Home | Bay Area Living
Here comes the wife Part 2
By George Fulmore
Contra Costa Times
May 17, 2008
Nearly a year ago, I did a column telling you that I had some apprehension about my wife's planning to retire. I told you that I have been retired for more than 10 years, and that I am, in many ways, set in my ways as to my retirement activities and how I spend my time in retirement.
And I told you then that I had some trepidation as my wife's retirement date neared. Now I'm telling you that as it gets even closer, I'm more worried than ever.
Sure, I'm a great believer that life in retirement "works out" for just about everyone. Within a transition of three to five years, I believe just about everyone gets settled and satisfied with their life in retirement. So, I firmly believe that my wife, over time, will do just fine as a retiree, and that our retirement lives, over time, will blend very well.
It's just the short term that has me worried.
With her retirement date expected to arrive by the end of summer, her morning and afternoon commutes — that she complains about — will be gone. And the activities on the job, many of which she tells me she will miss, will be no more. And her friends and acquaintances at work will be busy with daily work events having nothing to do with her. Yes, for her, things will be much different.
So, what might be some of my strategies?
One that I've heard about is that the spouse who has been retired takes a trip the first week or so to give the new retiree a chance to settle into a daily routine. In this case, my wife can move furniture around, do some shopping that she has not gotten to, look up friends already in retirement or do other personal things that she may have planned for the beginning of her retirement. And I won't be "in the way."
Another strategy would be for us both to plan a trip together to kick off our "joint" retirement. We do have a cruise booked near the end of the year together, but maybe we should schedule something sooner as well.
I guess I could also hide under our bed in the mornings and not come out until I felt it safe. Or I could book a bunch of golf games or other activities to fill up my retiree schedule more than usual. Or I could just hang around, try not to "get in the way" and see how it goes.
I think the last option will probably be it. Wish me luck!
George Fulmore teaches the course "The Art of Retirement" in the Mt. Diablo Adult Education program. Reach him at ArtofRet@aol.com .
Copyright 2008
Powered By Zebra Mobile
