Looking forward

I was chatting to a neighbour yesterday, he is retired and told me his wife is retiring next year when she is 60.
They have decided to do this now the goalposts have been moved yet again.
They plan to travel, first is a trip to Australia then touring the west coast of America, possibly doing Hawaii.
They will plan further when they have done those.
How different to 50/60 years ago when retirement meant a vastly reduced income and an end to a full life.

That would be Kerrys? Bodnant caravan park? Was the weather good - it’s a lovely part of the country when sun is shining and stunning on crisp autumn mornings or frosty wintry days but I hate the rain - hence my little place in Spain for frequent escapes!

Pantglas2 we once stayed on a campsite in Nebo Rd.

How lovely BBbevan! I went to school in Llanrwst and now live on the coast near Conwy but still have friends and family up the valley.

A meal out to celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary at the weekend.
Two theatre trips next week. A streamed NT production of One Man Two Guvnors and a local rep production of The Tempest.
Then, a couple of weeks after that we are having a little holiday in North Wales. That will set us up for half term and grandchildren . ☺

Pantglas we are off to the Conwy valley at the beginning of October. Near Llanrwst. Absolutely love it there. Then down south to a wedding and then home to SWWales. No Christmas plans as yet. DD due major surgery before then so we will see how it goes.

It had to happen, someone complaining because some people on GN happen to be healthy, not widowed, and can afford to go on holiday.

It happens every time. We are expected to be full of compassion for those with problems - and we genuinly are, but as soon as someone admits that their life is not end to end misery, someone complains.

Why is there no delete option?
I think this thread will make a lot of us feel bad.
We don't all have the health, means or husbands to do things with.
I hope to have a small operation, then family home for a birthday and then hunker down for the dark evenings.

I think this thread will mame a lot of us feel bad. We dont all have the means or husbands to do these things

Wow! Thank you. A real mix of highbrow and homespun, arty and ambitious...
I think many retirees have a much broader and active social life than youngsters think.
I hope you all enjoy the most wonderful times and possibly show us a photo or two, if you feel inclined.

Home from Spain to lovely north Wales in 10 days time and I’m actually looking forward to a proper autumn with crunchy leaves underfoot and the stunning trees in the Conwy Valley changing colour through green to gold.

Then off to stay with friends in Greece for a week in mid October before returning home for DH op. If he’s fixed promptly we may make it back to Spain for the first Christmas here in four years - fingers crossed!

Maw I did an MA in Art History when I retired. You will love your course, and great you are doing it. CH has just reminded me of something (he reads the forums with me to help me) As we went out yeterday to something that was not actually due to be held for another 4 weeks we visited a bookshop instead where I found a magical book of Rembrandts complete works. A huge book with the most amazing colour plates. I coveted it but at a discounted £99 moved on!! Enjoy

Over wintering in NZ. Dreading the journey but it will undoubtedly be my last trip there. After a lifetime of backpacking independently my horizons are shrinking due to my Alzheimers and practical considerations. Another addition to the ^fuckitbucket^. I always used to say no matter what happens I will have wonderful memories

but .....

And yes, DO IT WHILE YOU CAN

What a lovely thread and how I enjoy reading about all the plans of trips and visits far and wide.

I ditto what annsixty said up thread . If you can, you really should.

Back to school?
I start a 10 week Art History course tomorrow, called “The Making of a Masterpiece” and on Thursday a Social History course, also 10 weeks looking at what you might call “domestic icons”.
Then there are two all day Saturday courses in November, one on Jane Austen’s heroines and one on her heroes, and a 5 week course on Thackeray’s Vanity Fair starting after half term. I shall go up to Manchester and to Watford for DD’s next two plays and no doubt Granny duty will feature as she is splitting much of her work time between Minneapolis for a production of Twelfth Night and Amsterdam for Strauss’s opera “Die Frau ohne Schatten”
Closer to home, I look forward to streamed operas or NT productions at the Filmhouse in Northampton.
The Royal Ballet Nutcracker in Birmingham of course, and the resumption of The Arts Society (formerly NADFAS) meetings are on the calendar.
It’s just like starting the Autumn term at school, isn’t it ?

I'm having a trip to the theatre with my daughter and granddaughter on Friday. DH and me have just booked to see The King and I at the theatre in December.

How envious I am reading all this.
I urge you all to do everything you can while you can, I can tell you you will regret it later if you don't
If you have financial means and someone to do things with you are truly blessed.
Don't waste a moment.

We are off to France (Canal du Midi) at the end of September.
Don't know how long we'll stay as we are staying on a friends boat so we can please ourselves.
We are seriously thinking about whether or not we are going to take the motohome to Spain in November. Infact we are seriously thinking of selling as it's getting the same old, same old and we're not very good at that

What a broad selection of events each of you have planned and they sound interesting, fun and educational.
Congratulations to those GNers who are expecting new additions to their family and proud GNs whose GC are receiving awards to celebrate years of study.
Your DGD's 4th pro panto BlueSapphire gosh, I bet you have a mile wide smile all the time she's on stage and there'll be celebrations afterwards, I bet. You sound a bit of a history buff with all that knowledge...and a lover of classical music.
Wales, France x 2, Opera × 3...golly M0nica, you do get around. ?that the weather is warm and dry for your antique fair.

Your Eastbourne trip sounds fun Alima. I've never seen a tribute band perform but I've heard some are terrific, almost the real deal. I have family in Eastbourne and walked the promenade and surrounding areas many times. The bandstand is quite picturesque and a bride was having photos taken there on one occasion. There was quite a crowd watching and a band was playing.
That was something a bit different from the usual bridal setting.

I can see that I'll have to get booking some events if your diaries are any indication of how advanced people are with their plans.
Last minute booking isn't always a good thing if cheap deals means poor seats at shows or substandard accommodation.
?

We have booked our local Amateur theatre to see ‘Ladies Day’ a comedy, 42nd Street in another nearby town, Downton Abbey the film on our 48th WA, Wind the Willows, performed by children. Ben Portsmouth a great Elvis impersonator.

We count ourselves as lucky that we can afford these shows and are doing as much as we can whilst we are still able.

We are celebrating DH's birthday this weekend - had the family round for BBQ and drinks today and it was really lovely.

Off to the coast on Monday for fish and chips !

In four weeks we go off to Bali, Australia and Singapore to celebrate our ruby wedding which was on the first of this month.

Two days after our return we are having a family get together to celebrate my Dad's 90th birthday, followed by my Mum's 85th birthday three weeks later. That takes us nicely into the Christmas period - fabulous !

That was my theatre Gabriella when we lived nearby, I have fond memories of it.I used to go with a friend ( our DH’s were friends but didn’t enjoy plays) and we would happily order our gin and tonics for the interval.?

We have a long weekend in Scarborough coming up, never been before and looking forward to it. In mid October we are going to Greenwich Naval College where DD1 is Graduating as a mental health nurse. Finally, a weekend in Eastbourne in November. Seeing a Rod Stewart tribute act one night and Simon Reeve the explorer the next. After that blooming C, roll on January!

Hopefully plenty of good films; have just booked to see 'The Goldfinch'. And going to see Downton Abbey tomorrow.

A day course on Eleanor of Castille. We are lucky enough to have one of the few remaining Eleanor Crosses in Northampton, which is undergoing restoration at the moment. She was the wife of Edward 1 and everywhere they stopped overnight on her funeral procession to London, he had a memorial cross erected in her memory.

A concert at our lovely concert hall, the Derngate, to hear the Elgar cello concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, can't remember who the soloist is.

And last but not least to see eldest DGD in her 4th professional panto at Christmas!

Well, we are off to Peterborough Antique Fair with our van of goodies at the end of the month. I just hope the weather stays nice. Three days on an outdoor pitch in the rain can be a bit miserable. Then we go to North Wales to travel all the little train for a few days. Mid October off to France with a DF and DD. then again on our own in November.

We also have three nights at the Opera, 2 with local groups. DH is producing one of them. The third is Covent Garden, part of a Golden Wedding anniversary present.

Finally we are currently planning a trip to a Christmas Fair with friends, probably Cologne. Then of course its Christmas!!