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Monday, January 7, 2013

Oh NO, Not Again

In 1998 I closed my salon and started a booth rental position in a nice downtown Durand salon called Teaser's. We sold our house and moved into the one we currently own on January 6, 1999. That was about 5 weeks after we closed the salon. Roomy started talking about retirement. He was approaching the point at which he could retire from then General Telephone with full benefits and insurance for life for both of us. It was a time of change and we were very happy.

In 2003, he retired from General Telephone and took his pension in a lump sum. We invested the money and set up an automatic payment from one account to pay our mortgage. We could have paid for our home, but the financial adviser convinced us that the low interest of a home mortgage was in fact, a good investment. Over time, we would actually gain more than we paid in interest and therefore, while paying down our mortgage, we would be building equity in our investment account. It all made sense to us and we agreed.

Two days later Roomy started working full time for a contracting company doing the same work he had done at General Telephone for about half the money. He was nowhere near ready to retire and this job would carry less stress and no union. He would be a supervisor with a crew of 1 or 2 or 3, depending on what he needed for any given job. 

So the first retirement lasted 2 days.

A few months into the new job his old boss called him and asked if he would like to return to work at the company now Verizon owned. He explained he could return at his seniority and have all the benefits he had as a full time 20 plus year employee. It seemed a no brainer to Roomy because he had already collected his pension and felt he had nothing to lose. The new company would possibly be better and if not, he could just leave again. So he took the job. Giving notice to his new employer, they told him he was welcomed back anytime and they wished him luck with Verizon.

Five weeks later he retired again. Yes, retired for the second time because they had given him his seniority back, they also paid him a full second retirement for this five weeks of hard labor.
Off to the investment office we went, quickly, before they changed their minds. The adviser was familiar with this happenstance and assured us that the money was paid willingly and correctly by the union contract. We kept a chunk of this one and bought a new 2004 van and paid cash and also took our family (all of it) to Key West as a Christmas gift that year. The rest of the money we invested in an annuity for life. We will get that money monthly, as long as either of us is alive.  

Back to the contractor for round two after two retirements.

9/11 happened. Our investments shrunk by $70,000 and the account we were using to pay the house payment was too little to cover the debt. I went back to work after a 6 year retirement to get the house paid off. I couldn't stand that he was working while I wasn't and the debt was looming. I worked 4 years and then retired for REAL. The loan was under control and would be paid in 2 years or less and immediately if he wanted to retire.  

Now 8 years into the second round at the contractor, he told me come December he was finally ready to retire for REAL.  LOL

He turned 74 in September and I thought it was time for him to hang up the work boots and hang out for a while. 

December came and went and Roomy is now laid off. Not retired. He changed his mind. One more year, he says. He has said this for 3 years.  I am happy he has this break and hope it lasts until spring. He is enjoying the time off, but says he really isn't ready to retire, yet. I don't get it, but it's his choice. 

So next year when December comes, I'll expect another change of heart and won't find myself saying what I've said for the last 3 years, "NO, not again!"  Then if he does actually retire, I'll quietly say, "Yes, AGAIN!"  And not help him send out resumes no matter how hard he begs.

Gotta love a hardworking man, don't ya?  

Jo  

28 comments:

  1. I do love a hard working man and their work ethic. Jerry will always be doing something. I'm just looking forward to two or three months in the winter. Then he can do what he wants. I'm not sure I'll be ready for 'full' retirement at 65 but that's two years away. I just don't know what I would do with all that time. Velda

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I love retirement. I don't miss the scheduling of having a job. I find lots of things to fill my time and doing nothing is a great thing to have as an option!

      Everyone knows if and when they are ready to retire. Some people never do and I think that's fine.

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  2. Retirement isn't good for everyone and it sounds like Roomy is one of those people who should not retire. Nothing wrong with that except if you want to be doing something you can't do because he's still working.

    I don't know if and when I'll get to retire. I'm afraid that I'm also one of those people who shouldn't retire. I can't and wont' be a labor nurse forever, but I think I'm the sort who has to have something, a project going, or I'd become discontent. It's funny but I think I do downtime less well now that I'm older than I did when I was younger.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I don't have a ton of downtime, but when I do get it, I adore having that as an option.
      I am fine with him doing whatever makes him happy. If he's ready to hang out with me, great! If not, that's great, too.

      It's a personal choice and I would never nag him into anything concerning his daily life.

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  3. Sounds like his work ethic is strong and that he garners a great amount of satisfaction from his work life. Your support of his choices (and changes) is the stuff that makes relationships strong. Glad YOU are enjoying your retirement. Personally, I can't wait! :) Only 50 this month so I have a ways to go.... (And I saw that hit coming on the investments - ouch!)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I appreciate your comments so much, Amy, I sure wish you could figure out why you keep being thrown into the spam file!

      I can't get you out of there from my phone nor my iPad so I have to wait until I am on the puter...

      The investment hit was horrible and most of our money was in insurance! Seemed like a pretty safe investment originally, but of course, insurance companies took a major hit after 9/11 and like millions, we were too old to expect much of a recovery in time. We simply didn't have the time.

      It's all good now, we are fine and the house is paid off and money is not a huge issue for us. We are comfortable but far from wealthy.

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  4. Good, hard working men are a great find and even greater? The phenomenal woman who supports his choices. :) I'm happy things worked out financially despite the hit and I have to say you're one of the busiest retired people I've seen! :)

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    1. That's so nice! Being busy is how we manage to have downtime!

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  5. My step dad's hobby was work. He loved it! I hope your man doesn't love it quite that much! ;)

    Great post!

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    1. He does! He has no other hobby than his lawn. He works and he watches TV in the winter.

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  6. A hard working man is a treasure. I'm glad things worked out for you financially. Enjoy your retirement.

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  7. My dad was like that. He retired early but then became bored because he was used to working, so he took a job paving asphalt in the summer and plowing snow in the winter. He was always busy. He liked working. It was part of his life. Enjoy your retirement!


    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. You know, I think he works too hard, but it is not for me to decide and I will be fine either way. He seems happy and that makes me happy.

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  8. Replies
    1. No, not if you're not overdoing for your age and ability. He sometimes does way too much and I worry that he isn't aware of his limits. Or more precisely, that he enjoys showing up the younguns'. He's a good guy and he does love his job

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  9. Your Roomy is a lot like my uncle, who loves to work. He keeps retiring and then going back. My husband, on the other hand, retired the moment he was able and I've never seen anybody enjoy retirement more than him.

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  10. Isn't life funny, crazy story Jo. He sounds like a great man, never wanting to just sit around. TO LIFE!

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    1. He is, Anna. He likes sitting around, when he's done working!

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  11. I can't imagine my husband ever retiring. He can't stand to not go to work.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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    1. I think I may have the same situation, but we'll see.

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  12. My husband thinks he has retired 10 years ago - he has from a regular job and invests at home. He's quite proud of his retirement. Just last month, we had gone out of town and an astrologer came up to us, offering his services. When we said we were not interested, he offered my husband this piece of consolation (!) "You will never retire!" ;)

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    1. Don't know if Roomy will ever retire, but I'm fine with it either way.

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  13. I have a workaholic too and he's trying to decide now if he wants to retire. Neither of them will until they are ready. Oh, well. We love them no matter what!

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    1. You know if they quit everything will just go to hell! They are the backbone of the entire business! I'm okay with it. He's laid off right now and so far, he's enjoying his time off. No return date so he just keeps cringing every time his phone rings!

      Delete

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