How do you occupy a Husband.

I’m sure you will enjoy doing them Littleannie. Thanks Bradford for your further info.

I am going to do one on Mindfulness and Meditation when it is next on offer.

Talking Books, with headphones? Netflix, with headphones?

His favourite music, with headphones?

Thank you BradfordLass72 for the information. I am happily browsing.

To anyone else interested in free, online courses, Google "MOOC" = Massive Open Online Courses.

Most of the world's top universities now offer courses using different platforms. I prefer Future Learn as it's easier for me to use with my dodgy eyes.

www.coursera.org/
www.futurelearn.com
www.edx.org/

I have done courses on everything from Forensic Science, Archaeology, History and Psychology to Nutrition, Computer Science and How the Brain works.

Pretty much every subject you can think of is listed.

NanKate- Your suggestion regarding free courses intrigued me. Having found lots on Google, I have looked at the free courses available on Open University. There are lots of interesting ones. I particularly like some of the Nature and Environment ones. I am definitely going to study some of these. A whole new interest for me. Many thanks for bringing these courses to our attention!

Sorting photos sounds good. Its one of those jobs you plan to do on winter evenings and never get round to.

Get him to sign up to a FREE Future Learn course from Sheffield uni. Each course involves just a few hours a week for a few weeks course. I did one on avoiding falls. There are all sorts of subjects, history, health, art. I am sure there will be one on gardening.

Each course has short videos, quizzes, info in the topic. Someone on GN told me that had done dozens (well a lot) of free courses. You only pay if you want a certificate for £62.00 which some folk do if they are doing the course as part of their Continuing Professional Development.

@MiniMoon Get him a tablet to plan out gardening ideas - walk abouts via google earth etc ..

I read the OP with interest. I have an ulterior motive as I have a hernia and didn't know that keyhole surgery was possible so I will investigate. I wish my husband was still here to annoy me!

Crosswords. Sudoku. Gardening mags. And for you? Going out and escaping his grumbling inertia!

My late DH used ago drive me to drink with non-stop boxed sets of old comedy series, MASH, Sharpe, the Avengers and various other programmes. He used his poor health as an excuse to stay at home and be inactive. The tv went on as soon as he was up, and stayed on until he went to bed. Arguing with him was futile, so I learned to live with it. The silence was deafening after he died! Our local hospice gratefully received his collection.
Surviving your DH’s enforced idleness for a few days is survivable, I’m sure.
I am not looking forward to my own 6 weeks of post hip replacement, when I won’t be allowed to drive. The family will all be at work during the day, so I will have to find ways to gently amuse myself. Gransnet will be invaluable then!

YouTube kept me entertained for months during a rehab last year. There are learning videos on every subject and I am sure he would find lots on gardening which might even teach him something new.

Card games? Sudoko? Could he write his memoirs?

Does he use the Internet? If so there are lots of free to use sites that have crosswords, wordsearch and similar puzzles on.

Some of you are so naughty I'm sure that won't help the hernias

BradfordLass I was just about to suggest a 'project' to redesign a part of the garden when you beat me to it. If that's his passion then he could look through catalogues to choose plants. Draw up the designs. Visit the garden centre to source plants.

As long as he doesn't start 'chomping at the bit' and start lugging stuff around before he is fixed.

Word of warning. We just had flooring/carpet laid and the fitter was recovering from a hernia. He told us he originally went back too soon. Set him back another 8 weeks. So be warned. Make sure it's all just catalogues and ideas at this stage.

I wish him well MiniMoon

And what's wrong with being driven to drink

Not sure why you should expect to 'occupy' your husband. He is an adult and can surely decide what he wants to do with his time.

My DH has had several surgeries all necessitating no exertion or lifting. It does pose a problem if they are normally active. I did have to become the 'head ' gardener and this infuriated DH watching me weeding, cutting grass etc. I also became the entertainment officer playing card games, chess any kind of board game at all as well as organising outings which did seem to be well received as out of normal environment. I did manage to get him to clean out some low level areas in his shed with me doing the moving of anything heavy he came across. Good luck and hopefully a speedy recovery for you both.

Something arty? Maybe an adult colouring book? Watercolour painting? Pottery to paint for the garden?

There are loads of really interesting garden websites and utube videos out there which he might like to look at to pick up tips ready for when he can get back in the saddle again. Some are of American origin but they are still very good. Get him to google Hollis and Nancy's Homestead. Lots of new ideas to think about.

Charleygirl5 love your comment. I live with someone who can navigate by the stars but all the sophisticated equipment in the world would fail to find the kitchen for him.

My husband is the quiet creative type who would happily draw and paint for hours. Now if it was ME who had to be inactive it would be quite a different story....!

Haven't you any old photograph albums to go through, perhaps digitalise, or just write in names or dates or decide what you want to keep and what is going out?

Boxes of stuff to sort?

Have you heard of the Shed Association? They are all over the place. He could meet with other retired men and see what's on offer. It wouldn't have to involve heavy lifting and he might just meet other interesting blokes with time on their hands...

My husband likes puzzles such as the middle of the Daily Mail. How about a colouring book and some pens or even a box of watercolours and some paper. Really cheap in The Works

When my husband had the same surgery, he walked down the garden twice the next day. The day after that he walked up the road and back. He is 83. It is important to keep moving after an operation so you don't develop DVT.
I have had several major abdominal operations. I make myself walk down the ward the day after, instead of lying in bed feeling sorry for myself. I'm sure it helps a speedy recovery.