# Keeping Yourself Busy.....



## StillSurfing (Mar 20, 2012)

Good Afternoon, 

Seems a little quiet here, so I'll give starting a thread a go!!

What do you all do to keep yourself busy once retired?

I am still a keen surfer myself and now that Spring is slowly coming into season, I will be spending some time in the garden. My grandchildren also keep me busy and the school run to collect them is also another of my "jobs".


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## mabelsmith40 (Mar 20, 2012)

I like to garden also! I would like to take a painting course or a new cooking class.


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## StillSurfing (Mar 20, 2012)

A little on the cold side today, but the signs of Spring are in the area, so hopefully get to spend a lot more time out the garden very soon.

I also have an allotment where I grow some vegetables and herbs (the grandchildren love it there!)


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 20, 2012)

My days seem to fly by, no problem keeping busy.  A daily trip to the park, maybe grocery shopping, workout at the gym, prepare dinner, tidy up the house, watch a little TV, a little computer time...and it's bed time again.


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## Matrix (Mar 20, 2012)

Yes, time flies, especially when sit before the computer! When I go out, I find the time slows down and I can do a lot more things.


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## silverback5 (Mar 20, 2012)

I enjoy traveling.  I didn't get to see much of the world in by younger days so I feel like I'm making up for lost time. I definitely recommend seeing the world if you can afford it. Nothing like a day on the beach in some tropical setting.


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## MargotLilli (Mar 20, 2012)

I've got a part-time job at a grocery store but I'm looking for new volunteer opportunities within my community. I've taken up cooking as well, I try to challenge myself with a new recipe at least twice a week; I enjoy it but my husband often complains about me ruining dinner (LOL)


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## Allin (Mar 20, 2012)

I go to my grandson's baseball games, and when I feel up to it, I even help coach the team. It's a great way to spend some time outside and also feel productive. On top of that, I also like to do puzzles, watch a lot of different movies, go for long drives through the countryside, and spend some time here and there fishing with my son.


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## AlbertC (Mar 21, 2012)

WOW, surfing is certainly a more abitious retirement activity than anything I've taken up! I always enjoy cycling and sailing, but, can't say I've ever been much of a surfer at any point in my life. Tried windsufing in the Magdele Islands and was miserably bad at it, even though I have many years' experience sailing. Spent more time in the water than on the board. 

Lately I've been working in the woodworking shop of a lifelong friend. We alternate projects, first working together on something for his house/kids/friends, and then working on a project of mine. The projects have been gradually growing in size... someday, I would love to build a boat, probably a teak rowing skiff.


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## adrian (Mar 21, 2012)

Gardening is good it definately keeps people occupied!


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## Ernie7 (Mar 23, 2012)

I like to go to the movies still.  I love doing yard work, it keeps you young.  I also just love going out for a drive or a walk.  Finally traveling is a must.


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## TBN (Mar 25, 2012)

silverback5 said:


> I enjoy traveling.  I didn't get to see much of the world in by younger days so I feel like I'm making up for lost time. I definitely recommend seeing the world if you can afford it. Nothing like a day on the beach in some tropical setting.


I'm certainly with you on that one!  I can't recall ever having gone very far abroad before the age of probably 40.  Nowadays I spend almost half of every year in countries away from home, and quite honestly I can't imagine spending my time doing anything else.


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## Bill.K (Mar 25, 2012)

Oh my, I've never been surfing, nor do I believe that I have the balance for it. But now, I spend most of my time reading, online, or walking with other members of the community.


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## AlbertC (Mar 26, 2012)

Great suggestions here. I love, absolutely love, watching films, but am a bit put off by the atmosphere at the megaplex theatres in my town, I'm envious of people that live in places with interesting independant cinemas. 

Made a good excusive to buy a lovely new television set and a blue ray disk player though!


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## russia (Apr 1, 2012)

I usually try and get out for walks. that's my main thing. I do try classes sometimes like our grocery store chain here holds cooking classes. I've always loved cars so working on cars takes up a lot of time! there's always work to do. 

I found the local library holds a number of free programs but i have yet to try them out.


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## LukeOKL (Apr 1, 2012)

I have kept myself busy by volunteering to coach my grandsons soccer team.  It consists of 2 practices a week including one game and I find myself planning and thinking about the plays even in my spare time.  Really helps me keep busy and I have a lot of fun doing it.


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## lily49 (Apr 3, 2012)

I'm learning languages with the Rosetta stone courses, trying to write on my blog every day, volunteering with Cats Protection and considering learning a programming language. It's blissful being able to decide on the content of my own education and having the time to study it all!


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## clive (Apr 4, 2012)

Keeping busy is easy its finding time thats the problem! I play golf most days, surf the web cook a lot and watch all my favorite TV shows and of course meeting up with friends


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## clive (Apr 4, 2012)

lily49 said:


> I'm learning languages with the Rosetta stone courses, trying to write on my blog every day, volunteering with Cats Protection and considering learning a programming language. It's blissful being able to decide on the content of my own education and having the time to study it all!



Yes computers are a great way of keeping busy blogging keeping up on Facebook and general research and of course when online its free! There are a lot of basic language courses out there for free.


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## rhart (Apr 5, 2012)

I like to try and workout daily and read a lot. I also like to just go and walk to the town sometimes and just browse around.


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## Mr Sandtoes (Oct 4, 2012)

I got laid off and burned through my unemployment in Florida. I moved back to NJ and started writing. Now I write full time. I have a little time to surf fish and enjoy time with my wife, treasure hunting at yard sales and relaxing at night. I am technically retired and collecting SS but I am busier than when I was working for someone else. My only regret I did not start writing, one of the other times I got laid off. If anyone wants to know how to write to make extra money without falling for a scam I am starting a blog about it soon. It takes about a year to get going, if your new, but as long as you can form proper sentences, you can write for the internet.


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## TWHRider (Oct 5, 2012)

This is a good thread to resurrect - hopefully it will get some folks talking

We farmed with horses until I was four and parts of my family raised Welsh/Morgan crosses, along with beef cattle.  So I have never known life without a horse.  My dad had hoped my "born-in-the-blood-addiction", that skipped him but came to me, would pass --- lol lol lol

I don't ride like I used to thanks to old "war wounds" from re-schooling really rank horses and riding my snowmobile like it was the General Lee.

I still have four horses and 22 acres that keep Mr. TWHRider (who does not ride but does everything else on this farmette) and I busy.

I did do all my own hoof trimming but am now down to just trimming two of the four.  But I muck stalls every day and spend about three hours daily with The Boys who are 17, 18, 25 and 26.  They have been with me (three of whom moved cross-country twice with me), 6, 16, 22, and 19 years respectivley.

I did my share of traveling the U.S. in my youth and went to North Bay, Ontario, Canada fishing, more than once.  I said when I retired, that I wasn't coming off this hill "for nuthin' and I meant it because I want to "eat, sleep and breath" my horses.

Except for when I have to get my BP meds refilled - lol lol lol  And the Lidoderm patches -- gosh those things are something elsenthego:


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## Elzee (Oct 24, 2012)

I find I can fill my days with volunteer work. I enjoy crocheting for charity - which is something I can do at home. My husband and I enjoy visiting museums and going for walks. We also enjoying reading books.


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## Steve (Oct 25, 2012)

NORTH BAY ????? We live up in that area in the small village of Massey about 2 hours west.. Been to North Bay several times but we go to Sudbury very often...

Since we retired, I find I am so busy that I ask myself how I ever had time to work..

We have a large section of land that needs caring for.. gardening, mowing, planting..
We have friends we get together with..
We go into Espanola (25 kms) to do our shopping for food etc......
We have a decent library here in Massey..
We are involved in some events here in Massey..
We just got a Pomeranian dog that keeps us on our toes.. Needs attention..
We also love to just relax with a cup of coffee on the patio.. Watch the wild life....
We make many camp fires in our back yard..
We have a travel trailer and we go camping in the summer..
We have a "bass boat" and we go fishing as well as just boating..
I have joined the local Council and got involved in the "parks and Recreation" committee..
I have been doing all the cooking which keeps me busy in the kitchen..

Just to name a few things we do to keep ourselves busy and not bored..
We also like our "quiet" time to just do nothing at all.....


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## TWHRider (Oct 25, 2012)

Steve said:


> NORTH BAY ????? We live up in that area in the small village of Massey about 2 hours west.. Been to North Bay several times but we go to Sudbury very often...
> 
> Since we retired, I find I am so busy that I ask myself how I ever had time to work..
> 
> ...



Yes, we used to head up to North Bay, once or twice in the spring/early summer to a place on Lake Nippessing (sp?) called Freedman's Lodge.  That was waaaaay back in the early-mid 60's and I was still in my teens - lol lol

I think it was the second or third trip up, we went "on tour" of the logging roads beyond Freedman's Lodge - at night - lol lol  All of a sudden this train appeared out of nowwhere, except it wasn't a train.  It was the biggest moose, with biggest rack, that has ever walked planet earth, looking straight into the windshield of our not-so-small 1965 Plymouth Belvedere - lol lol  I'm an excellent driver but you have no idea how happy I was, that it wasn't me behind the steering wheel with that moose cold-staring us down.  Not knowing quite what to do, my boyfriend (later my husband), gently beeped the car horn, hoping the moose would leave rather than charge the car.  It continued to stare for what seemed an eternity but was only a few more seconds then slowly sauntered off into the night.  I can't believe I was only 15 or 16 when that happened and I can STILL see that moose towering over the car - lol

Your retirement sounds like "my kinda retirement" if I didn't have the horses.  I used to go on long weekend camping trips with my horses but, I am not able to ride like that anymore.  Once Upon A Time, when I lived on the Ohio/Pennsylvania border, we had a camp in the Allegheny Mountains and would often trailer the horses up there for the weekend.  That was the best of both worlds.  National Forest to ride in, sit around the campfire at night, listen to the critters and hope like heck none of the horses panicked & broke loose when they heard the Bobcats right behind camp - lol


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