How do you envisage the way to enjoy life when you're a "pensioner"?

[alp]

Build bungalows to 'age-proof' housing, say MPs: Report says homes should be built to cater for the elderly and handymen should be provided to carry out odd jobs

• 'Care villages’ must be built to house the growing elderly population, MPs say
• While councils should employ handymen to to carry out odd jobs, helping OAPs
• Those needing to downsize should be able to call a national telephone line
• Planning laws should encourage the building of more housing for older people
  
  As @Tjohn pointed out, we are getting older by the second, how would you envisage your old age?
  
  Table your fears or dreams .. Love to hear from you, from 11 to 81! All are welcome!

 

[Becky]

I have lots of hobbies, so I hope I'll be able to enjoy them all! I'm a gamer, and hopefully there will be big advances in virtual reality by the time I'm retired. I also enjoy painting, so it'll be great to have more time for that. Also while I was ill I taught myself to crochet, so that's a good way to fill the rest of my time.

I think I'll be quite busy

 

[Owdboggy]

Having been living on a pension for the last 25 years or so (very early retirement due to ill health) we have done all those things which people want to do when they no longer have to work. Not sure I would want to live in a 'care village'. As you know I write children's stories so all I would hope for is plenty of inspiration to do more and the mental acuity to write them. And of course a garden to play in. And the fitness to actually play in it.

 

[Tjohn]

I would like to just sit still for an hour! Just one, though, because I think I would be bored after that! Ownin my own business makes it easy to only do as much as I feel like doing and when I want to do it, so retirement doesn't sound so good....

 

[marlingardener]

At age 60 we left town and bought a small farm--neither of us were farmers but we got the place cleaned up and the weeds cut down.
We enjoy our vegetable and flower gardens and manage to keep them fairly well tidied; God gave us four cats to care for and enjoy; we have a small flock of chickens; my husband is a woodworker and engineer, aka fixer of equipment and house; we are bird watchers and love to see the birds at our feeders and pond; and I love to bake and cook. We are doing what we want when we want, but if this is "retirement" I can't figure out where retirees get their extra time!
We are content, and often very surprised at how good life can be.

 

[alp]

@marlingardener : That's the kind of old age I am dreaming of. Watching birds, film birds, feed birds, especially Carolina Duck, Manchurian duck, bird of paradise.. When I was in Clumber Park, north of Nottingham, I chased the Manchurian duck round and round for an hour!

I would love to build up collections of acers, of hellebores, alstroemerias, and irises or even dahlias. Something big and beautiful and not fussy ..

Go to Italy or Austria .. To see the architecture and history ..

 

[Silentrunning]

In my retirement I want:
To have a garden
To raise various types of Spruce and Cypress trees
Fish in my own pond
Deer hunt on my own property
Operate my ham radios
Do woodworking and furniture repair
Restore antique farm equipment
Raise some chickens, ducks and turkeys
Ride my horses

And by the way, I am retired and this is pretty much what I do.

 

[alp]

What a charmed life! Exactly the kind of life, apart from the Ham radio or farm equipment. I would like .. fishing... The only thing I have fished was an 5 inch eel and I had to bash, really hard, the life out of it. But it was the sweetest thing I have ever eaten seafoodwise.

I want grandchildren and will force some salad cress on them to grow on so that they get addicted to gardening. Tons of grandchildren. But first thing first, need to find my son a decent woman!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Just to have all the time in the world to do what I want to do.........at long last

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Retirement can be good or bad. How many work hard at a job for 50 years having few interests outside work then suddenly retirement is thrust upon them; the day after retirement they drop dead.

Bron and I planned for retirement shortly after we married 41 years ago; we saved very small amounts of money at first and the only debts we had were the mortgage and car living within our means; we've not had an holiday away from home for the last 40 years; holiday time was the time we carried out big jobs on our home; we've never felt the need to get away but spent our money where we could enjoy it for years to come rather than just have memories. All around us people were buying expensive cars and having extensions etc built on employing tradespeople; Bron and I did everything ourselves learning as required. We worked hard together and 30 years ago moved here into our detached bungalow where we've done exactly the same; finally last year we had the bungalow to our liking allowing us to focus on the gardens.

Our lives are very basic; we enjoy each others company and support each other in our respective hobbies; we've no kids and no family just the two of us against the world. We have extremely few real friends we trust but we have so called friends who are more acquaintances than friends. Bron's been abroad once to Paris with an artists group on a painting holiday before we married; I've never been abroad nor on a plane; I miss neither of these.

Bron and I don't lead separate lives; we share everything with no secrets; we both look after our money and we only have one car; we remain home together we go out together; in 41 years the only time we've been apart is when one of us has been in hospital. So how do we get on and fill our days being together like this full time.

It really comes down to planning; we both paid into pension funds allowing me to fully retire aged 53 in 2000 not being a burden on the state but self funding until finally reaching retirement age then the government kindly informed me and later informed Bron that pensioners are a burden upon society because we have lived to pension age; it's becoming even worse because pensioners are a burden upon the NHS; just watch the BBC News and listen to the way pensioners are regarded; I'm not in any way being political it's just a fact of life and I'm sure all pensioners dislike being looked upon like this.

Everyone is different; Bron and I dislike sport so we don't take up golf as many pensioners do; we don't drink alcohol or socialize; we don't smoke or do drugs; we like our basic lifestyle being content with what we have; we are still not free to do as we like in fact our main problem is our dire weather that prevents us enjoying retirement to the full; whilst at work we were under cover so didn't notice this bad weather as much and put up with it whilst at home but now we suffer this bad weather most of the year and it really is terrible; I'm sitting here when I'm wanting to be in the garden; yes I know it's now winter but our seasons don't understand this the seasons are all the same; I got up to frost this morning but half an hour later as I popped out to the wheelie bin down came the rain.

Working inside our bungalow is like working inside a black hole even in mid summer because of the weather; trying to work on the outside of the bungalow is a nightmare. Fortunately we have many hobbies; I adopted restoring vintage radios for the first ten years of my retirement giving me an interesting hobby to pass away our very long winters; I enjoy all aspects of wood/metalwork and over the years have gathered lots of machinery and kit; last year I converted our garage/workshop into a full time workshop so now I can potter around inside.

Because we've not tried to brag or impress anyone over the years we've saved; we paid the mortgage off the week I retired so apart from general expenses we find we can live well within our retirement pensions to the point of even saving; many finding themselves in retirement are going to be in for a huge shock when they try to live on state pension alone; we can afford to indulge in our hobbies; this is now our time to enjoy which we've waited so many years for whilst others have been living life to the full on their plastic cards.

Bron doesn't drive but I enjoy taking her wherever she wants to go usually to buy crafting materials or visit stores such as M&S; we share our lives and everything else; we want for nothing and we are content to remain home; it's lovely living here in our dream bungalow. Without doubt the biggest downside is the bad weather.

If I had retired and spent my days lounging in our front room being idle with lager can in one hand and cigarette in the other had watching wall to wall sport on TV I think I'd jump from from a bridge but many enjoy being idle in retirement; please see this video and although "Keeping up appearances" is only a TV series many actually live like this; it's all down to choices and if we live long enough to reach retirement are we going to be prepared?

Members on this forum have one thing in common; an interest in gardening but here in the UK gardening is governed by our weather so other means of enjoying our free time needs to be sorted out. I've just endured the worst six months of my retirement; last year having caught up with the bungalow I made a stepped change in my life getting into the gardens at last; I quickly found I had run into a brick wall; gardening wasn't the pleasure I expected it to be it was a punishment; I was either soaking wet; being blown around in a gale or frozen; many days suffering all three of these; I kept going out for short spells coming back in wet and perished; at first this was just an inconvenience but as the months passed by it became a torture now we have ice; frost; snow rain etc it being winter proper but I was out last year in mid summer with similar working conditions; no it wasn't snowing or freezing but it did pepper me with hail and many days were below 10C meaning being wrapped up in heavy clothes against the weather. I started to become more and more fed up and have now quit gardening it's impossible to do anything in the garden and I wonder if 2018 is going to be a repeat of 2017; perhaps 6" thick concrete will sort the garden out then it will stop tormenting me. I did a huge amount of work in the garden in spite of the bad weather but I didn't enjoy it.

Whilst at work dreaming of retirement is real and something to look forward to but as with many dreams they seldom live up to it in reality. I'm once again my cheerful self having dumped gardening and am now on with a decent workshop project which will offer up lots of problems and challenges; I've moaned long and hard about the weather ever since I tried gardening but now I've switched back to the workshop and can once again enjoy my retirement; Bron is happy with her crafts so harmony rules once again; there's a big rumour circulating about "Global warming" I wish it would come to Yorkshire because its perishing here.

I much prefer retirement to being employed in a job; it's all about doing what makes me and Bron happy and it needn't cost a fortune; I love visiting scrap yards and timber yards looking for offcuts that I can make something useful from; many of my vintage radios would have been rejected by a skip due to being so rough but I enjoyed restoring them to as new condition this hobby often costing under £10 per week.

One thing worth mentioning and something Bron and I see often is how some marriages work; retirement forces couples into constant contact and this can really create havoc; we have neighbours immediately to one side and other neighbours directly across the street from us; why are they still together when they appear to hate each other; each pair of neighbours are at each other's throats shouting and falling out all the time; it's distressing to watch and to hear in fact the foul language at the top of their voices next door is an embarrassment to us; both couples are retired but retirement to them is more like world war three. The wife next door once said to me "You and Bron get on don't you" I replied I love Bron to bits and will do anything for her; Bron and I now have a police file open on this neighbour for harassment because she's been causing us a lot of trouble; she's so unhappy she's taking it out on us.

Retirement as I say can be good or bad; Bron and I are very happy in retirement but many aren't. Just me rambling on before I head into the workshop for a bit of quality time with my machines.

I'm hopelessly colour blind so adopting restoring vintage radios was a big challenge and I started from scratch it being an entirely new hobby for me: enjoyed making all the many mistakes; I joined vintage radio forums and over ten years fully restored over 100 radios so retirement needn't be boring or dull; retirement is supposed to be enjoyable so make sure it is and go for it; good luck.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Silentrunning]

Colin, since you are colorblind it must be exciting when you have to replace resisters in the radios.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Colin, since you are colorblind it must be exciting when you have to replace resisters in the radios.

Very true Silentrunning; resistors used to be a real pain until I gained a bit of experience no longer needing to read the colour codes; as you'll know a multimeter (DMM) set to ohms easily reads very accurately resistors but unfortunately resistors as they age go well out of specification so it was never a case of taking a reading and offering up the new replacement. I joined the BVWS (British Vintage Wireless Society) early on when I first started restoring these old radios; as a BVWS member I was given DVDs with thousands of wiring circuit diagrams so now it was easy to run the DVD and print off the service sheets as required for each set; I now had correct data and could trace each component; resistors were usually OK it was always capacitors which were faulty especially the "Hunts" type but then with my sets ranging from 1931 I could expect multiple faults and many of these old sets are lethal so I had to take precautions as to electrical safety. one thing is certain being colour blind would give a very short life span if I was wiring up a nuclear device?

For our gardening friends who wonder what we are on about regarding resistor colour codes here is a new world to explore;

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=r...KEwjBioDY45vZAhXLEiwKHV42DL4Q9QEINTAD#imgrc=_

A couple of things I failed to mention regarding retirement and which are very important is the one of age the other of health; retirement usually means age; I was 53 when I retired which is quite young but now I'm 70; the health issue though is the main problem for many as in the case or our Owdboggy who was forced into early retirement through ill health; it's not only the individual who is retired suffering from health problems but I know of many partners who need a lot of care which is equally as bad placing a lot of distress and worry onto someone who is actually healthy both being in retirement; how terrible it must be to work hard for a lifetime and just as retirement is imminent one becomes seriously ill scuppering all the best laid plans.

I've enjoyed two sessions in the workshop today and as I settle more into the workshop each session gets longer.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Silentrunning]

Colin, you are so right about health! My father passed away one month prior to his retirement. He reaped the rewards of a three pack of cigarettes a day habit. Retirement is something you should start preparing for at a young age. Both financially and physically. You can't abuse your body all your life and expect to enjoy good health in your old age.

 

[alp]

Smoking is truly a dirty habit. I think I am a very boring person - no smoking, no drinking, no pubbing!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

When young retirement is a lifetime away but as I stated and you too state Silentrunning retirement needs considering very seriously whilst young because payments into a pension add up over the years; it's no good being a few years from retirement then suddenly realizing the state pension will only pay the general bills and in many cases our aged people struggle with heating their home. Bron and I discussed our pension plans shortly after we married and made provisions not only monetary but in selecting things we would like to do in retirement; I've been collecting machinery and tools for a lifetime so now I've got an enviable workshop; Bron loves card making and today has been doing silk flower arranging.

We are happy and content in retirement but many around us with more money are absolutely miserable being money driven wanting posh cars and foreign holidays with tradespeople doing all their jobs including house cleaning etc but they always look so unhappy. Our friend across the street a few years ago bought a Porsche Boxster only to have it sit on his driveway most of the time before a year later he parted company with it; he couldn't get his golf bag into it? Bron and I find it amusing watching our neighbours trying to beat each other on bragging rights; people can see what we have and we have a smile on our face. WOW Bron generously bought me a brand new Hyundai rotavator for Christmas; once I'm seen using it I wonder if others too will buy one?

I too believe smoking is a dirty habit alp but I think the tax paid on a packet of cigarettes offsets the NHS care on cancer later on? I like your style though alp; no drinking; no smoking; no pubbing; money for a working person is hard earned so why squander it when it can be put to good use in or around the home or indeed garden and have some real benefit. I don't know the price of a packet of cigarettes nor the price of booze but look what the money could be used on instead.

People are strange and say the most stupid things without thinking. Over the years visitors to our home have looked around and openly told us "it's alright for you" well yes it is because we've not had holidays away from home for 40 years; we've not run up huge debts on plastic cards; we don't have meals out or even socialize; we don't join gyms or golf clubs just to show off; we buy brand new cars but cars to suit us not cars to suit the neighbours; when they see my well kitted workshop I've been born with all this kit and the skills to use it everything has been so easy for Bron and I; they don't understand the many years when we didn't have a single pound in the house whilst they were racking up their card debt; Bron and I did without and in Bron I've got an absolute gem of a wife putting up for many years without pocket money but we found out early on our biggest asset is each other.

With common sense retirement can be excellent but not if couples want to be off abroad on holiday all the time or other such luxuries. When Bron and I first moved here 30 years ago our friend the one with the Porsche his wife told Bron that she and her husband were well off and they found putting their new kitchen and white goods on their mortgage meant a single monthly payment? If they were so well off why not save and pay cash as Bron and I do? He the neighbour was bragging years ago that he was going to retire at the age of 55 but he was still working aged 70; live for today and pay later means eventually later arrives with a huge debt? We are all very different but Bron and I don't regret the way we planned our lives and the lifestyle doing without has now given us.

Sorry if I sound to be preaching but people on the whole behave like sheep; one buys a big Mercedes others feel they are losing out if they don't do the same; Bron and I ran a Citroen 2CV when we moved here; it's probably since been scrapped but also have the big flash cars that surrounded it.

Kind regards, Colin.