So how and why did this all happen. In one way I'm not really sure yet in another way I had been working towards it for a number of years. I always wanted to retire between the ages of 55 and 60 and to be able to "do things" when I was both still young enough and had the health to do so.

In 2013 I had an issue with my blood pressure and in 2016 I had a slight heart issue, but with medication my blood pressure and cholesterol are being kept under control but what could I do to help, naturally.

The 2008 economic "bust" made the possiblity of retirement at 55 a non-starter but that and my "health issues" focused me on the 5 years between 55 and 60 to try and make my retirement plans work. Thankfully that paid off and I was able to retire at the age of 60, (although I was into my 61st year!).

I suppose there are a number of things to consider around retirement but my two main considerations were:

- Planning ahead: Financially of course being the big one

- Getting mentally prepared: having left school as a 16 year old and going into work 4 weeks after leaving school and having been employed for just under 45 years I knew that you needed to get "your head" into the right place. Mentally preparing, in advance, for retirement between 55 and 60, irrespective of whether or not it was going to be possible, made it easy when that final workday came, even though I had no specific "long term" plans as to what to do next!