on your own. How do you occupy yourselves

We too have a very busy household with multi generational living. Sometimes I sneak off by myself to the beach (summer months) or a shopping mall (winter months) but when the house is empty I love having a proper blitz and a good scrub round. Very therapeutic creating order for a short while.

Crafty, thank you for starting this thread (although there are quite a few posts from ladies who have partners). I’m alone and work but am struggling with feeling very lonely since only child went to uni last year.

But there’s plenty of inspiration here! Was it hard to sell your house? I’d like to move, the house is too big for just me and I’d like a fresh start. Daunted by all the junk I’d have to get rid of! Do you have any tips?

Prepare fruit for breakfast and vegetables for lunch. Go on the laptop - GN and Mumsnet, type up my 'memoirs,' dream of becoming a millionaire, procrastinate - then do a few jobs in the house or garden, drink tea, read, quizzing, take a little exercise - maybe a walk round the block if weather permits, drink tea, sew, watch telly, a bit of daydreaming. Drink more tea. Very rarely bored.

We have our apart days and together days. My husband plays golf several times a week. On those days I go to the gym or have a swim. I meet up for lunch with a very close friend maybe once or twice a month. I'm happy in my own company, I quite like shopping for food on my own, as per another thread, although equally happy with other half going round the shops for more interesting stuff. I live very near a large town which has all the best shops including a John Lewis. I don't shop the way I used to for clothes, I never thought I'd say this but I find it a lot more boring than now, but I'll have splurges from time to time. I'd rather go for a walk somewhere beautiful than trawl the shops. We have several royal parks on our doorstep as well as the Thames, so there are lovely places to walk. Other than domestic tasks such as shopping and preparing food and tidying up, the latter doesn't take that long since my husband decided to get a cleaner, his choice not mine, although I do appreciate her. I love reading, I'm never, never without a book. Like most people here, I probably spend way too long trawling the internet, it's an amazing tool but a time waster too.

I’d you’re on your own, interested to know how often you socialise (in person, rather than phone calls etc).

I am in that situation at the moment DH is in the north of England on business for two days.

Day I: sorted the stock for our little antiques stall, we have just done Peterborough Antiques Fair and all the boxes have to be moved from garage to shed and checked, went into town for a hair appointment, had lunch out while I was there, came home and started planning the essay I am writing for a course I am doing, cleared some routine paperwork before going to bed and reading for a while

Day 2: Went to my class, 45 minute journey there 2 hour class 45 minutes back. Had lunch, moved more stuff up to the shed. In the afternoon dealt with allsorts of odd problems coming in from DH whose work has been delayed a day. 30 minutes trying to get through to Brittany Ferries because we are going to France today and DH will come later separately. BF changed their computer programmes yesterday - and released the new time table. Computer system collapsed and telephone lines choked. In the evening DD came home as she is coming on this tripto France. We sat up far too late, we always do.

Any excuse to lose myself in a book!!! Well my Kindle actually but as long as I can read I am happy. Sadly rarely get time during the day to do so- except in summer when I can lie on a sun bed in garden all afternoon with a good book. That is my special treat!

*By the time I've had my breakfast, fed the cats, washed their bowls, tidied up, ironed a few bits, perhaps got the washing on, made the bed, maybe baked a cake, looked in at the crime forum----it's lunchtime.*

That is because you have time in your hands. What you have listed there for a busy focussed person would take an hour

What's the rush then Bbbface?

I walked to the shops yesterday. For me these days, a longish walk. Today, too knackered to do anything. Still in dresssing gown,, reading the internet.

And why not?

In a minute I will wash my hair and try to sort out a bad haircut. Then I will read for rest of the day.

Not exactly on my own but might as well be. #manshed #hooray

crafyone - if you're looking to fill some dark grey days at home then you can't do better than family history. I started with one person and now have 12 lever arch files full of fascinating stories. Start by gathering information and making notes, and when you're ready you can write it all up properly. There were some days when I worked from breakfast to 6pm and the day just flew by!

have breakfast feed my many animals housework ironing washing go online for too long, lol walk down to town pop in library change my books , bring more home , read for couple hours then it’s tea time, ring my friends , I’d like to say I’m sorting out loads books for charity but sadly haven’t started yet

What's wrong with daytime TV? I watch Money for Nothing and a magazine programme on RTE which starts at 3.30 PM. It's full of chat, cooking, fashion and book reviews. I knit while watching. I'm knitting for charity so feel good about it.

I know! I have one like that. He never goes out and does absolutely nothing everyday. Consequently I HAVEto go out every day because I can't be around such lazyness. So whatever the weather I'm off, I don't drive so can be cold, use trains often.

Oopsminty
You play fort nite, brilliant! I play assassins creed, love it! Any other grand net computer games players out there?

What's RTE? I bet I haven't got it.

I would be so cool in my grandson's eyes if I could master Fortnite.

Hello there I am new here.
Recently I have discovered the Open University Free Courses site called Openlearn. There are all sorts of things on there for free and many courses you can get a certificate of participation.

You can also join the community on there if you wish and talk to other students. I haven't done this yet as I am still practising. )

Appreciate this thread, thank you for starting it.
In a while perhaps I might start a new thread about OU courses for those who might be interested.
Keeps the old brain moving eh (or rather, less of the 'old' eh

I'm almost housebound so most time is home alone. I use internet chat twice a day on Skype to my sister, we both play games online. I email, shop online. Watch daytime TV, read. I have diamond art kits, adult dot to dot book courtesy my sister, they are a nightmare. I read a lot. Most days find something to do. Days I'm really unwell I lie on sofa and watch tv.

I work full time but when I do have a day at home I work on my hand pieced quilt...2000 pieces.

@Gonegirl

I am a single working mother of a 9 and 6 year old and found myself on gransnet because I entered a competition!

So my point was that the list of activities (clean cat bowl) takes the poster until lunchtime because of a slow pace rather than bona fide busy!

I spend a lot of time on the internet, mainly playing games. I write, I read, I listen to music or watch TV. I see friends or chat to them or family online (and occasionally the old fashioned way - on the telephone).

I'm alone a lot, but luckily am interested in all sorts of things.
I do the usual stuff, reading, tv, pc, etc. But I also love photography and am always trying to get decent photos of nature. I walk a little each day, and do exercises at home to music every day. I love days out, mooching around shops or walking along sea-fronts, or on Dartmoor. And I go to the cinema whenever there is a good film on.
I socialise with friends once a week. And I see family about once a week.
I have to keep occupied to fight off depression. Mostly I succeed. The secret is to try and stay interested in the world around us, not just become introspective, I think.

I am writing my second book and this may take me up to 2 hours in the morning.
Check emails and read Gransnet
You must all have very tidy cupboards! And as all your spare stuff goes to charity shops you probably don't have much left....

Housework , competions on line , then in the evening a bit of television .