A new dawn, and a new era

A new dawn, and a new era.

Retirement starts today, a day earlier than planned, but my manager who has to collect all my tech kit, laptop, ID card and electronic card key plus works mobile phone has to be elsewhere today, so they offered to let me go a day early and pay me to stop home and enjoy my new found freedom.

It was an emotional goodbye, and the past week, after 23 years, a lot of people who I'd long forgotten, came over to wish me well.

If I'd have gone during my accident recovery, things would have been very difficult, but my self esteem was re-established and it enabled me to put a proper closure to work and the good people I've worked alongside and with rather than just walking away.

Right, now to chat to Mr Advisor #1, so I'll catch you good people later on.

  • Hi Mike,
    Wishing all the very best in retirement.
    I don't know the full story how you are where you are today so it's difficult to say much that might be relevant. I found my own retirement, over 2 years ago now, quite liberating being able to indulge my loves of photography and bird (and any other wildlife) watching, especially when the sun is shining and not having to wait for the weekend, at least pre-lockdown that is. I was fortunate that my retirement was on my own terms, once I'd worked long enough, and my wife is now closing in on the same plan.
    Anyway, once we're free of lockdown I hope you get to enjoy a new found freedom.
    Best Wishes,
    Trevor
  • It's nearly 13 years since my retirement from paid work and it took me about a whole weekend to get used to it. A few health problems have made it interesting to say the least but Chris and myself have got round to doing lots of great things with the extra time retirement has allowed us. Enjoy it Mike may it be a long retirement
  • Congratulations, Mike. I'm sure when this pandemic is over you'll be able to put your free time to get out and about and enjoy your passions. I remember when I retired more years ago than I care to mention, the great feeling of liberation.
  • Many congratulations on your new found retirement Mike and can imagine it was an emotional day to bid farewell to your colleagues and turn over a new page in your book with more freedom to choose your daily plans. I'm sure you'll still catch up with old colleagues now and again but meantime hope you have a long and very happy retirement with new adventures, especially once we get a bit more of these restrictions lifted. Will raise a glass of red tonight in celebration for you !! any excuse LOL

  • Happy retirement!!
    I'm sure you will find plenty to do with your time ... if you have any left over from being out with the camera!!
  • Thank you all for the good wishes, I'm happily settling into the new regime, once all the pension admin is sorted... LOL

  • TJS said:
    Hi Mike,


    Wishing all the very best in retirement.
    I don't know the full story how you are where you are today so it's difficult to say much that might be relevant. I found my own retirement, over 2 years ago now, quite liberating being able to indulge my loves of photography and bird (and any other wildlife) watching, especially when the sun is shining and not having to wait for the weekend, at least pre-lockdown that is. I was fortunate that my retirement was on my own terms, once I'd worked long enough, and my wife is now closing in on the same plan.
    Anyway, once we're free of lockdown I hope you get to enjoy a new found freedom.
    Best Wishes,
    Trevor

    TJS, to bring you nicely up to speed, I used to be a mountaineer (including winter mountaineering with ice axe and crampons), hill and moorland walker, until a little over six years ago, one dark February morning 2015, an IQ-ZERO motorist ran a red light while I was legitimately on a pelican crossing of a very buy major trunk road through Birmingham, which has heavy goods lorries running its length 24/7. That resulted in substantial damage to both the tibia and fibula of my right leg which required major reconstruction surgery. When I say major, the surgeon for the QE B'ham, a military and civilian hospital, said she's seen cleaner jobs from bomb blast victims!

    I could so easily have been a body bag job that day.

    Three months in hospital and two years with a steel frame around my leg while the bones healed and joined, plus extensive skin grafts, when I say extensive, 50% of my lower right leg is grafted skin from three micro-thin slithers of skin from my left leg.

    It wasn't expected I'd not need a wheelchair, but a little over four years since I last used the wheelchair, a further two trying to ditch a pair of crutches and I'm now down to a single walking stick. I don't expect to relinquish that, but I'm ever hopeful.

    My employer has been more than supportive right from day one through to the my retirement, going over and above with support.

    I've always enjoyed landscape and wildlife photography, so it was an easy sideways move, which enables me to stay connected with nature and the outdoors and maintain my sanity. And coming here has been a brilliant move, enabling me to learn more and share with like minded people.

    The mountains, hills and moors are now happy memories, though a couple of small easy walking moors will be revisited, along with bird reserves.

    I'll happily share my experiences and answer any questions, for it helps people understand, what has happened. Its no secret, and I'm eternally grateful for the support of work, my colleagues, the hospital, family and friends all the way through.

  • Unknown said:
    Congratulations, Mike. I'm sure when this pandemic is over you'll be able to put your free time to get out and about and enjoy your passions. I remember when I retired more years ago than I care to mention, the great feeling of liberation.

    Definitely. Thumbsup