Gordon
Member
I "retired" from Army Reserves as a CWO in 86 after 21 combined years of service . In 1987 I started a business and by 91 had four employees and my wife of 18 years traded me in for a 15 year younger model. I remarried two years later and this is our 30th year of happiness . In 95 I reorganized my Business and Incorporated and took on a partner 10 years younger but an excellent financial manager and his wife did the books ! In 2018 when I hit 72 with both knees very bad from arthritis I retired selling my partner my 1/2 of business paid over 5 years . He paid me off fully this spring part of the perks of the corporate buy out was a fuel for my vehicles and life insurance premiums and cell phones +$ monthly. I found part time jobs at various ranches I used to service their aging farm tractors and gensets the first four years of retirement which supplemented me purchasing and establishing Oregon residency , but I was in agony from my RA , mostly in my knees . In 2022 I finally found a great Italian Knee surgeon in Palo Alto who I trusted enough to get complete replacements three months apart ,paid for by Veterans benefits and at Stanford ! I worked hard at Rehab and today I can walk and even run (short distances I am 76 !) and enjoying hunting again in Oregon with Sons and Grand son. I do shoot at the wonderful Merlin Oregon Sportsmen's Range facility and can shoot suppressed around my families Oregon rural properties . My health and wife's seems pretty good, we do work to maintain it best we can. I have stopped working on customers stuff since my operations and stick to my own vehicles and those of a couple of my sons and grandson , that's plenty ! I am selling down slowly my large gun collection , about half way there , the kids already got theirs except the dozen or so I intend to keep till my death. I also reload quite a bit in the basement of a son I gave my complete reloading suite to . The Democrat fuel prices are restricting my movement between Oregon and Calif where I still have a place (now I have to pay for the fuel), but between VA Pension and wife and my fully vested SS accounts we took at 70 we are ok financially , mortgages and vehicles all paid off a few years back. Life is good , may all of you be Blessed with a great retirement and accept that we all have endings that are not usually all that pleasant . Do the Best you can !
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