Why I Don't Post That Often

[19&41]

I turned in the car to my shop to troubleshoot yet another CEL with attendant engine issues. Got the truck ready to go to work the easier way. It had construction for 6 miles with 3 long stops. got moving again and started on the back way when all at the same time a police motorcycle rushed at me sireens wailing and blinding lights flashing and a crane almost hit my drivers door window and turned to fly forward away from me as I pulled to the edge of the road. The funeral cortege finally passed and I got started again. I made it on in to work. Safe at last. Got out of the truck to see the last vapors leaving my drivers rear tire. Thank goodness for my AAA membership. All this crap to get to work.

[TC Chris]

Got out of the truck to see the last vapors leaving my drivers rear tire. Thank goodness for my AAA membership. All this crap to get to work.

My parents were both nail-pickers--if they saw a nail in the road, it got picked up. They grew up in an era when flats were common. Now, as a bicycle commuter, I'll pick up nails among the debris in the road at stop signs and lights. Flats always happen at the wrong time.

Chris Campbell

[William]

Sorry to hear of all your troubles, Rex. Me thinks it's time to retire, it will be much safer than being on the road.

Bill

[maxidyne]

It took me 45 minutes to drive 4 miles to work the other day. Why do they work on the road when traffic is heavy. Why don't they just close the road so we will be forced to take another route......

[19&41]

The first tire in this set that went flat was punctured by a pine knot it picked up in the road.

[TC Chris]

It took me 45 minutes to drive 4 miles to work the other day. Why do they work on the road when traffic is heavy. Why don't they just close the road so we will be forced to take another route......

My 3-mile commute takes 15-20 minutes on the bicycle, depending on season, plus I feel good when I get to work or home again. On the way home, the last 8 blocks or so is on a our main downtown street and so it's "rush hour" in tourist season and I will pass blocks of cars sitting still. The bike lane takes me to the head of the line at the stop light. I don't smirk visibly because that would be impolite, but it is fun passing all the cars.

Retirement is not a proper cure for traffic woes. There may be other reasons to do it. The evidence is not in, but some think that the mental and social activity of jobs does defer or prevent some forms of dementia. Me, I don't have that many wits to lose, so I keep going to work. And besides, it lets me afford luxuries like a second go-round on the Chevy's Powerglide by a competent shop. Yay for competence....

Chris Campbell

[Firedome]

My commute from the country into Baltimore was 44 mi each way, my wife's 52 miles. Bikes were not an option. An hour+ each way, sometimes much more in traffic. Being retired for sometime I look back and don't know how we did it for so long, it was wearing. But we raised 3 kids and we wanted to raise them in the country (we both grew up in Baltimore) and it was worth it. The horses and animals kept them put of the mall and they got good values working on our "mini farm", and 4H, Scouts, church, etc. All 3 of them got their Bachelors then Grad/Med school and are doing well, a real asset to society.
So the sacrifice paid off. But I wouldn't want to do it again.

As my late IBm EE Uncle, a real renaissance man and an amazing guy who could fix or build almost anything, once said: "You shouldn't retire FROM something, retire TO something". He also said: "I work to live, I don't live to work". He was a very wise man. He was financially able to retire early, but he had many hobbies and though he retired at 58, he lived to 93. He was still driving his Model A pickup and coupe when he was 91 and had a bad fall. But he had all his marbles to the end. My Dad also was very successful and he also retired at 58 and moved to a waterfront house in Florida to play golf. But he declined physically and mentally and died at 78. It's not whether you work or not, it's what you do with it.

[19&41]

I think when one chooses retirement, they should maintain structure and routine in life, exercising as much control as they can and finding means to occupy their time in a beneficial manner. My grandfather on my mother's side retired the year I was born (1956) and worked with my grandmother in the repair and restoration of antique furniture she would acquire for resale. He became active in our church, teaching church school and doing work in support of the elderly in our community. Sadly, when he reached the age when it was deemed necessary to enter an assisted living community, he just shut down and quite literally was "waiting for God". Six months later, he had passed. I may have to work 'til I die, but one can't earn $27.50/hr as a door greeter.

[electra225]

You can draw your Social Security and work someplace part time and get by pretty well if you don't carry a lot of debt. It's not your income so much as carrying debt that get seniors in trouble. You can't have any debt, period, not even a dime. You have to learn that if you don't have cash for it, you don't need it. When you don't have the expense of travelling to work, buying your lunch, etc. you'd be surprised how much extra money you have. If your home is free and clear is the big thing when you retire.

Run-flat tires sound good on paper, but they are noisy and they ride hard. A subscription to AAA is a far better option, and one that I'm considering on my Mini. The tires have 35,000 on them and they are getting toward the wear bars. The next set will be regular old Michelins, not run flats. Now that I only drive four miles to work, I can run on the rim and get home. They sell new rims.

You're right about staying active when you retire. I don't fish, I don't play golf, I don't hike, but I walked 6.2 miles yesterday following a dust mop in a Walmart store. There is a pedometer feature on our company phones. I lost five pounds in the first six days on the job. I wouldn't have been caught dead working at such a job when I had to earn a living, but, in retirement, part time, I enjoy the job and I get a lot of exercise and get paid for it. You don't work in retirement for the money, per se, although a few extra rubles comes in handy, no doubt. This little old gig gives me a little time away from home, gives the wife a break, let's me be "good for something", lots of little benefits. I've been with the company for 12 years, this is my fifth store, three of them with the same manager. I just follow her from store to store......

[Firedome]

The fancier AAA plan is so worth it. We make at least 20 300 mi trips to VT and back every year. Our plan covers a free tow of 200 miles. About 7 yrs ago one tire of a brand new set of Goodyear Kevlar Wranglers on one of our Xterra's decided to blowout a sidewall on a Sunday on the way home about 80 mikes away. AAA came in very handy.
Then 2 years ago the alternator decided to die about 60 mi from home coming back from the airport in Syracuse after a long day, a Denver trip, at 10 PM on a Saturday. I saw the gauge go to discharge (thank heaven for real gauges), so shut off everything except headlights, and took a parallel side route off the Interstate. Thought we might make it home on the battery but it only went 30 miles, 30 mi to go. Died just as we coasted into the only gas station within 15 miles. AAA to the rescue again. I'd never be without it, even if we did only local driving.

Be sides the crazy amount time of time we spend going to and fro to VT and CO, enough projects for 3 lifetimes, and maintaining 2 homes, yards, and gardens in 2 states (I don't hire on much help: roofing, plumbing, that's about it.) no outside job needed here. In September we go to out Denver again and for several weeks working on renovating the siding and trim our younger son's new house in Golden. I work much more slowly these days and can't put in the long hours I once could, but one has to keep on putting one foot in front of another, always moving forward, little bit little.

[19&41]

About 12 years ago my Bronco II had a driveline failure in Atlanta near work. another guy I worked with got me signed up with AAA right then and I had it towed home. It had a telescoping driveshaft that had a splined portion in the center that had worn out. I bought another and was able to replace it myself. That was a simple car to work on.

[electra225]

Being totally retired is something I hope I never have to experience. I enjoy working. My hobbies aren't hobbies if that is all I have to do. Grandpa never retired. He quit working on cars, let the younger guys do that. He worked on small engines until he was well up into his '90's.

[Firedome]

I enjoy working too, just not for someone else. Every morning I have a to-do list, I enjoy getting them done and that box ticked. Never a dull moment.

[electra225]

I get bored and drive the wife nuts if I stay home all the time. I need somebody with their boot up my butt to keep me motivated at times. I have the typical "honey-do" list like everybody else. I was retired two weeks before the wife advised me I needed to find a part-time job. Lots of retired people work for the company I do. One guy I work with is 82 and is raising his great-granddaughter. The guy looks like he's 50......