My father was 43 years old when he retired. I was 17 years old at the time. Being naïve, I told him that I would retire at a younger age then him. I could have taken an early retirement when I was 41 years old. However, retirement is such a difficult decision to make. To take a pay cut and give up benefits while in your prime earning years requires a lot of soul searching.
In July of this year, I decided to retire. I’m still in my forties however, older then my father upon his retirement. I have no plans to return to the workforce, I always said; I would only retire once. I’m truly blessed, to have a wife who supports me in all my endeavours.
I retired with 28 years of service with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Here’s a few pictures of a younger me.
Congratulations to you Dave on your retirement!!
Congratulations on your retirement
Bill
Dave, Congratulations on your retirement, enjoy it!!
Brian
Dave, Retirement allows you to do all the things you didn't have time for while you were working. You will find that your life will soon be very full. Congratulations and thank you for your service. Paul
Cool pictures! Congratulations on retirement!
Congrats Dave and thanks for your service
Congratulations, Dave! I recommend retirement very highly. Hope everything works out great.
Dave, Congratulations on your retirement! I retired last month and can completely recommend and endorse it! As a Canadian born individual (although now a naturalized American citizen) Thank You for your service in the Mounties. Best of luck in your retirement. Enjoy it, you earned it!
Congrats Dave, it's good to see your posts on OG again!
Congrats Dave. My story is similar to yours (except the RCMP part). When my dad decided to retire he was 42 and I was 19 with one year of college under my belt. I hated school and he offered the family business for me to take over if I wanted it. Seeing how much he enjoyed retirement at an age where he could, I vowed to do the same. When my son graduated high school I was 45 and ready to slow down. His decision to follow in my footsteps made the decision for me to step down pretty easy. The giving it all up to him was the hard part but it worked out great for all concerned. Retirement is what you make it, I've never regretted a minute of it. I have got a lot of flack from my friends who always say how easy I've got it and how lucky I've always been. I guess I have been pretty lucky but I believe you make a good part of that luck yourself. Enjoy it while you can.....Gary
Thank-you, my friends. I appreciate your good wishes and kind words.
That first image is a great portrait!
Congratulations on your well-earned retirement...
Dave, Congratulations on your retirement! Definitely a great accomplishment.
Congratulations. Enjoy your free time.
I retired on the first of January 2003. I didn't want to but my boss was trying to get rid of me. I was 65 years old. I got out of bed one March morning and looked out the window and went straight back to bed. There was a blizzard going on and the refinery had no such thing as snow days. Life was good. Enjoy your retirement, life is good. Mitch
Retirement Dave? Hah I've been at your place... there's a good 20 years of work there. But it's a good work, eh! Hopefully you kept the Red Serge. Looks good on you.
Congratulations There Dave, looked like a smart officer there almost like the sign.
Anyway, left UPS when I was 40, you and your dad were correct. Even If I made less money, life, health and the ability to do what You want is greater than staying with something you would prefer not to.
Hope that you will stay healthy and have the ability to further your life and family fun.
Scott. Free time, I don't know about that...I've never been busier, doing nothing. I know, that sounds like it makes no sense. However, I'm sure the retired guys know what I'm saying.
Fred, it was the move that made the decision to retire easy. Even, I didn't realize how much stuff I really had; till I had to move it all. I hope, it doesn't take me 20 years to sort through it all.
Craig, thanks for the kind words...I want one of those BF Goodrich Mountie signs but they're so darn expensive. There is a lot of experience and wisdom in your words.
Thank-you all for the well wishes.
Congrats on your retirement Dave! I expect your hobbies will take up so much of your time that you'll look back in a few years and wonder how you ever had time to work.
Congrats for sure, dad retired 18 years ago and said he didn't know how he had time to work.
That's awesome . May you new venture in life be a great one. More pumps , more cars and now more time to fix them up. Congratulations Dave !
Congratulations on your retirement! I highly recommend it. It's been almost a year since I took the plunge and I can't believe how fast the time went. The strangest thing I've noticed is that it doesn't seem like I ever worked at the Postal Service, just a distant memory.
Enjoy and best wishes, Tom.
Congratulations Dave. You seem to be a very fortunate man!
Congratulations Dave. Been 20 years since I retired. Had a barn full of unrestored pumps. Now I have a barn full of restored pumps. You will keep busy. If your ever down my direction stop by. Richard
Ahhh, now it's time for you to start breaking open those containers and get to restoring since you have a great shop to do it in!!!
Congrats Dave!!!!
Thank you, for all the kind wishes. Means a lot to me!
Congratulations! If I could I would retire tomorrow. I've been teaching at the same school for 24 years and I figure I have 10 more to go. (Sigh.)
Enjoy!!!
Thank-you, Dan. 24 years at the same school, that's cool. If, it's a grade school you are probably now meeting the children of your earlier students. You will have impacted 2 generations of those families as a role model...that must be very rewarding.
Yep. Elementary school. I haven't had any children of former students yet, but it could happen.
The children I had my first year teaching are now about 32 years old. Time flies!
Congrats Dave. Can't wait to be in your shoes. Like Phil's dad said, "I don't know how I have time to go to work."
Dave: Congrats on the retirement. I didn't realize you were with the RCMP...being the son of Canadian parents I have always been proud of my heritage. Enjoy!!!!!!
Congratulations Dave , I'm looking to retire in a few years as well . I have to be honest the thought of it seems a little strange and scary , so I hope to make the transition as good as you have. Good luck Peter