Retirement is on the Horizon!
I like to joke that my job is only a "temp job" since I have to be reelected every four years. Job security is hard to come by these days, and this job is no different except that I am guaranteed a four-year run between elections. I began this job in 1992 working as a deputy for the county treasurer. I held that position for 6 1/2 years until that treasurer retired then ran for the position myself. I took office in January 1999 and have held the position for 19 years...and counting. Time has gone so fast, and it sometimes boggles my mind that I have held this position for nearly 20 years. Including those years I served as deputy, this will amount to 26 1/2 years at the same job. That calculates out to be 40% of my life at this job. In contrast, we milked cows less than half that time and it seemed like a lifetime! So this year I bravely stepped out and decided to retire at the end of this term. It wasn't an easy decision to arrive at. What about the finances? What w