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| Practising Guitar by Candlelight during Earth Hour |
"Stay curious and open to life. No matter what happens keep learning and growing. Find what you love to do and find a way to share it with others."
The Husband is teaching himself the guitar, since he re-strung his old folk acoustic last month. He uses apps on his phone for tuning and chord positions. He practises in the living room most mornings, and sometimes again in the evening, while I sit pooting or reading (zoning in and out). I have always been surrounded by musicians practising so this is no problem for me. It feels quite usual.
He is making good progress. He has also taught himself to bake bread, and even bagels. He is building me a wonderful new project, but that is a secret for now, and will be the subject of a later post. Since retiring he has also refitted our kitchen with my help, and put in fitted furniture in our bedroom.
I have redecorated both rooms. He helps me and I help him. It feels good that way.
I have joined a local festival choir, but haven't been to all the rehearsals. My SAD makes it very tough to leave the house after dark and go out into the cold. Sometimes I just cannot force myself to do it, but I don't beat myself up about it. It is what it is, an episodic condition. It'll pass, and reappear. I work round it. I don't want choir to be a chore, and anyhow I am a good sight-reader and a fast study. When concert day comes I'll be as ready as anyone else.
Sometimes we spend social time with other humans, but not often. We have The Dog and The Birds and they make their presences felt. Sometimes we even leave the house, but not often, and mostly for provisioning. Or a trip to the seaside, because it is there...
And so has passed our first retired Winter in Wales. It wouldn't suit everyone, but it is a description, not a prescription. We have found we have fallen into it rather well. But we may do everything completely otherwise next winter, who knows. A lot can change, and almost certainly will.
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteSounds like a home to me! Now you've got us all intrigued about the secret project too....
Have a lovely weekend. YAM &>
You too, Yam.
DeleteIt is a Long Felt Want, the project, and will be a long time in the making. The bare bones are up. The fittings and finish will take time.
Home is Good. Never underestimate HOME.
GOL
We've lived in each other's pockets for many years and it's worked out well despite my volcanic temper.
ReplyDeleteThere's always something to talk about, the animals to look after and enjoy, books to read...
You're definitely following in your big sister's footsteps in this respect. :-) Despite being nomadic in normal years, DH and I are also home-birds too, very content in each other's company for days on end. Your first retired winter sounds contented and fulfilling and I don't think anyone can ask for more.
ReplyDeleteAs for this project let's see if I can winkle it out of you when we have tea tomorrow. :-)
You will see it immediately if you go upstairs to the loo. No winkling necessary...and it is NOT in the loo.
DeleteThat is a frank admission, Fly, thank you. My volcanic temper is much less in evidence and less likely to spray my beloveds with rocks and molten lava since the main core was unblocked in the 1990s, when I Got Divorced. Now it just bubbles occasionally, and the slight sulphorous miasma warns others to head for (other) hills if an eruption is likely. I was much angrier when I wasn't allowed to be angry at all (in marriage #1).
ReplyDeleteThe Dog detects the changed tone in my voice immediately (it is TONE not volume, as we are quite loud all the time as The Husband is rather deaf, has been since childhood) and scoots upstairs to hide under the guest bed. He is One Smart Puppy.
The Husband rides a storm very well, if needs be. He has quite a bit of yachting experience (literally), and also figuratively, as he too has been married before.
It also helps that The Husband is the most reasonable creature I ever met. Kudos to him...
The dogs usually gather round for a good look when I 'blow'....
ReplyDeleteIf he enjoyed strength in numbers The Dog might stick around and point and laugh, but he prefers to head for his cave...
DeleteSounds like you have real contentment in your life now. Continue enjoying your retirement.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. The great joy has been watching The Husband putting out feelers into the world of hobbies and pass times and deciding how to fill his day at a leisurely pace since he gave up work. This started in earnest once we had sold his house back in Southern England and moved full time to Wales. The sale was finalised at the end of September, so that is the first six months of the rest of our lives already done!
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