I’ve read lots of retirees get a job because they miss their old identity, they’re bored or need the money. Have you thought about going back to work? Once I accepted that I’m quite fine with being a nobody, I found myself grateful to be holding steady with my current portfolio of retirement jobs.
Retirement job #1:
Cooking. I’m continuing to work my way through The Savory Baker. This week’s masterpiece was Galettes Complètes, buckwheat crepes stuffed with ham, egg and Gruyère cheese. I said if these turned out to be any good, I would buy a real crepe pan.
We had them for breakfast today, and it seems I have some shopping to do! I made the crepes yesterday and had everything ready to go this morning. Although my presentation was slightly off (they are supposed to be squares), the crepes were absolutely delicious. I had a hard time getting the folds to stay flat and used toothpicks.
The cookbook is from the folks at Cook’s Illustrated, but I’ve also saved a New York Times recipe for future consideration.
Retirement job #2
Exercising. I like to stay active because it’s fun and keeps my body in decent shape, but also because it means I can continue to eat well. As a person who struggled with weight earlier in life and tried all the crazy diets on the planet, it sure is nice to not worry about every little bite that goes in my mouth. My Fitbit says I burn about 2,000 calories a day.
Retirement job #3
Travel. I’ve started planning some trips! We traveled a lot when we were younger and don’t have a big wanderlust, but we can certainly improve on our current record, which is approaching zero. Admittedly, I took it kind of easy throughout our two-year staycation.
With Covid seemingly on the decline, we were thinking, let’s get through March and then start scooting around California. Lots to see and do here, and we won’t have to suffer the indignities of air travel.
In other Covid-related news, Dale and I have at least temporarily stopped wearing masks at the grocery store. Such adventurers we are.
Retirement job #4
Chores. Taking care of the house is a job I share with Peter Pan my husband, who has to be reminded from time to time he is a homeowner with responsibilities. I mean, neither one of us is excited about it, but this is real grown-up stuff.
Our water usage went up, and it turned out to be a leak in the skimmer of the pool. That got fixed last week. Next is trying to replace two segments of fence and a gate. We got a proposal, which looked good to us, but I had to float it by our neighbor, who shares one of the fence segments with us. Her portion would be about $600, and she squawked.
I’m super-annoyed, but I’m trying to be patient and understanding. She claims to have some guy who can do it cheaper, but that’s what she told me a year and a half ago. I want to get this ball rolling, as I am eager to outsource the yardwork and figured it would be easier once the fence is done.
My sciatica is almost non-existent at this point, yay, and I’ve decided yard work and its potential for added stress on my back is one variable I don’t want to mess with. Time to throw some money at it.
While I have several other retirement jobs, including art, I feel busy but not too busy, and aside from world events outside of my control, life is good. Way better than working, that’s for sure. I don’t read much of the serious news. I asked Dale to let me know if we get nuked so I can say goodbye.
Speaking of goodbyes, I had to delete the Wordle link from my phone. I’d wake up at 1:30 a.m. and think, I could go back to sleep or I could play Wordle. I’m all about bad choices and found myself playing in the wee hours of the morning. It’s still available through the New York Times, but my new rule is I have to be up and sitting at my computer to play.
Finally, last week marked 23 years since I was diagnosed with stage 3 primary peritoneal cancer, which is virtually the same as ovarian. Although most people seem to think ovarian cancer is a death sentence, I have been disease-free since my initial treatment. I did get breast cancer later, but the only relationship is that both cancers were caused by the BRCA mutation.
By the way, no one else in my extended family has had either ovarian or breast cancer, so testing positive for the BRCA mutation was a shocker. My oncologist believes I inherited it from my father.
Here’s to hoping March comes out like a lamb.
Congratulations on beating cancer, twice!
I love your idea of retirement jobs…I may be stealing it for myself. 😉
Great post, Donna.
Deb
Thanks, Deb. Steal away.
I though about real work maybe ince or twice and then I stopped. Thinking about it that is. I’d cut out quilt fabric before going back to work. I’ve been mainly unmasked everywhere at least for now.
Exactly. There’s a lot I’d give up before going back to work.
I applaud your retirement jobs. When I retired almost 7 years ago, one of my bosses asked if I would continue to do their research for them from home. I thanked him but told him that in retirement I was going to get out of my head and into my hands, and indeed, I haven’t touched a computer since. I use my iPad Pro for everything and I’m happy as a clam.
After recycling knowledge of spreadsheets into knowledge of knitting complex sweater patterns until there’s no more room in my closet for sweaters, I switched to quilting which is my most favored activity now. For my birthday I added learning how to watercolor backgrounds on linen, in order to embroider beautiful English landscapes on them, and I spend a fortune for Liberty of London Tana Lawn fabric to make English Paper Pieced quilts by hand at night during “TV” time. I used to weave and have 3 looms, now all sitting in storage. I thought that I’d do a lot of weaving in retirement but have only woven on a tiny hand held little loom in the past 7 years. Who knew? I have some looms to sell methinks.
As you can see, I love the fiber arts and keep finding various ways to tinker with them. I signed up for Quiltfolk’s Online Patchwork and Prose block of the month where we will design our own quilt blocks each month, based on the book cover of any book that we love, choosing a new book each month. That will stretch my artistic abilities big time. Who knows, maybe this technician will become a fiber artist before I pop my clogs, but if my forte remains more technician than artist, I’m okay with that. I just like the process of making things with my hands, even if it’s more executing other people’s designs than coming up with my own designs.
I’ll look forward to hearing about your California adventures this year. I’m itching to get out and about more too.
PS: I ended up buying Hoka Bondi 7 shoes this time around and don’t even need orthotics in them. I didn’t get to trying on their trail shoes because my feet fell in love with the Bondi 7’s and wouldn’t let me take them off to try anything else. I walked out of the store with them on. Thanks for the Hoka recommendation. First Curable, then Hoka’s…I’m waiting on your next reveal that will improve my life!
My sister is a quilter and fiber artist, so I know a little about your affliction! She will be interested to read about Quiltfolk.
I’m delighted you love the Hoka’s. But we are about even on recommendations. You suggested the Sopher book as a follow-up to the John Sarno books about the mind-body connection. And although I haven’t written about it yet, I followed your advice about The Ordinary skincare products and have been thrilled with the results (as well as the cost).
Can’t beat The Ordinary products. Have your sister put the phrase Patchwork & Prose into a search engine and she can read all about it. There’s still time to sign up if she finds the idea interesting.
I like how you describe your “retirement jobs”!
I’m not as adventuresome a cook as you, but do try for 1-2 new recipes a month. Usually, they would fall under the “nope not buying the pan” category though. Not sure I can claim that as a retirement job. Our big travel is a wedding next weekend. They requested everyone to be vaccinated, and we are driving, so feeling relatively safe. I have not planned any big (as in fly somewhere) trip yet. I’m claiming we need time to settle into our new house/location.
I’m still considering, “Nope, not buying the pan.” The one I have seems to work fine. Good luck on your trip. Sounds low risk to me. I’m planning a simple two-night stay for us in Mendocino. More to come!
I like your retirement jobs, Donna. They make complete sense to me.
I love that you are cancer free 2x!
Yep, cancer-free twice. I think of myself as one of the luckiest unlucky people around.
I checked out two websites in the last couple of years since clicking past the old big 60, the first was for freelancers and the other for the retired to find jobs. The freelancer one seems filled with people who want highly skilled work for peanuts, and the one for retirees is full of retail work – mostly in grocery stores. As neither draw me, I’ve withdrawn and will continue on with what I do now. There is some scope for the coaching to be organised into a workload which suits me rather than when working for someone else.
Good news on the cancer staying clear, and I am seriously impressed by your burning of 2,000 calories every day. You set the bar high there 🙂
Uck. They wonder why people don’t want these jobs. I like your idea of staying independent.
Now that I think about it, that Fitbit number of calories burned does seem high, so don’t judge yourself too harshly. Could be a mistake. It’s not like I’m some fanatic. Whatever the number is, it seems to be balanced with whatever I’m eating, as my weight is steady.
A common question to retirees is – what do you do? I’m still not convinced that people are interested in what I do; I think they’re asking themselves what they would do in retirement. After FT work and single-parenting and a rural property to care for in pre-retirement life, I’m still enjoying life without punching the clock. The focus has shifted from life outside the home to life in the home. There’s a plethora of jobs to be done in a household; something for everyone. I like your list of jobs. It implies purpose and elevates the day-to-day. There’s plenty to do when the mission statement is – care for myself and my home. There’s been a shift in retirement; the mission statement can be accomplished more mindfully.
I never thought about it that way, but I agree with you. They’re wondering about themselves. You’ve summed it up beautifully. Care for myself and my home. Everything else is noise.
When I first left work I told my employer that I’d be open to do some consulting now and then. The couple of time they asked, I was busy doing retirement things. They stopped asking and I’m more than fine with that. Your “retirement jobs” are similar to mine (except that I tend to be the Peter Pan in our relationship 🙂 ).
I love that — busy doing retirement things. I’m stealing that line. Also, I would benefit from being more like Peter Pan, but one is enough.