Things That Surprised You...

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OK Corgi Rancher

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I never thought I'd be living my retirement years in Oklahoma. But I'm glad I am.

I never thought I'd be sitting in a goat pen, having a cup of coffee at dusk, surrounded by four little goats and just generally loving it. But I'm glad I did.

After spending another $200 on just a few groceries my wife and I are discussing becoming more and more self-sufficient and less reliant on the outside world. I'm finding it fascinating and there's a lifetime of things to be learned. I was fortunate I was able to retire at a fairly young age. So I'm looking forward to spending many years here.

I may talk to my son and DiL about moving here and helping to run things when he retires from the AF next year. That would pretty much be the highlight of my life, I think.
 

MilitantBEEMER

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I never thought I'd be living my retirement years in Oklahoma. But I'm glad I am.

I never thought I'd be sitting in a goat pen, having a cup of coffee at dusk, surrounded by four little goats and just generally loving it. But I'm glad I did.

After spending another $200 on just a few groceries my wife and I are discussing becoming more and more self-sufficient and less reliant on the outside world. I'm finding it fascinating and there's a lifetime of things to be learned. I was fortunate I was able to retire at a fairly young age. So I'm looking forward to spending many years here.

I may talk to my son and DiL about moving here and helping to run things when he retires from the AF next year. That would pretty much be the highlight of my life, I think.
If I could change one thing, I would go back and start preparing for retirement much much earlier. In my industry we do not have pensions, only our 401k. By the time I am 55 we will not be able to retire. I will more than likely have to go all the way to 65. :(
Congratulations to you and your family!
 

OK Corgi Rancher

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I didn't do anything really to prepare for early retirement...just kinda lucked into it. If there's a silver lining to being injured from my military service it's that I get enough of a VA pension to make it work. The only smart thing I did was pay off nearly all my debt. So, I can live on a little less. Once I start collecting SS in Jan we'll be living high on the hog!

ROFL.gif
 

kirk1978

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I didn't do anything really to prepare for early retirement...just kinda lucked into it. If there's a silver lining to being injured from my military service it's that I get enough of a VA pension to make it work. The only smart thing I did was pay off nearly all my debt. So, I can live on a little less. Once I start collecting SS in Jan we'll be living high on the hog!

View attachment 307551
Then you can upgrade from goat meat to leg of lamb!!!
 

OK Corgi Rancher

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Things would have to be pretty dire before I'd kill one of my animals. Don't get me wrong...I love to eat meat. I just wouldn't have the heart to kill a cow or goat or whatever and eat it. I get too attached to them. I hunted when I was younger and really enjoyed the outdoors aspect of it. I loved being out in the mountains for a week or two. I'd generally go up and set up our camp a week before season opened and the other guys showed up just to spend time in the mountains.

After about 10 years or so I just didn't have the heart to kill an elk or deer any more.

Chickens I could probably handle without too much emotional trauma. :)
 

OkieJoe72

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When one of those goats knocks you on your butt, you might have a change of heart about having it butchered. My wife has the same problem with getting attached to our meat. We’ve made a compromise. She can’t pet or name any of our meat sources, and I can’t shoot any wildlife on our homestead property. Hogs and coyotes are the only exception the rule.
 

THAT Gurl

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I figure I’ll have to work until noon on the day of my funeral.

Oddly enough I think this will be me, also. Not because I have to but because I want to. The year to 18 months after that tree attacked me I had serious mobility problems. Even though I did my PT religiously, it wasn't helping. My pain was so bad I didn't even want to breathe.

This job at the grocery store has changed all that. When I started in March I could not lift a 12-pack of sodas without using both hands and if something was on the bottom rack of the cart, fauxgetddaboutit!! I could not squat down and get back up without help. Last night I spent the entire night stocking the baking aisle and cleaning up the floral/plant display thingee, while I checked folks out in between. Food stamps have loaded so it was a busy night (lots of really full baskets).

I came home tired and sore but not undone. It is nice to have some of that strength and mobility back. I'm gonna even try the gun range out tomorrow (today is too busy -- gotta get ready for the kids) and see what I can do. Last time I went I shot less than a mag through my 34 and I couldn't hold my gun up any longer. To say I was devastated would have been an understatement.

Crazy drift, huh? Anyway, I don't see me quitting for a long, long time. Apparently I need the structure a job gives me. That and I really like the people I work with.
 

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