Bramcote Wine Circle (Pt.1)

[albert smith 803]

I’ve recently been reminded that it’s nearly 25 years since we retired (a bit early in my case) and were faced with the usual problem of what to  do in the empty days & evenings ahead to maintain a degree of fitness, both physical & mental! Basford Hall  Further Education provided the first answer, Dance lessons, Sequence dancing as it turned out and very social as we tried various groups to practice what we had learned. At one group the couple usually behind us in the sequence circle were missing one week and a friendly enquiry “Did you enjoy your holiday”? gave the unexpected answer “Very much, we took a coach party wine tasting in France”. Oh, what social doors were opened by that innocent enquiry as the next evening we joined the Bramcote Wine circle & the Nottingham Wine circle the following week and for the next 10 years enjoyed an annual coach trip to numerous vineyards in France & Germany, absolutely brilliant! The pattern was already established with a 6am start to catch the noon ferry, Dover –Calais, time for a meal & a visit to the ‘duty free’. Back on the coach time for a siesta until 3.30ish when, still with an hour or two of travel to wherever we going, towards the front (posh) end a flask would be opened and ready made ‘G & Ts’ would be on offer, further back bottles from the duty free would be ‘popped’ whilst on the back seat the whisky bottle would be shared with a ‘dry ginger mixer’ if wanted (Shweppes, of course!) Personal glasses in the ‘on board hand luggage was obligatory and, of course, ‘Elfn’safety’ hadn’t arrived yet so the socializing on our coach was a very enjoyable experience and not to be confused with a “booze” cruise. We were just a coach load of friends enjoying each other’s company & a glass or two of wine! The photo’s show the hotel we used on 3 of the trips we made to Germany at Andernach, nice and central for the 6 pre-booked visits to vinyards in the Rhine & Mosel wine growing areas. Ample time was left around midday for sight seeing in the nearby towns ,Boppard, Cochem etc. Very clean too! Shewn  is a very picturesque “Weinhaus” – tasting the wines on offer ( No Plonk as we had 4 wine judges in our party!)- buying (of course)-and enjoying the warm July evening & the local beers in the town centre, just a short walk from the hotel. Alken on the Mosel was also worth the 3 visits we made and then for a finale on the last afternoon a boat trip back down the Mosel & Rhine almost to the door of the hotel has truly left us with a boatload of memories!

      

    

                                                                                      2 B Cont.                                                                                     

[FLY2 10,108]

Cruised the Rhine and the Mosel a few years ago Albert. Boppard , Andernach and several other places were amazing and very friendly people too I might add.

[plantfit 7,597]

Sounds fantastic Albert,now you are giving me some idea's for my impending retirement (maybe earlier than I think) as I said in an earlier post somewhere I wasn't looking forward to retirement having no hobbies or real friend as such but you have given me hope,thanks for that

 

Rog

[Brew 5,417]

8 hours ago, plantfit said:

Sounds fantastic Albert,now you are giving me some idea's for my impending retirement (maybe earlier than I think) as I said in an earlier post somewhere I wasn't looking forward to retirement having no hobbies or real friend as such but you have given me hope,thanks for that

 

Rog

I know exactly how you feel. I hated the thought of retirement, one day you're a working man and the next you're an OAP.

Retirement is the single most boring existence you can think of.

The age thing came just right for me, I refused to retire at sixty five but at sixty seven voluntary redundancy was on the table and they made me an offer I simply could not refuse other wise I'd still be there.

Try fishing they said - nope I think it's cruel. Try Gardening - Can't stand it. Go walking - are you kidding me? Golf - now you are definitely having a laugh.

Tried a gym, oh dear. Set of wallys strutting round preening and puffing out their chest like a Charles Atlas wanna but never will be.

Part time job sir? OK what do you have. I have a BA and a BSc and they want me to collect trolleys from Tesco car park - I think not. Note to employers, our brains still function even after retirement.

I fly a little Cessna and I go clay pigeon shooting but these are not things that will occupy you all day every day. At present I'm doing an advanced motoring course but again it's not an every day thing.

My fully emancipated other half still has six years to go so things may improve when we can 'do stuff' together but my fear is that six years from now I will be 78 and may not be able to do 'stuff'.

 

 

[TBI 2,351]

16 minutes ago, Brew said:

Retirement is the single most boring existence you can think of.

 

Horses for courses, I suppose. I retired when I was 56 and never seem to have a minute to be bored.

[plantfit 7,597]

That just about sums it up Brew,I had planned on staying at work after the dreaded 65 years but recent events might change that idea,I think a part time job and maybe new hobby could be an acceptable solution,when I think about it though I get the same feelings as I did when I was about to start secondary school,a little bit exciting but a lot of fear of the unknown,we'll have to see how things pan out over the next week or so

 

Rog

[MargieH 7,600]

TBI  I think the same as you about retirement....  I don't even think of myself as an OAP - I'm still the same person as I ever was; I just don't have any paid work.  

I never have time to be bored as we are busy with church work and toddler groups, looking after grandchildren for part of the week, gardening when it's fine, reading when I have any spare time (not often at the moment) visiting friends and sometimes having a nap after lunch!   Although I don't have to go to work, I still don't get housework done as often I should - there's a pile of ironing glaring at me right now.... but there's always tomorrow. (well, one day there won't be a tomorrow for me, but I won't be worried about the ironing at that stage!)

I suppose one of my aims in life is to try and help people who are busier than me and make their lives a bit easier.  

Actually, I don't remember ever being  bored in my whole life, come to think of it...  perhaps I'm just lucky?

 

[plantfit 7,597]

Lovely post Margie,I don't think it's the boredom that bothers me It's thinking I am no longer wanted or rather my experience and knowledge are no longer required by an employer,as I said in my other post,see how things pan out,I might feel completely different when that time does actually arrive,I suppose in a way it's the fear of the unknown,but whatever happens I will make the most of it

 

Rog

[Jill Sparrow 10,306]

#6

 

Retirement can't be as bad as secondary school, Rog. Nothing could be as bad as the Manning!  

[Brew 5,417]

I have friends who like me are retired and claim there are not enough hours in the day. Fine, good for them, until you look a little closer. What takes me and hour is taking them most of a morning. In other words they have slowed down so much that to achieve what most people do they need twice as long.

Met an ex colleague in the supermarket, I needed a couple of light bulbs, he went for bread and milk. I tagged along chatting, as you do, but we are now trolling up and down every damn aisle in the place - why? All told we were forty minutes before we went through the check out. I could have done it in less than ten.

[DJ360 6,730]

I suppose we all have different circumstances and different motivations.

 

I took early retirement at 47 after a pretty nasty heart attack.  I don't think I really wanted to retire but my then line manager seemed incapable of grasping quite how much of an effect a thing like that has on you.  I had three months off recovering and as soon as I got back to work he wanted to change my case load and also pile a load of other stuff on me before I'd even got my feet under my desk. The worst was when I was asked to sit in on a pretty high powered meeting of some joint body set up between Careers, Local Authority, Chamber of Commerce and regional Manpower Services or similar. Part way through and completely without warning my boss decided to propose me as Chair of the group.  I was stunned and also speechless with rage, but just mumbled my thanks because I was so incandescent I could do little else.

Next day I called in sick and a week later I applied for early retirement.   It went something like this.  The company Doc looked at my notes and said: "I see you've been off for a few days feeling unwell.. .. nothing specific and no Doctor's note.. ". I said.  " You may want to read further.."  A few seconds later he just said:  " %$&&^£*!!!  I'm surprised you're still here..."  I was never sure whether he meant still in work, or still alive.. but he signed on the dotted line and I retired.

 

I had a long rest and then set about doing other stuff., but I always wondered if I could have handled things better, sought help from the union or something and stayed in my job.  But it was what it was and there was no point in adding regret to everything else.  I did a couple of other things for a few years but then a phone call out of the blue offered me some 'Consultancy' work in Careers.  That led to further work and within months I was back in the Service, but resolutely staying at basic grade.  I didn't want any more team management or functional lead roles.

 

I was happy enough doing this stuff.  Mostly Careers work with adults, until the Govt. pulled the funding for that and I was thrown head first into a Special School.  I'd never done that before but it turned out to be very interesting and challenging work. Sadly, by now the rot was setting in and the Careers Service, had been turned into the Connexions Service. The ethics and beliefs that I went in with were pretty meaningless by then and Govt just wanted to reduce the 'NEET' figures by any means.  There were no principles anymore and it was a constant paper/numbers chase.

By now I was desperate to finally retire.  I was tired and hated what the job I used to love had been turned into.  But I determined to go when I wanted, so I actually fought and won one appeal over redundancy.  They got me with the second round though and I finally finished 8 months before my State Pension kicked in.

 

I'm loving it!  I like the way that I can do nothing all day, or be as busy as I want.  I can go for a walk when I want, or do some DIY, or Gardening or go out somewhere.  I am never, ever bored.  I'm also very content with my status as 'retired'.  I have nothing to prove.

 

My neighbour is retired and rushing about all day everyday.  He looks at his watch constantly and when I ask why he tells me he's got a lot to do but really he seems to me to be just making work.  How many times can you wash the same couple of cars in a week?  He once told me he was going to live a long time because he had a lot to do before he died.  I replied that however much he did he wouldn't get it finished... so why bother trying...

 

That said I don't think that anyone who wants to continue working should be forced to retire purely on age grounds.

 

Col

[plantfit 7,597]

I quite enjoyed my time at the Manning school Jill

 

Rog

[TBI 2,351]

When I was in the world of work, my job had a much responsibility and the hours I worked were long, despite being a highly capable time manager. I am still very good at managing my time and don't expand my tasks to fit time. In fact, time is still at a premium. I am now able to pursue interests and travel that were more limited during my working life. I also have carer responsibilities for my mother who is 94, as well as assisting others. No boredom for me, thank goodness.  

 

Time to do as we want is the most precious thing we have, how can it be be boring?

[LizzieM 9,507]

My parents both worked full-time, Mum went out to work when I was 12 and my brother was 7.  They worked to give us a nice home, good wholesome food on the table and a holiday every year at the seaside.  Dad was 2 years older than Mum and when she retired at 60 she wanted his company at home and persuaded him to take early retirement from the Gun Factory. He finished work when he was 63 and they would go out to National Trust properties, went swimming a couple of times a week and had 2 or 3 holidays in Europe, which was lovely as Mum had never flown before.  They were enjoying their retirement, they'd saved up for it so had no money worries.

Then a couple of years later Mum got very poorly and was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. She passed away within months, aged 64. My Dad was only 66 and alone.  Now he wouldn't have still been working at 66 but he doted on Mum, he had no interests outside the home, he'd even given up going to watch his beloved Notts County.  I tried so hard to get him down to Trent Bridge as they'd previously had season tickets. He didn't want to go alone.  He got a puppy which got him out in the fresh air and  he drove down to stay with us in Hertfordshire regularly but he was lonely.  

The point I'm trying to make is that it's terribly important to have interests that you can enjoy when you get older, unfortunately my Dad couldn't cope without Mum by his side.  He lived for 25 more years, without any sort of social life, despite me coming up to stay with him and taking him to the local pub for lunch, in the hope he would do that on his own.  He didn't! 

We should all take a leaf out of our Albert's book and get out there and do stuff.  Well done that man!!

[MargieH 7,600]

Brew, surely life isn't just 'getting things done'?  Wasn't the chat with your ex colleague in the supermarket possibly just as important as buying the light bulbs quickly?  

Sorry, just my opinion,  but perhaps it's a case of me being too laid back .......? 

You're definitely right about things taking longer to do as you get older, though! 

[FLY2 10,108]

Well I retired six and a half years ago, and have never been so busy. I look back and wonder how on earth I found time to go to work. After 49 years hard work, I don't miss it as I gave my all for those 49 years, and think that I thoroughly deserve some ME time.

[Brew 5,417]

Lizzie may have something and I alluded to it before. Mrs B is eleven years my junior so I'm at home alone for the next six years at least. As I said previously it may get better when we can 'do stuff' together.

Retirement when you are on your own isnot so good.

[MargieH 7,600]

Brew, I never thought about the age-gap thing ... I can understand your situation a bit better now.   Hope you can find a part time job that doesn't just involve pushing supermarket trolleys and will exercise your brain a bit!

[benjamin1945 16,160]

Theres a bigger age gap than that with me.........and she loves me still working at 72.........some take to retirement, some like me don't,...........its an individual thing.........I only do jobs i enjoy, and love what i do,.........and i'll keep doing it while the good Lord allows,makes me feel alive and keeps the Brain and other parts active......don't get me wrong,still see lots of old mates who enjoy their retirement........just not for me...............

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

I am lucky, being self employed I can make choices others can't.

 

When I got to 65 I was able to say right no more Mondays at work. Now I am 70 I do the paper work or if one of the lads needs my old head I'm available but I never get my hands dirty. I do just enough to keep oversight.

 

Also at anytime I can say the wife and I are off for a day, or a week, or a month so really its the best of both worlds. Work when you want, play when you want.

[benjamin1945 16,160]

Spot on NBL..............my sentiments exactly.................

 

Most of my work is on a self employed basis

[FLY2 10,108]

Re #17. My wife is seven years my junior, and only retired three years ago. Therefore I had at least three years on my own. I was never bored, it's just a matter of finding something interesting to do, and organise your routine accordingly. I did, but then had to drastically change when she retired. That was the difficult thing for me ! 

 

[DJ360 6,730]

I do think a bit of time away from each other is probably a healthy thing for retired couples.  Not a problem if you're both working, but when you are both retired it can get a bit tedious both being in the house all the time.  We do stuff together, but I also enjoy days when she's out all day and I can do as I like.  Especially when it comes to playing music.  She seems to be pretty happy for me to disappear for a walk, or out somewhere with the lads, so she can get on with sewing or whatever.

 

Col

[albert smith 803]

Back home, ‘Home brewed wines & beers’ was the hobby and we were soon persuaded to have the demijohns bubbling away on the kitchen worktop, ‘experts’ were on hand to correct early mistakes so that within a year or so we were able to hold our own in annual competitions at other circles where we took our entries in on a Saturday morning, had them judged during the afternoon & then returned in the evening for the results at a very pleasant social dance.

                                                     Even better, of course, was to be placed in the top 4 and get a ‘mention’ or the trophy for a ‘First’, much later on two occasions we actually made “Wine of the Show”, honour indeed!  Spring ‘Bank holiday’ weekend was the “Biggie”, the Wales & West where a holiday camp was taken over for some 400 wine/beer makers with about 3000  entries in over 40 different classes ranging from ‘Loaves to Liqueurs’. Sand Bay Camp near Weston-Super-Mare was the favoured venue for several years and the photo’s show the much stiffer competition in the bottle classes- Barbara showing off her well earned 3^rd. X 61 entries- the Sunday lunch time ‘fuddle’and then the evening meal with our own wines on the table before taking them into the ballroom for the dancing & entertainment. A very generous concession by the management which was very much appreciated  by everyone and making for a very convivial weekend! 

                                                                                                        

[loppylugs 8,429]

Looks like you found yourself a hobby that really fits in with your retirement, Albert.

 

At least half of my working life was spent as a self employed electrical contractor.  Then in the ministry.  Although I was officially an employee the ministry is unique in that you are pretty much responsible to handle your time yourself.  No official start or stop time.  Plan your own schedule.  As long as things are getting done the folks are happy enough.  In that sense it is good training for retirement because that tends to be more of the same.  I still fill in for the preacher at our church if he has to be away so that occupies some days.  I've always been into fixing stuff, gardening and keeping the computer running so that keeps busy to the point where there are not enough hours in the week.  I was fortunate I suppose, to find a hobby which has tended to consume any spare time when I'm not doing all the other stuff.  I always wanted to learn to play piano and took lessons for a year.  Then, I shifted to the organ which I have always enjoyed listening to.  The bug really bit and I expect to keep at it for the rest of my life.  I will never be a great musician, not even close, but it does occupy the mind in learning music which is like another language and physical / muscular co-ordination.  I recommend music for anybody.  Whatever instrument and style you prefer.  Any other hobby is fine too.  Just keep occupied is the primary thing I think.

 

I tried retail for a while (mobile phone store) I owned the business so was still self employed but I found I didn't really like it.  You were pressured between the customer and the mobile phone company.  Could never get away.  So I sold the store and got out of it.  So many things to do, so little time.