Great Advice. We heard it twice last weekend. Once at the wedding, and again, while talking at the dinner at RdV. My uncle was talking to someone who was considering retirement. His first advice. Don’t retire in the winter unless you have something lined up and ready for you to do. And, I don’t consider digging out of Snowpocalypse a highlight of retirement.
blizzards 2010
Even if you retired like I did, in spring. Or summer. When there is an overload of things to do outside. Or even now, in October, while we are still activity-driven for weeks until the weather changes and days get shorter. My first winter was easy, because I did the HoLLIE training twice a week. Spring naturalist training, as well. With HoLLIE gearing up, the info program tonight at Miller Library 7 pm is a good place to hear about opportunities for active Howard Countians, who are retired or thinking about it.
Moving from a circle of work friends to that new circle of fellow volunteers, or hobby sharers. Finding people with like interests is difficult for many of us. Especially when we worked in DC or Baltimore. I found that after 18 months, even if I got together with old working buddies, we had no bond to keep the conversations going. So many changes in their offices. I knew few names, and finally knew we had to build our retirement circle.
Now, filling my hours with fellow naturalists, gardeners, wine lovers and the amateur radio community, oh yeah, almost forgot, the bird club and my fellow bloggers, I hardly have time to think.
Somewhere in there, we do get housework and yard work done, and a few home improvement projects. Traveling not as much, but we did way too much of that for our jobs. It is actually nice to stay home for a while and see the local world. And, make a difference.
nature photo program for families at Conservancy
Whether it is leading programs for families. Leading hikes for the schools. Cleaning up the streams that feed the Patapsco. Working on the watershed programs. Caring for the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area. Or any of the other activities my fellow retirees are doing, the satisfaction of a job well done keeps us feeling that we matter.
One recent example this past year. Greenfest was filled with countians who focused on their interests while having a great time.
Greenfest at the Community College
I love the work the Master Gardeners have done, creating different historical garden plots at the Conservancy.
And, all the volunteers who organize and support Earth Day. Besides the Day itself, volunteers spend hours planning and preparing materials for events.
Earth Day supplies
Many times in conversations, at clubs, or at events, we hear how shorthanded the nonprofits, and the service organizations have become. I have heard that the numbers of people who stay retired is smaller. Many go back to work due to those long term effects of a slow economy. Others, who now are supporting elderly parents, have limited free time. If you have retired, or are thinking about it, take time to consider where you might find your calling. Your thing. What makes you smile, and feel good at the end of the day.
HoLLIE 2012 class heading out for a hike at Sharps
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AnnieRie Unplugged 
I have had this conversation with my wife who will be retiring at the end of the year. Somehow the initial enjoyment of never having to go off to work each Monday mornings passes quickly after a month or two of retirement. I have recommended to her to have something to do outside the house everyday to not get bored.
excellent advise about retirement and life in general – ie. choosing a job. You must like what you do. Eah day should be one in which you learn something new, try something or just accomplish a small task. Even better when it is a helping task and someone else benefits
January and February are tough. Not much to do. That is why HoLLIE training for six weeks, or Master Gardener training bring structure to the week.
Without that requirement to go to scheduled events, you can fall into the rut of hanging around the house being bored. Both of us, me and my husband, make it a point to stay in clubs and have structure in the calendar.
He is heavily involved in amateur radio now. Doing things like card checking. Going to meetings and lunches. When he first retired, he still had teaching part time. This will be his first winter with zero job responsibilities. Should be interesting.
We are considering tackling a major bathroom renovation, deliberately in January, to keep focused.
I can send call signs in Morse code now, just by hearing him on the radio. Winter is radio contest overload around here.