Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

Not a question for the young 'uns on here but for those who have retired from full time work.

I semi retired on medical advice in 2008 when I was 53 and I nearly went nuts with boredom!
There are only so many times you can catch up with household chores until you get fed up of it.
Yes, I had my two classics - the Mark 2 and the Series 2a Land Rover - but I felt guilty if I spent more than one day a week tinkering with them.

My retirement gave rise to a humorous but true story :
After a stern warning from my doctor I retired in February 2008. A fortnight later I was itching for something constructive to do so I approached the road widening contractors working on the A470 nearby. They were demolishing roadside walls and I asked if I could buy some walling stones. Fine, as long as I arranged my own haulage "and a drink for the lads".

I paid for 20 feet of a low wall, about 6 tons and arranged local haulage.
I was away on the Friday and returned home after dark and saw the haulage note in my letter box. Next morning I went to inspect my prize and saw 15 tons or more in a huge pile on the road behind my house.
I had to move some because the road was partly blocked, so, I started with a wheelbarrow.
I'd been at it for an hour or so and felt penetrating eyes on my back. I turned round to see Dr ********* glaring at me. She was taking her dogs for a walk up the forestry road behind my home.
"My surgery, 9.00am o'clock Monday, Mr Griffith!" was all she said.

I think you can guess what happened two days later.

What do you do to pass the time? I've gone back to working three days a week with permission as long as I don't overdo it.
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[alastairq]

Who finally moved the stones?

I have recently ceased to have anything to do with any sort of paid work.

I now refer to myself as a 'Not-work'....to distinguish myself from those poor beggars who still have to turn out a soon as a sparrow fahrts, in case the employer is less than flexible......................and who spend more than half their waking lives struggling to earn enough to keep their heads above water....in pursuit of the material world we have all been encouraged to participate in.

I cannot accept the concept of 'retirement'.....as a label. I am reasonably fit [as long as I keep taking the pills!]....and didn't 'need' to 'retire'....[indeed, I think I am right in saying that, at this moment in time, no employer can actually 'force', or 'compel', an employee to 'retire'....certainly this is the case with the Civil Service...[or, in my case, highly un-civil service.....I certainly avoided PC whenever I could!]......one simply 'resigns'.....subsequently drawing whatever pension income one is endowed with...certainly mine is a good third less than what I receive from the State by right........[whoever says Civil Service pensions are gold-plated? Certainly not at the coal-face levels, they aren't!]

My decision to leave work really was...relatively-speaking, quite sudden.

Many of my colleagues worked long into their 70's...[as long as they were fit enough to pass the annual medicals for their vocational licences]....the job was a highly skilled one, but, with experience, an easy one.

This time last year, I had zero plans to cease work.....but, a close friend had indeed done that....and finally convinced me that...given the income I would hopefully receive from the various sources which make up one's pension , I would actually be working for 'very little'....and with what thanks?

Planning? I leave that to those who care for the future.....I have long since learnt that planning is often futile, so really isn't worth the candle, unless it's to keep warm & fed.

Bored I am not.

Lonely I am not...[at least, I don't feel it!]

I live alone, but have close family.....and have a good relationship with all my ex-wives.....which I have always felt to be important.

Therefore, I can, pretty much, do as I please.

Whether what I decide to do is wise, is entirely another matter!

[peter scott]

I think generally speaking that I have been very fortunate in that life has always appeared to get better as I have grown older.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[lowdrag]

Frankly, after nearly 20 years of retirement I do find life somewhat boring. My golf is failing me and I am now in double figures after 50 years as a low handicapper, (but I did play with a chap of 85 years who had an eagle on a par 5 this week) I have written articles for Jaguar magazines during my retirement but the times they are a'changin' and most people are more into the F-type and the cars from the nineties onwards. Few want - or bother - to read about the development of the V12 engine or about the manufacture of the D or E-types. I'm starting to know how the dinosaurs felt. Moreover, having attended 18 funerals since February last year does make one realize the meaning of the word mortality. I was looking at my annual mileage in the classics over the years, and it certainly has declined substantially, which is I suppose another sign of ageing, or perhaps the fact that we have no friends left to tour with. Still, strangely a bulb lit up in my head this morning and I am thinking of doing what is left of Route 66 in the E-type as my final hurrah. Unlike Peter, I am not ageing like fine wine but turning to vinegar as I go off!

ETA Well, the USA is off because friends did it last year and said that the heartland of America is closed. Museums, Motels, Cafes and restaurants - it was no fun. So we are planning (well, I am) a tour of France at the beginning of September. I think tha St. Emilion will figure, as will the Dordogne and the Lot and the Tarn valley and, and.....

The last huzzah, perhaps, but let's make it a good one!

[Penman]

Hi
Well I retired from instructing in 2014, and for about 10 years I was also driving a college minibus as a casual driver, that finished last December but back in April this year i got another casual job driving for a Crash Repair company, picking up damaged cars and delivering repaired ones or courtesy cars, from all over the country.
I did 1500 mls one week.
Generally I deal with the drivable ones, the permanent drivers doing the non-drivable ones on beaver tails.
A lot of them are from self drive companiesand I get to drive some quite expensive machinery and some of them are driving school cars so I am still in touch with my old profession.
Occasionally we get one way jobs so I also get paid for rail travel in the other direction.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Keith D]

In 2008 the mining boom in Oz was just bursting. The boss stuck his head out of the office and yelled, "Pete, Joe and Keith, we won't need you guys after tomorrow!" That was it! My retirement at 65 years of age had started! Being a contractor all my life, ordinary notice was not required. (Everybody knows that contractors live under stones!)

A friend had been urging me to retire for years. I had whined that I would be bored. He laughed in my face and told me that I wouldn't know where I found the time to go to work! A joke of course, but so very true.

I was in four car clubs (until I resigned from three this year - The VCC covers all my cars.) I am an active member of a model railway club, a very involved foundation member of our local Men's Shed and a very active member of a caravan club. My wife and I travel a lot and we enjoy going on a good few cruises as well. I am almost finished building a roadster body for my Morris Cowley. Finally, I spend a lot of time reading about the exploits of similar minded people to me on OCC!

Do I enjoy retirement? MY BLOODY OATH!! Am I bored? Absolutely no way! Do I miss work? Work is just a nasty four letter word!

Keith (a very happy retiree!)
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[peter scott]

[Peter_L]

I retired from employed work in 2013. Have not regretted it once.

Sold the house and gave notice that took us up to 2 days before we handed over the keys. Our mostly pre packed "stuff" was loaded into containers, we put some personal stuff and our 18 year old cat in the SUV and drove 2000 miles east to find a new home.

Left friends and neighbours we had known for years, our families were already thousands of miles away scattered around the world.

Now we operate a long arm quilting business (Quilt Arena) find us on FB.

The brains and bodies are kept active with the business, 5000sqft of 70's house that needs a facelift and (who knows or cares) acres to manage.

Maintenance, refurbishment and new ideas keep the multiple skills carefully honed. So many interests and a yet to be started model train layout prevent boredom from even getting a toe in the door.

Turned the 3 score and ten last year only to find that for me at least it was just another number.

No alarm clock, unless we have a plane to catch somewhere. Has to be the best years other than the 60's and 70's when "frankly my dear ..... "

[Ellis]

[emmerson]

I ended full time work in 2003, at 60, with a small pension. To sort of balance the drop in income, I drove builders supply lorries on agency for one week in four until my state pension kicked in.Since then Herself and I have traveled Europe for two or three months every year in our classic Royale caravan and Range Rover, and when not touring Europe, try to have at least one week every month somewhere in UK, also in the 'van.When we're at home, I love to spend time wandering our lovely valley with the dogs, without having to worry about being out too long. My only regret is that I wasn't able to retire ten years earlier, as originally planned, but we bought our cottage when I was 46, so that scuppered that plan!
I am fortunate in that I still have my life partner, after 52 years and we both enjoy each other's company and share lots of interests. Sadly, my wife's health is now deteriorating, so next year may well be our last European venture, but we hope to continue in the UK for as long as possible.
A snag to all this time away is that the wee cottage is falling apart, so we will have to think about doing ( or more likely, having done), some work done here!
Without doubt, taking retirement was the best thing I have ever done, but I did not realise that it is a full-time job, with no time off!

[Da Tow'd]

2007 I "retired" from running the big boat and have been enjoying my time in my shop on a lot of old cars and trucks and being on dry land.
I still get the marine rewiring jobs that nobody else seems to want to step up and do. Just because I like that stuff.
I do miss the well paying cheques every month but our health is good and my wife of 45 years still put up with me.
A lot of the guys around here that retire seem to die off pretty quick I'll keep on doing what I like until I can't do it anymore
cheers
Hank

[peppiB]

I gave up work in 2000, an was a volunteer driver for social services from 2002 to 2006. I really enjoyed the early years, but now as health deteriorates and stuck in a wheelchair, I get very frustrated looking at jobs I used to be able to do and now find impossible

[52classic]

Back in 2014 I suffered a bit of a health scare and in the same year my employer's company went out of business.

It was time for some major reinvention! Working with an old friend from school days we put together a car restoration workshop under the umbrella of his family business and now work 3 days a week on projects of our choosing. We often find ourselves 'off topic' - Typically, we're just finishing the build of an extension on his house, but the point is that working like this is very agreeable.

I've kept in touch with people from my old job too, oddments of work come my way at a pace that suits me. Best of all, I now have a little more time to make some headway on the home DIY projects that have been on the go for years. With age 65 coming up this year I am thankful for having found the right work/life balance at long last.

Following in Emmerson's footsteps we added a Range Rover to the family fleet earlier this year and there's a plan for a touring caravan also for 2017. We're thinking Castleton or a maybe a Cotswold for starters.
Don't mind admitting that we'll be on a shoestring budget but that's part of the fun.

Mrs C ( of 43 years just gone) has gradually been reducing hours at a job she loves so we're hopeful of finding the opportunity for touring - there's so much of the UK we haven't seen. Perhaps taking in a few classic shows if I can blag an entry for a P38.

TBH I do find that my energy levels are lower than a few years ago but both of us say that our diaries are fuller than they've ever been and when asked what I intend to leave behind me I say "Work in progress."

But it takes all sorts - We have some good friends who sold up and moved to Portugal. Years later they behave as if they are still on holiday. Others seem to loose any sense of purpose once they stop work - God forbid that we ever feel that way.

[Dipster]

For most of my working life I was blessed with a "specialist" government job that I enjoyed. It gave us a reasonable income, lots of travel around the world as a family and security. It also allowed us to educate our children very well.

But over the last few years of my employment financial cuts, causing redundancies, were putting more work on the shoulders of those remaining. Often doing jobs that they would not have done previously just to keep the system going. And doing everything with ever decreasing budgets.

I accepted that as I truly enjoyed my job. But the tools given to do these extra jobs, that is the computer systems and software, simply did not do their job. I found it very frustrating and wasted lots of time that I really needed to do what I was actually paid to do!

One day I went home late and really frustrated. My wife knew what I was experiencing. That evening she asked why we were doing this. I said that we were doing it for money, it was my job. She then surprised me by saying we did not need to do it for money, that we could retire happily right then.

We have simple tastes and have always lived quite frugally by choice. But I had not realised that my dear wife, who had always dealt with our family accounts as I simply did not have the time, had been squirreling some money away regularly for years. So it was possible for us to decide to finish the assignment I was on and then walk away aged 63. So 4 years ago we did.

My wife hates the term retired. So I now consider myself a permanent holidaymaker, although I still do get up early every day, I cannot kick that habit.

My wife is happy to see me every day. I do what I want, when I want and, perhaps most importantly, if I want. Pretty much literally. We are not rich, far from it, but life is very pleasant. I had a very nice garage and workshop built in the garden. So I can go in there and tinker about with projects if I choose, or do the garden, or simply sit and read, or listen to music, or the radio, or podcasts. With my wireless headphones I can often do some things all at once! We can get out and visit events or places if we wish, whenever we wish. Although that is not as often as we thought it would be. Home can be so alluring too!

I would not want to have to go back to what I was doing. I certainly do miss certain aspects of my former work but overall I would choose to keep what I have got.

[norustplease]

I retired almost exactly 12 months ago at the age of 63. I had been a Director of an Architect's Practice and since my 'pension' was largely vested in the value of my share of the company, retirement was inevitably a financially strategic decision, as well as a recognition of the fact that I had got to a point in my career, whereby I could no longer tolerate the increasingly bureaucratic nature of my profession. My wife wanted to continue with her profession for the time being and so she has carried on working part time, but she is happy for me to be a kept man for a couple of more years, providing that I make myself reasonably useful!!.

I was initially concerned that since most of my social life was intermingled with that of my company, that going it alone might feel a bit odd, but my interest in old cars has opened a lot of doors socially, and enabled me to get more involved with local clubs as well as the Traction Owners Club, and as a result, I have made a lot of new friends.
As a result, the year has passed quite quickly. I have only done a fraction of the things that I set out to, and I am now considering new projects for 2017 with relish.
I can't say that I miss work, although when I occasionally call in on my former fellow directors for a cup of coffee, I have a slight pang. However, a few minutes chat about the company overdraft, Corporation Tax and the latest hoops that the practice is having to jump through for the RIBA and others, soon cures me, and I generally escape back to my car, a happy man.
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV