Just joined so I'm introducing myself.
Watch this postI will be 67 next month and retired from the many different jobs in my working life. I guess that I didn’t ever find my calling. I went to university at age 59 but when it was over it was too late to launch a new career. I wanted to lecture but students don’t want to listen to old fogies, so sadly I put aside that idea and settled into life as an eccentric dog owner.
I live in a beautiful Lancashire valley surrounded by hills that demand they be walked/climbed, how could I refuse?
I would like to do a bit of cycle touring but a recent diagnosis of spondylosis and some hip pain means that I may not be doing a world tour anytime soon!
I’m keen to make some friends as I have been on my own for a very long time now, my daughters don’t bother much with me and I don’t have a partner.I didn’t expect to be so isolated at this time in my life, isn’t it strange the way family and friends seem to forget us when we get past 60?
I will pop in regularly and hope to strike up some friendships.
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Best Simbadog
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Just joined. Looking for chat and hopefully some new friends.
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In the future I would like to travel more and meet more people.
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Take care
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I'm retired, interested in and filming garden wildlife i.e. hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, plus many domestic cats anything that moves in my garden during the night.
Upper.
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Many apologies I hit the thumbs down instead of UP ... Please don't be put off by my error.
Welcome to the community :))
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I have rectified it by putting an 'upvote' against it after all there's nothing wrong with Upper filming wildlife in his own garden!! Ha ha!
You have a trigger-happy finger.
Welcome Upper
Welcome Laws22 and behave!)
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Welcome to the site. Nice to meet you. You should find some conversations on here you can get involved in when you find your way around.
I hope getting to the shops is helpful in that it is less isolating.
Stay safe. (Hand gel and /or wipes are useful to have with you).
I don't know what the advice is where you are about face coverings. In England we need to wear one in shops from 24th July ( unless exempt for certain reasons).
Have a good day, the sun's out.
Take care.
I'm feeling a bit isolated as my husband and I are both shielding (in my case, I'm not totally sure why) and working at home. I do go out with the dog and the very occasional visit to the shop, but it's all becoming a bit boring now. Seems to be very little to watch on the TV, although I'm not really a TV buff at the best of times, so just finding it all a bit heavy going sometimes.
Will leave my introduction at that for now and maybe just take it as it comes.
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We need something to look forward to I think. As you say spending so much time at home as well as working from home can become a bit too much 'same old!'
You say you are shielding, do you feel you want to go out more? Maybe you can agree to meet people socially distanced in their gardens? or for a walk.
There isn't much on the TV I agree. I do not overdo the TV either but there is nothing new at the moment. There has been a recent new series of Long lost family if you like that?
Are you in the south or north of the UK?
I would like to interject here as there appears to be confusion between 'social-distancing' and 'shielding' and a distinction needs to be made.
For those unaware of what a letter from the NHS Foundation Trust looks like, sent out by the instruction from the Government.
Excerpts taken from a second letter reads:-
"Now is not the time to become complacent and relax. The (South West) has been relatively spared in this first wave of coronavirus infection but it is expected that this will not remain the case.
With the government announcement of phased lockdown release, it appears that you could start to a more normal life; however this is definitely not the case for those with long term conditions such as .............. .............
In fact as lockdown measures are relaxed for the general population the risk of infection will increase to shielded patients.
It is therefore imperative that you continue to shield.
1. Do not rlkea e your house u less absolutely necessary.
2. Do not attend any gatherings. This includes gatherings of friends and families in private spaces, for example family homes... etc
3. Strictly avoid contact with someone displaying symptoms of coronavirus.....etc etc..
The Government is currently advising people to shield, and while regularly monitoring this position the period is likely to be extended."
PLEASE continue to be diligent if shielding.
Social-distancing is an entirely different thing.
Shielding people don't have this option.
From 6th July, we are allowed to relax a bit and meet up to 6 friends outdoors/go for a walk etc., and are allowed a "bubble" with one other household. Then from 1st August, we have to go to strict social distancing & limit contact as soon as possible - but can go to work!
I do (and have been) walking the dog as we live quite rurally and it's easy to stay away from other people. My husband can't really even do this though, as has terminal cancer so is pretty much housebound - although he is now allowed to go the hospital.
Bees
There is some individual risk assessment taking place I think within the rules. Some are more cautious than they have to be. It is up to the individual.
Have a good day.
It's a bit different in my husband's case as he has no immune system and his condition is very serious so he hasn't left the house at all. Since restrictions were lifted, however, we have allowed his best friend to come into the house and classify that as our "bubble". Whilst a little premature, we have no way of knowing how much time he has left 🙁 If the weather is nice, they sit in the garden but I can't expect them to do that if it's throwing it down,
So it's a case of being sensible to your circumstances as individual people will have different levels of necessity. In my case, I think it was to make it easier to insist on working at home, although it wasn't necessary in any event, as my employer managed to get set up for all of us to do that, regardless of vulnerabilities. It's only now that they are giving a limited amount of people the option to return to the office if their individual circumstances - which can include mental wellbeing - make working at home difficult. But it's taken 4 months to reach that point. Personally, I won't be returning before the end of the year at the earliest, I wouldn't have thought.
I can see your dilemmas. Everyone has a unique situation and you have to weigh everything up. I am sorry to hear your husband is so poorly. Your decision to have some company in a bubble for your husband sounds like it would benefit him especially as it can be in the garden at the moment too and you can make the most of having the summer while we have it. Maybe you working from home has been more protective for your husband too as well as yourself and others. The advice was always work from home if you can, wasn’t it and it is now starting to shift a bit this month (for the economy and as well for some people’s mental wellbeing as some are more affected by it than others). We all need some balance though and at least you can get out to walk the dog and get some exercise too. Yes it is still a case of being sensible. Do you like gardening?
look forward to finding out more about this site, looks good.
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Nice to meet you. North Wales is lovely.
I have had many good holidays there! Will have to start talking about some of the popular spots!
Dina
Welcome to the site. I'm from Cambridgeshire originally but have lived in
beautiful counties such as Devon and Gloucestershire. Have a good friend
who lives in Glan Conwy and spent many weekends our families together
when I was in the Royal Air Force.
Now live on the stunning island of Menorca.
Hope to chat
Best Simbadog
I am a lot older than you at 78 but young at heart, if you will excuse an overused phrase! My husband died at the end of November last year and I was struggling to get used to being alone and then along came lock down. Just when I was starting to go out and about a bit, nothing. Its been very hard. Zoom and phone calls helped lots and a caring daughter who delivered shopping helped but its not the same.
I am lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of the world which I have enjoyed to the full, Long walks in the Purbecks and gorgeous beaches. Hard to enjoy any of it when you are alone. I do have good friends and am able to see my granddaughter now which does help a lot. I just hope tomorrow is another day when I can appreciate how lucky I really am.
Sorry, I've had my moan now and hope to chat when I am more upbeat!
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I hope today is a better day for you. This lockdown has been very unkind to those who have not long had a loss. The very thing you need to do is keep busy and go out when you feel like it. Sorry to hear about your husband.
How have you found using Zoom? Glad you have friends and family to stay in contact with.
Lucky you, you live near a beach!
I use zoom too and do a weekly quiz with the family!
Thank you for your message. Yes, I try to keep busy and do use Zoom. Its been a Godsend during lockdown. We've had two birthdays celebrated at a distance over Zoom and I've been doing a quiz every week up until now. Was just having an off day, had several this week. It would have been my husband's birthday soon so I guess that is another 'first' without him.
Will pick up again soon I hope.
Best wishes
I have 3 children, one in Utah, one in Texas and one son who lives locally, but unfortunately, we have been estranged for the past year. I have 2 grandchildren, a girl 12, and a boy 22.
I look forward to chatting about any number of topics.
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Nice to meet you.
I agree it is good to take precautions to stay safe. I'm glad you have a garden to keep you occupied and it is relaxing to be outside in nature. I enjoy the garden too, not that I am a great gardener! but I know the basics and like to keep it tidy.
Do you enjoy reading? That is something you can do in the winter. Great you have a curbside pick up now. Perhaps you can still nip out in the garden in the autumn and winter too and just wrap up warm!
Bye for now,
Dina
Due to MS (and now Covid restrictions) I don't get out of the house and it can be quite lonely so I am looking forward to being part of an online community. I love music, graphic design, crafts, reading, computer games, puzzles, movies and much more!
I do look forward to meeting y'all.
Welcome to the site.
Have just sent you a long message under 'chat' whilst having my morning cup of char and gradually waking up.
Hope to hear from you soon!
The_bees_knees
I look forward to hearing back from you.
I currently work for a European company that design and manufacture Medical Device.
Everything seems OK so far, but have a bit of mid-age thinking and try to figure out what life can be better in near future.
I'd love to chat with you anytime if you fancy it.
Just hope you get this lol
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I just joined the site within the last hour. I was taken aback when yours was the first comment I read. Namely because I am the same age, have a similar living situation (albeit mine is in North Yorkshire near Thirsk, I have two daughters who haven't bothered me for years due to blaming me for the marriage breakup and I have had a distant relative of spondylosis since my late 20s (fortunately controlled by 3 to 5 monthly treatments (my MOT/service as I like to call it) by a cranial osteopath wherever I have lived in the country which has let me keep cycling and hill walking - within reason for over 30 years - God bless them!
My partner of 7 years left a few months ago when he and I had to acknowledge it had run out of steam as he wanted to sit on a sofa and I wanted to keep on being out and about in the countryside. Having said that, I am finding the loneliness soul destroying. I could try to blame lock down, which hasn't helped, but the truth is I just don't have friends who stay in touch - except my best friend from school days but she is in Cornwall - mostly due to my changing jobs, countries, homes more times than I don't know what.
I'm trying to move as cannot afford to run this big farmhouse on my own but cannot decide where to, etc. I love the northern hills so reluctant to live anywhere flat. I'm not a city person. I've taken a temp job just helping out in the local Holland and Barrett shop for a few weeks part time to get me out of the house - my two budgies and I have run out of conversation and the fish in the small aquarium aren't much company. I am desperate to get a dog again, mine died 18 months ago and ex would not let me get another one as we both worked full time. Landlady will insist it is kept outside but I will find way around it for a few weeks until I can leave when lock down is lifted as need to have the company of a dog again very quickly before I climb the walls completely. I am a volunteer dog walker with the Cinnamon Trust as just got an assignment to walk a collie each day whilst the owner recovers from an op so at least I have a lead in my hand again each day and she is lovely. Tell me more about your 4 legged friends when you have chance please.
Bye for now
Christine
Hi Yorkshire lass I hope you are still doing your volunteer dog walking and enjoying walking the Collie! I hope things are improving for you.
Hi Tricia 2756 I notice you said you work from home. I also work from home and like you, think I am glad it may now be a permanent option but think it is less social and I am sure it is good for us to pop out to the office and see people more, face to face. Very strange times don't you think? I agree the rain this week is putting the dampers on things and looking forward to the sun coming out again. Today has been a better day!