The Retirement Thread

[Dave7]

I would have been 79 but since then I feel more like 99 now.
We had a semi wet room which had a seat in the shower and I rigged up a battery powered doorbell system so that she could be left in the toilet and ring when she wanted assistance to get out. We had the bath removed to achieve this.
She could hardly walk but I developed a system of walking behind holding on to her until we reached a seat in the house.
Her specialist nurse said it was highly illegal but she would not object as it was practical.
She could sometimes use a walker with a seat but several times I had to borrow a supermarket wheel chair to get her back to the car or van. I preferred the motorhome as it had it’s own toilet if required but with a radar key we could use supermarket or other places with locked facilities for the disabled using the wheelchair
Nights were the worst tho’ as I often got very little sleep.
I could book her into a local respite centre to allow me to get away cycling and catch up on sleep but she referred to it as a hellhole and was ringing me constantly wanting to go home. It was actually a very good place of it’s kind but I could understand her dislike. It was subsidised by the local council so not too expensive and in any case the only available place.
I was only able to get a fixed 4 or 5 hours respite per week every Thursday but I could not leave the island in case of delay getting back.
Any mainland visits I had to take her with me but she had a Blue Badge which made parking easier and I had a couple of places I could leave her. My daughter in law is an experienced carer and was always available and in Glasgow her brother and wife were retired medicals so were available.
Latterly she had difficulty telling fact from fiction and she made a silly joke to a community nurse who did not bother to consult the specialist nurse but ran straight to social services and caused a considerable rumpus. I have never and never will forgive her for the trouble she caused.
Her specialist nurse became a great friend and went well beyond the normal duties. She would have had my guts for garters if she thought I had been mistreating her.
I have no idea what she said at the next staff meeting but she certainly read the riot act and killed the whole thing stone dead.
This seems to have unleashed a long tale but any info I have I am willing to share.

Sad but good to read OWs.
When you are younger...... even when you see your own parents get old and die etc it doesn't really get into your head that, one day it will be you ( not you of course, I refer to me).
Married 54 good years but this has come on so quickly.
Onwards and upwards eh!

 

[Mo1959]

Here’s where I am just now. Shame I’m not that tall. I might be able to run fast. Finding a bike might be a problem though.

 

[Dave7]

Good morning.
It is time for you to vote!!!
The question is......have I, Dave7, been a good boy?
Bear in mind YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO VOTE YES!!!
I had the 1st load of washing in by 06.30.

Was in bed early, crashed out, last night. Woke at 0430 but managed another hour.
Had a coffee then attacked the washing.

I have to admit, I can procrastinate with the best of them, so am forcing myself into this houseworky stuff.
Mo......from what you say......can you imagine if we were married The house would be a foot deep in dust and washing.
The mind boggles.

 

[Dave7]

Here’s where I am just now. Shame I’m not that tall. I might be able to run fast. Finding a bike might be a problem though. View attachment 579322

Nice legs Mo

 

[Paulus]

Good morning all fellow retirees.
Another day dawns. It's cloudy at the moment, but is super brighten up later.
Sainsbury's are delivering later, a couple of items to be sent back, coffee beans instead of ground coffee. I don't have a grinder.
Still no apple and cinnamen buns though.
MrsP has a parcel coming at some point today.
That's the days highlights in a nutshell.

Stay safe everyone

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Sad but good to read OWs.
When you are younger...... even when you see your own parents get old and die etc it doesn't really get into your head that, one day it will be you ( not you of course, I refer to me).
Married 54 good years but this has come on so quickly.
Onwards and upwards eh!

When we were young we thought we were invincible and would live forever, its a shocking moment that morning we looked in the mirror and an old person was looking back.

 

[welsh dragon]

Morning. Allegedly 7 deg here at the moment. It's Friday and one of my twin grandsons will be back from Uni today foe a couple of weeks. Hoorah. His brother will be happy.

Stay safe folks.

 

[PaulSB]

Good morning folks. In a bit of a rush this morning so a very quick hello! A beautiful day has dawned so I'm going to the seaside, well Southport where if one is lucky the tide has come in and the sea is visible, most of the time you'd think Southport was the last town before a three day trek across the desert.

Dave r and Dave7 I hope the news and day is good. Fingers crossed here.

My get up and go has got up, put on lycra and is stood at the backdoor tapping it's feet. I'm meeting a couple of buddies at the seaside for coffee. They are taking a tarmac route, I've devised one which is part gravel and part tarmac. How long this will take is about the same length as a piece of string.

Catch you all later

Oh yes. Behave! No more smut please. I've let you all off for a couple of days. Indulged you I suppose. You know what I'm talking about. Bloomers and Y-fronts OK but beyond this??? Well.........

 

[oldwheels]

Sad but good to read OWs.
When you are younger...... even when you see your own parents get old and die etc it doesn't really get into your head that, one day it will be you ( not you of course, I refer to me).
Married 54 good years but this has come on so quickly.
Onwards and upwards eh!

I took a couple of pics to show what can be done in a tiny space but pushing the building regulations to their limits. The seat can be seen folded against the wall where it is fixed. The half doors fold out and the curtain is pulled round. There are two curtains but only one is needed really. It is bigger and better than the tiny shower cubicles. I am standing in the furthest corner behind the door to give an idea of space.( or rather lack of).
We had been together for 60 years when she died and being realistic it was better she went first as she would have ended in a care home which she hated.

T

 

[Dirk]

Mornimg all

Strewth! It's Fish Friday already.
Off for a stroll down to the village for a paper, then a drive into Barnstaple to the garden centre, picking up F&C on the way back.

 

[Mo1959]

I am back and sat down with brekkie now.

Was a lovely, but chilly walk.

Another pic taken from the top of the hill looking towards the village of Comrie.

 

[Exlaser2]

Morning all . Another 5am start for me as mum had another fall.She’s ok , nothing serious. I had thought with measures the intervention team and her doctors had put in place things were getting better . Oh well , it’s a bit twosteps forward and one step back .

 

[Mo1959]

Morning all . Another 5am start for me as mum had another fall.She’s ok , nothing serious. I had thought with measures the intervention team and her doctors had put in place things were getting better . Oh well , it’s a bit twosteps forward and one step back .

Takes me back. When my dad and step mum were in their last years my heart used to be in my mouth every time the phone went as it was invariably either something like a fall or illness.

 

[numbnuts]

 

[Exlaser2]

Takes me back. When my dad and step mum were in their last years my heart used to be in my mouth every time the phone went as it was invariably either something like a fall or illness.

Cheers mo, that’s exactly how I feel 😀😀