What's this?

OK. Here goes.

I'm 51. I want to retire before I'm 58. I have no idea what I'll do. I don't have a real, honest-to-god plan for survival after retirement. 

So, I need a plan. And while this is not "the plan", I hope it will be my conscience. My "you said you'd do this - so do it". 

Now, before you start thinking I'm brave/stupid/arrogant/hopeful some facts:

• I'm married - no kids; 
• We have 10 months left on our mortgage
• We both work
• We both have defined benefit pensions (!)
• We both have additional, tax deferred savings

For a lot of you, this means we're as lucky as pigs in shit. I can understand that.

But, I have a lot to learn. Or, maybe that should be "unlearn". How much of what I have do I need? Now? How much will I need? What's important to me? What will be important to me? Can I make any assumptions on what that might be?

Some of this is about money. I think a lot won't be about money. It will be about time; and friends; and family; and how best to use a semi-colon.

For me at least, this is partially about "early retirement". Partially about "life management". For you, it might be about "late retirement". Or "navel gazing". Or a middle-class, middle-aged variant of teenage angst. 

But hey - let's give it a twirl. Let's see how, or if, it evolves.