| Author |
Message |
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Saturday, February 28, 2026 - 1:13 pm 
Thanks for the kind words Kookliebird. Part of not working again is luckily neither of us has to work. We will have two pensions, her Social Security, her very nice 401K, and my spousal share of her Social Security. With the help of our financial advisor we have made some pretty good cuts to our monthly expenses with more to come as Carey will no longer be commuting to work, clothing expenses, lunch’s, etc., etc. It will take a few months to settle in but we’ll be fine.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Saturday, February 28, 2026 - 1:35 pm
Good! Just enjoy the journey wherever it takes you!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Sunday, March 01, 2026 - 11:58 am
You will be fine. And also there is no need to stop learning new things.. Volunteer work often provides good training, senior centers and community colleges have plenty of education. Lots to be learned via zoom if one wants to stay home.
Obviously travel...
No reason to be bored.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Sunday, March 01, 2026 - 12:00 pm
Naja, are most of your dog owner clients adapting to your new location?
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Sunday, March 01, 2026 - 12:50 pm
RN Oh yes. Oddly enough, I'm actually closer to most of my regulars or I'm pretty much the same distance. I'm only 3.4 miles from my old house, and I'm still in the same zip code.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Sunday, March 01, 2026 - 1:14 pm
That is great.. When I moved here it was only 4 miles, but different city and definitely different vibe.
And I think you don't have the stairs down to the yard so it will be easier for smaller or older dogs.. And you, too.
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Marej
Member
09-19-2002
| Sunday, March 01, 2026 - 11:52 pm
How many years was Mrs. Mack employed there?
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, March 02, 2026 - 6:45 am
All together she had 37 years of Federal service. Most of that was with the US Army. Five years ago she moved to the Defense Health Agency. She also has seven years in the private sector so she’s worked for 44 years total.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, March 02, 2026 - 8:24 am
RN retirement is getting off to a rough start. Carey apparently caught a cold traveling to and from Washington, DC last week. She graciously shared it with me so we’re both down with head colds. She’s getting better since onset for her was Friday and mine was Sunday so I have probably a couple more days until I start to get better. Not the start we were looking for though this morning was what would have been a workday but no 5:15 AM alarm. Carey says she’s now on permanent vacation.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Monday, March 02, 2026 - 10:16 am
That rough… but, nice to just stay home without worrying about work.
On my first day of retirement, everything shut down due to Covid (April, 2020). All my plans for the year were effectively cancelled. So, it could be worse.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Friday, March 06, 2026 - 9:40 am
RN It's going to be another 6 dogs weekend (including my 2), and it's pouring rain. It's been a mudfest all week, now it will be of epic proportions. 
Deebo is here, Gunner comes at noon, and newbies Iroh and Korra will be here at 7 pm. Annie comes tomorrow morning for daycare, so for a few hours it will be 7 dogs.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Friday, March 06, 2026 - 12:49 pm
How many are fluffy???
Where will they be going in and out in this house!
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Friday, March 06, 2026 - 3:58 pm
RN None are fluffy but tiny Gunner. And he's only 7 lbs so he doesn't gather much mud 
The rest are big dogs, but luckily all with short hair. Plus, I set up the room between the house and garage as a mud room. It has it's own door leading outside, so I let the dogs in and out through there and make them stay in the mud room(AKA laundry room/main floor rec room) until they're dry. I have beach towels all over the floor in there. I've been washing loads of beach towels every night.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Friday, March 06, 2026 - 5:35 pm
As usual, you are prepared but thankfully lots of shorter haired dogs. I had a pack of Labradors and they had proper double coats so it took a lot of water to get them wet.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-26-2000
| Friday, March 06, 2026 - 10:41 pm
Sounds efficient, Naja. Leave it to you to figure stuff out. You are the best.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Friday, March 06, 2026 - 11:34 pm
RN
Almost a year ago, I bought a ticket to see Noel Paul Stookey, the last living member of Peter, Paul and Mary.. I saw Noel and Peter in 2024 and had a ticket for 2025 but Peter died and thst concert was cancelled.
It isn't a fun drive but then starting last November this stuff started coating my implanted lenses put in during cataract surgery.
So.. I am avoiding driving into sun and night driving and booked a hotel a very short walk away.. Not cheap but I could drive here not into sun and home tomorrow as well.
It took a lot to get on WiFi, no mini fridge.
BUT..
I got on the elevator and was looking for the scanner and a tall man came in and the scanner was on his side. He said it had not been friendly today. He scanned and hit third floor and also 2nd for me.
I said maybe I would take the stairs on the way to the concert, looked at him
And it was Noel Paul Stookey!
I think I said "Oh".
Meanwhile he accidentally got off on 2 so I wished him luck with the scanner.
Later. The show was awesome. Noel is 88. And amazing.
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Saturday, March 07, 2026 - 5:16 am
RN OMG! How exciting, Sea!
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Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Saturday, March 07, 2026 - 6:25 am
RN I am having a seven dog crazy morning!
https://youtu.be/XbSpPjhtgdc?si=UyHQlNdjZRG8ohE_
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Saturday, March 07, 2026 - 11:52 am
Rn, that’s a lot of happy dogs!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-06-2000
| Saturday, March 07, 2026 - 9:20 pm
All those wagging tails!!!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-26-2000
| Saturday, March 07, 2026 - 9:33 pm
What a story, Seamonkey!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-26-2000
| Saturday, March 07, 2026 - 9:35 pm
Love the video, Naja.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Sunday, March 08, 2026 - 8:12 am
RN We had our first retirement brain cramp. Both of us forgot that Daylight Savings Time started last night/today so when we got up at 8 AM we were congratulating ourselves for sleeping in. Some of our clocks automatically adjust via the Internet or satellite signal so initially we didn’t catch there had been a change. Took a few minutes to realize other clocks showed 7 AM then it dawned on us. When Carey was working it was important to adjust the clocks so she’d not be late for work so I’d go around the night before and make the change. Not so this year. 😳😬
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Sunday, March 08, 2026 - 11:07 am
RN that's funny, Mack! One of the big changes I noticed after retiring is that it is hard to keep track of what day it is. My dh used to say "Every day is Saturday."
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, March 08, 2026 - 11:13 am
RN, how funny, Mak. I just called my doc's office about 5 times to make an appt. I was mystified that I kept getting a "we're not open right now" message. Duh, it's Sunday! 
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Dipo
Member
04-22-2002
| Sunday, March 08, 2026 - 12:10 pm
RN, I finally got my watch/letfit to update the time. And for some reason I slept later than normal, BUT .. IT IS Sunday, so that's ok.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-26-2000
| Sunday, March 08, 2026 - 10:31 pm
quote:RN We had our first retirement brain cramp.
Classic rookie retirement move, Mack, but you will come to realize that things soon become same-same-but-different.
And, yeah, it is easy to fall into the six Saturdays and a Sunday mode, so you don't know what day it actually is.
Oh, another thing to get used to is that you are actually entitled to a senior discount.
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