The Elderly

[gfwgfw]

By Heck

When I grow old I am going to be a bleedy miserable cantankerous old **** , not the lubberly 80 year old Giant that you all lubbs on CC

Graham

[B52-2002]

I'm not quite an " oldie " yet. ( Even if my children think otherwise !!!). But one thing that has always puzzled me is the obsession with routine that some pensioners have. Before retirement most will say that they are looking forward to not being beholden to the clock or a boss etc. Once retirement comes they then develop a far stricter regime than they ever had at work.

I worked in a Post Office a few years ago and I usually arrived for work around 8.30. On a Monday morning ( pension day ) there used to be a substantial queue, even at that time of the morning. This was regardless of the weather. Why ??? Did they think the money would run out !! Some of these people would then complain that they had to wait outside in the cold, or grumble that the queue was so long
If they had left their visit until later in the day then they wouldn't of had any problems. Even an hour later would of helped.

Another example is my parents neighbour who had a very nasty fall last winter, whilst out shopping. When my Mum asked why she hadn't phoned to let her know she needed some shopping, her reply was " Oh I didn't need anything but I always go to Waitrose on Saturdays " !!!

It seems to me that the freedom to please yourself, when you are retired, can be quite hard work

[Kendhni]

B52, your post made me laugh. Cutting a very long story short ... after 40 years had passed and at least 2 years of hard searching a person finally got in touch with Julies grandmother. He had flown all the way over from America to meet her again and said he would call in on the Tuesday afternoon ... Julies grandmothers response was something along the lines of 'That wouldn't suit, I go down the street to get sausages on Tuesdays'.

[AngieT]

My uncle sticks unfailingly to the timetable my auntie used to have - even though she has been dead for 3 years, God Bless her. If it's Monday it's washing day - duvet cover & pillow cases one week, bottom & top sheet alternating weeks. He gets a shower every morning & puts clean clothes on as he says 'Mavis will be looking down & telling me off if I don't'!

I'm really putting him out this afternoon as I am about to visit him on washing day!

[B52-2002]

My uncle sticks unfailingly to the timetable my auntie used to have - even though she has been dead for 3 years, God Bless her. If it's Monday it's washing day - duvet cover & pillow cases one week, bottom & top sheet alternating weeks. He gets a shower every morning & puts clean clothes on as he says 'Mavis will be looking down & telling me off if I don't'!

I'm really putting him out this afternoon as I am about to visit him on washing day!

I'm just looking forward to retirement so I can become one of these organized, efficient pensioners with a routine. At the moment I am probably one of the most scatterbrained, disorganized people around. Nice to think I may finally crack it in a few years

[Gill W]

I think routines and structure give a sense of security and after a lifetime of following routines, people find it difficult to stop when they retire, it's just that the routines change.

Having said that, when I eventually stop work, I do want to try and get out of routines, and be more spontaneous.

I work part time now, and I still have a routine.

Monday - housework
Tuesday - my day to please myself
Wednesday - Mr Gill is also not working, so we do things together, like going out or gardening .
Thursday and Friday - work
Weekend - weekend things that we've done for more than 30 years.

It'll be a challenge not to be so structured, but I hope one day we'll get up, and decide what to do, rather than have it all mapped out as sausage buying day, or even go on a Getaway at a moments notice! Not sure I could ever be THAT spontaneous !

[Manoverboard]

I retired early so we've had plenty of practice.

One of the ' rituals ' that we still enjoy, simple minds eh, is sitting up in bed with a hot cup of coffee on a freezing cold Winter's morning listening to car windows being scraped and saying ...

" Don't think I'll bother going to work today "

[Gill W]

I retired early so we've had plenty of practice.

One of the ' rituals ' that we still enjoy, simple minds eh, is sitting up in bed with a hot cup of coffee on a freezing cold Winter's morning listening to car windows being scraped and saying ...

" Don't think I'll bother going to work today "

My mum and dad used to do that, they used to actively look forward to winter, for the sheer pleasure of not having to get up to go to work!

[oldbluefox]

My wife was telling me about an interview with Robson Green the other day. She says an old lady walked up to him and said, 'Look who it is! Fancy seeing you and I've not got me teeth in'.
She went on, 'I've got your record y'know. I got it free with a chicken at the supermarket!!!'

Star quality.

[Boris+]

I know what you mean MoB, we say 'up the workers', and then have another hot drink.

Em

[emjay45]

I think routines and structure give a sense of security and after a lifetime of following routines, people find it difficult to stop when they retire, it's just that the routines change.

Having said that, when I eventually stop work, I do want to try and get out of routines, and be more spontaneous.

I work part time now, and I still have a routine.

Monday - housework
Tuesday - my day to please myself
Wednesday - Mr Gill is also not working, so we do things together, like going out or gardening .
Thursday and Friday - work
Weekend - weekend things that we've done for more than 30 years.

It'll be a challenge not to be so structured, but I hope one day we'll get up, and decide what to do, rather than have it all mapped out as sausage buying day, or even go on a Getaway at a moments notice! Not sure I could ever be THAT spontaneous !

I was a stay at home mum but did have a few little part-time jobs when my children were older, I attended college as a mature student and became a committee member for charities, but I always had a strict routine. My husband retired a few years ago and now has no routine whatsoever. If it’s the right weather he might decide to do some fly fishing or he’ll say ‘it’s a lovely day let’s go for a walk’ or maybe something else. He decides every day what he wants to do. He can’t understand why I can’t be spontaneous but I’m afraid I’ve had too many years of routine. Perhaps if I’d always worked and then retired I may feel differently, I don’t know. I know I’m never going to have a getaway cruise.

[Delboy]

i have been retired now for 6 years, and my wife nearly 7 years, I worked until I was 67 and my wife until she was 61.

I have nothing structured in my life, I often joke when people ask me what I do, now I am retired, I reply nothing and I don't start that until after lunch. My wife has a little more structure in hers, certain days she does the washing, changes the beds and some of the housework etc, but that's all.

Personally I think not having to structure your life, is one of the benefits of retirement, just get up and depending on the weather decide what you are going to do. Obviously holidays and appointments such as Dentist or Doctors visits you have to plan in advance, although with our Doctor you can only make an appointment in the morning of the day you want to see them.

I had enough structure when I was working, now I can get up when I want, do what I want in my time, not somebody else's and my life is certainly secure.

We have been dog sitting our Sons and DIL 2 year year old German Shepherd dog during week days working hours, but we can go out and she is fine being left, our son takes her for her walks. Last weekend they got another puppy, same breed but this one is all white, we have them both this week. Our DIL is a teacher and next week is start of school holidays, so no need for us to have them during the 6 weeks holiday, they are hoping when school holidays end, they will be use to one another, to be left on their own at their home, whilst they are at work.

[gfwgfw]

Derek

I must post thus . . . .

You contribution to our friendly forum are always simplistic but do give me pleasure

Thank you


Graham

[gfwgfw]

. . . . in fact I am pleased that the OP started this thread who ever it was


. . . . not a black cloud in sight

[Silver_Shiney]

. . . . in fact I am pleased that the OP started this thread who ever it was


. . . . not a black cloud in sight

They do say that as you get older, you lose two things.

The first is your memory.

The second is your memory....

[gfwgfw]

. . . . and Alan you are a good egg also, all current/ex rural Darzet folk are jolly good eggs, make no mistake about that

[Frank Manning]

There is bad behaviour and intolerance in all sections of society, and I guess there always has been.