on your own. How do you occupy yourselves

I need more time, I walk my dog a minimum of an hour a day, sew I am making a duffel coat and Christmas decorations, knit for charity, belong to the U3A and the many activities that brings, never mind family, friends the list goes on, just finished decorating. I am 68.

Health means stuck at home a lot. but there's always something to do.
A little time on gransnet, I wish I could contribute more but my brain gets tired. I used to love debates.
Watch neighbours and then Countdown most days.
Play woodblock on phone (again short time)
Reading - but I do that more often in bed.
i newspaper puzzles
Play tin whistle
When I have more energy, I will do a bit of tidying drawers etc.
Favourite things when I have good energy is acrylic painting, embroidery or baking.
I have got used to being at home a lot and quite enjoy it. Although I look forward to art classes, and coffee and chat.

Hi craftyone, I am also a widow of many years at home alone most days. I walk every day unless it is thunder or fog, waterproofs and poles as live in muddy area. I work in greenhouse any weather, I overwinter a lot of plants so always something to tidy up or work in garage painting bits and pieces. Also read, sew and knit, I like a quiet house so rarely watch tv or listen to radio. In the winter I like to get out in the evenings, so belong to various singing and circle dancing groups, or go to films in various village halls. For some reason I am never at a loss for jobs. I love living alone in a quiet and peaceful home.

Bbbface, wait until you're 79 ! I don't do anything at a snail's pace and if you've only got 2 children to see to it's not exactly grafting is it ??
I brought 4 children up and worked so why the acid remark ?

I could direct you to the door Bbbbbface

Why were you entering Gransnet competitions?!!!

But Bbface, isn't the other poster entitled to do these things at a slower pace. Like many others, she will probably have done her fair share of bringing up a family, rushing off to work and fitting in all the things she's listed around that. Now, she is probably retired and so has the time to pace these things, as I hope you will, one day. ? People shouldn't be guilt tripped into feeling that because they no longer rush around trying to fit things around work and family ( though I appreciate many GN's have to do just that), they need to find lots of things to fill every bit of their day at 100 miles an hour and if they don't there must be something wrong with them and that they are time wasters. How insulting is that?

On my own being a widower and had 3 strokes and copd, takes me ages to get going in morning, shower have bit breakfast then tackle ironing Washing, by then so tired just sit on internet or watch tv, odd days go and get food don’t realy see anybody till weekend.

bbbface

not a good attitude.....zero understanding of another person

Mickyboy67 [cake]

Well, that went well

Mickyboy67

There you are. Twice.

Well, I live alone so always have to occupy myself! I love being able to chose what I do everyday.

I still work a bit-flexible hours, see the family when I want to or they need help, see friends, do gardening and decorating, swim, attend quizzes and political meetings, go shopping particularly around teatime when lots of stuff is being reduced, waste time on the internet, order stuff online, read books or the news online, do housework, talk to neighbours, watch a bit of tv, plan future events, nap! There's not enough hours in the day.

I don't usually go to bed 'til late then have a read, so consequently don't get up before 9 most days. I then usually spend a couple of hours with the tv doing my cross stitching before I get showered and dressed. After that it's either housework, sewing, shopping etc, whatever needs to be done. I also like doing jigsaws in the evening. It is fatal if, as now I go on the computer before getting in the shower because that makes it even later getting a ready. Hey ho, there's only me to please.

The only time I am ever ‘home alone’ is on match Saturdays when I have half a day to:
Play my piano;
Do a bit more to my rag rug;
Tie a few fishing flies to replace the ones I leave in various trees (slippery customers, tree trout!);
Answer emails;
Read a book;
Catch up on films I’ve recorded that DH doesn’t want to watch;
Bake.
Any but not all of the above!

Chestnut I know what you mean, I started doing my family history and had to leave it for a while while I caught up on all the other things I wanted to do. You think to yourself I'll just spend a couple of hours looking for this or that, and you get so waylaid with other discoveries that before you know it the whole day has gone. I keep saying I will spend the long winter evenings catching up, but I said that last year and the year before so maybe not. Trouble is I do cross stitching which is also addictive and try to juggle the two.

I live alone and due to health reasons there is not much activity I can do anymore. Sadly my baking days are gone.

My main thing is still reading. Then the internet. Then watching the birds eating the food I buy for them.

I am going to start knitting again and I do at least one suduko per day.
But there are also phone calls to answer
Phone calls to make
Shopping to make online
plans to tidy up
parcels to take in
neighbours to wave at

it is amazing how quick time flies.
It is true that as you get older time goes by faster...it really does.

Stagger, (early morning back pain) into BR for a shower,then downstairs kettle on and while tea brewing check mail from family across the world. Only when I see the Hi mum can I relax and get on with my cuppa and rest of the day.

I go out!

I am annoyingly inconsistent. If I have a busy day (which I do sometimes have) I spend it wishing I had a day to myself. Then when I do have a day to myself I feel awful that I have nothing planned to do. I know its stupid.
Reading the paper from cover to cover and doing the crossword, Internet forums, writing if I have a story or article on the go, reading ++, but mostly TV. Lovely TV!! ? takes up my time on days off.

pinkquartz

Grans, You ought to be writing your memoir. How many times have you wished you'd asked your parents or grandparents about themselves? When they've gone it's too late, and your descendants will feel the same about you if you don't memorialise your life in written form. Some good books available on the internet to get you started.

Fortnite, yes! It's rather fun. Pretty little villages and you get to ride speedboats and swim now they've had an update.

We were always into gaming. Back in the 80s with Space Invaders, Pacman, then we had Nintendo Donkey Kong and Crash Bandicoot etc.

We've had all the consoles.

Fortnite was being discussed about a year ago so I set it up on the Switch and the rest is history.

Of course you have to shoot people but it's all very mild. No blood or anything, And on Rumble you return to fight again in the same game!

And yes, GG, my grandsons are most pleased with me playing because when they come round they can have a turn or two ;-)

Enough of that nonsense

Re down-sizing/moving house. Start as soon as possible,once you have decided that is what you want to do. My mother dithered for fifteen years, then had to move near me due to ill health at eighty-three. I had to do everything for her.

I myself am now eighty-four, moved twelve years ago from a big Victorian terrace house with three lots of stairs, six steps to the front door and twelve foot ceilings, to a beautiful modern bungalow. I was able to get everything needed on my own, patio instead of garden, covered access to garage, wet-room, extra doorways for easy access....

Start looking while you are still fit and energetic.

Health problems mean I can’t leave the house, I live alone.

Spend all day and evening on the internet, GransNet,killer Suduko, crosswords, scrabble and I research family trees for people, have just been asked to do 2 more trees.

I miss contact with people though