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

[Esther Knapicius]

have a friend of mine, who's daughter works with a bird rescue close to me. one day, after a huge storm, my big male cat came out of the woods and in his mouth dangling by the foot was a small bird. He dumped it at my feet. I got a shoe box, got him in, and called my friend. we got it to the rescue. they gave him some antibiotics. and in a few days he was released all in good order. Now, my big male "cat" I have seen kill mice in a heart beat . Either this was a gift for me, or he was saying this fledgling needed help--so here it is. He was a sweet cat.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Upsy Daisy for your good wishes and compliments. I'd like to be a dream catcher myself because I keep dreaming of a full uninterrupted day in the workshop and would like to catch such a day. We do see lots of the window decals especially around Christmas time; our front room window is 12' long and gives us panoramic views across the valley; although both Bron and I love the birds and wildlife it would take quite a few decals just for this window and to the rear of the bungalow there is about 26' of window; birds do fly into any of this glass but fortunately not too often. It was very unusual though yesterday to see these two birds had actually shattered such a big pane of glass. Yes I'll post pictures of anything which might be of interest thanks for asking.

I seem to have little time because there is always something more pressing than the workshop; I'll be away by 7:15 in the morning heading to the usual three supermarkets; this I do twice weekly so straight away two days are interrupted then I also like to take Bron out at least twice weekly; the days just disappear at an alarming rate. I've enjoyed my time though today and have just come out of the workshop where I've been doing more machinery wiring and I've also done more welding; my woodturning lathe is now fully operational with its new controls and the metal lathe too is progressing well. I'm now settling back into the workshop after months of trying so hard to get stuck into the gardens.

Our neighbours are pleased and have thanked us for our help; the cat transporters are now returned to Carole shining better than new and the bedding fully laundered; Terry has spent time clearing the broken glass today; the weather forecast is dire as usual for next week and I don't even know why we have forecasters because our weather seldom changes; it's not rained today which is rare.

Thanks Esther; yes cats can be strange at times; when we had cats we've also had live mice brought in also many times I've run out to save a mouse from the cats; cats are so cruel with mice tormenting them before killing them; Bron never did appreciate a mouse running around our bedroom though. Neighbours come to get me as mouse catcher when their cat brings a live mouse in; it's fun living here.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

over the last two year I lost 3 big male cats. sadly loved them all. last year two of my neighbors said, "do you still have your cats" told them of their passing. They acknowledged an increase in bunnies in their gardens and chipmunks . All were kept at bay with my cats. the 4 I have left they try, but sometime some cats are better mousers than others.

 

[Bootsy]

Table your fears or dreams .. Love to hear from you, from 11 to 81! All are welcome!

@alp Are we allowed even if we're over 81?

We seem to have a completely different sort of retirement from a lot of you. We've worked hard all our lives, enjoyed our life, made lots of good friends and even more acquaintances, have been retired for 18 years, still extremely busy every day with our hobbies, friends and garden.

We saved wisely and can now savour the fruits of our labour, don't smoke or drink alcohol (from choice and not religious conviction), are able to go out for meals when we wish although one of my hobbies is cooking, belong to a lot of clubs, do a lot of voluntary and charity work, meet with friends regularly (had some round to dinner last night), are still very much in love even after 55 years, also have totally separate hobbies as well as joint hobbies (no, @zigs - not that kind of joint ) and travel the world enjoying seeing the way people really live (not the tourist traps) and mixing with them, eating with them, seeing their culture, history and art etc.

Although we live in the same country as Colin we get good weather almost all year (our solar panels produced 27kWh just the other day) and are able to spend around 300 days per year working comfortably in the garden. So much so, that we are able to open our garden to raise money for charity.

Zigs started a thread three years ago about his visit to our garden.
https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/open-garden-weekend.5128/

Here's our invite for this year.

https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/charity-open-garden.13818/

Life in retirement is as much fun as you wish to make it. We get very much involved in our local community. I run a couple of clubs in the village and am on the management executive of the village hall. I'm also involved in a number of projects in the nearest big town. Mrs Bootsy is involved a lot of clubs, runs a gardening club and teaches flower arranging for the U3A. She also goes to Yoga and Pilates.

Most of our neighbours are happy to drop whatever they're doing to lend a hand if needed and we would do the same for them. Almost everything locally is on a 'can we help' basis. We don't even need to walk the mile to the local post office/post box when we want to mail a letter. We just put it sticking out of our letter box and the mail man takes it for us.

A stray cat adopted us some years ago and when we went on holiday (quite a lot) we had lots of people volunteer to come in and feed and cuddle the cat. A neighbour fills up our bird feeders every day when we're away - he has the key to our summerhouse where the bird food is stored.

Always look on the bright side of life!

 

[alp]

Always look on the bright side of life!

Especially when you can live to 100!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Well said Bootsy retirement can be very rewarding for those who have planned in readiness for when they retire; keeping busy is the way to happiness and contentment; those who retire having lived for their work with nothing else in their life will possibly find retirement terrible. Yes we live in the same country but our weather is greatly different further north up here; all last year and so far this year we can't get away from all the rain for long; I hope I'm proved wrong this year because I'm still awaiting last summer.

I've enjoyed pottering around in the workshop this morning and after dinner I might at last manage to plant the potted Viburnum into the garden but I feel Blackie is just waiting for me because it's quite overcast as I type.

Nice one alp.

I've been fully retired 17 years and have never been bored.

 

[alp]

Colin: What viburnum have you got please?

This is mine

Can't wait for the buds to unfurl!

I think you've done very well. I wish I had half of your skills and knowledge!

 

[Bootsy]

Yes we live in the same country but our weather is greatly different further north up here; all last year and so far this year we can't get away from all the rain for long; I hope I'm proved wrong this year because I'm still awaiting last summer.

You certainly do have different weather! Last year, in Spring/Summer) we had 16 weeks in succession with no rain. We get lots of sunshine and dry weather. Maybe you should move south.

What viburnum have you got please?

Good choice. Plicatum is my favourite Viburnum and we have about six varieties of Viburnum.

Plicatum is very showy.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

nice viburnum. have two on the side property that bloom in white. (not yet this year) those two been there years, no clue the name anymore, and have three another area bought for the delightful smell.

 

[alp]

Wow! Took my breadth away! Well done, @Bootsy ! Two more years, I hope I can catch up with you.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks for asking alp; I think our Viburnum are Viburnum Tinus; I bought six on special offer months ago and at last have finally had a dry day to get into the garden to plant them. I've just polished the Yeti and topped up the Adblue so I'm not at all surprised it's now come dark outside; if the birds don't bomb the Yeti first then Blackie will give it a good soaking; this afternoon is the first afternoon this year I've been outside without wearing my Eskimo gear; as I was polishing the Yeti a few drops of rain started to appear but the rain held off which is unusual.

What a difference your climate is to ours Bootsy; last year I'd have been happy to have 16 dry days; 16 dry weeks though would have been a case of water shortages and stand pipes because such dry spells are extremely rare here on the valley side; it can be pouring with rain here but many times Bron and I have driven only three miles from home into warm dry sunshine then returning home we've run back into the downpour; I just get sick of all the rain and when it doesn't rain it snows.

At the end of last year I was out in freezing conditions planting over 200 daffodils; WOW they look nice.

The first day I've managed to get into the garden and out come our anti social neighbours two of which lit fires in their garden and guess where the smoke blew? I tried to catch the smoke in the first picture. Still it makes a change from car theft; burglary; drugs and beatings; not only is our climate different to yours Bootsy so are the people around us..

Had Bron and I known what we know now Bootsy when we married 41 years ago we'd have moved abroad.

Thanks alp & Bootsy for the lovely Viburnum pictures.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[alp]

As far as I know, I don't think @Bootsy lives near you. So don't worry about it, @Colin ! But I might be suffering from dementia, as proved by my forgetting to put down Handkerchief tree down as The ones!

Oh, crumbs! I think I must have confused skimmia with viburnum tinus. My viburnum p mariesii only cost me about £8. It will look fantastic in your hillside, Colin!

 

[Bootsy]

Had Bron and I known what we know now Bootsy when we married 41 years ago we'd have moved abroad.

You wouldn't have needed to move abroad. Coming down here would have done it! Although it has drizzled a bit today we have had three lovely days with wall to wall sunshine and temperatures reaching 69F. Not bad for this time of year.

it can be pouring with rain here but many times Bron and I have driven only three miles from home into warm dry sunshine then returning home we've run back into the downpour; I just get sick of all the rain and when it doesn't rain it snows.

It seems as though you don't need to move even as far as us. It looks as though three miles would be far enough

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Yes agree
@Colin if you find the weather too restrictive and depressing....why not move ??? It could prove to be a very exciting new chapter for you and Bron.

I know that I would have to do that as I get easily depressed with the grey winter days...and if it lasted for most of the year ......well!!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks alp; I struggled a great deal last year doing work in the garden; in spite of the constant bad weather and daily soakings I actually got a lot done; most of the heavy work is now behind me and hopefully I can get on with some more planting this year; I hope the Viburnum settle in on the valley side; only five of the six survived our winter and they look rather stringy to me but time will tell.

I was in Rufforth near York yesterday morning Bootsy and the forecast was for heavy rain; I was amazed to get around the Auto Jumble with my chum David without receiving a soaking; immediately we got back to our cars down came the heavy rain; lots of stalls were vacant due to the terrible forecast.

Bron and I have discussed moving but feel with our luck if we moved into the middle of a desert Blackie would still follow us and give everything a good soaking; we live very near The Pennines making weather forecasting a guess but rain is seldom far away. It's been a lovely day here today and although it came over dark as I was polishing the Yeti the rain hasn't arrived; I think Blackie must be enjoying Logan's company today?

Bad weather is just a way of life here Upsy Daisy so it's case of working around it best we can; on a glorious hot summer day here there can be a sudden cloudburst.

I've been to Scotland once; this whilst Bron and I were courting driving up in our Reliant robin on a camping holiday; we did 1,200 miles in three days looking for sunshine in midsummer (July) it was wall to wall heavy rain and at the services even the wagon drivers were complaining; I'll never visit Scotland again although Bron visited many times as a child with her family in beautiful sunny weather. I doubt we'll ever move south because we don't want to spoil the weather down there.

Kind regards, Colin.