Retirement Day Two

The one nice thing about not having to go to work is that I have plenty of time to work at home: i.e., making appointments, checking email, keeping my calendar up to date, doing volunteer work and all at a pace I want. Today felt good: Went to breakfast Rotary meeting (and signed sheet for three new members--whew! no fines there), dropped off some stuff at the old office, ran a few errands and since I live in a small town, ran into a few people I know to say hello to.

Lunch at home (the goal is to save money and not eat out except with friends occasionally. If I'm alone, I can always find something to eat at home).

Funny thing, though, my temporary bridge fell out while eating (as it usually does) so, since being retired and at home, called my wonderful dentist right away and within a half hour the bridge is securely (I hope) back in place.

Which brings me to the astounding cost of dental work these days. At 66, my teeth are in bad shape and have had all kinds of work done in the last three months (well, actually last year and a half when the temporary bridge was put in place). My dental insurance only gives me $1,000 a year and I guess I will have spent about $7,000 by the time all is done in January.

When did the price of an extraction escalate to $350 per tooth, not counting x-rays, anesthesia, and what have you. The estimate for my work in January is at $3,800. I am agast. What is a retiree to do? I know some people who have had implants who have spent $30,000 on their mouth. Is it that important to be able to eat corn on the cob? I know...I know...I've already thought about how I will no longer be able to eat a piece of pizza without using a fork and knife. I gave up corn on the cob when my first crown broke off (not fell out--big difference!). But I can still eat corn and there is something comforting about being able to eat corn freshly cut from the cob in the kitchen without all that buttery mess clinging so embarrassingly to my chin and cheeks. A fork full of corn is just as tasty and not the least bit messy.

Well, there I go, rambling on and on, but isn't that what retirees do? I have a friend who is miserable in retirement because she says she loved her job and didn't want to quit. She was a layoff because of the economic turn down. I also loved my job but not enough to keep doing it. But that's a story for another day. Now it's time for my nap.

First Day of Retirement: Remember Me?

Well, the countdown is over. Today is my very first day of RETIREMENT. (Yeah!!) I can hardly believe it but it's true. The countdown is over and I am now my own person. No more worrying about the "job."

So, true to the plan I had in my head, I took a 30 minute walk and here I am back at the computer and hope my many fans haven't decided to dessert the Retiredgal for lack of new posts. It's been a very, very busy few weeks trying to dot all the i's and cross all the t's before I could truly leave the office for good,.

There was a party and a gift (who doesn't like that!) and, of course, all the kudos about a job well done. Yeah, it was a job well done, so there! Now all I have to worry about is making ends meet on Social Security, a few small IRA's and a teeny tiny pension from one job I was at for 10 years. It seems to work on paper--hope it works in reality. I'd hate to have to ask my only child for retribution! (Although it certainly is due!).

Anyway, here I am...a Zumba course at 11 a volunteer committee meeting at 2 and the rest of the day is mine. Rotary tomorrow morning, followed by a walk and weight training at 8:45, then, perhaps, cribbage at 10 and a 5:30 p.m. meeting. What do you think? Too ambitious a schedule? I dunno know. Maybe I should go slower...

And sometime this week I have a 6:30 a.m. breakfast date at a little shack on the water. Better be a sun-shiney day for that! Then later in the week when the forcast is for rain I just may stay in and CLEAN THE HOUSE! (Just kidding!)

Thurday and Friday are so far up in the air--no plans; but, of course, I can make any plan I want--without worrying about work. As I've heard most retirees say,
"I don't know how I ever found the time to work, I'm so busy in "retirement."

After the winter, when I just can turnover and go back to sleep at the first hint of SNOW!, I may adjust my plans and try to fit in some paid work--maybe 10 hours a week. Just enough to have some extra walking around money. Who knows, I just might find a new career.

All you retirees out there (or those about to be), please COMMENT.