What do you do all day?

ancientofdays

I have just taken partial retirement - am the same age as LessonLearned. This means three free days each fortnight and although I have plans for this lovely little bonus of time, so far, I've been pretty exhausted and achieved less than I hope to in future. Also, I am often asked to take on fee-paid work in my own time, so in reality, there is a little less available time but it does mean that am not working at weekends, or not much. We hope to move house soon, so busy times ahead. I live a long way from my family but will be able to visit more often now, that senior railcard is a handy little thing!

TiddlyPom

Eliza
I'm not a social animal either so it is a bit if a struggle feeling like I am still a contributing member of society. In answer to your question, I've lived on my own for around 16 years now. My activities are somewhat curtailed by ill health, hence the quieter hobbies such as reading (which I love) and knitting.
D you think you are perhaps a tad lonely?

[Deleted User]

I think that loneliness can be a deep down feeling of longing for something and we can be lonely in a crowd. I remember being very lonely with my first new born and I lived on a housing estate, so I became self reliant and almost always do something positive with my day, knitting is a positive etc. Then when night falls, I feel as though I haven`t wasted my day

Anyway mission accomplished for today and I now have a sewing room with floor space, enough for the two inflatable beds that I have ordered in case extra family want to stay. Lots more sorting of papers still but next time and they will go elsewhere. So now g&t is made and I am sitting with tv on ready to watch a prime film via a fire stick, it is called dark shadows. That will take me through to tea time. Hair washing, early dressing gown and feet up for the whole evening enjoying my free time, being busy makes free time precious. Yes today has been good

Goldiegirl

I usually get up at around 8.30am, and that will no doubt get later as the winter draws in.


I'm not a morning person, so there's no need to get up early unless we are going out for the day.


Our typical out of the house activities are


Gardening
Walking
Cinema & theatre (both much cheaper during the day in the week)
English Heritage and National Trust properties
Coach trips
Having a mooch round the garden centre
Occasional coffee or lunch out


In the house we do


Reading
jigsaws
word puzzles
adult colouring in books (that's me mostly)
eBaying
Research - that's me on the internet, looking up ports on our next cruise, or looking to see where the best prices are for things we need to buy)
Watch some TV in the evening.
Cooking and finding new recipes


Honestly, the time flies past.


It's a quiet life mostly, but we like to live fairly reasonably most of the time so we can continue to have our holidays, which get us away from day to day life.


We've just borrowed a DVD box set from my friend - all six series of Breaking Bad. I think it'll take us all winter to watch that lot!


If anybody is looking for an absorbing new hobby that eats up the hours - I'd suggest family history research. I started that about six years ago when I went part time. My three home alone days were full of family history. I didn't have time to do anything else.

lessonlearned

I am a great fan of boxed dvd sets, athough now I also record stuff and then watch it in a block. 24, Game of Thrones, House etc.

Ive also just joined Amazon Prime, lots of nice films, kindle downloads and of course free delivery. Watched the 100ft Journey last night, with Helen Mirren. Sweet little film.

My plan, once ive settled into my new house, is to continue to live quietly and simply so that I can save my pennies and splurge on holidays and travel.

I'm not fussed about pubs and clubs of an evening, I think a lot of my activities will be day time. Not only are they usually cheaper but I don't like turning out on a cold winters night. I prefer shutting the curtains and settling down by a nice cosy fire with a G&T.

I have just been looking at residential language courses in Spain and Italy. i think they look fun and a good way of immersing yourself in the language and culture. So I'm thinking Marbella or Malaga next year and Rome the year after.

My son gets married next year to a girl,from Venezuela so her family speak new world Spanish, plus she also has a lot of italian family. I want to be able to converse with them all.

And........hopefully I would also like to fulfill a lifetimes ambition of visiting South America and the Galapagos. I can use Venezuela as my base so brushing up my Spanish is pretty high on my agenda.

All part of the five year plan ........:rotfl:

I appreciate that a residential course is more for singletons though.

Eliza_2

Yes kittie, I do agree. I also do my best to fit in one thing on the daily list that makes me feel positive - especially if it's on the 'don't really want to do that' list! Makes you feel as if you've done something useful as you settle down to sleep.

Well today I woke late, around 7.45, mainly because I was reading till 1 last night as I wanted to finish book. Did usual morning stuff, then some internet time including joining Eng Heritage. Washed car (once in a blue moon activity!!), spread a bit of manure on veg patch where I've cleared courgettes off. Checked over onions that I'm drying, hopefully ready for stringing in a couple of days. Stripped off smelly wet clothes (I always end up wetter than the car!). Had shower/hair wash then omelette and salad for lunch. Off to supermarket in town (10 miles away) then to village hall for village social event. As I'm a keyholder I had to wait till they'd all cleared off so I could have quick tidy round and close down. Now home, salad open sandwich and just about to get changed into pjs and dressing gown. Sunday is always phone call nights - mother, grandchildren, sister etc either ring or I ring them.

I don't know if I'm lonely, how would I know? I don't think I've ever felt lonely in my life unless it's an emotion I don't recognise. I sometimes want to hug myself with deliciousness that I'm on my own and that the house is just mine (well it's rented but you know what I mean!!) I love the feeling of alone-ness. I'd hate to come home to a house which already has people in it - even on dark nights it's a fantastic feeling. It's very rural, pretty remote, no near neighbours. I think I'm a hermit in the making!!

So actually today has been quite busy and I've done stuff for others, which is very important, as well as for myself. But it's not a normal day - and it's the normal, unfulfilling days that I wrote about in my first post. I'm really pleased to hear about everyone else's days and routine and such busy lives. You all have so many ideas - I really need to sort myself out!!

Incidentally, those of you who are growers, what do you do with all the produce? Onions keep me going till April, carrots I leave in ground and pull as I need them, they usually go till they start sprouting in the ground then I clear what's left out. But the rest? I've got a freezer full at the moment and don't need any more, and friends and family either don't want it or are disappearing under the bounty themselves. I may not grow any more veg next year - a kilo of onions is 39p in Aldi this week.

[Deleted User]

Eliza start by being selective in what you grow and only grow enough, not too much. I do it because it makes me grounded, just being out there in touch with earth. I am growing one sprout plant, one purple sprouting, 3 kale etc and have already planted shallots, not onions any longer, not worth the effort. We are private allotments so can grow absolutely anything and many of us grow quite a few flowers and fruits. I have made my veg area much smaller and have ordered several lovely perennial flowers for spring

Loneliness feels like an ache inside, like a hole inside that cannot be filled, a bit empty. I think everyone is lonely from time to time but no point thinking about it, it won`t change anything. You have hit the nail on the head, alone is not the same as lonely.

uh uh, I meant to have my hair washed by now, ready to settle for an evening of cosiness. I have been looking forward to it all day

cupcake4

Eliza, I think you are being very hard on yourself. Sometimes, it is good to take time to "smell the roses" as they say. Be kind to yourself go with the flow, I'm 63 and find I've slowed down a bit, although I do,too,try to do something positive every day.

Eenymeeny

Thanks for posting this Eliza. So many of your comments ring true with me. Since slipping into early retirement a few years ago after a few redundancies I feel like I am doing less and less. Maybe we are all used to working to the clock and continue to do so? (I always feel that I should be 'up and dressed' by a certain time while OH, who retired after me, is quite happy to 'play on the pc' until lunchtime, still in his jamis) Maybe it's because we're used to fitting in the household tasks as well as work that we find it hard to just relax?
I don't have a lot of contact with 'the outside world' apart from family and normal shopping etc. Which, in the main, I'm quite happy with, but sometimes feel that I should be 'getting out more'. Why, when I'm quite happy really?
I don't know the answer, just wanted to know that you're not alone in thinking like this, and other posters, you've given me a push thanks. I must do some of the jobs that I've been putting off because I can!

[Deleted User]

I believe that getting up at a specific time every day is much healthier than laying in and then slopping around for several hours. Personally I need structure in my day as it helps me to retain positivity, which I know is beneficial for my well being. I can slop around until 8.45 max but I like to be ready and raring to go by 9 and much more often, earlier

When I have finished clearing and marie kondoing then my home will have a lovely flowing energy which will uplift me, I already feel that in most of the house, just got the one room to finish and I am working on that. That uplifting energy is self-perpetuating

I too love my own company and like being alone but appreciate that going out is good for me, so I have scheduled classes twice a week. one is fitness and another is carving. Winter is a whole different kettle of fish, the natural instinct is to hibernate and I am a hibernator. Cosy and happy in my own home doing my quiet fibre crafts. I think I would call it contentment