enjoy....especially the grandsons! that was a game changer for me.

Ain't that the truth!!

My advice to everyone is always do it as soon as you can and are comfortable with it. I had suffered two major heart attacks in one year during a major merger by our company. I thought about retiring then my wife was 9 years from retirement and I was only 50 and wanted to build for a long retirement. My new job was totally self directed and pretty independent, so I decided to stay until I though I was ready. I ended up staying until I was 58 and my wife reached retirement age of 55. The last three years I became obsessed with the game of "Do I have enough?" I ran simulations on Fidelity's Monte Carlo simulator until I was blue in the face. One Thursday morning in April, I stopped for breakfast then went on to work. I parked in the lot of our office, listened to the radio while I enjoyed the perfect spring morning and opened the door to go in. I sat there a minute and realized I really wanted to go fishing and I was worrying myself to death about how much future money I would be leaving to my kids instead if I had enough to enjoy the rest of my life. I went in to the office, submitted my papers and took a day's vacation to go bluegill fishing. I worked until August 1 of that year and retired the same day as my wife. We physically moved to Lexington that spring but still had our old house, which we sold that summer. We retired on the first, got up the next morning with the last of our posessions packed in a small box trailer, stopped at the realtors to close on the old house and drove out of town. Best trip we ever made.

Dean is right. I have told people continually that I have less free time than I did while working. That was 17 years ago and a huge portion of the good memories of my life are from that period. Most of the health and old age issues I have started developing began at about the time I reached normal retirement age. I am thankful every day that we made the decision when we did to be able to enjoy that early retirement period to the maximum.

Retired 4 years ago and I agree with Dean “how did I ever have time to go to work”
The other thing is that you will venture into what I call “ground hog day” every day is the same week days and week ends merge together.

The last thing that had to get use to is that for 40 plus year I was the most relevant person. Now you will be somewhat irrelevant, there won’t be lots of people waiting on your actions and decisions.

Glad to be retired enjoying every day!

I retired in Oct of 1998, had three things I was going to do, Fish more, read a book I had on the World's water supply, and hell that was so long ago I forgot the 3rd. Just enjoy every day and move, move and move more. Went thru 9/11, 2008, and still have money coming in to enjoy life.

Different strokes for different folks, although I totally wish you the best in your retirement, Joseph.

I’m 72 and cannot imagine what a day would be like without being able to go to work on the farm ….. planting, tending or harvesting. I work alongside my son and grandson everyday, and what a joy it is. Lest anyone think farming isn’t stressful, I would quickly correct you. Dig a hole in the ground and put $500K in it, cover it up, and pray for rain and good weather. Doesn’t always work out. But, I’m so thankful for every day that I am able to work and be productive that the good just far outweighs the bad.

I love my time in the field with my Parkers and Foxes and L C Smiths, but they have to take a backseat to breaking land, planting, cultivating and harvesting. God help me, I guess it’s just too imbedded in the blood.

sounds like its not work to you, so you did retire a long time ago and you just didnt know it..:)

God bless the farmer.

Family pic taken Thanksgiving Day, 2022. Me, my son, and his two sons.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/72518_800x600.jpg

Stan I have had pretty much the same situation. Had a landscape business for about 45 years and worked with both sons as they grew up and the older and i have partnered for the last 30 years. All of my grandchildren have worked with us over the years and no greater joy is there in life. I never had a day i did not look forward to going to work. Said only the grim reaper could retire me.
But he fooled me with just enough health issues to stop me from working more than an hour here and there.
I wish you a long and healthy life and know how you enjoy it.