Dogs really ARE Miracles with Paws!!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

A Different Sort of Post...Not Exactly a Rant...

My husband and I got in to a discussion this weekend about retirement. He has been retired for four years now, however, two of our close friends have been retired for less than a year. We were surprised to learn...from two separate conversations...that neither one of them is HAPPY with retirement!!

I must confess that when B was getting ready to retire, I was in full freak out mode!! I had been on my own here at home since 1998...and I had my own little routine...my own little business going. I spent six months of the year at the cottage and he came up on weekends. It worked for us. We were happy with our lives!!

Surprise, Surprise...retirement was such an easy transition for both of us...our lives just melted together. Like fine wine. Or perfect chocolate fondue. It STILL worked for us. We positively LOVE doing our own thing. The first couple of years we traveled a LOT!! We traveled all around the US. We had just bought the RV and were learning a whole new way of life. The dogs love the RV even more than our house...or the cottage. Knowing that we could not travel forever...we settled in to every day life. No problem! We painted and we cleaned stuff out...we did projects...woodworking, paper crafts, guitar playing...photography. We are always working on something. Not a day goes by that we can't find something to keep ourselves occupied.

There was never, EVER, a day when either one of us has been bored. BORED. That is like a totally foreign word in our vocabulary. We are shocked to learn that two of our very close friends are bored. Bored with retirement. A whole new concept for us. One of them is single and I think it would be more difficult to adjust to retirement as a single person...from the social aspect. I suggested he get a DOG! (OK...I admit...I have been trying to talk him in to that for quite a few years...I just thought that retirement would be the perfect opportunity!) He doesn't want to be tied down. He has never been married and has never had to "take care" of anything or anyone. So, I guess it would be difficult to get a dog. But, it certainly would take care of the boredom...wouldn't it???

Our other friend is married and both her and her husband retired on the same day. Her husband has not had any issues with adjusting to retirement and is quite busy tinkering around with "stuff". Little projects here and there. Not so for her. She has run out of things to clean. She likes some crafts and has apparently lost interest. I think it is sad. VERY sad. It is sad to think that people's lives are actually defined by their jobs??

The way B and I look at it...we are truly thankful and blessed to be able to do what we want to do (within reason...LOL!!). We have a friend that we meet for coffee. We actually met him at our local coffee shop. He is 88 years old. And he is so full of LIFE and love and he just radiates happiness! He is so very grateful to be ALIVE each day. It is refreshing to spend time with people like him and we truly hope we will be able to spend a lot more time with him.

So...the question I am asking is...if you ARE retired...did you ever get bored???

Both of these friends of ours are talking about going back to work. This is not a financial decision. It is simply...needing more "something" in their lives.

I have absolutely no idea WHAT.

20 comments:

Talking-Dogs said...

Wow. I think I would have to live to be about 300 to do all the things I want to do/learn/see when I'm able to retire! Bored? I know the definition, but, thankfully, have never experienced that!
That said... I do know people whose lives seem to be only their jobs. Have never been able to relate to that.

Ann said...

Well I'm not retired but I can't imagine ever being bored with it. I have so many things that I want to do but because of working full time just don't have the time to do them all. I know when my dad retired he used to always say that he was busier then than he was when he was working.

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! Mom said many who are very active when they were young are the one having a hard time adjusting. They just have to find WHAT that will keep their mind n body busy. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

Anonymous said...

Love your new website design!! Sadly, I am not retired. I don't find my life defined by my job. My parents are retired. They have more of a life now than they ever have. It's nice to seem them spending more time with their friends and traveling more.

Millie and Walter said...

My husband and I are both retired. Not exactly by choice but from losing jobs, and we are doing fine with it. I never get bored since I have lots of crafting projects to work on. My husband does get bored in the winter when he can't be out in his garden. Having Millie also helps keep both of us active too.

I have never felt defined by my job. I always had more to do outside of work and never had that feeling that I wanted to stay at work longer than I had to.

Glad to hear you are enjoying retirement.

Cindy

Ron said...

Great post topic, Jeanne!

I'm not retired, however, I do have two months off work out of the year. A lot of the other people who do what I do also say they get bored having off, but not me. I can always think of things to do during my time off.

TONS of stuff!

Hope you're having a super weekend, dear lady!

X to you and the girlz!

Murphy said...

Mom: I have this theory that some people identify themselves by the work they do. They lose who they are to their chosen profession. Once you take away the work they are uneasy with what is left over because they never spent any time developing themselves as human beings apart from their occupation. I think society pressures us to show we are of value and if we are not working, then we no longer have a value. Of course I disagree with this!

Hubby retired 7 years ago. I stopped working 2 years prior to that when my office closed and relocated 50 miles away. So I don't draw a retirement check yet but nonetheless I am retired for all practical purposes. We sort of melted into it like you described. And we are not bored at all! Too bad your friends haven't adjusted. Maybe they need to do some volunteer work?

Murphy's Mom

FANCY the Red Standard Poodle said...

Hi Y'all!

My best friend retired several months after I did. We've both commented to each other that we have no idea how we ever had time to work!

Hubby and I are both retired and enjoying every minute we spend together.

Y'all come back now,
BrownDog's Human

CrystalChick said...

My husband is not retired, but if and when he ever gets to I'm sure he won't be bored. There are plenty of things to do around the house and people and places to visit. Also, he plays piano. The one thing that prevents him from getting better right now seems to be lack of practice time so I'm sure he'd enjoy more of that. Financially, I don't think he could retire fully on what he's due to get from his pension so he would probably work some (or we might have to move). Actually, he mentioned maybe getting a CDL license and driving a school bus part-time when he retires from the physical work he does now.
However it shakes out when the time comes I doubt boredom will be an issue.
Interesting topic, Jeanne! So glad the transition went well for you and hubs.

Donna said...

As business owners I do not really see retirement for us in the near future... We would LOVE to though...sigh....
Hughugs

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Of course we're not retired, but I just have to think that when we do, I don't think I"m going to have a problem keeping busy--Even though I won't be going to work, I have a feeling that there will be other things to occupy my time, just like it does now because we have no children (except the dogs of course).

Joey said...

In a million years - I would NOT be bored in retirement!!!

Dexter said...

Funny now some people cannot move on gracefully into retirement. My father is like that and it is sad to see him so lost without a job to go to. I fear my husband might be the same way. Not me. I have many interests outside of work and would love the chance to pursue them. Now if we can ever get to a point where retirement is a financial option.

Mango Momma

NanaNor's said...

Hi Jeanne, Hubby and I retired when we moved here to Colorado. The first few months were such fun because we'd never lived in snow country before. I can be content alone-studying, sewing, reading or doing something with Hunter. Hubby got cabin fever the second year but quickly joined a senior racquetball team and also a seniors badminton team-so that keeps him sane in the winter. In the warmer weather, he golfs and now works at the golf course part time so he can golf for free. If he didn't have these things, he'd be going crazy. Of course the economy downshift didn't help either. I think if I was single though I'd get lonely.
Sending hugs to you and the girls.
Noreen & Hunter

Murray's Mouth said...

I think I would be bored in the Northeast during winter.

Murray's Mouth said...

I think I would be bored in the Northeast during winter.

BeadedTail said...

I'm bored with my job but have plenty I'd be doing if I was retired!

faye said...

There are times I wish I was retired...
but for now Bob and I enjoy our work
and it doesn't interfere with our time together, since we both have weekends
off.

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

REALLY??!.... there are so many things the husband and I would like to do, to see, to experience, to eat.. well you get the picture... that I cannot understand the bored mentality, and wanting to punch a clock again in any way, shape or form, unless they had very rewarding and fulfilling jobs that are very hard to walk away from.

I think it's awesome that you and Ben have melded together so well in retirement. Somtimes.. THAT.. can be a problem.

Brenda said...

James and I were looking forward to him being able to at least partially retire in a few years. But he practically died working and I'm so sad thinking of the things we still had planned to do.