To know that - I know what I don’t want to do ....

Miss adventure and Bridgeit I am with you I do like doing things but I Donington particularly want a group to be doing things more a group to be with. I guess that would be making friends?

National Women's Register. We meet in each others houses and discuss many and varied topics. We also eat out, have theatre visits etc but it is much less formal than WI and a lot cheaper.

Yes, what is NWR!?

Great thread. Thank you for the suggestions of Futurelearn....I’ve signed up and started a course!

Please, Stoker what IS the NWR - it can't be the Great North Run as someone said upthread! Or did I miss the explanation somehow?

My Meet Up groups (I belong to two) organise very different activities which you are free to go to or not as you wish, lots of theatre, meals out, coffee mornings, visits to NT Properties & weekends away etc. One group is over 60s, some men & more women but the men definitely don't treat it as a "pick up" group. The other group is a very varied membership, young, singles, couples & quite a few older members.

I'm one of life's do what I please, when I please. Not into exercise classes but I do try to get out for walks. I read, do crosswords, sudoku, enjoy gardening & recently been meeting friends to travel in England.

Some days I just like to "veg", nothing wrong with that

Our grandparents didn't have this problem. Once their children had left home, and Grandad was retired, they basically took to their armchairs by the fire. Most of them never felt the need to have hobbies.
On the whole, our generation is much healthier and more active, and I'm grateful for that. Now that I've had my hip replaced I'm busy taking off the weight that crept on through inactivity. I've enrolled in an exercise class, aqua aerobics, and have signed up with the local gym. I'm also walking more, and take part in a games and indoor kurling group with U3A. All this activity means that I have less time for housework - which is a bonus!
I've always sung in choirs, for many years, and I think that contributes to my mental and physical health, and occupies at least two evenings a week. Have you considered joining a Community Choir, Bridgeit? Don't say that you have a terrible voice, because everyone says that - and most people have a perfectly adequate one. Singing together is enormous fun.
I hope that you find something that takes your fancy, Bridgeit, but I'm a great believer in curling up with a good book, some knitting, or the tv as well. We all need to relax. Your cream bun sounds very tempting, but I will resist the temptation until I reach my target weight, then maybe have one to celebrate!
Good luck in your search!

I go to a weekly knitting group and a monthly book group. Have made friends with 2 ladies from the book club to have coffee with. I also help out at my local church ( I am a church goer anyway) and have made friends there. I relocated 3 years ago and it took a lot of effort to find new friends but I am getting there! I do go back to Wales for regular meet ups with old friends and one of them comes to stay with me. They are the people I feel most comfortable with. I work 2 days a week but enjoy all the rest of the stuff I do in my spare time. A book or tele when I can’t be bothered.

I know exactly how you feel Bridget

how do we get our "getupandgo" back

if I had that.,, I used to like knitting, reading, even messing around on the piano, (not at all playing the piano!) so usually watch tv. well have it running

recently started jigsaws... have you tried that? I find it stops my "thoughts" from whirling,,,,
I do force myself to go a walk occasionally, showers catch me out.... so I don`t always go.. I hate walking alone,, and no I don`t have a dog,, I fear I am too old now...

Ooh Gilly - that set up sounds perfect

Learn the piano? Best thing I did in terms of ‘classes’ I started at 52 -I’m pretty good now?

I’d second the NWR. All groups are slightly different, ours has a Scrabble afternoon once a month and trips out to various places, cinema etc.
They are a friendly lot.
I’ve also learnt how to play ukulele three years ago and joined several groups. We play for charity, visiting nursing homes, etc.
We mostly play during the day but there are some evening events if you are happy to venture out
Its really good fun.

MissAdventure's posts are often humorous and her first one on this thread is very pithy and droll.

Oops Silly me !! It’s The Great North Run.

A group for a natter and slouch sounds divine. As younger generations rush around doing more and more are we feeling guilty about doing less and less and so feel it necessary to find things to do. I do not much and am quite content.

I tried volunteering and, aside from it being so difficult to get into, with forms to fill in, references required etc, which is tricky when you’re retired, I was bored. The tasks were pretty tedious and having been used to being a manager, found it hard not to be and my brain wasn't stretched.

I started Pilates and now I do Zumba, Zumba Gold, Flex and Tone, Barre, aerobics, yoga as well. That’s improved my social contacts too, having moved to the coast when I retired.

No, I am the opposite. Already do a lot but got so many more things I'd like to do, courses to study, classes to take, hobbies, etc. and not enough days in the week.

Can someone tell me what GNR is?

I too have tried various things since retirement and find I was doing them just for the sake of doing them so I stopped. I have been a member of a U3A for seven years, six where I used to live and one in Scotland where we moved to a year ago. You can try out all the groups and if they’re not your “thing” you don’t have to keep going. You probably need something to create a spark within you. For me it was watching Portrait/Landscape Artist of the Year on Sky Arts. It reminded me of how much I used to love drawing as a child and young adult but gave up when motherhood came along. I researched what I needed and started drawing again. I’m so happy that I did. Maybe you could resurrect something you loved doing as a child. Good luck.

I swim and do tai chi daily. I've done the latter over many years in various classes whenever I moved house, but now know the short form well enough to do it daily alone. It is good for balance and calmness and you find new things in it to improve each time you do it.

It would mean going to a class for long enough to learn the form and it is better in a group too. It is just that I do it first thing and the group is not at that time, and I'm not keen on the current teacher in the club I go to.

Alternatively what about volunteering at something? There are swimming groups for people with disabilities, or children with disabilities. Or what about a local gardening club? Or get an allotment?

MisAdventure - I tried my local “meet-up” group, but although a few women were very friendly, it did tend to be rather cliquey - and the two or three men who attended seemed to think it was a dating/pick up site!! I have a couple of very close friends who I see quite often, but since retiring, I have mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing some days - it’s great! I do have a “significant other” who I see at weekends and once or twice during the week, but we don’t live together (my choice). After reading about all these energetic people, I shall take myself off for a walk while it’s still sunny!

LOVE my Yoga- have done it since my 20s & would not miss it now. Keeps me very supple.
Don't dismiss this out of hand but have you tried W.I.? Find one with younger members & you may be very surprised. The one I belong to now ( I gave up the more elderly one!!) has great meetings, outings, clubs etc & as it is in the evening I get a regular night out too, I really enjoy it & have made lots of friends.

Yes...we're living in an age of must dos! I wonder what toll the stress of all these "must dos" takes on our health? )

Bradford I was going to mention futurelearn too. I love it and its rare that I dont have at least one course on the go!! I fit them in while waiting to pick my disabled son up from college!

Please don't give up unless you want to sit all day watching TV.
You don't say how old you are. I never have enough time in the day to sometimes even do housework. I'm not a great group person except for Reading ~Group and writing group. To get back your interest in reading, find a local group. You're doing two things, books and socialising. Make sure the group is not too large. I have just finished my first novel and getting it published on Amazon, and have two more in my head. I'll often write for the sake of it because I enjoy getting my thoughts down. We only get jaded if we want to.
Learn something new. It might be hard to start with but always give it a 3 or 4 time go. I'm 84 and nowhere near giving up. Good luck Karen