Un-Retirement – Going Back to Work!!

Six years ago this past January, I retired from ALCOA after 34 and 1/2 years.    I did work for 3 months in the summer of 2006 during a potential strike after the Plant Manager quit, but that was it.  I have been perfectly content being ‘unemployed’!

In December, I was contacted by the acting Plant Manager about coming back to work for a short while.  He wanted me to fill the Production Manager position while a new Plant Manager and a new Production Manager were hired and got into the jobs.  That was a job that I did not want, because it is a tough 24hr/day-7day/wk position.  However, after thinking about it for a few days, the challenge got to me, and I caved…… and took it!!

I told them that I could probably do it for 3—5 months.  I knew this when we left for Quartzsite, but some of the negotiations continued by cell phone and email while we traveled.  On our way back from Quartzsite, I saw this billboard on the side of the freeway going into Tucson……..

 

I thought it was a little eery!!!

I went in for my one day of required safety on the Friday of the big freeze, and then began full time last Monday.  I got up at 5:30am, and left for work at 6:00am.   I got home about 7:00pm.   It was a long tough day, after not really working for six years.  I have worked during retirement, and worked hard, but at my pace!!!   I really hate my day being so structured.

The second day was not much better, but by the third day, I seemed to be getting into the groove.  By Thursday, I remembered why working people love Fridays!!   It’s been a nice weekend, but very short.  I even went out to storage to get some things out of the Bus…….and gave it a big hug!!!

The plant has a lot of new people and old problems!   It is going to be a lot of work getting things running well again.  It will require some really long, hard days, but I expect a lot of satisfaction at the end!!

Except for one or two weekend trips, I don’t expect any long RV trips until December or January of next year.

Stay safe on the road………….. and if you find a job, run for your life!!!