Any Suggesstions Please

Carmen54 You are not “alone in the world” - there are hundreds if not millions just like you. Count me in.

Since I retired I discovered that if I have fulfilling, busy and satisfying weekdays, I look forward to having low key, relaxing weekends (except for occasional dinners, birthdays, etc.)

There are many good ideas here for you. You need to go in search of like-minded groups - after you determine what your interests are. It will take some mental and physical work to search this out.

Friends are around the corner!

Years ago I volunteered at the local hospital radio. They needed people to go round wards to get requests and to man the hospital shop and join events to raise funds. I also did a programme there for a few years. You get to learn how to use the equipment. It's changed quite a lot since then though.

I was also pack helper for a local Brownies group for a while. Not Brown Owl, just a helper to have ideas and help at meetings. And then I helped at their jumble sales and events and was chair of the local association of guides and brownies for a while. I also belonged to an amateur dramatic society. They need off stage help as well as actors if you don't fancy acting. Wardrobe and scenery help.

I remembered another thing too. I volunteered at a primary school to go in one day a week to hear children read. Some needed extra practise. For some of the things I've suggested you need a criminal record check. It's generally if you're interacting with vulnerable people.

Check out your local hospital. They often need volunteers for all kinds of things from looking after patients' flowers to making them a cuppa to fundraising events. I volunteer at our hospital radio station doing their social media and broadcasting the news and it fills my weekends!

What a pity more people don't have your attitude. So many people complain that they are bored/lonely, as though it is someone else's fault. Keeping busy and using your mind helps with mental and physical health.
There are plenty of charities looking for helpers...if you don't have a dog of your own, you could offer to walk other peoples. Just getting out and being part of what is going on is very therapeutic.

I oft go off ‘flaneurin’ I call it that cos it sounds a tad euro 🤭 I walk around places looking at buildings and locales and enjoy the spaces and places… folk are oft inclined to aim for the ‘end-of’ on walks and forget the journey… I love just trundling, meandering and just ‘being’… this for me is both interesting and inspiring and I tend to feel free of life’s ‘drudges’… finally I have a thing now about rushing, I say ‘no rushing’ to self, reason being I’ve done far too much rushing and a slow pace is the secret to my well-being…

I just did 1000 piece jigsaw,haven’t done one for years,I was surprised how much I enjoyed it,apparently it’s good for your brain.I started a book exchange years ago which morphed into a fun group of friends,not many have real books now but we recommend things we have read and enjoyed or not,we meet once a month.