After Retirement

noproblem said:

Sort of, but for Snowflakes really, it melts their gentle little hearteens

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To quote from a Netflix series I watched recently "I ain't no Cupid" but three of the over-60's people who rented our Spanish apartment during winter/spring year after year have met their new non Spanish partner in the south of Spain and are still in long term relationship and now spend several weeks of the year in Spain, the UK and Ireland. I have no intention of changing the name of the apartment to "Lisdoonvarna" (I'm just imagining the Burgessmeister and his side-kick, what's-his-name L... Le . . . Leo or whatever squirming in their seats wondering what I'll say next, but I won't say anything). But, it's a much better option than Tinder, Tender or whatever.

With respect if any retired single person feels like making new friends in the winter/spring, Spain could be the place and take in some sunshine along the way. I've tried to word the post so that I wouldn't have a future Command Performance in the Small Claims Court.

If anybody thinks I'm spiffing, I ain't. [forgive my bad use of English language]

Leper said:

In my attempt to get this subject back on topic I'm going to come clean here and let you all in one of my secrets.

[Roll of Drums; Loud Organ Music and a Clash of cymbals],

After 69 years of trying and throwing in the towel more often than the corner of an under-achieving boxer Leper has learnt to swim properly.

Not just proper breast-stroke, but proper back-stroke, front crawl (with bilateral breathing) and finally can do 1500 metres without stopping. I can do further, but I'm enjoying the experience so much I'm progressing further slowly but steadily. Tumble turns next and that should be interesting!

This didn't just happen overnight. I spent hours in the pool (at quiet times) learning stroke by stroke, proper breathing, good leg propulsion, sound balance and proper positioning of head, shoulders, arms, elbows, hand and stomach (yes stomach!) and of course the strict swivel and recovery.

If you are looking for something to do during retirement, just bite the bullet, swallow a lot of humble pie and take out membership in your nearest clean swimming pool. Incidentally, I lost nearly 3 stone along the way too.

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Swimming is great and really miss it too, great for cardio and all round supplements, but boy do you feel hungry after it....

Sounds the life, must be a truism that as you get older the harder it is to winter in a country, especially ours with dull, dank climate,, love those 'new life in sun' type shows, amazing how many English have decamped to the Mediterranean, be interesting to see the % figures for the Irish....

Leper said:

but three of the over-60's people who rented our Spanish apartment during winter/spring year after year have met their new non Spanish partner in the south of Spain and are still in long term relationship and now spend several weeks of the year in Spain, the UK and Ireland.

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Same partner?

Firefly said:

Same partner?

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Firefly, You're a terrible man! You're calling into question my ultra Roman Catholic Typical Irish Mother Upbringing. Next you'll want me to go to Confession.

Leper said:

Firefly, You're a terrible man! You're calling into question my ultra Roman Catholic Typical Irish Mother Upbringing. Next you'll want me to go to Confession.

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Before or after the connie dodger,

kinnjohn said:

Before or after the connie dodger,

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Mother of the Sufferin' Jehosephat KinnJohn you'll have to explain to those who live within the Pale what a Connie Dodger is. I could do it, but they'd think I'm lecturing them.

This is one of the little things that I love about AAM, people using words that I've never heard of or used before!!
A quick google search informs me a "Connie Dodger" is a small plate sized digestive biscuit eaten during lent
But I'm guessing there might be a different understanding of the name with the good people from the south??

Indeed, in Cork Bishop Cornelius Lucey stipulated that during Lent, only one biscuit could be enjoyed with your tea.
The good bakers of Cork started making biscuits the size of dinner plates to get around the rule.
Hence "Connie Dodgers"

12 posts in response to my 'single and retirement' query but not one actually dealing with it.

Retirement sounds great if you have someone to share it with.

What if you don't?

PaddyBloggit said:

12 posts in response to my 'single and retirement' query but not one actually dealing with it.

Retirement sounds great if you have someone to share it with.

What if you don't?

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It's a bit of a pain really! Not that I want someone but the world is geared towards couples really especially holiday wise, costs way more to get hotel room on your own, haven't looked at apartments but surely the same situation. Definitely not as many options I think unless you are the sort of person who doesn't mind joining all sorts of random clubs for different interests.

I remember my old career guidance teacher telling me not to put the hobbies I actually had on CVs as they were all solitary pursuits, he said it looked bad and I should include more team time hobbies even though I had none! Same would apply now, all hobbies and I have many are ones you do on your own, makes one feel a bit of an outsider sometimes but sure can't change the basic personality make up at this stage!

Just to kick this off from a male retiree,
Hope single retired males share their lifestyles after retiring,
Hope single retired Females share their lifestyles after retiring,

I known several retirees who are single who I meet up with since I retired, the females seem to have a different lifestyle than the males,
When I retired at 62 up until the first covid outbreak from around the first week in April until the end of May I kind of live a single life I travel around Europe, once the weather gets good in Ireland I am ordered back into the fold for the summer,

I used flixbus to travel see their European map I fly to an airport on their route, they do have offers from time to time for 99 euros this allows you to travel anywhere on their European network 6 travel passes, It says on the small print you can only go in one direction, if you travel from London to France you need a different pass if coming back the same way, to get around this I buy 2 off 99 euro travel passes but to be honest, I don't ever remember having to use them, I fly home or fly to Spain to meet up with she who has to be obeyed,


another good site I use is ( the man in seat 61) a great site for anyone single who loves the trains,
You meet lots of retired males from Ireland and UK and USA , some of us meet up every year on our travels,

I walk and hike some of the time other times I hit on an area I like and stay there until I have seen all i want to see and move on,
I regret I did not retire a few years earlier, Ireland is a great place to spend your retirement, I don't know how I ever had time to work there is so much to enjoy and take up your time,

kinnjohn said:

I don't know how I ever had time to work there is so much to enjoy and take up your time,

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That's really great to hear!

Firefly said:

That's really great to hear!

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Just one other thing, I find the Irish weather has improved since I retired It now seems like the same weather we had when I was a child, the funny thing is people still working are always complaining how bad the weather is,

I am late 40's and planning to retire in 10 years time, assuming all goes to plan. Thoroughly enjoying reading about your active lives in retirement. I am mostly worried about boredom after the initial flurry of post retirement activity is over. I am used to an action packed day with work and the kids.

mary poppins said:

I am late 40's and planning to retire in 10 years time, assuming all goes to plan. Thoroughly enjoying reading about your active lives in retirement. I am mostly worried about boredom after the initial flurry of post retirement activity is over. I am used to an action packed day with work and the kids.

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1. I'm sorry that I didn't retire earlier than 65 - understatement too.
2. Out for my nightly walk last evening I was walking behind two "I need to be challenged" Cork Clitterati talking about leadership qualities and how much they had of them and how their staff wouldn't recognise leadership if it hit them in the face. The more I eavesdropped the more I love Mrs Lep.
3. I said it before and I'll say it again, you can't have a rat-race without rats.
4. Like Mary Poppins is worried about being bored - believe me, retirement if done right doesn't recognise boredom.

mary poppins said:

I am mostly worried about boredom after the initial flurry of post retirement activity is over. I am used to an action packed day with work and the kids.

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Hi,

I think this is a valid concern and someone I know who retired recently was in a similar situation and it took them the guts of 6 months to integrate. There are some great tips already in this thread, but I wonder if any of those retired could offer some tips for the first 3 months?

Firefly said:

Hi,

I think this is a valid concern and someone I know who retired recently was in a similar situation and it took them the guts of 6 months to integrate. There are some great tips already in this thread, but I wonder if any of those retired could offer some tips for the first 3 months?

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Get stuck into retirement from Day 1. Nobody is going to retire for you, you've got to get on with your own retirement. Do some of the things you said you'd do during the initial three months. And get on with it. Don't wait for something to happen; make it happen.

GAA clubs are always looking for people to give a hand. Art classes are available nearly everywhere. Tidy the garden. Paint whatever must be painted in the house. Take more exercise. Look up old friends. Bake more, cook more. Read more. Walk more. Get Netflix. Update your record collection with CD's (available in most Charity shops). Get out and enjoy.

Leper said:

1. I'm sorry that I didn't retire earlier than 65 - understatement too.
2. Out for my nightly walk last evening I was walking behind two "I need to be challenged" Cork Clitterati talking about leadership qualities and how much they had of them and how their staff wouldn't recognise leadership if it hit them in the face. The more I eavesdropped the more I love Mrs Lep.
3. I said it before and I'll say it again, you can't have a rat-race without rats.
4. Like Mary Poppins is worried about being bored - believe me, retirement if done right doesn't recognise boredom.

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My main motivation in retiring before 60 is so I can travel and spend most of the winter abroad. I rekon I will have 10 to 15 years of good health and mobility and then chances are the body will want to slow down and ai will spend more time here in Dublin. My financial planning is all geared around making that happen. I would rather have those good years while I still can than store money for the twilight years. I am very much just tolerating the rat race meantime.

Edit to add, Dublin in the summer is a glorious place to be.

Our aim is to split our time between here and the Algarve. January, February, March, and April in Portugal, but I’ll come over and back for the Six Nations games. Mrs Gekko might pop back here and there as well. We’ll always be happy to host close friends and close family.

May to September inclusive in Ireland, with some trips elsewhere thrown in. I agree that Ireland’s a great place in the summer.

October and November in Portugal, with the odd trip over and back to see the kids and to go to the marquee November Internationals.

And then December in Ireland; Christmas and December in Ireland is fantastic.