Chance of a second life? What would you do?

seven-day-weekend

Another one here who wanted to marry P McC - but wouldn't want to now!

For the first eight years of our (early) retirement, we lived in a little village high in the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Spain, so that was a new life to get through....now we have returned to the UK, we do house and pet-sitting (paid work, lol!) and I have become a trained Job Coach for a Job Club (voluntary).

The petsitting is work, enjoyable and easy work, yes, but work nontheless. The Job Coach is a labour of love, the type of work I always wanted to do, made even better for me because it is for a Christian organisation (CAP). I am off to do my weekly stint in about ten minutes. I'll be back at around 3 pm.

https://capuk.org/i-want-help/cap-job-clubs/introduction

I am nearly 65 and consider myself a YOUNG age Pensioner

So... do you have any sort of dream, hankering, vague idea...give it a go while you can x

downshifter

Thanks again for the responses. Desperately sadly my beautiful dog who featured hugely in my future plans, had to be put to sleep last week.

Before that I had been doing some thinking and decided to give up all paid work, just concentrate on vol stuff that I already do. I may now continue to work over the winter months until I can stop missing her as much but I have decided I would like to move to another part of the country, this house and area is full of her. This is tricky as I live in a national park so it's gorgeous but would still like a change. I think that's going to be my focus now, I've lived here long enough and there's the whole of the UK to consider. Somewhere by the sea perhaps - any thoughts? More than ever I am now working on a plan and a way forward.

Thanks again

DS

SailorSam

Knowing how soft i am, i'd probably make all the same mistakes again.

Savvy_Sue

downshifter wrote: »

Somewhere by the sea perhaps - any thoughts? More than ever I am now working on a plan and a way forward.

Before you make any irrevocable decisions, spend some time in the new area, in winter. Visit the local library and find out if there are things going on which would appeal to you. If you're a churchgoer, visit a few and see if you'd want to 'belong' in any of them.

When the sun is shining and the children are playing on the beach, it may look lovely. When a gale howls in and you're blown off your feet when you walk out of the front door, maybe less so.

But the key to any successful move is making friends, IMO.

downshifter

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

When a gale howls in and you're blown off your feet when you walk out of the front door, maybe less so.

Sounds like here!! It's like that constantly up here in these Pennine hills. I'm not so bothered about friends, you can find them anywhere if you want to, but location can't be changed - that's my first criteria. I was listening to Anne Reid on Desert Island Discs and really identified with her - I like change and not knowing what might come next, or where I'll be this time next year, taking risks etc. Not keen on stability or security.

We're all so different thank goodness!

Started cleaning and clearing the house today, ready to drive off into the sunset - who knows where?

DS

StevieJ

downshifter wrote: »

Sounds like here!! It's like that constantly up here in these Pennine hills.
We're all so different thank goodness!

Started cleaning and clearing the house today, ready to drive off into the sunset - who knows where?

DS

My sister lives in Stalybridge and previously lived in Saddleworth, I love visiting those Pennine hills. Maybe you will miss it when you are gone

Freecall

downshifter wrote: »

I'm not so bothered about friends, you can find them anywhere

Really!...

racon

Take a bottle of Paracetamol and a bottle of whisky and go to bed!
I've found that for the last 50 years of my 66 years of existence life has been nothing less than crap!
The only things good that have come out of it are my children and my wife.

racon

StevieJ wrote: »

My sister lives in Stalybridge and previously lived in Saddleworth, I love visiting those Pennine hills. Maybe you will miss it when you are gone

Hey, Saddleworth? It's damp, cold and a miserable place. All of the buildings are black with soot/muck, and most people walk round with their heads down wearing the ever faithful parka. Used to live in Delph for years, couldn't wait to leave the place.