# The Diary of a retiree in many painful stages!



## gumbud (Jun 27, 2018)

I always swore I would work for ever - AND I would of if in my final resting place work had been available but I drew the line on certain occupations - pride you know!!

but the statements that one hears "_since I've been retired I've never been so busy__ haven't gotten time to be retired" _and paradoxically "_ being retired must be so boring - there must be nothing much to do all day"_can both be true and untrue at different times and places.

Each day of mine has active busy moments ; times of quiet and solitude ; times of mixing with the community [selectively] and times of siesta!

Thurday 28/06/18 - my day usually starts at 4 am and although I have an alarm set I always beat it. I was trained as a young lad to get up early and it's worked like clockwork [pun intended] every since. my first task in order of priority is ablutions ; let the dogs out for theirs and then a quick buzz on the laptop to check mail and websites - it's my first bit of enjoyment before the jobs start!

first job is 5.45 taxi run - take the step daughter to work - she 'shouts' me fuel monies and a bit extra which supplements my funds!

back to early feeding of some animals and then some more computer work - well I do have hundreds of files to organize copy and store on safe spaces which does not involve the 'cloud' or other peoples collection sites!

breakfast has to fit in soon and I have always had a v.good appetite. I have a range of breakies to choose from:

egg and bacon butty
bowl of noodles with spices/floreats of cauli and broccoli/ prawns
pouched eggs on toast sprinkled with herbs
HK style fried rice 

one good cup of perculated coffee

what I chose is decided on a whim of fate!

then their is my housework [man cave style] and general duties. The sink is usually full of dishes from yesterday which are soaked for an hr before hand washing ;rinsing and stacking - done!  Oh don't forget to clean the stove top it irritates 'her in doors' if stained too much [ fair enough - I wouldn't want to walk around in stained undies all day long!]

ps: the man cave does not get cleaned each day - as a famous novelist of yesteryear once said " once the dust has risen to 6 inches it never goes any higher" when asked why he replied "because the little creatures are continuously eating it all up"!

special tasks today - replenish homemade beer supplies - or "put on another keg fred"

this involves cleaning the 25 litre tub - tap water is fine - then inserting 1 kilo of brown sugar - 1 tin [kilo] of real ale malt mix with very hot tap water until dissolved - top up with cold water - sprinkle on beer yeast and 'bobs ya uncle' there it will bubble for 5 days - approx. I can consume a tub in a week so by the law of averages I have to make a tub a week.

I actually prefer the taste of this to branded beers and do believe it is much healthier everyone says it is 

nb: in between all of these activities the TV is on often muted but auto cued just to keep up with the latest 'trump antics' or activities in the south pacific or as we say 'the antipodes" 

all of this will believe it or not take me to lunch time - I do try to sit out in our divine winter weather for 30 mins or so with gentle breezes warming as the sun rises - birds chattering in the background but mostly peace and quiet - we live a long way off of the tarmac down a gravel drive way. 

pps: did some machine washing also which just involves throwing them in then fishing them out and hanging them out - in this climate they will all be dry in an hr easy!

OMG it's 1pm already - what did I say at the beginning? "_since I've been retired I've never been so busy__ haven't gotten time to be retired" 

_Ok can just chew the cud for a while - catch up with some more news as my TV sits to my left and is also connected to my pc - so I can interact with both and watch youtubes from here to there!

OK having said all that - please let me invite you to join in anyway you want - posting your own day diaries would be great - we could get a community going here and have a bit of fun and a laugh or two!

cheers

gumbud


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## gumbud (Jun 28, 2018)

Ok 2.30 ish second taxi drive but this involves two women so more and more shopping I just sit in the car and listen to JJJ - our young rock station. I love watching all the behavior patterns of the other shoppers black and white as they come and go! ladies safely home and now I can settle down - cook a latish lunch and have a cold beer. bring in the washing on the way and the poor animals think they are getting fed straight away - No no no - not until sundown. Four dogs and a cat - big kitchen order that!


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## gumbud (Jun 28, 2018)

final job feed the dogs - wife away on business! - they all have special needs including the wife! - they guard their amounts jealously and then after all have finished do the 'lets check each others bowls for spares' and then eventually they will all settle down for the evening - it's too cold for them to stay outside!!

ah the evening is mine!! cheers


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## gumbud (Jun 28, 2018)

Friday - the last taxi run and working day for a few days! - we often stop off at Colac - our fuel and food outlet in town to pick up some early morning  breakie - well not for me but for the hungry worker. 6am is worker time and I sit and wait for the step D to emerge with her hot dog and I watch the comings and goings of all the locals - those with no work but just looking for hand-outs and those in there bright yellow and orange work jackets and 4x drives heading out to work. they all have their own peculiar walking styles and the workers never dawdle !

back for a chat and then the school run with the grandson or one of them - the youngest I think - yep had to think about that one! there is a school break for some reason next week! today I feel ready to tackle man cave cleaning - it's beginning to look a bit grubby. Our tv channels are truly world news all the time - so we know what ya doin almost before you do yaselves!

I might squeeze a bit of breakie in before the school run?

yep egg and bacon butty and a perked coffee! whilst watching the news - the usa shooting is being closely followed and the volcano in Bali. and of course politics - we have really entertaining pollie shows and discussions times telivised too! they call a spade a spade!

well the days my own - and I am almost alone - but there is the eldest daughter of my stepdaughter - a uni student home for a month or what she calls home. She normally keeps to herself unless it is " poppa gumbud - would it be possible for me to borrow your car to pop into town?" 

Yes - if you put some fuel in form me!!

Now I do need to tidy up the den but I don't know may leave it for another day - you know what us guys are like - I'll check in later!

well I made an executive decision and did a quick vacuum and a spot mopping - you are familiar with the term spot cleaning ??

there that has made me feel better already - all those beer stains everywhere! - lovely mid morning breeze blowing through the man cave and still cool too. I even have no need for fans blowing. Getting ready for a morning snack - something on a cracker!


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## RadishRose (Jun 28, 2018)

I smiled picturing your critters being fed!


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## gumbud (Jun 28, 2018)

yes I feed them lovingly - but I can be stern too - but they know I love them all - there is from oldest to youngest - Suzie [d/f] Annie [c/f] Ella [d/f] Lucky [d/m] Tilly [d/f] - too many bloody females around here Miao!! scratchy scratchy!  NO - I hate taking photos - then transferring them - then uploading them then and then and then!!


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## gumbud (Jun 29, 2018)

this retirement business is very hectic and busy at times and I often run out of time or lose track of time!!!!! that would make a good thread perhaps - the concept of time?? yes might try that one! - Oh god I am running out of time again! well I did my last 'taxi run' at 2.30 pm and  back for a beer or two then fed the 'pets' and then watch the rest of the family take off for the local 'mardi gras' which we in the old days back in UK called a rose fete fair - or just 'fairground' keep it simple heh?

peace at last and I sat under the verandah with a beer and pipe listening to some of my favorite music Gato Barbieri - association of memories always takes me back to my hehdays living in swinging Hong Kong. The music era for some was disco but I had always had a yen for blues and jazz so Gato hit the spot.

Saturday over here - lie in bed today not up until 6am - egg and bacon buttie and a perc coffee and of course my internet buzz. I guess I will get some 'mardi gras' news today?


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## gumbud (Jul 2, 2018)

for some reason the w/end just rushed along - time is still a peculiar thing heh - we are now being told it's all linear so past;present and future are all here together - hmm?? 

well sunday was my disaster day - I awoke at 2am and couldn't get back to sleep so reached for my every ready mouse and knocked over half a glass of stale beer [when will I ever learn] it didn't go over the laptop but under. I grabbed the pc by it's screen and started mopping immediately and thought I'd averted a disaster - the pc stayed on I sent an email and then it happened - I just heard a sort of 'sighing' noise and it just switched itself off - dead - there was I checking all connections etc etc but no dead. Couldn't do much more at 2am so somehow got back to sleep.

9am Hmm - rang the FIL who is a bit of an electronic wizz kid and went down to see him with my dead pc. No luck - back home and tried again - then I heard it - the plaintive burps; splutterings and hiccups of the pc starting up again - BUT screen black - I could hear it was on but dead screen. Ah he thinks I do have a stand alone supplementary screen that can be attached and voila it worked - joy of joys I was back in the land of the living. all day I nurtured that pc and later in the day the screen returned with a glare that said " one more accident like that and you and me are parting company" - that was the first warning and the second - Hmm - I do think it's about time to invest in a new pc - just in case?? by the end of the day all was restored even my HDMI link to the TV that lets me switch from one to the other. Phew sighs of relief and flag prays to the gods!!

:yoda: - yes I know you are watching me now!


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## gumbud (Jul 2, 2018)

Mon/Tues - every thing back to normal I think - but like time what is 'normal' said the inmate as he threw a brick at the lord mayor. Did you here that one about the lord mayor [or whatever dignatory you have] paying a visit to the local asylum [ i use the term in the kindest way possible] he met this patient and chatted to him and the patient convinced him he was perfectly industrious; a good conversationalist ; and in no need of further incarceration. The mayor promised to make overtures to have him released and then continued on his tour. As he left the asylum this large house brick landed on the side of his head and the inmate he had been talking to said " ........................................" I 'll let you fill in the rest!!


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## gumbud (Jul 2, 2018)

So the rhythms of the day continue - taxi runs - dog care - me care!! [ very important] ; housework [some think it's important] shopping when necessary and what else oh yes 'hands across the ponds'.


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## RadishRose (Jul 2, 2018)

I'll come over for brekkie one day. None of those runny eggs, but the leftover Chinese sounded good- the rice with veggies a prawns!

Have fun with the doggies.


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## gumbud (Jul 2, 2018)

I welcome all at my door! - runny eggs - sunny side up? well I am always trying to perfect the HK fried rice but have not yet reached perfection - the rice should really be freshly cooked and NOT wet - and is placed as a mound on an oval serving plate [I am a sucker for presentation!] the rest of the ingredients which have been cooked with little oil [so are not greasy] are placed on this mound - sounds easy heh!

yes I do have a rice cooker but often prefer the more trad way - boil some water [two cups]- cook rice [two tablespoons] in small amount of oil until brownish - place in boiling water [careful it splashes] cook on simmer for 20 mins - voila it is ready - cook all other ingredients separately in a wok and add to rice when ready - you can if wished sprinkle salt [ a must for most people and I think it brings out the flavor more] soya sauce [sprinkle only] and if you wish sesame oil - yummy - I always have two bowls and regret it!!:whoops:

the restaurant style includes prawns [of course] miniature corn cobs ; cooked pork strips ; peas ; floreats of broccoli oh and strips of fried egg!

omg don't start me on chinese cooking. I once purchased a second hand book at least 12 inches long by 9 inches wide on cooking options from every province in China - somewhere along the line I gave it away - God do I regret that!


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## gumbud (Jul 2, 2018)

Just for you RR - Patsy is one of my favorite ladies and her documentaries are amazing and show another side to her - the real Patsy!

Here I hope is the latest addiction to our dog tribe 









she is considered to be a miniature schnauzer of the heinz 57 variety - hopefully more on the way - you can have them all for hols if ya want??


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## maggiemae (Jul 2, 2018)

Oh my, what a cutie!  She will be loved!  And she will appreciate being in a "loved" home!  Makes me smile!


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## RadishRose (Jul 2, 2018)

Oh yes, she is cute!


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## gumbud (Jul 2, 2018)

OK ya forcing me hand now !





this should be Suzie the oldest of the tribe [animal that is] we inherited her some 12/14 yrs ago and she is still going strong and has some dingo in her but as gentle as a soul. she is so old now that the shire do not demand licence fees for her!

i'll leave yuz all to add some footnotes if you wish??


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## maggiemae (Jul 4, 2018)

All I see is happy, happy!


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## Keesha (Jul 4, 2018)

Adorable little dog there. 
Dogs are the best.
Edit: another one that’s being cute and silly


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 4, 2018)

Suzie looks soooo stressed out!   Cute doggie!


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## gumbud (Jul 7, 2018)

here our our sunsets - I call this boab dusk - the trees in the foreground are our famous boab trees thought to have originally floated as seeds from India! this scene occurs at 5.20pm approx every night with a clear sky. it's a magic time; when the noises of the day seem to fade away and you can just sit and watch nature on silence mode!


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## gumbud (Jul 7, 2018)

this was our first long adventure out of busy city life up to the wild west called 'The Kimberley' for some strange reason I can no longer recall we decided to do it on Xmas day - probably because the traffic would be minimal but everything was closed on the way? dumb cluck!!


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## gumbud (Jul 7, 2018)

when we finally got there we knew it was rather ancient country as these are claimed to be dinosaur footprints ??


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## Autumn72 (May 24, 2020)

gumbud said:


> Just for you RR - Patsy is one of my favorite ladies and her documentaries are amazing and show another side to her - the real Patsy!
> 
> Here I hope is the latest addiction to our dog tribe
> 
> ...


I'll take one can you drive to Maine?


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