two years

[db-2]

On January, two years ago, i had a topic on here about retirement.

In that topic i had stated that i had gone to work one morning on the first part of January. Decided it was time to quit at age 73, wrote a note to the boss, went out front and told the lady i was going home at noon and i probably will not be back. And i have not gone back even to visit.

My two concerns at the time were if there would be enough monies and what would i do with the time.
Our income from SS and some funds from the Army have taken care of our monies needs for the most part and i have found there is not enough time in the day to do all i want to do.
Until these last two months with the wind and cold. It has been a bitch staying indoors.

I have watch repeatedly, Gunsmoke and other westerns and have enjoy watching them all. But it is getting old.

My thoughts have turn to looking back on my life (ma kept everything including all toys and scape books), my history, all that has happen, friends (all kinds) i have known and planning tomorrow. We need to write a will and find a place to be bury at (have funds with daughter to bury us of $30,000).
I do now think of end of life stuff and all the hate in this world. (crap).

But it is all good. Goal this summer of obtaining a truck my dad bought new in 1948, been working on this for three years and i think i will be able to get it (current owner said he would sell), repair work and a paint job on my 1977 Saloon, the purchase of a rifle (have four i would like to get so need to get one this summer). Traveling a lot and camping. Would like to bike to Dodge and Hays Kansas (see were they hung some of the bad guys from Dodge). Grandkids. And the list goes on.

For those of you had financial goals when you were young i commend you. Our goal was having and raising kids, drinking some beer and making memories. Did not start savings any kinds of monies until i turn 66. Was able for us, to save a fair amount in those 7 years and it has grown some in the last two years.

But if you are concern about retirement i will say it should and is one the best time of one's life overall.
So go for it. Yes, if we had plan better maybe could of retire before 73 but then who knows what it would have been. Monies or memories, which one? There have been heartaches and many, but in the end, it is all good. db

 

[Allen]

Very interesting read, db.

I recall, mostly pleasant recollections, of when I thought I'd have to work until the day I died. I'm not so sure about that anymore as I am 4.5 years away from being retirement eligible. Got no wife or gal pal as I write this, so I can literally go anywhere, do anything (within reason, of course) when my youngest graduates high school.

And I don't know what I want to do. So many options. Florida, Arizona, Outer Banks all cross my mind. Or...I can stay right here and just do short-term trips, including international travels.

What I do know though is that it's been one hell of a ride so far. One thing that has always intrigued me is the thought of writing it all down some day. My kids/family know a lot, but I've always thought putting pen to paper would be a rewarding experience in itself, even if it may really piss some people off. You never know what may trigger a somewhat hidden memory that hasn't crossed your mind in many years.

 

[db-2]

Allen:
With the help of my sister i have put a history of my family back to the old country, stories, finding grave sites, doing repair work were needed and a family tree. Put this all on paper for each of my kids. Sister did a ton of work on this before she passed away alone with a bunch of pictures.

My plan is to sit down and video on tape my life history over the next year in steps. Tell some stories, would be open on this with my thoughts. Wish i had this from my grandparents from the time they homestead. db

 

[mikef]

What kind of truck is it?

 

[LBrandt]

I have been keeping a record of what I do each day for the last 20 years. I have a folding calendar and every day I make notes of what I plan on doing and then before bed what I really got done. Keep a running record of bank balance and when bills are due and when paid. What was planted in garden and when it should be ready for harvest. When and where we went fishing and what we caught and used to catch them. It does not take a lot of writing to get most of the info down for the day, kind of like shorthand with whole words just enough to jog the noggen. Trips and travel get done as well, doctor appt and shopping and any fun facts that come up. Then every year that calendar goes into file safe for future reference. I guess you could call it a diary if you wanted. My mother used the old 8x12 calendars that you used to get from grain elevators or other small town business to keep her records and every once in awhile I will get one out and read and it is amazing how that will bring back what was really going on back then. During the dirty 30's was the most interesting. She hardly mentioned the war years for some reason, maybe she didnt want to remember. Some day someone can read my notes or throw them in the trash. Who knows. LB

 

[db-2]

IHC KB5. Excellent condition, always in shed. Less than 30,000 miles. Main truck on farm for many years. Has hoist with cattle/hay rack.
My ma also kept a daily log, i have not, all in memory cell and will be bury with me. db

 

[1lessdog]

I have been keeping a record of what I do each day for the last 20 years. I have a folding calendar and every day I make notes of what I plan on doing and then before bed what I really got done. Keep a running record of bank balance and when bills are due and when paid. What was planted in garden and when it should be ready for harvest. When and where we went fishing and what we caught and used to catch them. It does not take a lot of writing to get most of the info down for the day, kind of like shorthand with whole words just enough to jog the noggen. Trips and travel get done as well, doctor appt and shopping and any fun facts that come up. Then every year that calendar goes into file safe for future reference. I guess you could call it a diary if you wanted. My mother used the old 8x12 calendars that you used to get from grain elevators or other small town business to keep her records and every once in awhile I will get one out and read and it is amazing how that will bring back what was really going on back then. During the dirty 30's was the most interesting. She hardly mentioned the war years for some reason, maybe she didnt want to remember. Some day someone can read my notes or throw them in the trash. Who knows. LB

People have been doing this since 2004 with the start up of Facebook. Only thing is they have pictures. Their are millions of people doing it, join the crowd and sign up.


I dont have it, and probably never will.

 

[Dirty]

I don’t have Facebook either, and for some reason I think I’d rather pull out one of those calendars to read than look at anyone’s facebook account. Too much meaningless, mindless garbage to wade through on Facebook…I’ve seen enough of it to know I don’t like it.
LBrandt, You’ve been keeping it real and creating a time capsule for 20 years and I can appreciate that. So will your grandkids I hope.

 

[Trapper62]

Just turned 60 and my wife and I debate (argue) about my retirement date. My plan is to work one more year and she is saying at least two. My goal is to retire at 61 debt free, I may not be able to get the house paid off by then, if not, than maybe she will get her way!

I'm glad to hear that you have lots to do, as I think that may be my biggest concern as well?

 

[snow1]

Interesting thread db....Like allen no wife,to grumpy in my old age for a gal pal,hell I'm lucky my dog loves me after a bad day,agreed this winter hold'd up due to temps etc suck,still have a decent memory so haven't started a log,some shit I don't like never leaves my brain.

visited a friend recently who retired in north carolina...old biker,loves his harley's.

He refur'd a old 1941 chevrolet pickup...was embarrassed to show him my mopar recon.he has bookoo $$ and time in his baby

Gotta love old vehicles,us old timers have that going for us,cool vehicles,cool music in our day...like Gunsmoke never gets old.

1941 squeaky clean chevrolet pickup truck,she's a breaut.

 

[johnr]

I am not sentimental at all, my father is still living, gave me his .22 from when his older brother 70 years ago bought it and gave it to him. I will pass that little gun down to my son, plus many more, but as far as reading what dad or grandpa did 50+ years ago has zero interest to me, and maybe that is why I really don't see my kids giving two shits about what I did when they weren't around.

No offense to anyone who does this, or who sees me as cold hearted, but I just don't have that in me. A good friend moved to Arizona 12 years ago, I deleted his number a few weeks after he left, mrs johnr was confused and rather upset, however I let her know we would never see them again and the friendship was over, she was in disbelief. Well we did connect on fakebook a few years back, but really its just like one would guess, pretty much fakebook.

Its awesome for those of you that care, not sure what happened in my brain that I really just don't.

 

[wslayer]

Interesting thread db....Like allen no wife,to grumpy in my old age for a gal pal,hell I'm lucky my dog loves me after a bad day,agreed this winter hold'd up due to temps etc suck,still have a decent memory so haven't started a log,some shit I don't like never leaves my brain.

visited a friend recently who retired in north carolina...old biker,loves his harley's.

He refur'd a old 1941 chevrolet pickup...was embarrassed to show him my mopar recon.he has bookoo $$ and time in his baby

Gotta love old vehicles,us old timers have that going for us,cool vehicles,cool music in our day...like Gunsmoke never gets old.

1941 squeaky clean chevrolet pickup truck,she's a breaut.

Wow, that is an absolute beauty.

 

[db-2]

John:

Sometimes it may take time to want to remember or know about someone or something about the past.
I do live in the present, look forward to tomorrow and have a pleasant moment now and then remembering the past. db

 

[LBrandt]

I do my note thing for myself. Some day down the line I will go though them if I am lucky and be able to relive my last 20+ years because it seems like a blink of an eye and its gone. I fear the big Al and if that happens they will not find all my guns. Hate to be morbid but thats my life to live or die. My choice. LB

 

[snow1]

Indeed slayer,it's his show piece,his back woods neighbors also have dandy old cars/harley's brought back to life,couple I kicked tires on were just as nice I'll post pic's one of these days.

I'm the same as as you jaunr,got nothin from old family members,but then we never really had much....for some reason I kept a pic of my immigrant grand parents ,the good side of the family,grandpa's old walleye rod (fiberglass limp dick rod and a old zebco spin cast reel for watever reason,maybe the memories of the rat's nest gramp's always had with that setup and also a 1930's bambo fly rod with a nifty auto retrieve fly reel.

Like LB stated with age time flies....like a fart in the wind.

 

[db-2]

I have given up farting for the most part but when i do they seem to hang around. db

 

[ndfinfan]

May not be realistic, but in 6 years when the wife and I retire planning to sell the house, buy a motorhome...hit the road. Might only make it a year or 2 in the motorhome before we've got to get a condo or something, but determined to give it our best shot.

 

[Prairie Doggin']

I am not sentimental at all, my father is still living, gave me his .22 from when his older brother 70 years ago bought it and gave it to him. I will pass that little gun down to my son, plus many more, but as far as reading what dad or grandpa did 50+ years ago has zero interest to me, and maybe that is why I really don't see my kids giving two shits about what I did when they weren't around.

No offense to anyone who does this, or who sees me as cold hearted, but I just don't have that in me. A good friend moved to Arizona 12 years ago, I deleted his number a few weeks after he left, mrs johnr was confused and rather upset, however I let her know we would never see them again and the friendship was over, she was in disbelief. Well we did connect on fakebook a few years back, but really its just like one would guess, pretty much fakebook.

Its awesome for those of you that care, not sure what happened in my brain that I really just don't.

This made me laugh. Every once in a while, I run into a classmate that I haven't seen in 30 years..."I looked for you on Facebook"...keep looking, not there. If I haven't seen you in 30 years, probably a good reason - I don't care. The people I care about live in my house. There is where my focus lies.

 

[Happycamper]

I watched 3 couples sell their farm/ranch buy an RV and hit the road. Two of them didn't last a year. With all of the chores with farming they barely saw each other except at meal time and evenings in front of the tv. Now they were cramped inside 24/7 and realized they really didn't like each other. You take quite a beating when you sell a 2nd hand RV.

DB-2you mentioned Army. Have you checked out the Vets cemetery south of Mandan?

QUOTE=ndfinfan;341642]May not be realistic, but in 6 years when the wife and I retire planning to sell the house, buy a motorhome...hit the road. Might only make it a year or 2 in the motorhome before we've got to get a condo or something, but determined to give it our best shot.[/QUOTE]

 

[risingsun]

I have given up farting for the most part but when i do they seem to hang around. db

The older you get, you gotta stop trusting that your farts are just air. :;:cheers