Folks in their 40s

[WVH1977]

Good Day All,

I was reading in the (members in their 70s) post and figured I would put one out for those of us middle aged folks in our 40s. I will start off with some items related to this age group, at least I think related:

• Bought 1st tractor when I was 28.
• Built my first house when I was 42
• Career going strong and sometimes boring
• Have lost a lot of older family members lately (Including my father. That one was tough)
• Dealing with children 24 seven. Love them (Worry about their future)
• Have more projects than I need or can complete
• Loving my naps more and more!!!
• Bed time is getting earlier and earlier
• I still feel really good but starting to notice the age thing creeping in.
• Vacations for me are working on my property and catching up on chores. Wife always laughs at my idea of vacation!!! We need to get out more

There is always more but a good start. I would like to encourage all the old timers to chime in with (What comes next). I would also encourage the younger group to chime in as well. I think there is a lot of different and interesting experiences shared on this site and look forward to any and all responses to things related to the (MIDDLE AGED)

 

[Oaktree]

I'm in my early 70s now, but my 40s were good years. You're at the point where you've finally gotten your head together, but the body hasn't started to fall apart yet. The older you get, the more you can play the "old man" card to get out of things you don't want to do.

Paid off my first house the year I turned 41. Didn't get my first tractor until my early 50s.
Re-discovered hiking, an activity I hadn't really done much of since my mid 20s. Did all the New England 4Ks, and most of the New England highest hundred in my 40s/early-mid 50s.
Did a career re-assessment, took a couple years off and only worked P/T. When I returned, it was to a different field that I'd always wanted to do but for whatever reason hadn't.
Have always had more projects than I had time for, probably always will, even in retirement.
Never had kids. People told me I'd regret not having any when I got older. Hasn't happened yet.
Pop culture becomes less and less important. Have no idea what's so fascinating on cellphones that young people can't put them down. Don't get so called social media, not really interested in it, find it kind of sad so many people waste so much time there.
Still like some of the new songs on the radio, but don't really know who any of the artists are anymore.
Haven't worn a tie in probably 45 years, don't intend to ever again.

Yeah, the body starts to creak more and more the older you'd get, but I wouldn't go back for anything. The realization that I've got more years behind me than ahead is a bit disconcerting, but I'm OK with it.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Started law school at age 38; graduated at age 42. The next 20 years were the most productive of my life.

 

[MossRoad]

At 42 I felt my strongest physically. I was already at my job 16 years, married 18 years, been with my wife 24 years, paid off two houses, paid off 20 acres of land, been debt free for about 6 years, had children 11 and 6 years old, and had the world by the tail.

 

[Dftodd]

46. Married with 3 grown kids, as well as 3 grandkids ages 15,13, and 16 months old. That ought to get some head scratches once someone figures out the math

 

[Birdhunter1]

Age 42, started my job at 22, met my wife at 24, married at 25, 2 kids age 11 and 13, we bought our property (an aunt's part of the farm) at age 26, bought my first tractor age 26, we built our house at age 30, bought the first new tractor to the farm (my dad is 70 and never remembers a new one) at age 39.
At age 42 we have 4 horses and I seem half broken half the time, the newest horse is a bit green, the most fit I've ever been was at age 38/39, the only debt is a tractor payment and mortgage.

 

[Jstpssng]

In your 40's is when you should be accessing where you are, and deciding your path for the future. You are young enough to make a career move if the one you are in isn't getting you where you want to be. It's also not too late to start saving for a comfortable retirement.

 

[tallyho8]

I'm 76 now. At 40 my business had finally picked up enough where I could spend some time doing things I wanted to do. Loving owning and training dogs all my life I got and trained hounds for competition coon hunting, traveled around 13 states mainly in small towns where the sport was popular, met loads of nice people, and was very successful at my sport. By the time I was 50 I was stronger than I had ever been in my life but still unable to keep up with the younger boys who were now in the sport so I changed from hounds to horses. I spent the next 20 years riding, training and competing with horses and running horseshows. I ride a little now around the farm, keep a couple of rescue dogs, and enjoy the outdoors and cruising the seas to see the world.

I have lost so many friends who loved to sit on the couch, watch TV and play video games that I feel like I am now one of the lost breed.

 

[dmccarty]

Since I was a little kid, I wanted to own some land, I figured 5 acres or maybe 10 acres would all I could afford. Then I took drafting in high school and I wanted to design and build my own house. Do they even teach that skill anymore? It is something I use almost every day. Eventually, I was able to buy a lot that was 3-4 acres, but eventually sold it, and used it to buy the 40+ acres we now own. I designed our house and found a good builder to build the house.

At the same time we bought the large parcel and were looking to build the house, we got the idea of selling everything, getting a boat and go see the world. The problem was we were having kids, did not have any money, what would we do for Internet, computers and books on a boat.....

It did not take too many years before technology solved the problem of how to keep books and computers on a boat. Musk/Starlink, has almost completed providing fast and cheap Internet to boats. If we sold everything we could get a boat and go. The problem is family issues. This was always a worry and now it is reality on multiple fronts.

What is interesting and good, is that we have thought of selling everything and moving somewhere else, but we can't find any other place we would rather live on land.

Later,
Dan

 

[ljjhouser]

I got married at 47. Will be 31 years this August. She is one hell of a woman. A sweetheart. She is better looking, smarter, quicker, and right MORE OFTEN than me. But then, so is my dog.