Whats it really like living alon

There is no clear answer OP .... because we are all different. Personally, I love living alone. Adore visitors, but have had enough after 2 days. Adore my DD's ( who I do get to see often at the moment ...but that has not always been the case, due to distances ) but would go mad if they moved back in with me!

It depends on whether one is an introvert or extrovert ..... and the correct definition of that is not how outgoing we are at parties, but actually whether we re-charge batteries quietly by ourselves or with a busy social life. I am an introvert so living alone means I feel happy, confident and rested most of the time and so can really have fun socialising, knowing I am going home to "my space". To be honest, I would not choose to share that space with anyone again (and I was married for a looong time!) Even extroverts can be happy singles if they have adequate recharging opportunity outside the home.

However, some people can be terribly terribly lonely..... so it might be kind to knock on your elderly neighbours door, and see if she might like a little company.

The biggest issue is that the world doesn't really like people, over a certain age, not to be in a couple.

diane CHEEKY

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Check out Rebecca the Lurcher abd Summer Pudding by Andrew Simpson; also my small country living by jeanine mcmullen..all sadly out of print but wonderful stories about lurchers. May be able to get them on Amazon perhaps. I'll check out the book you mention, mollie. thanks [sorry about lack of capitals; bit tired and starting to flag....]

crimson lurchers are fun whether you are alone or not
to appreciate their qualities the book 'Walking Ollie' by Stephen Foster is a great read on living with a lurcher - had me laughing out loud
gracesmum did not for a moment suggest (if you read what I wrote) that a lightbox would help with grief - I was highlighting its efficacy in helping with dark nights/lack of light.

I live five minutes away from four of my five children and see them irregularly, probably about once every couple of months. My eldest daughter has asked me to go to the Theatre with her twice in the last twelve months the others tend to only see me when they want something eg baby sitting. So you see living nearer doesn't neccessarily mean you see them more often. And yes I sometimes feel lonely. My sister said I shouldn't rely on them for company but it is not that. Ijust enjoy the rare occasions when I see them.

I've been alone now for a week, through choice. Needed to get away and sort out some family business. I've really enjoyed the peace and quiet, not having to think about others, or feed people. I can choose what time I get up and go to bed. But I don't like being alone in the house at night.

I have family up here and have been visiting them today. I didn't remember to leave a light on so came home to a dark Flat. I know if I lived alone permenantly I'd want a dog, a biggish one.

I go home at the end of the week and will appreciate having MrJ bumbling around and seeing my grandchildren again. I feel really sory for those who have lost a much loved husband and are finding it hard to be alone, especially at this time of year.

Nutmeg was so sorry to hear you lost your husband quite early, I always worried that would happen to me, My sister lost her husband 3 years ago and she took it extremly bad, but she was the sort that was prepared to look for another, we she has now found,not sure I would, think I would be more like you, but you have yourself and it is important, I think to value ones self. Best wishes to you..

Well I'm taking that as a compliment - I've never had a stalker before! Grin and wink again.

sel a must stop starking you but a lot of the threads i dont read .just when you pop up ,

Hi london hope that smiley face is for me! You made me laugh about the knitting. I'm typing on my phone so smiley faces are too bothersome. But a grin and a wink to you!

glammanana that sounds great ,pity i live in the north east or i would be poping in [smil]

greatnan I do love reading about your life and the fabulous discriptions of your area it must be spectacular at the moment,as you know here I live in a supported housing development (I am the baby of the residents)and now this year for the first time I have taken all the telephone nos. of all the residents just to keep in touch in case anyone feels lonely mr.g. and I are only one of two couples here every one else is single so 14 people who live alone, some are not always home most days but there are the odd few that I worry about even though they have warden visits.So we will make sure everyone is OK not just during the winter months but all the time,to-morrow I have arranged a Christmas lunch for most of the neighbours and we start the knee's up about 1pm so if anyone is in New Brighton feel welcome to drop in for a tipple or three.

Tell more about your lurcher mollie; a few sighthound fans on here .

Sorry mollie65 - I know lightboxes are great for sufferers from SAD and glad it works for you, but try telling that to someone who has just been widowed after 45 years of happy marriage. My MIL was the least self-pitying person on this planet, even up to her 80's she was out doing meals on wheels, room guiding for the National Trust, always having people to lunch as she was such good company, but elderly people do not like going out as much in winter when it is dark and no lightbox was going to make the winter evenings shorter.

Breakdown cover is included with car insurance in France - it is very good, and even when I had a problem when visiting England, they sent out a local garage to get me going.

Being on my own I have home start, I think it's a must!

Perish the thought, Maniac. It's bad enough having to de-ice the car. When my ex was still around, he would have been as much use as a chocolate teapot when anything to do with the car cropped up. Being clueless suited him!

I have the smallest 4 x 4 - a Fiat Panda Climbing and I have a winter service every November to make sure all the fluids and the tyres are right for winter in the Alps. It has been a bit difficult to get out of the car parking here for a couple of weeks, as the snow plough sometimes forgets to clear it. Once I get onto the road to the village, I just drive slowly and carefully. Actually, the snow plough throws up a wall of snow about four feet high at the side of the road, so the steep drops on the bends are not scary! This is my third Winter in the Alps but I lived for several years high in the Pyrenees, so I am quite used to driving on snow and ice.
It is very beautiful here at the moment, like a picture post card - I just wish I could post my photos, which I have no trouble in posting on Facebook.
The severe weather has brought out the best in people, as it tends to do, and my neighbour, whom I have never met before, came out when I was digging out my car and said he was organising a team to help any resident who needed it. He gave me his phone number to send to my daughter in New Zealand as she worries that there is nobody nearby in case of emergency.
My daughter cannot stand cold, as she suffers from Rayneaud's Disease, and she was urging me to move to the Mediterranean coast again. I explained to her that I hate the arid scenery of Provence and I find the cold invigorating.
I wear several layers of clothes when I need to free the car, but I find shovelling snow soon gets me warm!

living alone can be hard on a day like today when the car won't start.- battery completely flat. It's in the drive on charger but I'm not optimistic.It's very cold and damp.Trouble is I only do short journeys.and I'm not on AA Homestart.
Fortunately I don't need to go out this week apart from concert in Bristol tomorrow to which I'm going on bus.
I do wonder how Greatnan keeps going in the ice and snow.

read all the posts with great interest and felt I identified with so many of the views.
I brought up my son from 2 years old on my own but always worked (not always easy in the 70s) and the biggest wrench was when he left home for University and when he got married some years ago (he is now 38) so I have got used to being on my own (not lonely) and keep busy doing what I want to do. He lives fairly close with my dear Grandson and I see them regularly but we were never an 'in your pocket' family (or should I call it close knit) that most people seem to think is desirable.
the idea had been mooted about moving in together with a 'granny annexe' but I have no plans to go down that route! (unless it becomes essential)
I have a nice little house a lunatic lurcher dog and a garden to potter in and FREEDOM to do what I want when I want.
Dark days/evenings can be helped with a SAD lightbox - helps me a lot.

nutmeg .

How different we all are - thank goodness. I have no commitments of any kind but I don't find the week stretching emptily ahead of me. I just revel in my freedom to decide each day whether I want to take a long walk in the mountains, go exploring other villages or historic towns in my car, spend the day reading or watching TV, listening to Radio 4, playing music tapes, doing sudoku, telephoning my daughter, sister or grand-daughter, or taking part in the multi-faceted Gransnet, or my other forums.
I spent many, many years working to somebody else's timetable, having to be in a certain place at a certain time - now I have freedom!

nutmeg Out of such a difficult time, it is good to read of your contentment now.
Like your name, by the way.