# 25 years------------55 to 80



## Lon (Sep 8, 2014)

Whoosh-----Where did those 25 years go? My first wife died at age 53 when I was 55 years old. I retired at age 58 and re married at age 59. Spent 22 years of the 25 living part of the year in New Zealand and the other part in California with many cruises and world travel in between, white water rafting, skuba diving,bungy jumping, zip lining, golf, golf, golf. Now here I am having just turned 80 and I am single again and thinking about how fast the past 25 years have flown by. It's been a great retirement so far and in retrospect I would not have done any thing differently and despite a few medical hiccups along the way I am  active and in reasonably good shape for an old fart. I am glad that I planned financially for my retirement and old age and would encourage all of the younger members of this Forum to do like wise. Tempus Fugit.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Sep 8, 2014)

I've noticed that tempus does indeed fugit! My grandmother said that it flies even faster as we get older. She was right.


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## charlotta (Sep 8, 2014)

I,too, wonder how it went so fast.  I wish I could do it again, but I would not change a thing except, probably remarry.  I was so busy working and raising my 2 children, I put myself on the back burner. My daughter says I probably am better off and I am happy and very busy.  I have
a great life.   I dated a  Blue Angels in Pensacola.  When they toured in Europe in the summer, my roommate and I lived in their 5 bedroom hse.  Oh my God was it garish.  They had a pen ball machine and left us enough money to pay it. That lasted a couple of years and I moved on.  I need to sit down and write a memoir.


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## charlotta (Sep 8, 2014)

I,too, wonder how it went so fast.  I wish I could do it again. I would not change a thing except, probably remarry.  I was so busy working and raising my 2 children, I put myself on the back burner. My daughter says I probably am better off and I am happy and very busy.  I had a great life.  I didn't marry until I was 28.  Had first child at 32 and second at age 35.

 I dated a  Blue Angel for a short time while living in Pensacola.  When they toured in Europe in the summer, my roommate and I lived in their 5 bedroom hse.  Oh my God was it garish! Decorated with a lot of red and gold. They had a pen ball machine and left us enough money to pay it. It was fun to go out with the group. In Pensacola the Blue Angels were treated like royalty so the wives and girl friends were also treated very well.
It was a fun ride.  Yes, I wish I could go back and relive some of those times.


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## hollydolly (Sep 8, 2014)

Good post Lon, and it's wonderful to hear that you had the opportunity and the funds to have such a great life. I'm in my 50's, but no chance of living such an active life much as I'd love to, due to not having the finances, and although not  broke, certainly the future is a bit of a concern for me having been a (divorced) single parent  and working only in jobs where there wasn't ever enough to put by for the future. I'm still working now, and will be for as long as my health will allow..I have to..retirement age for my age group has just been raised in this country to 67, so if my health doesn't hold out allowing me to continue working, I'll be in dire straits!!

May you enjoy another 20 years of activity and good life.


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## Capt Lightning (Sep 9, 2014)

Wow Lon, that was some life and I hope you have plenty more....
I said to my wife at the weekend, "do you realise that we first met exactly 45 years ago?"  She said, "I thought that was 2 days ago" !!  See that, I still can't get my dates right!

We haven't had a bad life so far.  Decent health and a fair amount of travelling.  We retired in our mid 50s and since then time has flown by and we've never been so busy - doing what WE want when we want.   We'll probably jump on the bus today (bus pass at 60 in Scotland)  and go somewhere.  We've got the motorhome packed and then we're off for a couple of days walking in the Cairngorms....

I know it's not so easy these days, but financial planning is important.  More and more, we're having to take care of ourselves in older age and I must confess to taking early retirement a bit under-financed (just at the start of the credit crunch).  Still, should get state pension next year and that will help to top up the holiday fund....   World here we come - if I can get my Zimmer frame on the bus !!!!!


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## oldman (Sep 9, 2014)

Hey Lon......Sounds like you had a great life. I am glad that you are able to look back and appreciate what you have accomplished. Good for you.


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## ClassicRockr (Sep 9, 2014)

Well, 25 years ago, I was still single (divorced).....YUK! Was working a descent job, making, well, let's just say, "ok" salary. Had my own horse, saddle, rope and hitting the rodeo scene and doing some 2-stepping on the weekends. Some square dancing, to boot. Yes, I was fairly active back then, but didn't have a hip replacement or RC surgery then either. Life would have been much better if I would've met my wife back then, but that was to be later. 

Now, 25 years later, no more horse/rodeo, 2-stepping or square dancing..........BUT, am married to a great lady now! Have a nice power boat, a computer and some other "fun" things I didn't have before meeting my wife. Here I am now 65 and still using Just For Men Beard/Mustache Color to keep that "brown" in my hair and the "gray" out. Wife loves it. A little bit more on the ORNERY side now, compared to years ago. One thing that has changed very little-to-none.......my love for Classic Rock, some Oldies, Disco and Garth Brooks and Brooks and Dunn era Country music. Motown came into my life, when I married my wife. Love it now as well.


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