<p>I took the writing workshop. Very inspirational.
The two other women at my table were older than I. One was writing a memoir about the past three years she lived with her husband in Mumbai. Through the massacre, his illness and his death.
The other joined the Peace Corp after a career as an attorney & then as a caterer, but what she was writing about was the past few years she spent in Morocco, helping the women there become more independent.</p>
<p>I think I need an adventure.</p>
<p>H with D in 2007 did a habitat for humanity build in mongolia and it really was life changing for H. D then led one in Asia. That is top on our to do adventure list in retirement. The people on the build were all ages, a fun intelligent group. We set one up to Poland a few years ago but because of work had to cancel and the donation went to the trip. That agency is top notch. </p>
<p>H and I sold our house and downsized. We love our new, smaller home. The idea that weāre more of a twosome than a foursome now isā¦ very bittersweet. Still adjusting to that one. </p>
<p>The two some was pretty peaceful till youngest talked us into getting a young boxer beagle mix.
Now itās like we have a three yr old.
Who needs a LOT of exercise.</p>
<p>We are enjoying a LOT more flexibility in our schedules. We can come and go as we please and are doing more travel than before., and meeting up with our kids, friends and relatives. We are also trying to exercise more regularly and also eat much healthier. It has been a lot of fun. :)</p>
<p>Oh yea, still tons to do around the house and for my nonprofit. </p>
<p>Went out to dinner last night with some close friends. Like us they will be empty nesters this fall and we are all looking forward to it. We love our kids, but are looking for the flexibility and freedom after all of the years of child raising. </p>
<p>Well, we finally got to learn how to use our Kitchen Aid mixer that I received from Xmas. It seems more work than my old vanilla egg beater. I think we will get use to it eventually and figure how to use it efficiently.</p>
<p>Hubby has no problem imagining how the empty nest time will be spentā¦ 8-| </p>
<p>^Can you share at least some?
Might be helpful for us who has no idea how to spend additional 8 hours after retirment. Before retirement, it is normal balancing act as before, time spent with kids is replaced by time spent on various very addictive hobbies. </p>
<p>H spends his time tinkering and updating our computers. I spend mine on my nonprofit and with my parents, who are quietly aging. Travel is still mostly fun, and we do that as well. </p>
<p>None of the above is applicable, anything else from anybody?</p>
<p>60 pages of posts and NOTHING is applicable? Time for a little introspection perhaps?</p>
<p>What do you mean by ālittle introspectionā? i am talking about my future, I am currently fully satisfied since I am working. I have no problem filling my time now. But I have problem with filling time when I retire. I just do not see it.
jym626, your comments are not helpful. You can list what you are planning to do when you retire instead of trying very hard to be negative. Futile waste of time.</p>
<p>Well, if nothing in this thread of 60 pgs is helpful/applicable, I guess I am in good company! LOL negative?? Thats funny, coming from you. Your posts are routinely negative, and if nothing that posters have described in 60 pgs of ideas and experiences is helpful to you , then thats where the introspection comes in. </p>
<p>If you plan to work til the day you die or til someone shows you the door, then a discussion of the things that are enjoyable to retired people may have little to offer you. </p>
<p>I am semi retired. But I doubt what I d to fill my time is of interest or use to you.</p>
<p>āI doubt what I d to fill my time is of interest or use to youā - I am lost with the purpose of your post then if you cannot contribute to what I am looking for. The reason I want to work until I am kicked out is that I cannot find the substitution. However, I might be kicked out tomorrow. I have a real problem. I believe the purpose of this thread is to resolve the problem similar to mine. I am happy for you that you do not have it. </p>
<p>I guess I am not willing to be the next person to talk about what they enjoy, only to be told its of no use to you. </p>
<p>Maybe I decide to lie this time? Or maybe they will be applicable. I have 3 hobbies, I am looking for more. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you in your search.</p>
<p>Okay - change in conversation. Iām facing the empty nest come August. I cried taking her to orientation - lol It just became real. I already have an oldest son in college.</p>
<p>What would you all say the biggest surprise was with the empty nest? If you could give advice to someone about to face it, what would you say? How long do you think it takes to adjust?</p>
<p>For me Iām always on alert where everyone is, what theyāre doing, when theyāll be home. I always made it a point to be home after school. That meant by 1pm I was calculating the day and what I could and couldnāt get done. </p>
<p>Most of all itās the quiet stillness of the house Iām most dreading. I can get 100 hobbies but at some point you are home and it is quiet.</p>
<p>eyeamom,</p>
<p>Have you had times when both kids were gone before (eg summer camp or other summer program, visits to grandparents, etc)? How was that for you?</p>
<p>You might want to look into things to do after work so that you dont feel that pull to run home. Exercise, hike, etc. Do you have a spouse still in the home? My DH started to travel excessively shortly after younger s went to college. I told him I was ready for empty nest,but not empty house, LOL. That was not fun, and took some getting used to. I thought about getting a pet, but DS#2 and DS#1s fiancee are very allergic, so scrapped that idea.</p>
<p>It gets easier. Hang in there.</p>