Retirement wishes and reality

If you can do it go and spend the time living elsewhere either in UK or abroad,my sister thought we where stupid moving to Spain in the early 90's and said we would never settle but how wrong she was we had the most amazing carefree life right on the coast.
We came back to UK in late 2012 to live near our DD & DGCs to help her through a tough divorce we where hoping to return in 2020 but I lost Mr.Glamma in 2019 and then along came Covid but at least I have been there & done that & have fabulous memories.

We were going to spend 6 months abroad, but Covid struck and we had to cancel everything.

We were due to go away next week, but we both have Covid so we’ve had to cancel that as well!

Not sure if we still have the enthusiasm now, so this year we will concentrate on sorting the building works to the house.

Poor MrOops, he’s been retired for almost 2 years and has hardly been anywhere. So many plans………

We wanted a cosy little house up a mountain, off the beaten track. Now we’ve reached that age, we want shops, cafes and buses.

We just wanted a nice detached bungalow on a nice sized plot on a small estate, dreams do occasionally come true.

I already lived in a small village but the house was too big. We downsized to another small village, near the sea. All I wanted after decades of a demanding job was to have peace and quiet and an empty head. I achieved that and it’s pure bliss.

tobyandsocks is right make some of your plans come true while you are still healthy and able to.
I didn't have any plans as it all happened very quickly. Now I'm in rural France with a second husband, animals and peace and quiet. I'm enjoying every minute of it apart from Covid and Brexit issues of course.

I always said that when I retired I would get up and go to bed when I liked and make no effort to fit in with other people. I also had dreams of spending winters abroad.

It didnt work out exactly that way after all!

I could not spend my time simply lying back whether it was aborad or at home. Its just not me.

I found that I missed academic work and continued to do part time consultancy and research for some years since I left the university. I also opened a shop on Ebay and began to sell off my various collections and the items I had inherited.

I now run an online business selling antiques and vintage in a very niche area where Ive built up some expertise. I have several shops. However the best of the online world is that you dont have to be awake at any particular time. Most mornings I got to bed between 2 - 4 am and get up when I want to. I can still fit in all the work of running a business and getting the packages out.

As for spending the winters abroad I have lost my taste for travelling.

Enjoy your life now and don't put off things until retirement.....
My husband had to finish work at 62 due to Parkinsons Disease and recently had a stroke.I retired last year but our hopes and dreams for retirement have sadly not been able to happen.These things we would never have thought would happen....so my advice is do not put off for retirement what you can do today...enjoy your life as none of us know what life has in store for us.. ??? Be happy !!

A cottage by the coast, roses around the door; the whole shebang.
It hasn't and won't happen.

We were looking forward to spending time with our grandchildren and gentle travelling, perhaps city breaks too , death put paid to that.

House overlooking the sea. I now realise I need a house (or flat) near shops and resources.

I always wanted to live in a small, quiet country village but now realise it’s best as you age to be near dentists, gp surgery, buses, train stations, shops etc but I still need to be near trees and birdsong!!

We had plans for travel but Covid put paid to them!