Wow, congrats!  Its great to know your efforts were appreciated.  

You must be a decent person to work with. Most folks don't get that kind of attention upon retiring.

I assume as the date nears, your duties and responsibilities are being moved to other people.  Does that feel odd?  Has it gotten to the point where you don't have much to do?

As someone who is possibly entering his last year of employment, I told my director that we should start moving some of the important jobs to new people.  It is a bit disconcerting as I watch my duties get divided up and moved to other people.  I won't say I miss the work but one starts to feel like a place setter and not a pace setter.  A year from now I will be twiddling my thumbs.

1 hour ago, bkuehn1952 said:

I assume as the date nears, your duties and responsibilities are being moved to other people.  Does that feel odd?  Has it gotten to the point where you don't have much to do?

As someone who is possibly entering his last year of employment, I told my director that we should start moving some of the important jobs to new people.  It is a bit disconcerting as I watch my duties get divided up and moved to other people.  I won't say I miss the work but one starts to feel like a place setter and not a pace setter.  A year from now I will be twiddling my thumbs.

I'm a year past announcing my retirement and about 9 months past the date I was going to leave.  Still working though.  My duties got assigned to the new controller we hired and my job got a lot more interesting.  (I was the Controller.)  In the mean time we acquired a new company and that related work kept me around.  Without my day to day responsibilities I was able to take on more interesting (to me) projects/analysis etc. that are one offs.  I no longer have an unending impossible to complete to do list.  And, I work less hours.  I'll probably leave this coming March after the year end financial audit and tax prep.

1 hour ago, bkuehn1952 said:

I assume as the date nears, your duties and responsibilities are being moved to other people.  Does that feel odd?  Has it gotten to the point where you don't have much to do?

As someone who is possibly entering his last year of employment, I told my director that we should start moving some of the important jobs to new people.  It is a bit disconcerting as I watch my duties get divided up and moved to other people.  I won't say I miss the work but one starts to feel like a place setter and not a pace setter.  A year from now I will be twiddling my thumbs.

Yeah, my org was divided up, effective the after my last day.  But things are put in motion already.   I am transitioning the know-hows, mentoring people, my peers are meeting with my employees, etc..  Does it feel odd?  Not really.   I have been secretly mentoring people for this eventually since 6 months ago. 

I went as far as suggesting to my boss that certain things should be moved but he didn't take the hint.  

That is a significant amount of time to put in. If you conduct yourself with half of the care and thoughtfulness you exhibit here I would be surprised to hear anything other than what is occurring. Accept all invitations to remain in touch and do your part to do such. You have a lot of knowledge and guidance to impart. Time will tell and show who really wants to stay friends and you most likely will be just as surprised in a year or two as you are now with who actually does so. You can always still meet and make knew friends. Sure you will  

Wow, aren't you like 48 years old or something around that age? That's a really early retirement. Nice!

12 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Wow, aren't you like 48 years old or something around that age? That's a really early retirement. Nice!

Right? Not old enough to adopt us but I might consider if it means a few free rounds of golf. 

1 hour ago, Lihu said:

Wow, aren't you like 48 years old or something around that age? That's a really early retirement. Nice!

I wish.   I am 53, going on 54, feeling like 48. 

1 hour ago, Gator Hazard said:

Accept all invitations to remain in touch and do your part to do such. You have a lot of knowledge and guidance to impart. Time will tell and show who really wants to stay friends and you most likely will be just as surprised in a year or two as you are now with who actually does so. You can always still meet and make knew friends. Sure you will  

I wasn't going to do this but I will now.  Too many have asked for it and it will be silly to ignore their request even if we don't actually stay in touch. 

54 minutes ago, rkim291968 said:

I wish.   I am 53, going on 54, feeling like 48. 

Still too young to retire!

1 hour ago, Gator Hazard said:

Right? Not old enough to adopt us but I might consider if it means a few free rounds of golf. 

Good idea!

When you're employed, your employer owns your time and your day and clock as well as your sleep schedule which actually revolves around your employers demands. Having now been retired for 16 years, I can tell you that what retirement does for you, is to free you from the shackles of ownership. In retirement, your time and clock belong to you. If you can't sleep at night, it doesn't matter because you have the whole day to catch up. When you're retired you can catch the early bird specials at restaurants. You can go places during the less busy hours, when most people are in work. You can play golf while most people are in work. You are the master of your daily schedule now. 

1 hour ago, 9wood said:

When you're employed, your employer owns your time and your day and clock as well as your sleep schedule which actually revolves around your employers demands. Having now been retired for 16 years, I can tell you that what retirement does for you, is to free you from the shackles of ownership. In retirement, your time and clock belong to you. If you can't sleep at night, it doesn't matter because you have the whole day to catch up. When you're retired you can catch the early bird specials at restaurants. You can go places during the less busy hours, when most people are in work. You can play golf while most people are in work. You are the master of your daily schedule now. 

Absolutely.   I will be free.  No shackles.   No responsibilities but my own.   I am encouraged to hear your early retirement went well.   In 16 years, I want to be able to say the same.   Thanks.

In today's farewell lunch held by my direct and indirect staff, my retirement cake was topped with a plastic golf cart toy.  What a nice touch!  What a nice bunch of people!   I am going to miss them hugely. 

I took up golf at about 52 and retired at 55 (wasn't planned), that was over 4 years ago now. Told everyone I needed to work on my golf and have played nearly every summer day since. I don't know how I ever had time for the amount of hours I put in at work. I was self employed. I really enjoy being retired but the winters are a bit tough as my wife doesn't want to go somewhere warm where I can golf and some days I get bored. I read lots, which helps. I play a lot of solo golf as well but that suits me fine as i like to play quickly. 

It was my last day today.   As I was walking to my car in the company parking lot for the last time, the thought of "what did I just do?"  came to my mind.  I almost had a mild panic attack but a few seconds later, I came back to my senses.   I quit my job b/c I have enough $ to maintain my life style, and the company political BS was killing me slowly.   Good riddance!   Time to enjoy life, and improve my golf game.

Congratulaions and I wish you good luck. Enjoy your retirement.

Good luck!

As I believe I have expressed before, I am very envious!

Congrats! Best wishes for a great retirement and time to spend on the course. 

Congrats on your retirement. I am going to assume you have planned correctly for your new venture. Keep busy and stay healthy. 

I retired 8 years ago from my own business that I had started on a wing and prayer 30 years earlier. Toughest decision I had to make was who to turn the company over to. Luckily I made the right choice for the rest of our employees. 

One thing I knew about my retirement was I knew I needed to keep busy. Not a scheduled busy mind you, just having stuff to do, if I wanted to do them.  Doing stupid stuff is very much allowed in one's retirement. 

Biggest mistake I see some retirees make is they do nothing worth while with all the extra time they now have. That and they did not plan for their future health insurance needs.  These retirees just sort of waste away.

I hope the first thing you did was go buy a new fishing pole, and reel. 

Thanks, @Patch and all.

To make the transition from work to retirement smoothly, I have already filled up my week day schedule.  From morning (whenever I feel like waking up) to 1:00 pm Pacific time, I will be day trading, surfing the web, and do an hour of workout.   From 1 pm to dinner time will be devoted to golf - a full round on odd days, and practice on even days.   Evening will be spent in the usual manner as before the retirement + reading.   Weekend will be my "free" time to do whatever - traveling, gardening, golf, etc..