<p>Katliamom: the sleeping till noon would be great…can you do that? l am awake before 7 whether I want to be or not and on the rare occasions when I take a sleeping pill, I still wake up at 7…hate it!</p>
<p>I will have to fill the hours from 6am until 6pm which are now the hours dedicated to commute and work. Some will be filled by sleep and just an easier morning getting ready for the day. I plan more gym time, more sports golf, bowling, kayaking and hiking. I want to take some classes at the local college on occasion. Through in a movie once a week. I might even start a small business with limited clients.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is totally incomprehensible to me. You say you are a computer programmer. If computer programming is your favorite thing to do and you are forced into retirement, why not plan to continue to do programming, say, on a volunteer basis for a non-profit, or, on your own independent projects, or, in collaboration with other retirees (or students) with similar skills? I know very little about the field but it seems like there would be endless opportunities to find interesting programming projects if that is what you want to do in your free time. Or to find other activities that engage similar parts of the brain. Why the defeatist attitude? </p>
<p>I retired several years before DH and structured my time around taking classes, volunteer work, taking care of the house and new dishes to cook, and exercise. Since he retired in 2010, we Play Bridge (4+ times a week) and Go to the Gym (almost every day). He and I share the housework (except I cook, which is fine) but the house doesn’t need as much attention any more. The only thing I feel a bit guilty about is that we watch a couple of hours of TV most nights (never used to watch much at all) but at least I’m learning more about old movies and popular culture!</p>
<p>Packmom, will you adopt me? Failing that, where are you located!</p>
<p>^^^ Agreed, I want to live Packmom’s lifestyle! </p>
<p>Too many morning people here. 10:00 am is plenty early to get up, especially when you finish a fiction book in the wee hours. I hated it when I had to get up early. .H gets up early and usually runs before it gets too hot- ir works that we overlap but each more or less has most of the house to oneself part of the time.</p>
<p>There is a study that just came out that people who stay up late are smarter. So it’s all good. :)</p>
<p>Smarter but prone to depression.
Once H retires I wont be woken up by his alarm going off at 3:30 am.
Especially appreciated, because I just took the dog out at 1:30 am so he can patrol the backyard.
( his schedule is every two hours)
On days that I mostly stay home my schedule is like this.
Mornings I have breakfast and go swimming, after organizing the paperwork to be done later.
Maybe throw in a load of laundry or fix a marinade for dinner.
After swimming, have quick lunch and take the dog on the trails around the beach.
Finish making dinner and work in the yard.
Watch the news & take walk in the neighborhood with H & the dog, after dinner.
Remember the paperwork and decide I will do it tomorrow.</p>
<p>I used to be a nightowl but life (babies and jobs) have turned me into a morning person. I guess I got dumber. :)</p>
<p>I loathe getting up early, unless I went to bed early and just felt rested enough. I hate waking up to an alarm. I have spent so much of my life getting up at 2:30am, 3,3:30,4, or working through the night, that to sleep in is such a treat.</p>
<p>I did have one of my theoretical retirement days yesterday. Hiked part of the way around Mt Rainier on the Wonderland trail, 17 miles. Long day, but very beautiful.</p>
<p>I go to back late, maybe 11ish on weekend but still get up at 7-8a.m naturally. The day is half over if I get up at 10am. But I do nap in the afternoon which is a secret to a longevity.</p>
<p>“But I do nap in the afternoon which is a secret to a longevity”</p>
<p>Is that actually true, @DrGoogle? I really enjoy napping in the afternoon, with my dogs right on top of me, pinning me down on the couch. It is really hard to get up with those dogs deep in the snuggle, they actually hold you down with their little paws, and look at you accusingly if you try to get up. But I generally feel guilty about being so lazy with so much to do…though if it’s the secret to longevity, well…great excuse.</p>
<p>I can’t take naps, but my dog likes to stand on me. What is that about? ( he puts a paw on my foot, so I can’t get away)</p>
<p>Yeah, he knows who the boss is. And it’s him, you’d better stay put! I can tell from his picture, he wins.</p>
<p>Per laundry, there will be more if our bodies are still in decent shape to exercise. Increased exercise results in increased laundry. (We both have business casual workplaces, so not so bad now with the kids gone… but not time to exercise much.) </p>
<p>From these sources
<a href=“Ikaria Greece Longevity Secrets”>Ikaria Greece Longevity Secrets;
</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.aarp.org/health/longevity/info-06-2010/how_to_live_a_longer_happier_lifesubhed__longevity_expert_robert_butler_has_the_answers.html”>http://www.aarp.org/health/longevity/info-06-2010/how_to_live_a_longer_happier_lifesubhed__longevity_expert_robert_butler_has_the_answers.html</a>
</p>
<p>Now I know why there is another reason why I love fresh flowers</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>But I usually nap longer than 30 minutes, but I stay up a little later when I do.</p>
<p>I like it!</p>
<p>I remember you Garland. And I think I remember Thumper too. I was talking with DH and brought up in 2004 I was on CC parents forum all the time. And I haven’t been here in …at least 8 years ! or more! I just thought to take a look. Some interesting threads…
Did your kids finish college? Married? Grandchildren?
Yeah. retirement is good. The volunteer work is good…I do sort of caretaker work for a park for volunteer work. It’s very difficult work but created a number of gardens…I also think it’s really important to be physically active. I walk/run at least 3 xs a week for 3-4 miles. It’s good for your body and soul. The drawback is…u get really tired. That plus the outdoor volunteer work. But u sleep well! ha ha ! </p>