Well, I'm done for sure now.

My brother had another episode about a month ago with his heart, and has decided it's time to retire.
That means I get to quit too (I've been working with him since this time of year 1995).
Man, what a relief. Maybe I'll actually have time to do some gardening and woodworking like I planned.
I've already started pulling down the storms to repaint the window trim.
Hmmm, maybe I'm not done after all, eh?

Let me know if you run out of things to do Dave.... Enjoy it.

It's great that you got to work with your brother, my brother and I get along great, but we would kill each ( he'd kill me, he's huge) if we worked together. Enjoy your retirement!

boy our old bodys dont last forever, gotta live like its your last day everyday.

Not to worry Dennis, I have a list that doesn't really have an end. Then, there's always the stuff my wife wants me to do.
Brother's actually ok, had a stent put in a couple years ago, and a month ago had an episode that scared him enough to call it.
We actually work together well, uh, used to.....
Now, back to the list.

Retirement huh...
My Uncle dropped by one day soon after he retired. He sat down and told me to never retire and that he was working more now than when he was working full time. That honey-do-list has no end and they have more time to hound you about it...ha Hope you fair better than he did...

I love my retirement! I still put in a few hours each week. Need to keep my license current. Besides, the little extra $ helps fund some of my "got to do projects" I have nearly double my garden. Thanks to Smokeythebear inspiring us, we are now canning some of our vegetables. Not because of need, but because they are so darn good!

I even want to do the backyard chicken thing again, but still getting some stiff resistance from the wife. The one thing I did learn was to never stop moving. I had so many coworkers who stopped and just set back. Some of them have had their obits in the paper.

yea, got into the canning thing a few years ago.....jams and pickles tho.....so far this year, 123 quart jars of garlic dills.....well, 120...looks like 3 didnt seal

I hope your brother is feeling better PapaDave, the h/d list will only grow!

zap

I'm still learning how to retire.
So far I don't have time to retire,
So much more busy now than when I was working.
I ask myself "Who did all this stuff when I was working?"
Figured it out, "no one was,it was just getting done good enough so I could get by & then back to work"
Finally finding some time for some more golf & fishing, but still the " chore list" is endless.

and I though I had a good start with 35 pints! Did you know you can can zuchinni just as you do dill pickles? we are doing them this year. use the little ones for best results.

He's doing fine zap.
Got himself a new laptop so he can join the new age. His wife has also insisted he start walking and cut back on the see-gars.
He's now drinking de-caf, and eating less garbage.
Pretty funny that a newer restaurant just about 1/4 mile from me that he likes was given instructions not to let him have bad stuff when he orders.
He had quite a shock the first time he went in after his wife got done talking to the owner.
Lousyweather, ya' dun a couple jars o' pickles, eh?
Yeah dave, seems like we've had this conversation before......busier now than before I officially retired. It's eased a bit since his announcement, but I'll be making my own busy-ness from now on.
I appreciate all the comments so far. Thanks to all.

Well SS eligibility crept up on me very unexpectedly. I truly think I was over occupied with hubby's health and not thinking about 'me'.

I contemplated waiting 'just one more year' which would bring my monthly income up to the next $100 level - but - then I did some figuring.......

By waiting and not getting SS until it climbed into the next $100 bracket, and NOT collecting any SS until that time came, it would take me slightly more than 8 yrs. to recoup what I did not collect waiting for the next $100 bracket.

So I said, "Stuff it."

I officially retired.

I think I'm getting old..........

Shari

I'll post a pic when i get home.....I also canned green cherry tomatoes, using the same canning method as for the garlic dills.....after a couple months, those things taste JUST LIKE the pickles....they are like little spherical green garlic dills....bite size! I tried canning ripe cheery tomatoes, but the heat of the brine often caused them to split, which was visually unappealing to me.

just a couple, papa, just a couple. Two years ago, I did 150 quarts, and it took me two years to eat and give away most of em......less this year, but i did smaller pickles too....I expect some loss due to jars not sealing (it happens sometimes), maybe 5%.......peach jam is next.....Umass runs an orchard nearby, drove by there this weekend....peach crop looks good.....and peach jam is eaaassssyyyy!(Peach mango jam is good too.....more work peeling those mangos tho!)

Just remember Shari, we're not getting older, we're getting better........or more devious.
Yahoo puts up a lot of articles re: SS, and they usually talk about how much better it is to wait.
My luck.....I'd wait too long and die. That would be pointless.

PD,

In my instance it made sense to retire a.s.a.p. I don't regret it at all.

One of my grandfathers waited and died within 30 days after his retirement. His first SS check came in the mail on the day they buried him.

It's good to see you back here Shari . . . I need someone to poke fun of me for not ordering a blue black Jotul.

Congrats on your "retirement" PD.

Heh heh heh - you will get most of this summer off from the jabs.

Hi Shari, been wondering where you fell in.

Glad to hear your brother is doing OK. And a fringe benefit is your retirement, glad to hear you made the leap. A lot of guys at work are retiring this year, I moved WAY up on the roster. I feel jealous as they walk out that gate and look back with a smile, just like Red did on his way out of Shawshank Prison in the movie.. ....I still have 18 years until I can even THINK about retiring, so I won't wish my life away. I'll keep grinding along...