Long evenings

water it's a problem, I agree. I knit but I can't really see that well at night to knit - plus I'm often supposedly reading subtitles on a TV show at the same time.

Do you have a smartphone? "Words With Friends" is great - it's like playing Scrabble online. It's fun but can be addictive. I played against "the machine" over Christmas and felt very smug when I had a winning streak - the level of difficulty increases. But you can play against real people, the game "smart matches" you with like opponents.

There are other online word games and of course other types of games.

Watching TV isn't always a waste of time - if you have Netflix there are some really interesting documentaries to choose from.

I agree that it’s not a waste of time watching TV on a cold winters evening.

I don't know about others but I tend to snack out of boredom as I watch tv! Not good for the waistline so I like to knit or sew to keep my hands away from the biscuit tin.

What’s a biscuit tin?

Wish I didn't know either OldMeg TV and word games for me too.

Yes, it is a problem and yes I eat too. I am thinking of starting to knit a cable jumper, something I have not done for years.
I have been knitting squares and have sewn them together to make a jacket. Very odd, probably only fit to wear at allotment,. Will post a photo when it's finished.
Perhaps we could all knit squares sew up to make blankets and send them to Syria.
If I think about it I will start an evening chat.
Think , all over the country, older people are sitting feeling guilty and bored. Perhaps we could be a force for good.

Loopy you can finish the one I started early last year! Only a side and two sleeves to go!

I love my TV and am not ashamed to say so.I have distant foreign shores bought right into my front room, interesting docs about animal, historical stories both true and myth, dramas that i can get my teeth into and play the guessing games 'of who dun it'. I love Mastermind and Univercity Challenge and try so hard to answer a few of the questions. Then of course the gardening programs and cooking ones, so much variety.So much better than being bored.I still do my knitting or crochet whilst watching or nip onto the internet via my tablet if i need to. I think life would be a whole lot less interesting if we didnt have TV. After all you only have to look at GN forums to see how often programs are discussed. I do love my radio too and use that during the day. Nothing better on a dark wet cold winters afternoon than curling up on the sofa with the heat on and a good film or drama to watch.

At the moment I am addicted to Forge Of Empires - an online multiplayer game. Anyone else play that? Anyway what with constantly rearranging my city and fighting my neighbors it's left me little time for anything else

I enjoy my TV of an evening and nothing you enjoy is a waste of time, is it? Of course I restrict myself to documentaries, nature programmes, Corrie, Gogglebox, comedy, thrillers, drama and the more challenging quizzes.

I like to do something productive at the same time, and at the moment that means knitting a Nanna blanket for Oxfam. They sell them at festivals to kids with perhaps more money than sense who like the homemade look and don't object to the odd dropped stitch and wonky square, which is just as well, as I'm no knitter. As for snacking, that's a thing of the past now I'm on the 16:8 fast regime and don't normally eat between 9pm and 1pm the next day. It does motivate you to keep away from the nibbles. I do often fit in a glass or two of wine in just before though.

There's a separate 16:8 thread on the dieting forum if anyone's interested.

I love the TV too but I'm a picky watcher. DH and I sometimes just have music on in the evenings. We have our main meal between 6.30 and 7 so by the time I have cleared up, put the washing on etc there are only a couple of hours before bed - 9.30 if I can but usually 10. I don't do any crafts as I have no idea what I would do with anything I had made. I am supposed to be teaching myself to crochet from You Tube but keep putting it off.

travelsafar you said it ( so I don’t need to)
I am appreciating tv now as in the past was too busy to ever watch much at all.We have Sky, and now catch up tv means we can download anything, and free box sets of series.DH loves any kind of sports.
I love reading, but find night’s (light) not great for books, so do any reading in the daytime.Sometimes find a good programme on the radio, phone friends,etc but all evenings when in the house are just to relax, no need to do household chores at that time, and I never feel guilty!

I don't think anything is a waste of time if it keeps those of us who live alone happily entertained. Or even those who don't live alone. I do chores in the daytime and relax in the evenings.... television, reading, writing, games on my phone, - whatever prevents me from feeling miserable.

Have you considered studying with The Open University? I started after I retired precisely for that reason, to fill the long winter evenings, and five years later am still enjoying it very much. The downside is it is increasingly expensive.

I am also studying with the Open University. I'm in my fourth year. I do however spend less time studying than watching TV and going on the tablet/laptop. I read when I go up to bed. I don't drive and evenings out are very rare.
I've found since my DSs left home last year, I enjoy TV better as can watch what I like with no interruptions with DS wanting to chat or playing music.

I don't watch much tv, I live alone and spend my evenings playing word games on the iPad and playing and talking to my dogs.

I have been spending the darker nights clearing all the stuff I have collected and relining all my drawers ready for spring,also been watching some really good documentries on BBC2 these past few weeks I really enjoyed the one about the house in Liverpool at 62 Faulkner Street which was very enlightening well worth catching up on if anyone is interested.

I play puzzle games with a glass of low alcohol wine most evenings. I love all the animal programmes on Quest Red too.

Ingejones I play Forge of Empires too !! And Elvenar is another good multilayer game !

I agree about the OU, did it myself and completed my degree the year before the higher charges came in, luckily. They do also run good free courses - lots of choice, definitely worth a look.

I don't think we should write off TV. As others have said, there are some excellent programmes on offer. I buy a TV programme guide and go through it each week ringing the progs I want to watch. If DH disagrees negotiation takes place! I confess we do watch Corrie (well, why not?) but we also enjoy documentaries and current affairs and those progs that visit factories to see how things are made.

You could also try joining AncestryUK or one of the similar sites and researching your family tree. It is absolutely fascinating and sometimes hours go by that you have not even noticed!

If anyone wants to link to me to play WordswithFriends then pm me! I justify it by saying that it is god brain exercise!

Love watching tv but I am selective not keen on reality shows but have enjoyed a couple of the recent celebrity ones real marigold hotel and celebs on a canal boat love Nigel Havers I work full-time so evening doesn't seem that long shower cooking dinner browse the internet and before you know it's time for bed

By choice|I don't have a tv, I read, knit for charity, crossword puzzles, write letters, listen to the radio, surf the internet, my evenings are never boring.

Thanks for a variety of ideas. Lots of you do much the same as I do in the evenings.
Open University is a good idea, I need to exercise my brain but too tired tonight!
Sooner or later I’ll get a TV.