That is an interesting question.
And one to which I don’t have an interesting answer I’m afraid.
Making small talk at the Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee celebration, it seems the residents think we are older than we are, as I was asked if I could remember what I was doing when it was announced King George VI had died.
I had to reply that I hadn’t been born yet, which raised a few smiles, and although I couldn’t recall what I was doing when Kennedy was shot, I can remember exactly where I was when they said on the radio that Elvis Presley had died.
I knew a lot of people by sight who all seemed to know us too but not our names.
One particular gentleman seemed fascinated that we lived on our boat. By all accounts he and the family had hired one for holidays and travelled the canals (which we haven’t yet) but had never thought what it would be like to live permanently aboard.
He asked what I did when I was not aboard, and you know I had to answer, ‘Not a lot.’
I must come across as quite a bore at parties, as although I can usually hold my own in conversation, I don’t seem to do very much with my time.
I mean, I don’t work, voluntary or otherwise, and we don’t have a TV so can’t comment on recent programmes or the Soaps. If we’re not aboard, we’re doing mundane things like shopping or walking the dog, and I have my Slimming World meeting once a week.
Admittedly these past few weeks have been spent going to and from the hospital, we’ve had a few meals out, met up with N and her husband for coffee a couple of times, played scrabble with MSM, and hopefully this week will be going down to see MOH as we haven’t seen him since Christmas.
Photo: our marina basin (and Maggie) before work commenced on the other side.
Here on the marina, we converse with everyone we see, and of course everyone makes a fuss of Maggie, so we’re not exactly isolated or standoffish.
When we are aboard, we clean, prepare, cook and eat our meals, blog, read, write (letters or poetry), I make my cards, and Hubby does the maintenance. We also sleep very well!
If we have visitors, the kettle is always put on, and cups of tea/coffee on offer, biscuits if I have them, a meal or cake if I know they’re coming, though I’m sure I could rustle up something even if I didn’t!
If we go anywhere in the boat, we operate locks, take photos, stop and admire the wildlife and our surroundings, then settle down for a peaceful night out on the river.
Our days go by very quickly, yet no two are identical and we are rarely bored. I guess that’s a good thing.
Photos: two views of Comberton Quay on our travels.
So, how do you spend your ‘free time’?
You have found peace, contentment and personal meaning. Well Done!
Thank you Cindy. Our life is good, and we are indeed content. Even on ‘bad days’, be it weather, pain or obstacles, we always go to sleep happy and content.
I am up at 5:00am…. go back to bed around10:00pm, and the days just fly by. I do whatever I want, and get paid at the end of every month for doing it. Life is good!
It’s great, isn’t it.
Yup……….. should have retired earlier! Hindsight is wonderful isn’t it! π
It is a wonderful thing. I’m glad I took my retirement package when I did (at 51) as I would have actually lost it when the Bank was sold on. Shame the state pension age here has been extented to 66, but we manage at the moment.
I was very lucky because when I “crunched the numbers” to see if it was practical to retire, I had totally forgotten that I worked in UK for 10years so was entitled to a reduced pension from there! Bonus!!! π
They keep moving the goalposts now Colin. We may have to wait even longer than 66, or, if the latest radio interview was serious, we may not get one at all!
Clearly, being older than you has its benefits! π
π
I hate to get that question. As a retired person people seem to think that I have tons of time. I don’t. I don’t have “exciting” answers for them either. I do things more leisurely. I write and garden in good weather. I do things I want to do and no two are alike. My days are full. Yet people seem disappointed. Perhaps next time I’m asked, I’ll say I’m working on world peace.
Sounds like you have your own little corner of peace, the same as us. π
I’m not much at parties or social events…I mean few of them dig in the dirt, walk dogs and converse with those doing the same or rescue lizards from too large dog paws. The best part is being totally flexible about what gets done.
Living on a boat means lots going on…just not the routine!
My dad used to say that he had never been as busy as he was when he had retired. I couldnt understand that at the time but now … I totally get it. What do I do when I have downtime? I blog! How often have I had downtime recently? Not very often lol and that’s a great thing!
Free time? What is this free time of which you speak?
(Namely, I fill every moment with something – blogging, reading, writing, walking Choppy, going out, going on vacation, etc.)
Your days are like ours……….. full of something!
I always wonder about people who get bored with retirement – I could retire tomorrow and still feel too busy to get everything necessary done over the course of a day!
One good thing is that our time is our own, so as long as everything gets done, it doesn’t matter in what order!