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