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Here's some thoughts I have on how to spend my time:
(no particular order of importance, just as they occur to me)
Learn French -- again! I was somewhat proficient in it in high school and college, but I've all but forgotten most of it, or so I thought. Recently my dh and I started watching French Village, a multi-part series about the German occupation of a French village during WWII. Its mostly in French with English subtitles. I find, much to my surprise, much is coming back to me! I still rely on the subtitles, but its coming back. I still have my old French textbooks from college, I might brush them off and see if I can re-learn it!
Learn how to cook -- again! I cooked for my family of four, but our kids are grown and out of the house. I'd like to start learning to cook healthful meals for two
Foster kittens. I love kittens, but at our age I don't think it would be fair to take on kittens who would probably outlive us! I would like to foster some to help them become adoptable.
Vegetable gardening, flower gardening
Get going with Genealogy! I've played around with subscriptions to sites like Ancestry, My Heritage, etc, but I would like to really delve into the topic. Maybe take some college courses, perhaps even do Heritage travel tours!
So, how's this sound for a retired lady's activities?
oh wow - I did almost exactly the same things. Except for learning French, but i went back to school just to take interesting classes.
I cooked all sorts of things - made breads, English muffins, ketchup, hamburger buns
Grew all sorts of things.
Have a family tree with almost 2500 people on ancestry. Did the DNA thing - so interesting
One piece of advice find stuff you like and pursue it. Socialize. And most important. Don't have 12 cats. That will doom you to mental illness. You might laugh, but in my former career it seems most mentally ill women I dealt with lived with 12 cats. Cause and effect? Or just a coincidence. Well....just my professional observation.
Look it up on google
yea i forgot to add in my reply to her that i have 8 dogs! None that i went out to get - they just ended up here!
Funny, the older I get, the less I have the desire to travel. I used to live for exploring other cultures, seeing places I had always dreamed of. Now when I think of travel, I immediately think of the flight delays, crammed seating, long hours on the road and think, maybe we'll postpone that African safari... I still love experiencing new places but, sometimes the journey is just not what it used to be. Also, having pets, I always miss them when we're gone for more than a few days so I guess for me now, home is where the heart is.
yep - I am glad that i got to travel all over with the military. We went to some nice places.
I've gone on a few trips after i retired, but i think if i just stay home from now on, i will be okay.
Most of Asia, South America, Eastern Europe, you can get daily rates of $20 for safe, comfortable hotels and eat well in restaurants for $10 a day. Half that if you stay long enough for long term rates and cook in.
I have read some of your other posts and I believe you are on the right track. At least it works for you. Someday i will make it overseas. Maybe next year, maybe......................
I am saddened at the number of folks who are physically limited from travel. In addition to traveling with friends and hubs, I take at least one trip a year with my Mom who will turn 81 in a month. In the last five years, we have been to Cuba, Iceland, Sweden, New York, Rome, San Francisco, the Yucatan -- next week we leave for a 2 week road trip in the SE -- Atlanta, Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Savannah... So glad she is still able to "go"! And when I retire in 16 months we plan to do Vietnam!
As for me, travel will continue to be a big part of my life in retirement, along with running/hiking/walking, yoga, healthy cooking, gardening, re-learning Spanish, reading, some kind of volunteering... So much to do, so little time...
yea i forgot to add in my reply to her that i have 8 dogs! None that i went out to get - they just ended up here!
I have four, two that are just little house pets, and two that are active in the field. They are all rescues. I have an English Springer Spaniel that is the finest field bred gun dog I have ever met. Her intelligence is phenomenal. I have had her for 8 months, and we are surely going pheasant hunting in October. I also have a standard poodle that has been here for 10 days. She is still in sensory overload, but when she settles down a bit I'm going to start her as a truffle dog.
Dog training gets me outdoors and keeps me in good shape. I'm going to do a 3000' walk-up in October, and am confident I can make it both up and down.
I also built a 2100 sf. man cave/shop last year. Once corner is set up as a storage unit, and my wife is delighted that she can de-clutter the house without throwing anything away. It includes an office and quarter bath. The office is big enough for work tables and an electronics lab, the bathroom is big enough for a photo lab, and the main shop area is split between a wood working area and a metal working area.
It's pretty obvious women have a different idea of what constitutes retirement.
Get going with Genealogy! I've played around with subscriptions to sites like Ancestry, My Heritage, etc, but I would like to really delve into the topic. Maybe take some college courses, perhaps even do Heritage travel tours!
So, how's this sound for a retired lady's activities?
My husband will retire end of July if all goes according to plan. I especially like these last two things you listed cause I plan to do those also. Adding in reading, crochet, DIY projects for our new home once we move, and just relaxing with husband and our pets. He enjoys fishing and woodworking and he didn't have much time for that while he was working. He didn't even really take vacations so it will be good to see him enjoy things. I can't wait.
1. I like to go to estate sales, realizing that when you get sick or die, everything gets sold because the family rarely wants all of it. In fact, they probably will want very little of it. Makes me glad that I bought most of my stuff from estate sales and thrift stores. I also like to buy things that are used on the Facebook "marketplace" for my grandson. I won't pay full price.
If my family sells it all for cheap when I "kick the bucket,", that is O.K. because I bought it for pennies on the dollar.
My house is decorated in vintage 1950. I never changed it in over 36 years of marriage. I still use my Corning-ware and vintage dishes everyday.
2. I like to go on vacations big and small. We go on a cruise a year and about two smaller trips.
3. I like to spend more time with my husband, children, grandchild, and other family members.
4. I like to babysit my grandson. i babysit 2-3 days a week. DH helps out because he wants to.
5. I like to visit with friends and former co-workers. I also volunteer at the school I used to work at. Love to go to coffee and neighborhood walks.
6. I like to help with fundraisers and other philanthropy events.
7. I like to clean my house. I am a new empty nester, so I try to organize the stuff I get at estate sales, LOL. No "Marie Kondo," but it is fun to give some things to people who may also enjoy the things as much as I did over the years.
8. I like to exercise. I like going to the gym, tai chi, various exercise classes, yoga, hula, pump class and others. I go to the (dare I say it) senior center. There are a lot of activities there.
9. I like to sew Raggedy Ann dolls with different colored hair. For example, I sew them with brown hair, because that is my hair color. I also sewed burp rags for my grandson out of cloth diapers. I sewed a strip of colorful material in the middle and added interesting lace. I like to use stuff I already have.
10. I like to watch shows on Netflex. "***** Eye," "Mrs. Maizel," and "Stranger Things" are a few of my favorites.
11. I want to read a book about Medicare, but I don't have time and the print is too small.
12. I like to cook three times a week at home. Sometimes, I order "Blue Apron" meals because I want to try something new.
13. We no longer work, so we can occasionally go to happy hour (just the two of us, or with friends).
14. We joined a Mustang car club. DH has a 1965 vintage Mustang that he has owned since he was 22. We joined a club to have fun and go on trips with our cars. The people are very different and interesting. New group of friends.
We are busy everyday!
Glad I don't work anymore. Hope I continue to live and enjoy life with my husband and family.
AND some of us would actually rather stay at home, imagine that. Honestly, I like the IDEA of travel so much better than the REALITY of it. Unless I can go somewhere and spend at least a month there, it's simply not worth it to me. (I know people who love traveling, but sometimes I think many if not most people just like to SAY they do, as it's not always what it's cracked up to be.)
Boy did you hit the nail on the head. Crowds, lines, hotels and restaurants that cost a fortune and provide less and less, I much prefer armchair travelling. cheaper on the pocketbook.
My wife's parents were weekend estate sale antique scroungers. When they died, just the contents of their house brought $50,000. It wasn't that we didn't want their stuff, it was just impossible. We kept an immaculate 18th century carved Chinese camphor chest, a Napoleon era liqueur caddy with 4 mini decanters and 12 beautiful, delicate glasses, a grandfather clock, tramp art, etc.
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Oh yeah
Honestly, I like the IDEA of travel so much better than the REALITY of it. Unless I can go somewhere and spend at least a month there, it's simply not worth it to me. (I know people who love traveling, but sometimes I think many if not most people just like to SAY they do, as it's not always what it's cracked up to be.)
cheaper on the pocketbook.
