rainy or dull or cold days. What to do?

[Deleted User]

It is damp and dull here today, so I will be indoors and I feel as though I am about to procrastinate. I want to do something I would call `positive` and normally that would be sewing or knitting but I have overload of sewn and knitted items. I have spent more than 3 years doing MK or equivalent so don`t want to add clutter. I don`t need to bake anything, I have enough temptations in the freezer

I don`t want to go out in the car just because I am in danger of being bored. Reading is nice but not what I personally call a `positive`. Cleaning is positive in that it gives me a good result but the house is clean. I am easily online and that brings shopping temptations, I don`t need anything, so I need to be offline

The best I can think of is to go for a cycle ride later, if the ground dries a bit. That is positive for my health and feel-good factor. What on earth do you do when the day is not conducive to going out and everything is done?

mrsmac10

Morning

I am new(ish) to old style and am off sick long term and will not be returning to work Too young for my pension so will be thrifty and enjoy an early retirement I am sorting out paperwork etc just now but that wont last forever

I have enrolled on FREE open uni classes they do most subjects- nutrition, safety online I am looking into forensic psychology Its only about 24 hours of reading but so different from a novel I can pick up

In my area we also have university of 3rd age My local groups are mainly walking or bowls Neither suit me as I have limited mobility but I believe they are great for company Some are off over the summer when people are more happy to potter in the sunshine

HTH

purpleivy

I dream of having everything done....house clean, food ready, laundry up to date and a wardrobe of me made clothes!
I think I can understand what you mean though. Do you have a local friend to catch up with over a coffee? Any sewing friends? I'd love to have a sewing friends near enough to have a good session, not necessarily any action, but discuss up and coming projects, show and tell, 'help me with' and 'what shall I do with this?'

[Deleted User]

I read if I have the time, I plan ahead and try to get things in place for the jobs that need doing the rest of the week, I catch up on ironing, mending etc. I look in the freezers and make menu plans for using up what's in there. I walk if it's not tipping down, I find walking with my own thoughts very therapeutic. I hate it if it goes on too long though and I can't even walk because it's just too wet and usually end up here chatting or just pootling round the internet to find something of interest that's useful to know.

[Deleted User]

I sorted my seed box and ordered a few new packs, then the grey sky turned brighter and I got myself out on my bike. Phew, that could have been one of those wasted days but it ended up as a good day. It often does if I get myself out, winter obviously harder than spring/summer/winter when the allotment beckons

CapricornLass

If you have children/grandchildren, why not start writing down all your memories of your family - what you did as a child, about your parents and grandparents and other relatives, family stories/rumours/legends, where you lived, childhood friends, where and what you did on holidays etc, etc. etc. There will come a day when you are no longer able to pass this information on to the next generation, and anyone who is interested in family history at a later date will really bless you for it.

Its advantage is that its cheap, you only need a pencil and paper, and it isn't dependent on the weather!

[Deleted User]

100% vote for U3A its pretty good where I live and we have 41 dfferent interest groups in our branch. I also volunteer for several things and the library are always looking for voluteers to help housebound folk with library stuff.

My problem isn't finding something to do its finding the time to fit everything in that I do.

I swim,knit,walk, volunteer, go to several clubs have the silver screen cinema locally where for £.3.00 you get a movie and a cuppa and a biscuit on a Tuesday morning. The only day I rarely have anything to do is on a Saturday when I am usually indoors cooking or baking. This morning I had a coffee morning and tonight I am out at a quiz night, I also have a quiz night to go to this Saturday night as well with my team. I could really do with a 36 hour day to fit everything in, as I also look after three of my teenage grandsons after school.
As my signature says roughly translated 'too many books not enough time'

:):)
JackieO xx

VfM4meplse

kittie wrote: »

The best I can think of is to go for a cycle ride later, if the ground dries a bit. That is positive for my health and feel-good factor. What on earth do you do when the day is not conducive to going out and everything is done?

You make yourself a huge mug of tea and read. Heaven :A

CurlyTop

Somedays, I know exactly how you feel. I turn to jigsaws. Cheaply picked up at the local charity shops and I've also found out, that since the local library closed a couple of years ago, volunteers have set up on in a local community centre that opens 3 times a week for a couple of hours per time and they also loan out jigsaws.

I find jigsaws one of those things that distract me and my mind is totally emptied - not many things can do that. I always find something to think about usually, so this is nice. It's also peaceful time, just to me. DH doesn't get jigsaws, so I leave him watching the football and I get my big jigsaw holder out and go into my own little world ... jigsawville

moneyistooshorttomention

I shall be following this thread with interest Kittie - as I also live in pretty remote area these days (if not quite as remote as you - but, on the other hand, I don't have a car like you do).

It is more of a problem here and I shouldn't have been studying activities at the Arts Centre in my home city the other day and thinking "Right - that's 4 dance things I'd be going to regularly each week then" and that's just what I'd do in one place. Then there'd by my yoga classes I went to. Then all the free events the City Council puts on. Then....then....then.....

Tries not to think about that.....

So I've got one dance class here and keeping fingers crossed that more will start up that I fancy. I do a bit of voluntary work. I'm in a book group. Litter picks have become the latest community activity round here. I do sometimes go on group walks (but that means better weather than winter imo). I sometimes go to films or music evenings or have a lunch out (with or without a friend/friends).

I've got the "proper" garden I didn't have before. I've got a better kitchen than I had before (cooking being a hobby of mine). When it's better weather - then I hop on a bus and find myself somewhere new to try out for a walk/or one of the "favourites" I've established to date.

But my mother did predict I'd be wondering what to do with myself here once I'd finished gutting the house - and I'm afraid she was right...:cool:.

I'm okay in better weather - but the winters here are a problem to me (with The Wind and all the extra rain). So I'm at a bit of a loss here in the winter. I guess bit by bit that I'll find more group activities (as that's what I'm used to doing - ie go out to a group thing/another group thing and so on). I've had various "locals" telling me there is noticeably more happening here than there was - so I hope that will be a continuing trend...

Think I might have a go at a couple of FutureLearn (think that's the name) free courses. Also wondering about whether to learn French - and have borrowed a few books to take a look at and see just how much/or little of it I remember from schooldays.

But yes...finding a purpose/enjoyable things to do in retirement (particularly in a "quieter" place) is a challenge indeed.

I tell myself that at least I'm not taking up my time in ways that a lot of other people in this agegroup do (ie being ill and/or being a carer to someone who is ill etc). Also - I know a lot of people in our agegroup spend a lot of time "being a grandparent" (which is something I didn't want to be anyway) - so that's another way I'm not spending my time that many others are.

Shall be following thoughts with interest ...

[Deleted User]

I am loving my hobbies and particularly enjoy wood carving and getting familiar with the scrollsaw and this is something I want to concentrate on when I get my new house. This `artistic` hobby will develop the r side of my brain

When I was younger, with children and was also a f/t `housewife` I kept my brain going by studying geophysics and oceanography to degree level (ou) I used to get up at 5 to get a good couple of hours done every morning. Then later in life I studied 4 years for a health qualification. My brain is never idle but I also like to be still and quiet. I hardly have the radio on and just potter in silence.

These days I do like to get out on my own on my bike, I ride through marshy land and that gives me time to ponder with just birds and nice scenery. I certainly don`t want to do any more studying of an defined nature, although I am always dipping into my health books

I don`t like to waste time procrastinating but I do waste time online, however that is the modern way of communicating with `strangers` and that is good. I do try to end every day feeling positive about what I have done eg today was just getting all my washing out, dried, ironed and put away and a bit of cleaning as a dd is staying overnight, will be here soon. I go to bed tonight knowing that I don`t have clutter anywhere