Those of you members who know me also know I have been somewhat MIA (Missing In Action) of late. Well I have finally, after careful thought and consideration severed myself from Working America. I retired! 
Over the Christmas shutdown from work I ended up with 3 weeks off. Kathy (my wife) and me visited the kids and grand kids in Columbus, Ohio a few hours south and overall spent 3 weeks together in what I figure was close quarters.
The first week in January as we sat at the kitchen table watching snow fall and enjoying morning coffee I joked how we spent 3 weeks and never once tried to kill each other. I also enjoyed getting up in the morning doing what I wanted to do. Kathy at age 65 seems to have won a fight with cancer last year when her left kidney was removed and I would turn 63 in February. I had planned retirement at age 65 but decided to look into my benefits.
I had 25 years with my current company and am fortunate in that I was vested under the old salary pension plan. When I returned to work I crunched numbers to see what my pension benefit would be along with social security. I looked at our investments. I finally decided the time was now. I guess burying too many friends of late spooked me. Kathy is on medicare with a supplemental and still working. She was on my medical plan previously and is paid not to use her plan at her job. I opted for COBRA for a few years and we set the monies aside.
Effective 01 May 2013 I was officially retired from a company that has always treated me well. Sort of bitter sweet but so far I like it. Kathy will retire 01 September from her position managing a small TV station.
The other day Kathy asked me jokingly if I missed "bossing people around"? I told her when I get up in the mornings I now boss our two dogs around and much like the engineers that were in my charge the dogs don't listen to me either!
I have been doing some traveling. Spent 3 weeks in NC seeing old friends and then we spent a week in MO. for a Marine Corps reunion. Thus far this retirement stuff is fun.
Not as active with the trons that served me so well for an entire working lifetime but enjoying my other hobbies. Also, as have decided to remain in the house we own looking at major house renovations. Should keep me busy all summer anyway.
Warm Regards to All
Ron
Over the Christmas shutdown from work I ended up with 3 weeks off. Kathy (my wife) and me visited the kids and grand kids in Columbus, Ohio a few hours south and overall spent 3 weeks together in what I figure was close quarters.
The first week in January as we sat at the kitchen table watching snow fall and enjoying morning coffee I joked how we spent 3 weeks and never once tried to kill each other. I also enjoyed getting up in the morning doing what I wanted to do. Kathy at age 65 seems to have won a fight with cancer last year when her left kidney was removed and I would turn 63 in February. I had planned retirement at age 65 but decided to look into my benefits.
I had 25 years with my current company and am fortunate in that I was vested under the old salary pension plan. When I returned to work I crunched numbers to see what my pension benefit would be along with social security. I looked at our investments. I finally decided the time was now. I guess burying too many friends of late spooked me. Kathy is on medicare with a supplemental and still working. She was on my medical plan previously and is paid not to use her plan at her job. I opted for COBRA for a few years and we set the monies aside.
Effective 01 May 2013 I was officially retired from a company that has always treated me well. Sort of bitter sweet but so far I like it. Kathy will retire 01 September from her position managing a small TV station.
The other day Kathy asked me jokingly if I missed "bossing people around"? I told her when I get up in the mornings I now boss our two dogs around and much like the engineers that were in my charge the dogs don't listen to me either!
I have been doing some traveling. Spent 3 weeks in NC seeing old friends and then we spent a week in MO. for a Marine Corps reunion. Thus far this retirement stuff is fun.
Not as active with the trons that served me so well for an entire working lifetime but enjoying my other hobbies. Also, as have decided to remain in the house we own looking at major house renovations. Should keep me busy all summer anyway.
Warm Regards to All
Ron
