Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What did you do the first day you retired from your job

Went hunting.

On the 1st day I packed, on the 2nd day I started a 2 week road trip that lasted 59 days.


mike r

You guys are really making me jealous. I've got 10 more years of real work left, and then I can just do what I want. I see my self getting a part time job working in a bait shop, or a gun shop somewhere. 'Can't imagine a better way to make a few bucks, stay a bit active, and meet some nice folks.

My last day of work was a Friday. Saturday was not much different than usual; the big difference was Sunday evening, knowing I didn't have to go to work the next morning. I had worked for the same company for thirty-nine years, through four different ownerships. The last one made it easy to decide to retire.

I retired in September 2009. Can't remember what I did my first day. But now I have a hard time remembering ever having worked. All by buds tell me they want to be just like me when they retire. I tell them to keep working, somebody got to pay into Social Security.

I am two weeks away from my third year of retirement though the company gave me six weeks of paid vacation as a "thank you for your service". Add that to the three weeks of vacation I had in the bank I was done long before I retired. I recall arriving home from Korea and taking my wife out for breakfast the following morning. I think I tinkered with my car for most of the day.

Waited for the fog to lift so the airplane could land and take me away. Yesterday. I'm still here.

Last Sunday was my first work day off. This time. Packed and cleaned rental apartment, ditto Monday.

Maybe tomorrow.... no rush - I'm retired! (retard?). Again. I'm reading and funning with you guys today - AK Air remade my reservation for tomorrow morning.

Ha! There's the cargo plane now. Reckon my household stuff and 4-wheeler will be there when I get there. Whenever....

The last time I retired, I moved 600 miles north to above the Arctic Circle (didn't get the memo about moving south....), for "1-3 years" - in 2010 ... found a "20 hour per week" job so I could hunt/fish a lot. It was 3 years before I got moved to "full time" around 50 hours a week, down about 30...... As "half-time" I was the go to guy for mandatory "junioring" for planned vacations and no-shows on a crew already short staffed (all 6 "full-time positions" were filled the first 3 years, until attrition of more senior guys moved me up to where I could select a full time shift).

I ain't getting no stinkin job this time- I have too much backlog on the permanent residence house, garage, and yard to catch up on after 8 years vacant, except for "visits" every few weekends. Amazing what can go wrong/ need fixing in a place not occupied!

And that doesn't count what my wife has planned!

I need to start walking and running - 8 years on butt, (except for work) at literally sea level ain't gonna cut it on fall goat permit and Colorado OTC or possibly son's permit elk hunts. Even so, they are gonna hurt!

But then, I'm not planning on running the buggers down, either, and have no time constraints for a change. I can go slow, breath, take two steps, breath..... stop and camp, breath..... .

And get a dog!!!! Or two. I'm in a 2 year deficit there.

Have you seen those forms one has to fill out for "Adoptions" from the rescue places? Sheesh- 3 references? I don't know that many people that like me..... other than dogs - who generally lack cell phones.

Had minor surgery done on my knee the first day of retirement. 10 weeks later I officially retired and tried straightening the basement but gave up. 6 weeks after that I picked up a part time job and have been working every day. The wife retires the end of this month and she is not happy with me working.

Day One: Ate til I was tired, then slept til I was hungry.
Day Two: Got up early and started on 'The List".

I retired 2 days before I turned 66. My last day was a Thursday because I didn't have any work scheduled for Friday. Long weekend followed . . . my birthday on Saturday, Sunday was New Year's Eve followed by New Year's Day. Friday I woke up about 8:00 AM and spent the first couple hours chatting with my bride and drinking coffee. Then I spent the rest of the day wondering "now what?". Kept waiting for the phone to ring and being asked frantically to get this or that done by 5:00. Call never came and I can honestly say I don't mind . . . anymore. I really liked what I did and was pretty good at it, but after 43 years, I needed a break.

Woke up, hit the head and went back to bed to sleep another hour.

I was convinced I was gonna sleep late the rest of my days...

Boy, was I wrong.

took my wife in for a big operation. retirement was forced by her health. still dealing with doctors, hospitals, rehab. so much for the plans of fishing, hunting, and even picnicking.

I started working on a remodel of the house I was going to sell so I could move to Idaho. I love that kind of work. Came out nice, too. I bought one more for a flip when I got to Idaho. Doing some real estate, and have some rentals. I like real estate. Most days I sleep till about 8;30. Don't go to bead till midnight. I don't do a lot anymore. I think I was made for retirement.

Last Tuesday my old boss brought his wife with him to his retirement lunch, at work.
Their motor home was in the parking lot.
When they were done with the stupid retirement stories, pictures...
they got in the RV, and headed to Holland Mi. to look at the tulips.

I truly wish your wife the very best. She has a good man taking care of her and I know she would do the same. God bless.

My last day of work finished with a wrap up report in a town 60 miles from home. Took my wife along to the town, took her out to dinner, hit a motel a block away and the next morning we kept driving till we hit the beach in Oregon. Stayed a few days, came home for a few days and went to the west coast of Vancouver Island to walk on more sand and salmon fish a little.

I miss the camaraderie of my work team (I ended with a good one) but nothing else. There are more good things to do than I have time to do them.

I rested-- been resting since

remember it well.......my last day was 11/28/11.........

the next day or so......I built an entrance into my 'back 40'......

meaning 4 RR ties......2 heavy 10' foot gate panels...

along with the fencing to go with it......

I had lots more ambition back then..........

When shooting then a bit of fishing...