Eight days from now, I’ll retire after 40 years as a college administrator. Since 2004, I’ve considered the Parent Cafe to be the best source of wise counsel that I know. So given that, do any of you have suggestions of particularly profound ways in which I might spend my first day of retirement?
Sleep late, go out for coffee or lunch with a friend, go to a museum or park that will be less crowded on a weekday, go for a drive or to a movie. Or watch day time tv all day… what sounds good?
Make yourself a congratulatory mimosa. How many times did you get to drink a mimosa first thing in the morning on a workday? 
Congrats!
Try not to drive your spouse insane.
Go to the gym. And if there’s a hot tub, enjoy the suds. <:-P
Report back on what you finally choose to do so that those of who still have to toil in this mortal coil of employment can get some suggestions.
Read the help wanted ads ?
Well HI @gadad!! Haven’t seen you around here in eons. CONGRATS on your retirement!
Ask yourself what is the one thing you wished you had time or in the mornings in the past (besides sleep in, read the paper, have a cuppa joe) ? Have a massage? Look up a recipe, shop, and make dinner? Take your wife to lunch? Call your girls and bother THEM during the workday? 
Will send you a PM. Would love to catch up!
Start writing the next Great American Novel.
Do whatever you want, but come back to share what it was! Congratulations @gadad!
Plan a trip no matter how short knowing you don’t have to be back at work!
My dad retired 1975 and is now 95 years old. He said just this last weekend that it was the best decision he ever made. 43 years retired and never regretted a single moment. Never been bored.
He’s always had a million long item list of “things to do or try” and he’s still working on it.
I wish that for you!
In two years, God willing, I aim to be at the Broken Yolk Cafe, have a leisurely breakfast. Then start research into local congressmen/women and focus on volunteering for a progressive candidate who cares about diversity: young people, the elderly, Vets, the middle class and the poor.
I took my leisurely time enjoying a little extra sleep, a nice relaxing breakfast, and then met friends for lunch.
My retiree friends and I started a new tradition on the first day back to school. We have a “Not Back to School Breakfast” at a nice local breakfast place…and we do it at 9:30 or so…because we can!
We toast our former colleagues who are likely sitting through some guest speaker, and a bunch of meetings. And…we don’t miss the stuff at all!!
Take a leisurely walk on a favorite nature trail and then treat yourself to brunch. Go easy on yourself! Congrats. It definitely takes some getting used to
Show up at work and scare the socks off all the people who said goodbye to you at the party yesterday?
Get two newspapers delivered. Read one with your coffee and read the other with breakfast. Read every article in every section if you feel like it. Oh wait, that’s what I did (and do.)
Don’t set the alarm. That was the most liberating move for me. It is very difficult for me to get up in the morning, so it was very exciting not having that time constraint,
Congratulations! My last day is 8 days away as well. I have something planned each day for the first month: nothing major, a walk, breakfast or lunch out, local museum, reading a book or 10.
We have a long trip planned at the end of july, and when I get back I’ll be signing up for a few fitness classes.
Enjoy!
I am not retiring in 8 days but am in the near future. I teach on the college level and have four months off this summer. This has made me realize that I am now very,very ready to retire.
First of all, I wake up every morning glad I do not have to get up and go to work. Yes I sleep in a bit. Next, I like to get something done each day. Exercise is always one of the goals on a weekday. The other things might be do a load of laundry, clean a few windows or, in my case because I am still working, get a few things done to prep for the next semester. It could be go and buy plants and the next day or two plant them.
Next, I am flexible. D1 asked if we could go on an adventure together because she is moving to London. We quickley planned a trip to California and had a wonderful time.
Each day you get to do or not do whatever you want. Some days I just like to stay at home and read and play on the internet.
You are in a better situation because you are not going back. So it is even more relaxed.
Congrats!