Retirement

Few of us at the age of 18 think about retirement because we just got out of high school and then at the age of 23 out of collage an we are on our first job. By the time we hit 45 some of us start to think maybe we could retire. When we hit the age of 60 we are thinking that we just can hold out for another six or seven years.Well on March 31, 2006 that time came for me at the age of just two months short of 67. I have been working since I was 16 and at the age of 20 took on my first full time job and have had one every since. Uncle Sam likes that. I started my last job in 1981 for the South Columbia Basin Irrigation District in there accounting dept.They an two other irrigation districts had a contract with the cities of Seattle and Tacoma to build five power plants on the irrigation canals in central Washington. In 1983 we became a separate division. In 1988 we then became the Grand Coulee Project Hydroelectric authority and moved the office from Pasco to Ephrata WA. In April of that year I became the treasure and held that job till the endFor your information Richland to Ephrata is a 104 mile drive one way and I did that for 18 years. With all holidays, vacation, sick and other time off I drove about 7393,000 miles or equal to 33 times around the equator.To start off my last day of work my daughter came over from Everett on Thursday and said that all three of them (Brian, Brenda and Jackie) we going to drive me to work that day along with my wife Sandy of 41 years. Well at about 5:45 that morning I told them we were late and had to get on the road. Finely at 6:05 they said that there were all ready. When I walked out to get into the car, to my sup prize there was a stretch white limo waiting for me. WOW What can I say about that drive? It was the best you could ask for. When we got about a mile from Ephrata there was a state portal car driven by one of my dear friends (Mike Walcker) and he escorted us to where I work. Upon my arrival there we co-workers outside waiting for me. They were all in on this. There was a cake with a hydro on it and many friends there to share it with me. Two of the students that did office work for us in 1989 an 1990 we there. At noon I called it quits and went down the hall to the front door with tears in my eyes. The limo was there to get me back home; the kids had pizza and a bottle of wine to go back on the last 104 mile drive. With about 10 miles to go it started to sink in that it was about to end. Not yet. At 6:00 that night we were ate at the Olive Garden for supper. Troy McIntire was there also. We ate well and the kids picked up the tab. Well here it is Monday April 3, and what to do. It all started with a radio spot for our upcoming radio controlled hydroplane race this Sunday. Also trip to two TV stations and to the trophy shop. Home to help the wife and at 2 to watch the Seattle baseball game. Also called a firm about a part time job working two days a week. Looks very good. What about retirement. Well let's just say that never comes. There are just so many things that have to get done and never let you mine stop working. My one hobby is racing 1/8 scale radio controlled unlimited hydroplanes and our club has a web site at www.rcunlimiteds.org

Chester Lepinski