Living Simply
I used to think about retirement when I was younger.
I wondered what we would do once we were retired.
Would we travel the world? Cycle everywhere locally? Compact our home into a properly minimalist lifestyle?
Would I belong to the Women's Institute and bake cakes for sales?
Would we be surrounded by oodles of grandchildren?
Would we take long, leisurely holidays - perhaps on a canal boat, or one of those posh silver-bullet-looking caravan trailers?
Would we become bird-watchers, ramblers, naturists??
Well, I thought I'd write today about just what we do do in our spare time!
Weekdays are fairly simple.
I have my cleaning schedule - yes, it's just the two of us living in our wee house, but we live with Mill the dog, and have grandkids here most days for a visit.
We plan our meals and only shop for what we need (today we bought yogurt and goats' cheese). This makes it very easy to feed ourselves.
I make the meals we eat from scratch. I love pottering in the kitchen with Man Wonderful.
Most days we walk the dog, it's lovely to get out in the fresh air, and we live by the sea. Super views, lovely fresh air, meeting folk with their dogs.
We chat to friends, and often share a hot drink or a meal.
I play the piano for hours, Man Wonderful watches rugby on the TV, we go to watch local rugby matches.
We are both voracious readers, and always have a current reading book each. We love sitting and reading together.
Laundry is done, hung up to dry, put away. I iron very little - serviettes, sewing fabric.
Little DIY jobs are discussed, planned, carried out. Man Wonderful is currently reusing a wooden box to make me a footstool for our lounge.
We see grandchildren and big children almost every day. Homework support, piano teaching, crafting, board and card games.
I knit and sew, do alterations for folk or knit/crochet a commission or two. I paint.
It's very stress-free living simply.
The best way to be.
FMxx
Technically, I can walk out of my job tomorrow and consider myself retired (I'm 63) My work pension won't be claimed until I'm 65 as there are clawback provisions if I take it early. It will take six months for our government to process my government pension and again it will be reduced because I'm under 65.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know what I'll do. My children don't have children, so there goes my dreams of being Granny. My husband is the reason I still work full time. When he retired I had a part time job and every day that I wasn't at work, he was "what are we doing today" I loathed it.
I have my dreams of having the time to read, knit, stitch but I'm realistic enough to know that isn't enough. I have a few friends locally that I can see but my best friend lives 9 hours drive away. The city we grew up in has changed beyond recognition. The city we live in is winter six months of the year and we only stayed because of our sons. Now one has moved due to work and the other will be leaving for a two year contract.
I dread retirement.
Oh sweetheart - I wish I could be there to give you a hug, make us both a cuppa, and sit with pen and paper helping you make some plans.
DeleteOK. There are things you can't do, but there's loads that you can.
Volunteering is a brilliant way to have a purpose. We have National Trust properties here run by volunteers - there is much charity work you can be involved in - and you have time to learn a new hobby.
Think of your week in a timetable: shopping, cooking, reading, sewing, helping at a care home, helping at a scout group or a library.
Your time is precious but it is your time. Plan activities with your husband and activities without him.
Cuppa, paper and pen.
Xx