The benefits of getting older?

i am now 30 years into retirement but still fit and healthy and relatively free of money worries. fine i have lots of aches and pains and cant do all the things i used to do but still volunteer one afternoon each week as a trolley dolly at my local hospital, it makes me realise there are many much younger people who are not so lucky with their health so i will keep going as long as i am able.

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I actually had a nightmare last night about not being able to help my son out financially when I've retired! There are always extra shifts I can do where I work. But I've realised that I've hardly seen my second grandson over the past 3 years and I want to make up for that, the older one suddenly growing up alarmingly fast.

We run our own business from home so I work 45-50 hours a week (my DH even more) and I do a lot of voluntary work too so have very little spare time. I'm reasonably happy with the situation but would love to have more time for my young grandchildren, but I am able to help them all out financially while it lasts and I know that means a lot to them.

When i think of all the times ive done shift work (the grave yard shift being nights) then 2pm -10pm all you do is wait to go to work because you cant really go anywere with times like these,
And then the 6am - 2 pm (your up at 4 30am just to get to work and in bed by 9 pm)

No getting to retirement age and having the day to yourself is a bonus
But some times when you hear of mates who didnt make the OAP. pension

Well that really makes you glad your getting something back out of all those years paying in.

With age comes experience and without some time spent you cant really learn much (you just think you know it all)

I am retired from full time employment but do bit and pieces of work when asked to by previous work contacts. I can accept or decline as I please. So if I see a holiday I fancy I do more work to pay for it or if I want to work on the garden then I don't! It is good to be more in control of my time.

I am the youngest of my group of close friends and have been celebrating a glut of 70th birthdays this year. I am off to a celebration tomorrow, lunch at 'Chez Bruce'..should be good! We are all out and about regularly to a range of different 'activities' and thoroughly enjoy the freedom!

I'm looking forward to having mine done some day but they are slow growing so it might be years yet.

Ariadne the joys of being spec free are too numerous to count, no misting up of specs when you pass from cold outside to warm inside, or open oven or dishwasher. no hand waving trying to find specs on the bedside table the moment you wake. In my case no reading glasses on a chain/cord around my neck one of the worst signs of aging I know, being able to see across the swimming pool. The list could go on and on.

That is SO good to hear, Flickety! I have cataracts and will have to have them sorted soon. Before or after the knee, is the question, but I think cataracts first, and you have answered my questions! I have had to have a pair of distance glasses as my varifocals meant I wasn't entirely legal for driving. Thank you!

Just found a new advantage of getting older, for me at least. cataracts!

I have been very short sighted since I was 10 Once I reached my forties the long-sightedness of middle age set in as well.

Then in my early 60s my first cataract was diagnosed. When I went to the hospital I was 1) told that I could have a lens fitted that would remedy most of my short sight and 2) while the 20/20 vision of youth could not be returned to me the lens could be adjusted so that I only needed supplementary glasses for either reading or distance work. I opted for the latter.

As a result after 50+ years of wearing glasses/contact lenses all the time I am now virtually specs free. I wear them to drive, at the theatre and occasionally when shopping but otherwise I present a spec free face to the world.

A woman after my own heart!

So that'll be a 'no' then!

People at work keep asking me that but I've tried to explain to them that I don't want any situation where I'm the 'centre of attention' and apart from my funeral I'd assume that my leaving do would be the only other time that would happen. Especially as one of the reasons I'm leaving my job [apart from feeling too old and tired to do it] is that I'm sick of my working conditions; the bad parts of the job are greatly outweighing the good [the good part being mainly the people I meet each day]. Mind you, instead of being incredibly patient with people [which I have been for nearly twenty years] I'm enjoying telling some people what I really think. Eg phone call yesterday; someone wanting something...when asked what they wanted they didn't know. Today someone came in for something that neded paying for but weren't sure if they had enough money. Went out of my way to collect something for someone yesterday only for them not to pick it up this morning. I could go on. Spend a great deal of time now just shrugging my shoulders and saying 'am I bovvered'??? Ana; I think I'm going to struggle to get out of bed even at 10 when I no longer have to, having always bordered on being a nocturnal animal most of my life.

Oh, lovely, Tegan. Are you having a retirement 'do?'

Oops! Sorry, I read that wrong - thought you said 10 a.m.....

Phew! Thank goodness for that Tegan - I thought I was the only one!

10 more alarm clock mornings for me.....

My kitchen timer sounds just like an alarm clock. Every time it goes off I laugh and wave two fingers at it.

I still have the alarm on but for 7.30 I love turning it off turning over or making a leisurely cup of tea. Then I do the sudoku and the easy crossword in the Times,have a soak in the bath. All bliss.

Oh whenim yes.

You can sit in the sun all day long (doing it now) you can swim in the sea whenever you get the urge ( doing it later)

I could have written that list, Moved! Apart from the walking, that is, but once I get the knee done (have been referred) I have high hopes, even if I can't emulate Theseus' recovery.

Because of having the time for a decent amount of walking each day, I now feel fitter than I did 20 years ago.

I really don't have anything negative to say about getting older/retirement.

I agree with Merlot Youth is wasted on the young!

We are having a great time in our retirement, maybe because we both enjoy good health with just the odd problem cropping up but so far they are all things that can be dealt with.

* No alarm clock unless it is for something we want to do.
* Can do what we want when we want and change our minds if a better offer comes along.
* Learning a little about gardening and having a great time hacking away to see what happens in our rather larger garden than previously.
* Able to go away when and where we want to without having to ask anyone's permission or arrange cover. Just about to book another 4 week break!
* Enough money to have a reasonable life without worrying with the knowledge that if we do live forever we can sell the house to release some more cash and move to something smaller.
* Living in a beautiful place with lovely countryside and the hills to walk.
* Not having to speak to or mix with anyone we find difficult
* No more aspirations about promotion, or next salary increase, we have what we have and can adapt to it knowing it won't change much.
* As much time as we want to socialise.

I could go on and on with this list!

For those dreading retirement, don't! If you are an outgoing personality you will find yourself much busier than you can imagine.

Retirement is lovely. I'm as busy as I ever was, but now with MY life! There is never a Sunday evening when I don't think 'yay, I don't have to go to work tomorrow!' Don't really mind getting older - lets face it, it beats the alternative!