Sunset Years

Making the later years the best ever!

INTRODUCING THE WRITER

Welcome to my blog about the sunset years, a metaphor for the stage in life when we no longer have a full-time occupation. We’re retired from work. Or we inhabit an empty nest. We may be collecting CPP in Canada or Social Security in the US. We’re free to set our own agendas in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. A daunting prospect, possibly, but also a golden opportunity.

I spent the longest part of my diverse career, 20 years, as the Director of Development at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec. After taking early retirement in 2007, I became Editor of the University’s alumni magazine, working part-time from home for seven years.

Fully retired since 2014, I live with Glen, my husband of more than 30 years, and a frisky Brittany Spaniel in the West End of Vancouver BC for seven months of the year and in Scottsdale AZ for five. Our son also lives in Vancouver, and my stepdaughter, who’s married with three young children, resides in Toronto ON.

A successful retirement depends upon sound financial planning, for sure, but my blog presumes money is not a huge concern. I will write instead about the emotional and psychological aspects of this stage in life, based on my own experience, discussions with friends and family, and research on the subject.

AN INVITATION

Visit my blog often. Please sign up to receive alerts about new posts. Feel free to add your comments, questions and insights. Together we’ll explore how to live the sunset years as our best ever. •

Sunset, a metaphor for retirement
Remains of the day, English Bay, Vancouver BC

 

Comments

  3. Patricia Young says

    I’ve been awaiting the appearance of your blog and am delighted with what you’ve produced. This is an excellent idea and your photos are a gorgeous accompaniment to the text. Well done! Looking forward to future posts.

    Reply

  4. Pat Britton says

    I’m looking forward to reading your blog Pam. I hope it has lots of photos. I also like your instagram, particularly public art.

    Reply

  8. Lorna Smith says

    I am so PROUD and pleased for you
    I am Pumped to partake in my first BLOG experience !!!
    Love the headers
    I will be sharing this post with MANY of my newly “retired” friends
    CONGRATS
    Lorna

    Reply

  9. Ian Wallace says

    Pam – What an inspired idea to launch a blog on retirement and who better than you, with your writing, IT, and photographic talents, to address this complex subject. I am sure we will learn lots from you. For what it is worth I view retirement as a new beginning, a time when we can do anything we want, having left behind most of the stresses and anxieties of previous decades. It is like waking up on a beautiful spring day with a completely free agenda. Absolute bliss. I suppose each of us will use this free time differently and I am sure that you will have much of interest to present to us, your enthusiastic readers, in future posts which we will look forward to in the coming months!

    Reply

    • Pam McPhail says

      I always welcome your effusive comments, Ian. Some people adapt to retirement better than others. They may not seek a new beginning as they’re content in their current situation, stresses and all. You happen to exemplify contentment. In this blog perhaps we’ll elucidate how others may reach your level of bliss in their sunset years.

      Reply

  11. Dana Temme says

    This is great Pam. I look forward to reading about your thoughts and experiences, and to interacting with you and your friends.

    Reply

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