OPM Case Closed!

It's official! The paperwork for my retirement is completed and the case is closed! I retired in early February from the Library of Congress. I never quite felt legitimate until all the paperwork was squared away. I just received my unused vacation pay a couple weeks ago. I read mailed a password to access the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) website, but did not have a case number. So I couldn't use the website to find out anything, which I would obviously prefer! Everyone said it takes a few months, and they were right. I did contact our HR office to find out why the vacaction wasn't paid out, but they never responded - surprise! I tried calling OPM at the time they said was best, and the line was always busy. When I finally got through, it was a forty minute wait. They weren't of any help either. I emailed OPM to get a status and they said they could not help me without my claim number - which was what I was asking them about. Thank goodness my career was not all government based, and we are not depending on this pension to survive. It's about enough to cover my health insurance premiums, which is no small thing indeed. So now I'm waiting to see the first deposit of blood sweat and tear money that I worked so hard for over the last ten years to show up in my bank account. Let's hope it goes smoothly - but I have my doubts.