Retirement

NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,823
4,301
113
Central Piedmont, NC
Weird day at work today. Been with the same company 33 years. Well over half my life. Started as a secretary answering phones, filing, etc. Took a pay cut from climbing trees for a tree service to start a more “career” job. Worked up to the job I really wanted after a couple years and made it well past tree service pay. Ended as a manager. One of my goals was to be making 10 times my original salary by the time I left. Not to get political but I’ll have to admit a little boost from inflation helped some to reach that goal.

Today, officially announced I’m leaving at the end of the year. I’ve pretty much known for a while but still a little odd to pull the trigger and make it official.

Next year I’ll just be a tree farmer. Lots of stuff needs to be done on the “farm”, (almost embarrassed to call tree farming “farming”) both physically and from a business standpoint, that I currently simply don’t have time to do with a 50 to 60 hour normal work week at my W-2 gig.

I suspect the L needs to brace itself for a LOT more work starting in January. We have about 30 acres that is quite accessible via Mule/tractor and another 40 that requires a machete or bush axe to traverse. That needs correction. The pond would be much more user friendly with a small dock. We have a land swap with a developer in process. If that closes, I have about 4 acres of fields that were hilled up by a tobacco farmer but never planted due to sale of the land two years ago which will need to be flattened and planted either with grass or pines. If that doesn’t go through I’ll have to fence in the portion of the kudzu pit we own so I can put goats on it. Need to get the copious deadfall out of the 35 acres of pines so we can harvest the pine straw. Need to look into carbon credit tree saving programs as a potential alternative to harvesting the timber. Probably some stuff I’m forgetting. Anyway, lots of stuff to be done that there’s just no time to do currently.

If we can get some of that in order, we might find some time dust off the Airstream and travel a bit more.

Not a bad thing, but it does seem weird to be making plans here that I’ll never see come to fruition and consider come January I won’t be getting up at 5am to go to an office somewhere. I guess there are quite a few here who have made that transition and somehow survived. I probably will as well.
 
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ve9aa

Well-known member

Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
982
113
NB, Canada
Jealous! 5 years left for me (or that's the plan)

Happy for you.
 
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jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,387
1,813
113
Western MT
Congratulations, I hope you enjoy retirement/semiretirement ... some don't. I do.
 
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RCW

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,244
5,427
113
Chenango County, NY
Good for you!

I’m 36 years into a good retirement system. Wife is 38 into state teacher’s retirement system.

My days are numbered, just don’t know the number….of course that applies to other things beyond retirement…😉

In theory, I could be done 12/31 also but the current economy has me a little apprehensive on pulling the trigger. 😳

My hat’s off to you! Enjoy!!👍
 
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lynnmor

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601-1
May 3, 2021
1,452
1,172
113
Red Lion
If you think today was weird, wait till the last one. I wanted to reach the finish line on a high note, but that last day my hydraulic fluid must have been on empty, I couldn't make me work. Good luck on your plans, if you are like me you will wonder how you had any time for work. My to do list keeps getting longer.
 
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The Evil Twin

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501, LA526,
Jul 19, 2022
2,866
2,915
113
Virginia
Just stay busy! I've seen too many retire and live a sedentary life. It is usually a short venture. Sounds like you'll stay busy!
 
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Smokeydog

Well-known member

Equipment
M59, B26 grapples, backhoes, tillers, graders, diesel atv
Jun 2, 2020
681
638
93
knoxville, Tennessee
God sure enjoys a plan and tests your flexibility. Retired in 2008 and soon saw savings value plummet. Wasn’t counting to depend on savings anyway. It all worked out. Got some of our plan done, lot of other things we hadn’t plan on. Some of our best memories is with our Airstream with family and friends across the country for 26 years. Maybe get a new truck to pull it this year.

Sure enjoyed our gentleman farm. Treat it more like a park than farm. Have gone from horses, cows, goats, llamas, chickens, ducks, bees to home to deer, turkey and coyotes. Sell some timber and spend most my time dealing with brush and trees.
 
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GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,675
5,051
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
yeah... 'retirement'... it's when YOU have all the 'free time' to do what you want ,when you want but AFTER all the friends, relatives and neighbours come over and expect THEIR jobs to be done BEFORE yours........

best to leave the phone in the house,too easy to get distracted. lock the doors too... then go outside and have FUN !!
 
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Outnumbered

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L3901, FEL, BB1260, RCF2060, FDR2572, Titan Forks, Caryall, 5' Tiller
Oct 26, 2019
217
381
63
Moseley, VA
Congratulations!! I am in the same boat and notified my employer that I am retiring at the end of the year as well. Seems funny to be passing off tasks and projects to the younger guys while stepping back and just watching. I know it will be weird as I have been working at something since I was in my mid teens. I know it will be different but like you have quite a few acres to care for and a boat to keep me occupied. :cool: A tractor, boat and a couple of pew pew's what else can I ask for.

I have worked in management for the last 25 years and I do look forward of stepping out of the political corporate America and not feeling like if slip up one time I will get fired. I have spoken with several of my retired coworkers over the last year and they have all said give yourself time to adjust, it takes 6-8 months to get into your new groove.

Best of luck to you and your family as you navigate the next chapter!!
 
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jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
3,036
2,086
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
I’m at “three bad days,” meaning that I can retire anytime I want because I meet the age and pension requirements. But I still enjoy what I do and have more things I want to accomplish. But if I ever have 3 bad days in a row at work, I can fill out the papers.
 
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NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,823
4,301
113
Central Piedmont, NC
Congratulations!! I am in the same boat and notified my employer that I am retiring at the end of the year as well. Seems funny to be passing off tasks and projects to the younger guys while stepping back and just watching. I know it will be weird as I have been working at something since I was in my mid teens. I know it will be different but like you have quite a few acres to care for and a boat to keep me occupied. :cool: A tractor, boat and a couple of pew pew's what else can I ask for.

I have worked in management for the last 25 years and I do look forward of stepping out of the political corporate America and not feeling like if slip up one time I will get fired. I have spoken with several of my retired coworkers over the last year and they have all said give yourself time to adjust, it takes 6-8 months to get into your new groove.

Best of luck to you and your family as you navigate the next chapter!!
Good luck to you as well!

I agree the weirdness has already started as I’ve been turning over a variety of duties to younger folks for the past year as I kind of knew this was coming. If I had just walked out with two weeks notice, which I could have, it would have left such a mess I didn’t have much choice. IMO my people deserve as seamless an exit as possible.
 
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NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,823
4,301
113
Central Piedmont, NC
Congratulations on making it to retirement...many many folks don't.
I have a little App on my phone that I'll attach..
I installed that app on a friend’s phone and mine a few years ago when he was retiring so we could both count down the days. Almost forgot that. Thanks for reminding me. Definitely setting that up agsin!
IMG_1114.png
 
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NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,823
4,301
113
Central Piedmont, NC
Just stay busy! I've seen too many retire and live a sedentary life. It is usually a short venture. Sounds like you'll stay busy!
Yeah, I’m more changing to a less lucrative job rather than sitting on my butt. I can’t sit still long enough to watch a whole NFL game unless I record it to skip all the breaks.
 
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NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,823
4,301
113
Central Piedmont, NC
If you think today was weird, wait till the last one. I wanted to reach the finish line on a high note, but that last day my hydraulic fluid must have been on empty, I couldn't make me work. Good luck on your plans, if you are like me you will wonder how you had any time for work. My to do list keeps getting longer.
Looking forward to a new chapter but not the last day. Now they’re asking me if I’m doing the retirement party thing or just walking out the last day. It’s tempting to just work the last day and never show up again. I do know if there’s any retirement party my wife will NOT be there for stories that aren’t pre-approved. I’ve gotten in enough trouble in the past with that kind of crap.
 
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Bearcatrp

Well-known member

Equipment
BX1880 with loader, mower and 3 point
Mar 28, 2023
685
366
63
Minnesota
Congrats on retirement. I started SS 2 months ago. Still plan some part time driving here and there for one more year. Have a shoulder surgery in November. Could be a short recovery but if the find more the MRI missed, then I’m done until spring. Just have to keep moving so the old joints dont rust up. Good luck.
 
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