I do hope that you all enjoy your retirement as much as possible. I can remember how strange it felt initially for me, with no structure to my day but as time went by, I started filling my days until I reached the point where I couldn’t even contemplate going back out to work.
I have read so many books in my life but there is one that stands out as my absolute favourite - this is Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
"A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld"
Paperback and Kindle versions available but the one shown to the left is for kindle
"In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts, an armed robber and heroin addict, escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. There, he established a free health clinic and also joined the mafia, working as a money launderer, forger and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi, fall in love, and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then, in case anyone thought he was slacking, he acted in Bollywood and fought with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan . . . Amazingly, Roberts wrote Shantaram three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It's a profound tribute to his willpower"
I have various other hobbies, some of which are online. These are:-
Chess with Friends App. Online Chess is good fun. You can either have a random opponent or choose who you wish to play against. There is generally no time limit but if you were to go weeks without taking your turn, the game would probably be ended in your opponent's favour.
Words with Friends App. If you have enjoyed playing traditional Scrabble in the past, then you will most likely really like this App.
Song Pop 2. This is great if you're into your music. When it's your turn, you can choose the category and have a choice of four. When it's your opponent's turn, they choose.
Obviously, everyone has varying tastes and there are a multitude of Apps available from either Apple's App Store or for Android, Google's Play Store.
I absolutely love music and it has been a backdrop to my life for as long as I can remember. A couple of years ago, my husband bought me an Amazon Echo, which I use every day and adore. It can play whatever music tracks or albums you want to hear and you can add them to playlists in categories (or set up a favourites playlist), keep a to-do list, check the weather, order pizza, set reminders and so much more. If you want it for the music, then there is a monthly charge of £3.99 which, to me, is well worth the money.
The Amazon Dot does all that the Amazon Echo does but I don't think that the speaker is quite as powerful.
My friends and I still like playing the more traditional board games from time to time, and one of these is Best of British.
This game is good fun and questions relate to anything pertaining to what makes Britain British. It is for 2-6 players or teams and suits ages 12 - adult
This is good fun to play yourself or to give as a present
Another board game which we have played for many years is...... you guessed it - Trivial Pursuit. I think that everyone has heard of this, the game where there are various categories and you need to answer questions correctly from each of these in order to win the game. It's particularly good when each team has a good cross section of knowledge.
Book Folding
I had a brief foray into book-folding after a friend's daughter let me have a pattern for the one I wanted to try, which was for SISTER. I was instructed exactly where to fold on each page and found it relatively easy. However, it is very labour intensive and took me several days to complete.
If you want to see what a master book-folder can achieve, and also how it all works, have a look at https://spellboundbookart.co.uk - customised folded book sculptures. Karen is amazing, so much so that her name has spread far and wide - even to Australia. Not only does Karen fold the pages but also incorporates cutting out , which enables her to add that finer detail to her creations. A recent book of Captain Tom is so clever and instantly recognisable. Mind you, they all are.
I might have another go at book-folding but at the moment, I'm enjoying writing this blog and adding to it as and when.
Another hobby (if you can call it that) which I spend quite a bit of my time on is Sudoku. I absolutely love the challenge but must admit, I still find the difficult ones hard to master.
I love photography, particularly digital, and enjoy making movies using Serif MoviePlus. You can add lots of photos, videos and different music tracks to make a special video - particularly good to give as a gift in the form of either a dvd or even to send as a YouTube video (the setting can be set to 'private' or 'unlisted'. So many photographs these days are taken using mobile 'phones, which is a real boon as we always tend to carry them with us, but there are many digital cameras available, which are no longer expensive like they used to be.
Mobile 'phones can be very expensive to buy but are often affordable if you take out a contract with a network provider, and pay an amount monthly, which pays for the 'phone as well as giving you however many minutes you need.
VOLUNTEERING/BEFRIENDING
Although befriending is not a hobby, it is a very worthwhile, constructive and meaningful thing to do. There are many lonely people in the world who hardly speak to anyone from one day to another, so to volunteer some time to offer the hand of friendship can be very rewarding.
There are various organisations that can give you lots of information about befriending and then you can choose the one which best suits your circumstances.
Some people find that they have a lot of spare time on their hands once they are retired and like to offer a few hours a week in order to visit some lonely people. Others can maybe spare just an hour in order to volunteer their services but however much time spent, it will be very much appreciated.
Beforehand it is usual to go on a short training course where other like-minded people attend. This, in itself, is enjoyable and social and apart from the training aspect, people sit and chat whilst refreshments are served.
Once accepted as a Befriender, you can stipulate how far you are willing to travel e.g. it might just be within walking distance or you may be prepared to drive a few miles. There is also telephone friendship.
If you volunteer for a befriending service, you’ll usually need a DBS Check.
There are three different levels of DBS Check:
Basic DBS Check: This type of check will show any unspent convictions the applicant has. Basic Checks are available to anyone aged 16 or over. There are no eligibility requirements, and individuals can apply for them.
Standard DBS Check: A Standard Check will show any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings the applicant has. A person’s job or volunteer role must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for this type of check. Employers must apply for Standard Checks on behalf of employees or volunteers.
Enhanced DBS Check: An Enhanced Check will show the same information as a Standard Check, as well as any relevant information held by the applicant’s local police force. As with Standard Checks, employees or volunteers must meet the eligibility criteria to have an Enhanced Check, and only employers can apply for them. An Enhanced Check may also include a check of the children’s and/or adults’ barred list, if the applicant is eligible.
As a befriender, the type of check you need will depend on your specific volunteer role.
If you are befriending vulnerable adults, you’ll usually qualify for an Enhanced Check without a barred list check, unless you’re also carrying out a regulated activity as part of your volunteer role.
If you befriend children, you’ll qualify for an Enhanced Check with a check of the children’s barred list, as a befriending role qualifies as regulated activity in relation to children
Telephone friendship
Age UK and their partner charity The Silver Line offer free telephone friendship services so that people can enjoy chatting with someone over the phone, all from the comfort of their own home.
However, Age UK is not the only organisation that offers a befriending service so it’s a good idea to Google befriending in your area and see what results come up.
If you have a hobby which isn't mentioned here, why not make contact and let me know all about it. I'd love to hear from you
Email: loveretirement21@sky.com
OTHER PEOPLE'S HOBBIES
CARD MAKING by Barbara Gittner
I have always enjoyed making cards, usually at Christmas time, and over the years I've used a variety of craft techniques.
A couple of years ago I got a die-cutting/embossing machine, and have used this a lot in more recent cards. As many shops were shut during lockdown, and the range of commercial cards is not always suitable, I have made all birthday, greetings and Christmas cards this year. I have friends who claim to like getting my hand made efforts, and some of my Christmas cards over the years have been saved by friends, who look forward to seeing what my latest designs are.
I've attached a range of some of this year's cards, they give me great pleasure to make them, and I hope the recipients like them.
If you have any ideas for new crafts I'd love to try a range of things. I also knit, crochet and sew, and recently tried felting which turned out well.
Wow, that's a fair few crafts you do, Barbara. Sounds as though you are definitely keeping yourself occupied during the lockdown - well done!
MODEL RAILWAYS by Brian Driscoll
When I was a young child, around my third Christmas, my Father and Grandfather bought me a Hornby three rail model train set (although I am convinced it was not purely for me). The train was Sir Nigel Lesley, which I still have to this day. This sadly did not come out that often because it entailed some time and help to set up and break down as we did not have a space large enough to keep it out permanently, but it did ignite my interest in steam trains and railways in general.
As a teenager living in Datchet which was on the Southern Railway line, it gave me the opportunity due to the rail connections, of either going into Windsor and getting onto the Great Western Line to Slough or Reading or going the other way to Virginia Waters, which mean that I could train spot both the Great Western or Southern and South Eastern region trains.
Once I started earning, I started collecting 00-gauge track and trains. In my 30’s whilst living in Peterborough, I had a spare bedroom so was able to start construction on a model railway layout, enjoying going to model railway exhibitions, which gave me lots of ideas allowing my imagination to run wild. Sadly, due to work and family commitments, unfortunately it was not possible to finish, so it all ended up being boxed and placed in the loft.
Before I retired, I joined the Market Deeping Model Railway Club as it was always our intention to move to Deeping. I attended weekly club meeting, travelling from Hampton to Obthorpe. I became a committee member and have been their treasurer for the past two years.
I really enjoyed working with and learning from other club members as well as being involved in making a variety of layouts which are displayed at local and national model railway exhibitions. As many of you who are reading this will know our 2019 Stamford Exhibition was vandalised, sadly many layouts, not just ours but other clubs too were severely damaged or in some cases destroyed. However, this did not deter us from repairing the displays some of which have been rebuilt and taken around the country. Some, however, are unrepairable.
We had, prior to Covid 19, met every Monday night for a couple of hours and since March many of us continue to meet via Skype which although not the same, enables us to share challenges/information about our own layouts.
We shall hopefully in the next 12 months be moving to new purpose-built premises in Essendine, which will provide us with more space to work on our displays.
For me personally, upon moving to Market Deeping 4 years ago, I ensured that the new garage was built to provide enough space to have my own little workshop and area to build my own layout which will be based on GWR 1940 to 1960 era. This is currently under construction.
I also enjoy real steam engines and for my 70th birthday I was given a Driver Experience at Wansford which gave me the opportunity to drive a real engine. Whenever possible I enjoy trips on preserved lines and have visited many in the past few years. The most recent being a trip on the North Norfolk Steam Railway which was a club organised trip but I was able to invite some of my Deeping friends to join us, a thoroughly enjoyable day out.
My goal now is to complete my own layout, time permitting.
I would highly recommend that anyone who has an interest in model railways to try out their local modelers' club - its great to mix with like-minded people, many of whom would have tremendous modelling skills that you could learn from, well that’s definitely been true in my case.
If you would like to look at our club, please visit www.mdmrc.org where you will find out what we are doing and many other interesting features, also there is the opportunity to apply for membership if that’s of interest to you.
That makes for a really interesting read, Brian, and thank you for sharing your hobby with us. Hopefully, it will inspire others to think about doing the same.
GENEALOGY by Terry Hollowell
A friend of mine - Terry Hollowell, has a great interest in his Family Tree. By way of introduction, here is what he has to say:-
"I’ve been researching mine and my wife’s family history for at least ten years or more.
I first started with Ancestry.co.uk. The first two weeks are free then it’s £13.99 per month, which you can cancel at any time. Ancestry is a very good place to start because it does have a lot of information on line including census forms and other records. To start with, I was on it for three months and I did find a lot of family members. Ancestry.co.uk did send me a special offer some time ago for one year for £60.00, so I joined again for another year.
I store my “Family Tree” on Family Echo. This is a free site which allows you to record all the information you can find including dates, occupation, places of birth and death and much more and the tree can also be printed off onto multiple A4 Pages.
I have at present got 1720 family members on the tree going back to the year 1570 on my father’s side.
I also use Family Search, this too is a free site with lots of information once you can find your way around the site; it also allows you to print your family tree as a fan chart, like the one below.
Another free site is www.lincstothepast.com this gives you parish records for births, deaths and marriages in Lincolnshire photographed from church records.
Once you get hooked on family research you can spend several hours a day trying to find extra details or other family connections. Happy Hunting!
Thanks a lot, Terry. I'm sure there will be lots of people who will have been inspired by the above, and go on to trace their own Family Tree.
SUGARCRAFT by Evelyn Freshwater
Sugarcraft is a creative art, where sugar is used as a medium to produce masterpieces, mainly for decorating cakes for special occasions.
Evelyn became interested in making flowers using Sugarcraft, from 1980, decorating wedding cakes, etc. From 2000 she found non edible pastes from Japan. Evelyn and Mike (her husband) attend large exhibitions, have hobby weekends, and demonstrate to clubs, not just around England but throughout Europe.
So although now retired, she has found a new lease of life, making flowers and modelling, not just for decorating wedding cakes, but also to make flowers which can go outside, wedding bouquets, headdresses, house decorations and also for lots of crafts, ie cardmaking, dolls house furniture, etc. She took up this hobby a few years ago and is very talented. So much so that she became the official UK distributor of Artista/Hearty De Luxe, an alternative to sugar paste and which is a modelling paste which can be used to create some magnificent cake, table and other decorations - see below. Going on from there she also has a fantastic paste Modena, which is a much stronger medium - cold porcelain/Resin based.
Artista/Hearty De Luxe is a non food product – but contains no toxins or resins. It is extremely light to work with and once dry maintains a lightweight, virtually unbreakable flexible cloth like finish. Artista/Hearty De Luxe contains its own glue, so sticks to itself and almost anything, apart from your hands. It can be coloured before using or afterwards. The main ingredients are potato flour and rice flour. It is very safe to use but recommended for children’s use only when old enough not to put in the mouth (because Artista/Hearty De Luxe has its own glue, it could stick in the throat).
What can ARTISTA/HEARTY DE LUXE be used for?
It can be used for any type of modelling or moulding. In place of papier-mache, other oven baked clays or pastes; flowerpastes (for wedding cakes decorations or sprays) to make jewellery – table and candle decorations – dolls and dolls' house furniture. For train or aircraft modelling - for card embellishments - napkin rings or any kind of craft work. It can be used for making moulds or veiners. It can be cut with designed cutters, scissors, or a craft knife.
How long does ARTISTA/HEARTY DE LUXE last and where do I keep it?
It has a four to five year shelf life providing you keep it from the air. DO NOT PUT IN A FRIDGE OR FREEZER AND KEEP OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT Once opened, seal the packaging up again and place in a polythene bag and then in a polythene/plastic box.
(Do not store in cling film alone only as this breathes)
So well done to Evelyn and Mike. Their energy seems to have no limits
I have recently heard from Sally Sharp, whose hobby is crocheting. She says:
"I seem to spend quite a lot of time during retirement doing projects for friends and family. These are the latest - crochet cosies for tortoises 😜
Probably time to think about designs for Christmas jumpers as my daughter and her friends from Manchester send down requests.
Also, had lots of requests for these NHS supporting rainbows. Got quite a dent in my index finger from the crochet hook!"
Very imaginative, Sally. Bet you would do well at a Craft Fayre!
I would love to hear your comments regarding your hobbies, especially if they are different to my own or those listed, or indeed, any other suggestions for retirement activities. Please get in touch and I may be able to add them to this site. Thanks in advance.
And finally ...... GOOD LUCK! I hope that you really enjoy your retirement, doing whatever gives you pleasure.
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