What Factors In To Your Becoming More Of A Homebody As You Get Older? (beach, vacations)

[rodentraiser]

I've never really had a home where I cold put down roots and know I was going to be there a long time. I would love to have a place where I could plant flowers and trees and know I wasn't going to leave them in a few years. But that's because I've always been moving because of living situations or job situations.

But I've never traveled too much either. I found that I really liked driving across the country from Minnesota. So at the age of almost 60, I've developed itchy feet and my hope is I can just pack a small truck or a van and live in it while I travel across the US for a few years in the near future. If I could afford it, I'd love to get an open ticket on Amtrak and criss-cross the country that way, getting off for a couple days in the cities I want to see.

Then I'd like to buy some land and settle down for the rest of my life.

[Retriever]

Hmmmm...Why am I more of a homebody as I get older?

Well, I have done more international and domestic traveling than most people in my younger years, and at this point in my life, I have little desire to do more traveling other than motor trips of a few days duration.

I have a beautiful home on a large, well-tended piece of property, and I pride myself on the quality of my vegetable garden and my flowers and shrubbery. If I went away for more than a few days, these things would suffer.

Prior to retirement, I didn't have a dog. Now that my dog and I are firmly bonded with each other, I don't want to deprive him of the comfort of being cared-for by me. I have inspected a few dog boarding facilities, and I have yet to find one that I would trust to take care of my best little buddy.

After finally reaching the stage of full retirement, I did work on a part-time basis in the evening for a couple of years, however...after doing the math involving gasoline and parking expenses, I finally decided that this work put me "ahead" by such a small extent that the effort just wasn't worthwhile.

Being a homebody is very appealing to me in my later years.

[yellowsnow]

Where we both live it is just too hot in the daytime. We are out and about every night after dark though. Less traffic and it's still hot but not as hot as it gets in a parked car during the daytime. In the summer we tend to sleep till noon and got to bed at 4. I love it that many places are open 24x7 here.

I go out more now than when I was a working person.

[Bungalove]

I used to travel a LOT for work; however, it's such a hassle now that, especially being alone, it's just not worth it to me. I'd rather stay home alone than come home to an unoccupied house - it doesn't seem lonely that way when I'm there day-to-day. Also, I've got the 4 animals and I'm not that keen on having the pet sitter (I've tried several), and boarding it both too expensive and too stressful for cats.

Occasionally I'll do an overnight trip, but again, it's not much fun by myself. I have gone to concerts out of town, and they were well worth while though. There's not much locally to do, unless it's a civic group.

The main reason I stay home, for the most part, is daily pain though. It's enough that keeping up the house and yard exacerbates it, and I have to stop and ice my neck and shoulder after applying pain gel/taking a pain pill. I'm used to it at this point, but it is tiring.

[stan4]

Mostly "been there, done that."

Going out simply is not interesting for the most part.

If we go out, it's for a very specific activity like a play, etc.

Frankly, crowds have gotten ruder, drivers more stupid, and I'm over it.

[NewbieHere]

I don't go out at night anymore. Bad vision, I get lost easily.

[jghorton]

I go out as much as I want with no particular physical limitations. But, at home, I can sit here on the balcony overlooking the harbor and watch the boats, paddle boards, pelicans, dolphins, etc. I read, write, talk with people, play with the grandkids and do whatever I want, without leaving home.

Going-out entails fighting obscene tourist traffic and crowds ... for what? With the marina in the back yard, I can fish in the gulf, by only going to the dock. The kids like to fish on the dock or swim in the pool. We've got an in-building exercise center and the kids/grandkids come to see us. It's getting too hot to play golf mid-day. We eat out far more often than I care to anyway. The entertainment options in the area are somewhat limited. We've traveled a great deal and may take a few River cruises, but, are about burned-out on 'simply going to be going.'

I'm trying to think of good reasons for NOT being a homebody.

[Minervah]

I take public transportation wherever I go. I always have. But as I get older I find I don't want to wait for buses or trains. Night time is home time. I like my place more and more everyday after the sun goes down. Me and the cat. That's good.

[carnivalday]

I never go out at night. Theres nothing I need to do out at night. If I want to eat out, I have an early dinner, mid afternoon, beats the crowds.

I am not worried about becoming a homebody. Im looking forward to it. Ive worked all my life, traveled for work a lot, and finally am at a spot that Im deleriously (sp) happy at. I WANT to be able to stay here all day long. Hopefully not long now.

[Luvvarkansas]

Like Bungalove, I have constant pain. It really is tiring, as I found when I took a Tramadol for the first time to do some hiking in the mountains. I could have hiked all night! Not tired at all.

Also, I am by nature sort of a loner anyway...being around people for very long at a time annoys me.

I love reading...hard to do that anywhere but home.

Also just have taken mostly to having a feeling, after dark, that I just want to be home and settled in. And I'm not even that old!