What to do with all your time?

Bravepants

Time4T_Accounts said:

Bravepants said:

eastcorkram said:

I've now been retired for 11 weeks. So far, I've power washed the wheelie bins, and descaled the kettle. 

7. Reading - progressing through the Jack Reacher novels, just discovered Hamish MacBeth, which I get from the library. Got the entire collection of HG Wells novels for 99p for my Kobo. Manged to plough through the Stephen King Dark Tower series, The Witcher series, started on Tolkien's The Silmarillion (but struggling) and I still miss Terry Pratchett.  

If you like Terry Pratchett  - much missed - have you tried Jasper Fforde (particularly the Thursday Next series)?  

Thanks for the heads-up, will definitely check him out! Always on the look out for new stuff to read. 

cfw1994

Bravepants said:

Time4T_Accounts said:

Bravepants said:

eastcorkram said:

I've now been retired for 11 weeks. So far, I've power washed the wheelie bins, and descaled the kettle. 

7. Reading - progressing through the Jack Reacher novels, just discovered Hamish MacBeth, which I get from the library. Got the entire collection of HG Wells novels for 99p for my Kobo. Manged to plough through the Stephen King Dark Tower series, The Witcher series, started on Tolkien's The Silmarillion (but struggling) and I still miss Terry Pratchett.  

If you like Terry Pratchett  - much missed - have you tried Jasper Fforde (particularly the Thursday Next series)?  

Thanks for the heads-up, will definitely check him out! Always on the look out for new stuff to read. 

To fellow Pratchett fans, try to get to Marc Burrows show somewhere - https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/live-dates
We watched him for an hour or so at Latitude last summer in the Listening Post: perhaps him road-testing his show. Part of his tour!
A simply excellent talk, with a suitably emotional ending (#NoSpoilers).  You can thank me later!!

I know what people mean about the DIY & decorating getting to become a lower priority….once your time is your own, of course you can advance those things….but you can also take advantage of that time for things that might feel more fun: off peak lower cost travels, escaping winter gloom, etc.  Decisions decisions!

bjorn_toby_wilde

cfw1994 said:

Bravepants said:

Time4T_Accounts said:

Bravepants said:

eastcorkram said:

I've now been retired for 11 weeks. So far, I've power washed the wheelie bins, and descaled the kettle. 

7. Reading - progressing through the Jack Reacher novels, just discovered Hamish MacBeth, which I get from the library. Got the entire collection of HG Wells novels for 99p for my Kobo. Manged to plough through the Stephen King Dark Tower series, The Witcher series, started on Tolkien's The Silmarillion (but struggling) and I still miss Terry Pratchett.  

If you like Terry Pratchett  - much missed - have you tried Jasper Fforde (particularly the Thursday Next series)?  

Thanks for the heads-up, will definitely check him out! Always on the look out for new stuff to read. 

To fellow Pratchett fans, try to get to Marc Burrows show somewhere - https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/live-dates
We watched him for an hour or so at Latitude last summer in the Listening Post: perhaps him road-testing his show.
A simply excellent talk, with a suitably emotional ending (#NoSpoilers).  You can thank me later!!

I know what people mean about the DIY & decorating getting to become a lower priority….once your time is your own, of course you can advance those things….but you can also take advantage of that time for things that might feel more fun: off peak lower cost travels, escaping winter gloom, etc.  Decisions decisions!

Excellent tip! I’ll definitely be checking Marc Burrows out. Thanks.

Having done loads of DIY over the years I find I only want to do certain things these days. My rule is that I only do it if I want to. The hall, stairs and landing need decorating but I found myself putting it off because I really didn’t fancy painting all that woodwork and balancing on platforms. The decorator starts next Tuesday and I’ll be out on my bike.

cfw1994

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

cfw1994 said:

Bravepants said:

Time4T_Accounts said:

Bravepants said:

eastcorkram said:

I've now been retired for 11 weeks. So far, I've power washed the wheelie bins, and descaled the kettle. 

7. Reading - progressing through the Jack Reacher novels, just discovered Hamish MacBeth, which I get from the library. Got the entire collection of HG Wells novels for 99p for my Kobo. Manged to plough through the Stephen King Dark Tower series, The Witcher series, started on Tolkien's The Silmarillion (but struggling) and I still miss Terry Pratchett.  

If you like Terry Pratchett  - much missed - have you tried Jasper Fforde (particularly the Thursday Next series)?  

Thanks for the heads-up, will definitely check him out! Always on the look out for new stuff to read. 

To fellow Pratchett fans, try to get to Marc Burrows show somewhere - https://www.marcburrows.co.uk/live-dates
We watched him for an hour or so at Latitude last summer in the Listening Post: perhaps him road-testing his show. correction -  part of his tour!
A simply excellent talk, with a suitably emotional ending (#NoSpoilers).  You can thank me later!!

I know what people mean about the DIY & decorating getting to become a lower priority….once your time is your own, of course you can advance those things….but you can also take advantage of that time for things that might feel more fun: off peak lower cost travels, escaping winter gloom, etc.  Decisions decisions!

Excellent tip! I’ll definitely be checking Marc Burrows out. Thanks.

Having done loads of DIY over the years I find I only want to do certain things these days. My rule is that I only do it if I want to. The hall, stairs and landing need decorating but I found myself putting it off because I really didn’t fancy painting all that woodwork and balancing on platforms. The decorator starts next Tuesday and I’ll be out on my bike.

I know what you mean about decorating.  I’ve completed my old office, now the “craft/project room” over our double garage: a vaulted ceiling reaching about 3.4m high: quite the challenge, but a fun job.
Conversely, as with you, our hall/landing/stairs were done by a pro a few years back: too many doors & fiddly bits!

It’s all a balance, eh.  But so important for people to enjoy their best life once those work shackles are released 👍

SarahB16

What I am really looking forward to in retirement is having the time to do considerably more exercise.  I really wish I could do more exercise and have thought this for a while... but with working full time and having caring responsibilities finding the time is not easy.  

The exercise I would be doing is to prevent falling and being able to get up if you have fallen as well as exercise that I simply enjoy too.  

I've known this for a while but today whilst on a very long train journey for work I couldn't help but overhear three older women (but not that old perhaps about c.70 years) discuss whether they take showers or a bath and how they actually get out of the bath.  One of the women said she turns round so she is on her knees in the bath and then stands up.  They all said they like baths but showers are just so much easier.   

There are so many things like that that you really don't think about when you are younger but can do something about it.  It really would be good to know what other things we can do when younger that is investing in the health and mobility of ourselves for when we are older.  I don't know if a thread has every been created looking at our future health and what we can do now to improve it but if not I know I would like to see one as I think it's relevant on here.  

Another example is (and sorry for the oversharing) incontinence.  A friend of a friend is a carer for older people and said so many people when they are older and they stand up wet themselves.  She said it's really common.  Again, things that we just don't think about when younger.  

So what will I do when I retire... I will try not to wait until I retire to invest as much as I can into doing the exercise I need to do so that I can hopefully lead a long and healthy life with good mobility.  

cfw1994

Mmmm….getting old has a myriad of health challenges that can affect any of us 😳

We have always been active, & try to keep going.  I think that is key.  As our age, our parents were both behaving like older people - perhaps the nature of that era.  No longer have any around, which removes the not-insignificant caring duties that have been part of our lives.

Played volleyball since 1985, & I am still joining in when I can, even though half the Club is now young enough to be my grandchildren 🤪
We both took up pickleball as a relatively low impact to keep active - good fun 👍

Walking, cycling (fair weather only!).  When we visit cities & towns, we try to do plenty of walking about.   I have a loathing of city car parks - mostly the cost - so we often park outside and walk in, or get busses about. 

We love going to a couple of festivals every year (Latitude & IOW), still happy camping, great music, lots & lots of walking at those too: our lat 20s offspring are even joining us for the IOW this summer 🍻

We head off to the Alps for a month each year to slide disgracefully down hills: we love it on the hills, but have to take care not to overeat/drink 🫣
We have friends who enjoy yoga/pilates/bowls….some even like going to the gym, although I think they spell “bar” wrong with that one 🤣
We are also aware we will need to think about how our house adapts in the hopefully far off future.  We *could* downsize, but have adapted our home through two extensions over the past 20 years, so it might be hard to leave.   Something we will revisit in 5 years.

Stay active.   If you haven’t retired, build the activities before you do, if you can!

Sarahspangles

I joined the gym 18 months ago, OH then signed up “to keep me company” but found he loves particular classes. Mon-Fri this week he’ll have done three Pilates classes, two yoga, one circuit and three long cycle rides with friends of 3 to 5 hours. The yoga is all I will have done, I need to manage his expectations that I am going to match this from day one of retirement!

ali_bear

To enjoy your more senior years it is important to maintain flexibility and range of movement. Balance and coordination are what stops you falling over when putting your knickers on, headbutting the wardrobe and a visit to hospital! 

I was doing a weekly tai chi class for a while, it is very good for gentle mindful exercise without breaking a sweat (if you have had lymph nodes removed this could be for you).

I recently joined my local leisure centre as a member, I work on my swimming technique and visit the gym just once a week at the moment, this always ends with a full set of proper stretches. I feel so much better just for a weekly 1.5 hours workout, my residual shoulder and lower back pain has evaporated, I have more energy and I can get up from sitting without making noises. 

Bravepants

Sarahspangles said:

Time4T_Accounts said:

Bravepants said:

eastcorkram said:

I've now been retired for 11 weeks. So far, I've power washed the wheelie bins, and descaled the kettle. 

7. Reading - progressing through the Jack Reacher novels, just discovered Hamish MacBeth, which I get from the library. Got the entire collection of HG Wells novels for 99p for my Kobo. Manged to plough through the Stephen King Dark Tower series, The Witcher series, started on Tolkien's The Silmarillion (but struggling) and I still miss Terry Pratchett.  

If you like Terry Pratchett  - much missed - have you tried Jasper Fforde (particularly the Thursday Next series)?  

I’m up to Discworld Book 38, I’m saving the last three for retirement in case it’s too emotional. GNU Terry.

I started reading Pterry in about 1991 while at Uni. A friend put me on to him. Since then it seems his Discworld was a constant presence in my life, like the Queen! GNU Terry indeed.

Moonwolf

Sarahspangles said:

I joined the gym 18 months ago, OH then signed up “to keep me company” but found he loves particular classes. Mon-Fri this week he’ll have done three Pilates classes, two yoga, one circuit and three long cycle rides with friends of 3 to 5 hours. The yoga is all I will have done, I need to manage his expectations that I am going to match this from day one of retirement!

I gave up road cycling after a couple of near misses and being put on anti-coagulants, just feels too risky now.  Just one example of how health can hit you.

I still road and parkrun and use the rowing machine at the gym.  I also do a few weights but I will look for a yoga or pilates class when I retire as I have to do something about my hips, my working weight for squats is the same as my chest press as I don't have the mobility.