Tomorrow, Oct. 3 marks 10 years since the cookie company I worked for was sold.
I was 59 years old. I got up on the morning of Oct. 3 and headed for Ripon. I had to pick up some last minute financial information.
I was supposed to be in Milwaukee at the offices of Godfrey Kahn by 10:00 AM. They were the legal firm that represented the Ripon Foods in the sale of the company. The "Foods" was bought by Ralcorp headquarted in St.Louis. Key people from both sides were represented. Documents were signed and financial projections were verified. And then, in the blink of an eye, money was wire transfered from a certified seller account to all family members that owned part of the business. It didn't hurt a bit. It was all over. My regret is that I wasn't an owner! I had the wrong last name.
So now my life was about to change. I had agreed to "stay on" until the end of the year to help with the transition. The question became, then what?
My decision was to stop going to work everyday (I hate the word "retirement"). The big question was "how do we live without a paycheck". I could not draw Social Security until age 62 (remember I was 59). That was 2.5 years away. I also needed to carry health insurance so I signed on for COBRA which means I could make obscene monthly payments to the Ralcorp for 18 months. I still needed to find health insurance for another 4 years until I qualified for Medicare at age 65. Lots of cost issues and no definitive answers.
The rest is history. Somehow, someway your Mom and I have stumbled through 10 years of retirement. I do miss the involvement in the business world but I don't regret "retiring".
Tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of the sale of Ripon Foods. It was a major change in course in my life. There probably will be another. Who knows?
Of course your Mother's life also changed when I was suddently home everyday. It would be interesting to hear her perspective. I'm sure it has been Heaven on earth?
Love,
Dad