in our same country road.
Then in August my wife was hit head on by a young man who was driving while on heroin and alcohol. She spent three weeks in the hospital and has been in physical therapy since.
So far I haven't had to plan what to do with myself while retired. My wife is getting better slowly but surely. I have taken over all cooking, cleaning, laundry. We have a twenty two acre farm. Just chickens and growing a lot of vegetables so it's not a big operation. I am healthy and can physically do anything I have the urge to.
So I still need I guess plan what to do with myself during retirement but for now my plate is full.
Click to expand...
wow - that's quite a plate full

praying for you
 
Papa Zoom said:
https://www.desiringgod.org/books/rethinking-retirement

I plan to read this again. I retired last year in July. As Piper is wont to do, he takes you the long way around to answer the question of what to do now. You can download the 32 page book free. More later but I have to go get ready for work. lol I'm subbing this afternoon in 4th grade.
Click to expand...
I saw him talk about retirement in a video once. I think the gist was don't waste that time. Used as an illustration a couple whose retirement was living on a boat and collecting shells.
I have considered looking for work at some point but can't get away from home for now.
I was offered a job before my wife's accident as a tugboat dispatcher of all things! Just fill in for the regulars sick and vacation time. It might have been fun. Covering the ports of Baltimore and Philadelphia from a building on a pier in Baltimore's harbor.
 
Bull of the Woods said:
My career was in analytical chemistry.
My last 34 working years were for a very large chemical manufacturing corporation, where I rose to the position of Senior Chemist.
Over the years I always traveled an amount that I enjoyed. Visiting our various manufacturing sites in North America.
I supervised at one point fourteen people. Then as is common with corporations the number was slowly whittled down to six or seven. They cut back on staffing throughout the company and everyone was in the same boat.
Just before Christmas 2016 an offer of voluntary separation was made to all employees. I would get one years pay and benefits exactly the same as while working. I had just turned 63.
My job had become a nightmare as I was expected to get more and more done with fewer and fewer people.
So I accepted it almost instantly. Talked with my wife and we agreed first.
My first year of retirement was 2017.
Right off the bat my father in law took a nosedive with his Alzheimer's and I kept busy taking care of him. He and my mother in law live in our same country road.
Then in August my wife was hit head on by a young man who was driving while on heroin and alcohol. She spent three weeks in the hospital and has been in physical therapy since.
So far I haven't had to plan what to do with myself while retired. My wife is getting better slowly but surely. I have taken over all cooking, cleaning, laundry. We have a twenty two acre farm. Just chickens and growing a lot of vegetables so it's not a big operation. I am healthy and can physically do anything I have the urge to.
So I still need I guess plan what to do with myself during retirement but for now my plate is full.
Click to expand...
Would you mind taking photosynthesis processes and teach us about:
Seeds - word
Light
Ground - men’s hearts
Carbon dioxide
Oxygen
Water
Cellulose
Fruit
Etc
I would be interested in a full blown chemical parallel story.

eddif
 
Retirement is a good time to read the Bible, listen to sermons, pray, plus get quiet and learn to listen to what the Lord is telling you. You are no longer distracted by having to spend hours figuring out how to accomplish your job.
 
Many retired folks have a bigger job to do then before they 'retired' God threw a wrench into my idea of retirement, about like those above.. My idea was freedom to travel .. Travel not meaning going to doctor appointments .. My husband is ill being caretaker is more than fixing breakfast.. AS Eugene knows keeping track of was this done was that .. I am thankful most days i have the fortitude to fast the next... Some time i am a crybaby .

Enjoy each day... posting this is easy copy and paste.... living it only with His Mercy and Grace

Psa 118:21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psa 118:23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
Psa 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
 
In plant growth fertilizer causes growth.

Life sometimes piles the manure on us. The light causes growth.

Bad speaking folks release carbon dioxide. As a branch we take those things in and return good words for others to live on. Photosynthesis is a good process.

We rearrange the words to show Jesus took care of issues.

eddif
 
reba said:
Many retired folks have a bigger job to do then before they 'retired' God threw a wrench into my idea of retirement, about like those above.. My idea was freedom to travel .. Travel not meaning going to doctor appointments .. My husband is ill being caretaker is more than fixing breakfast.. AS Eugene knows keeping track of was this done was that .. I am thankful most days i have the fortitude to fast the next... Some time i am a crybaby .

Enjoy each day... posting this is easy copy and paste.... living it only with His Mercy and Grace

Psa 118:21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psa 118:23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
Psa 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Click to expand...
 
I will likely be just as busy and even more so in some ways when I retire. I do have plans and IF my health holds up Lord willing I should see many of them come to fruition.
 
I retired the very end of 2016. Immediately my father in law went into hospice at home and I became the person who moved him from bed to wheelchair to toilet etc
Gave him showers, fed him.
Then in August of 2017 my wife was hit head on by a fellow on heroin and put into intensive care and eventually home in a wheelchair and then a walker. Now she is walking finally. I was the housekeeper and gave her her baths sitting on a bench across the bathtub.
Anyway I haven't had to think what to do in retirement yet.
 
Up until a little over a year ago, I was working at a retirement/assisted living home. A few times a month, sometimes more, I would have to pickup people who had fallen on the floor and couldn't get back up. A couple times I'd find people lying in a pool of blood. Sometimes wandering around naked.
 
Bull of the Woods said:
My career was in analytical chemistry.
My last 34 working years were for a very large chemical manufacturing corporation, where I rose to the position of Senior Chemist.
Over the years I always traveled an amount that I enjoyed. Visiting our various manufacturing sites in North America.
I supervised at one point fourteen people. Then as is common with corporations the number was slowly whittled down to six or seven. They cut back on staffing throughout the company and everyone was in the same boat.
Just before Christmas 2016 an offer of voluntary separation was made to all employees. I would get one years pay and benefits exactly the same as while working. I had just turned 63.
My job had become a nightmare as I was expected to get more and more done with fewer and fewer people.
So I accepted it almost instantly. Talked with my wife and we agreed first.
My first year of retirement was 2017.
Right off the bat my father in law took a nosedive with his Alzheimer's and I kept busy taking care of him. He and my mother in law live in our same country road.
Then in August my wife was hit head on by a young man who was driving while on heroin and alcohol. She spent three weeks in the hospital and has been in physical therapy since.
So far I haven't had to plan what to do with myself while retired. My wife is getting better slowly but surely. I have taken over all cooking, cleaning, laundry. We have a twenty two acre farm. Just chickens and growing a lot of vegetables so it's not a big operation. I am healthy and can physically do anything I have the urge to.
So I still need I guess plan what to do with myself during retirement but for now my plate is full.
Click to expand...

You need a hobby now Brother. You prolly have one in your chemistry, lol. I wouldn't look for another job if I were you, I'd try some sort of cottage industry. Takes time, will make money and let you stick close to the house with your family.

There's gotta be a bunch of cool stuff that you can do with chemistry to make a little money on the side. You don't have to be Walter White to make money off of chemistry.

Or something else that you can do or wanted to learn to do? Retirement doesn't mean you stop learning, just stop working full time for the beast. I'm gettin kinda close and like to envision the worst future scenario and see a community of believers living together off the grid basically when it gets bad. Ideally, everyone there is skilled in something so they can help. What types of skills would be helpful in such a situation?

Animal husbandry, farming, cooking hunting everything the list goes on. You could do anything at this point. I realized that I already have the retirement hobby/skill. I can make ammunition. I can even cast lead bullets in a few calibers. I wont sell ammo though. Or not now at least.

Those are the thoughts I've had on retirement.
 
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