Out of Ideas for Retirement--Now What? March 10, 2013

Out of Ideas--For Retirement--What Now?

 

March 10, 2013

 Image copied from http://www.retirement-online.com/retirement-activities.html a great website!

 

        Turning to Google, rather than my own experiences and memories, I searched for retirement activities today.  Sadly, I came upon the following article with 5 retirement activities for women.  It reminded me of the reason I began this blog; I don't want to do crafts and read for the rest of my life, really.  See what you think.

 

Click here for the article with 5 retirement activities for women. 

 

        Fortunately, there was another website, Retirement Cafe, by Ernie Zelinski, which exceeded my expectations in providing more ideas for an active retirement:  Here is the website:

 

Click here for the link to Retirement Cafe and Fun Things To Do When You Retire.

 

Here, then, is a quote from this retirement website, written by Ernie Zelinski.  My favorite author, Dame Agatha Christie, listed 15 activities she enjoyed in retirement.  Mr. Zelinski quotes her list:

 

"Think of all the things in life that you love; then, in some way relate them to retirement activities that you can pursue for a more active retirement.

Following is a list of activities created by the British writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976) as included in the book Agatha Christie: An Autobiography (Dodd, Mead & Co., 1977).

• Sunshine
• Apples
• Almost any kind of music
• Railway trains
• Numerical puzzles and anything to do with numbers
• Going to the sea
• Bathing and swimming
• Silence
• Sleeping
• Dreaming
• Eating
• The smell of coffee
• Lilies of the valley
• Most dogs
• Going to the theatre

This list of activities and things that Christie loved may trigger some of the stuff that turns you on and which you can use for an active retirement.

In fact, you may learn to enjoy all 15 things that Agatha Christie enjoyed if you implement them into your retirement activities. This will go a long ways towards conquering retirement boredom."

 

     Obviously we know that Dame Agatha Christie was fond of railway trains, thus her fascinating mystery, Murder On The Orient Express, featuring Hercule Poirot.  Happily, taking a trip on a train is on my list of retirement activities.

 

Click here to see parts of "Murder On The Orient Express," featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot.

 

      From my research today, I have learned that depression after retirement is normal, due to the lack of purpose and and an active life, so I realized that I have somehow predicted that depression. 

 

        There are 8 months remaining in which to discover what my real purpose in life will be after retirement.   I hope it's not crafting and reading!

 

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Where Will The Squirrels Play? January 19, 2013

Where Will The Squirrels Play?

(If I mow my lawn)

January 19, 2013

 

This is not my photo.  I got it from Google.com.

 

     The day started with my usual watching of the squirrels, ringneck doves, and mourning doves eating all of the seeds I throw on my driveway.  The squirrels also eat from the birdfeeder attached to a huge oak tree.  The doves are ground feeders, and they are fascinating to watch, both morning and evening.

 



Figure 3.

"Doves get their food from the surface of the ground. However, with weak feet and poor scratching ability, foods need to be on open ground and plainly visible."Credit: W. VanDyk Evans, www.bugwood.org

     My one goal for the day was to mow the high grass and wildflowers in my front yard.  This is the same goal I had days ago and never accomplished.

 

     The squirrels, however bounce from tree trunk to bird feeder to the ground, to the driveway, and into the yard full of grass and wildflowers (weeds).  The way they like to hide and dig in the grass is engrossing to watch. 

 



      I talked myself out of mowing the grass so I wouldn't disturb their playground until they had gone back up into all of the oak trees for the day.

 

     That is called procrastination...and I am very good at it.  It is now 1:30, and I have spent my morning and into the afternoon watching youtube.com.  I can't resist those old BBC television shows. 

 

     Today I spent hours watching "Agatha Christie's Miss Marple," "Are You Being Served?," "Hercule Poirot," and "To The Manor Born."

 

     Click here for the link to an "Agatha Christie's Miss Marple" episode.

 

     Now, when I retire, I cannot spend my days doing this; I must have motivation to get going each day.  So, to motivate myself right now, I am heading to the grocery store to buy more birdseed.  I will then be forced to mow my lawn before bird/squirrel feeding time at 4 pm.

 

     It's got to be done, and I've got to "git 'er done!"

 

     Have a lovely weekend, and I hope you can motivate yourself better than I am able to do. 

 

Click here to see my pinterest interests. You might like my "For The Birds" board.

 

     

 

 

 

    

 

     

Where Do Greyhound Puppies Come From?

December 4, 2012

 

     I started writing these posts to plan for retirement activities for my future retirement.  All of a sudden, I am a food critic.  Starting over today.

 

     Number 11 on my list of future retirement activities is to go somewhere on a train where I can pretend to be Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.  I'll observe everyone and everything. 

 

     That should keep me occupied for a few hours, if I don't get distracted by the scenery passing by the window.

 

     But wait, there's more.  Next Wednesday is the day I actually will receive that golden ticket check in my mailbox, rewarding me for a lifetime of labor.

 

     What will I do with all of that lovely money?  I am going to add Number 12 activity to my list:  traveling to see where greyhounds are actually born and raised.  Someone told me this and I really listened:  you never see any baby greyhounds, do you? 

 

 



 

 

 

     Homework tonight:  research greyhound kennels, locate one within a few hours' train ride, then buy a ticket to go there.  Where DO greyhound puppies come from? 

 

 

www.pinterest.com/mimihylton