This time last year, I was counting down to retirement in hours, and had recently started blogging. I had great aspirations, and as I look back at what they were, I’m doing well on some of my goals… not so well on others.
Here’s the list of things I hoped to accomplish when I wrote my first post, with some notes on my progress:
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Helping to maximize our assets/financial planning – I’ve done lots of research on these things. We’re going to hold off on taking Social Security for a bit, and we are looking now for a place to buy our retirement home. We do plan to do some part-time work once my beloved retires to keep financing trips and other fun stuff.
- Focusing on our health – My beloved and I have been eating an anti-inflammatory diet, and successfully completed the 24-Day Challenge – twice. We lost quite a bit of weight, did lots of walking and some great kayaking last Summer, and can’t wait for warmer weather so we can be outside more this year. (There’s always room for improvement on our exercise plans.)
- Finding ways to give more back – This is one where, sadly, I’ve fallen down on the job. As I’m cleaning out my house, I’ve been making donations, and I’ve added activities surrounding my grandchildren to the things I support, but I haven’t been giving my time the way I’d hoped to. I plan to do better in the coming year.
- Undertaking the search for a new home – We’ve narrowed down our retirement home search to three towns, and have been looking in those areas. We’re also starting to get our current home in shape to sell. By the end of the Summer, we hope to be getting close…
- Planning affordable future adventures – This is an unending process. We’re currently looking at the best way to use some airline miles, and at some cruises.
- More quality family time – I have been pretty successful here. I was able to spend quality time with my Mom before she passed away, and I’ve had lots of great time with my sister – even some time with cousins and nieces, And of course, some time with my kids and grandkids. I was thrilled to be able to do some Thanksgiving and Christmas baking with my firstborn this year – on weekdays!
One thing I left off my original list was enjoying and expanding my hobbies. I did successfully start my blog, and I have been archiving old photos regularly. I really want to get back into my family tree a bit, and I’m hoping to buy a new digital SLR camera so I can learn to take better photos – the various photo challenges I’ve tried have inspired me. I’d also like to do some more writing, and have started that in the form of loose outlines and snippets. Who knows what will come of that, but it will be fun finding out!
I’m looking forward to the time when my beloved is also retired and we get a new rhythm going with our daily activities, so we can make regular obligations to non-profit work and enjoy a variety of other hobbies and fun stuff.
For now, picture me cleaning out closets, gussying up my flower gardens, and repainting a few rooms – in between real estate searches and discussions with Social Security… we’re moving toward being a fully retired couple, and I can’t wait!
The Retiring Sort 
TRS – you look like you’ve got a great start and getting prepared for when your hubby joins you! The gift of time is “priceless” as they say. I highly recommend photography as one of your retirement hobbies – it just joins all the other things you can do and makes them better. Have fun!!
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Thanks, Scott! (Sorry it took me so long to respond to this – I took a little hiatus to help my sister move and I missed this!) I love going through even the bad photos from years ago, and hope to make the ones I take from now on much better! 😉
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Happy, happy anniversary! You mentioned the anti-inflammatory diet. Do you use tumeric? For me, it’s like a miracle herb to help with inflammation. I put it on everything and it tastes good, too.
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I do use it in some things – my son is a big advocate as well! Thanks for the added encouragement! ;-)_
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You’ve got a good head on your shoulders! Very, very smart and kudos to you. You are most certainly doing the retiring thing right! Especially #1: you plan to keep working, at least part time in your retirement in order to continue to travel and some other fun stuff. Most unsuccessful retirees always seem to think they can skip that part. Not in this economy!
One day I know DH and I will have to move into some kind of retirement home. Upstate NY just doesn’t cut it all yer long anymore. We’re thinking of the Carolina’s. At least you can stay put and live in one place all year long.
Great blog! Happy anniversary.
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Thanks so much for your visit, your comments, and your support… I wish you well in your retirement!
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Congratulations to you … much success in year #2
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Thanks, Isadora! 😉
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Happy anniversary! You are making lots of progress in one year, trs! These would be on my list when I retire… Thank you so much for sharing.
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Thanks for stopping in, Amy, and for your encouragement! 😉
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CONGRATULATIONS! PA would be a good choice to retire too. Of course I live there. Wishing you well on your search.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
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Thanks, Francine… wherever we go, it will be an adventure… we’re working to discern the Lord’s plan for this next step! 😉
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Happy anniversary and congratulations! Good luck with finding your retirement home. I LOVE looking at houses. 😉
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Thanks, Ruth – Yes, looking at new houses is fun – showing ours will be another thing altogether! 😉
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Happy Anniversary!! Anxious to learn about the 3 finalist towns you have chosen. Will you post about those and your reasoning for each?
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Great idea – I plan to share some aspects as we narrow things down. I may do a little looking this week while I’m in PA. We visited Bethlehem right after Christmas, and we’ve looked a little in Upstate New York when we were there last. The three states we’re considering right now are NY, PA and NH…. based on comfort, familiarity, family, cost of living, and tax climate for seniors…. More to follow! 😉
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Don’t forget health care! One of the things we enjoy about this area is have two nationally rated hospitals right up the street.
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Thanks! 😉
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happy anniversary! you are making great progress, and you seem so organised … we just get caught up in community things which are all worthwhile and demand so much time … the joy is in spending time with the grandchildren, and sharing the love with all around 🙂
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Thanks! Enjoying the grandkids while they’re young enough to really love it is so much fun! It sounds like you aren’t having any trouble filling your time! 😉
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Sounds like you’re really making good progress on your goals! Lord willing, I have 3 years til retirement. If our house sells, we can start saving up now. If not, well…reckon we won’t save as much as we’d hoped for. This is pretty inspiring for me, an idea of how to lay out plans for my retirement.
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We pretty much know what our assets are… it’s getting a handle on what things will cost that’s vexing us. That’s why finding a suitable, affordable home is so critical! I hope to hear how you’re progressing as you work toward your own retirement. It is an exciting time!
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Busy, busy, busy – AND having the time to enjoy it! Yahoo! And happy anniversary. 🙂
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Thanks, Gemma! Taking a few days off with my sister for Easter – we always help each other hit the reset button to get momentum going for new projects. 😉
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