Bored and despondent with the virus.

I sympathize with you and feel the same way. I have been doing on-line courses, such as Duo Lingo and have an exercise DVD for yoga, practicing daily, I volunteer for the Park Runners and go to classes for Yoga and pilates (not online in person) so I keep active and optimistic.
But what has the potential to cause problems is the cancellation of medical appointments, and hospital follow ups for example at the Eye Clinic and for DEXA scans. By prioritizing COVID, everything else is sidelined. This is annoying for patients and medical staff alike.

Some great suggestions here but it sounds like you don't really want to go out at the moment. Why not look for a hobby that really absorbs you? For me that would be jigsaws or embroidery, I don't notice the hours going by. You could try painting, crafts, learning a language, so many ideas on Pinterest too. If you can find the one for you the hours indoors will pass much more quickly.

netflixfan
I help out at The Big Help Project in Liverpool. They are always looking for volunteers. Also South Liverpool Zero Waste Community are looking for volunteers.

Lissajulie what a stressful time you have had. I hope you feel you can open up on GN now that you have made your first post. I think it can help to talk to people who don't know you personally.

Hi Netflixfan
I’m exactly the same retired and thoroughly disillusioned- i know it’s wrong to complain - I’m well , no family worries and a wedding to look forward to but none of this helps. Currently I’m applying for jobs- won’t be forever but just until things look more under control in the world.

Just at the moment I feel glad that I don’t have to go out anywhere as it is so cold and wet. I have got on with my family history project, am reading more, and feeling grateful that we can still afford to have the heating on as much as we need to.

But yes, there is a huge void, and there are times when I feel fed up and lonely. DH is ECV so he limits what he will do, and I do to a lesser extent, as I don’t want to risk bring the virus home. The grandchildren are growing up so fast and I am missing out on their company. I don't enjoy walking on my own and daren’t join a walking group as I am not sure about being too far away from a loo. Walking alone actually makes me feel more lonely, but I force myself to go round the block most days.
I try to be positive, but yes, life is slipping away as we are getting older and less venturesome. One thing I have done is to book a holiday for next July ( in the UK) so I can look forward to that and plan places to visit. It is not all bad.

Gransnet provides much solace! Thank you for your very kind comments, so appreciated.

I feel your pain.
I retired from teaching less than a year ago.
I swim three mornings a week (early get up like work) and on the other two week day mornings, I mind my GC.
I do tutoring M, T and Weds.
The bits in between I fill with yoga, cooking, reading, craft, socialising, computer games/social media.
I try to see friends whenever possible.
I hope this helps.

I retired a year or so before covid hit, and had a very free and active life. My husband retired after me, and tbh, put a bit of a brake on things, as he is a bit of a stick-in-the-mud. Then covid felt like it had completely scuppered everything I was enjoying and despite the fact that I enjoyed being at home and have lots of interests within the home (craft activities, play the piano, reading etc), it was the enforced 'enjoyment' of these which took the shine off of them.
We all caught covid last year, and my husband was in ICU for weeks just before Xmas, so I understand why he is fearful of catching it again. We have had our 3 jabs since then, so reasonably resilient to it, if the medical experts are to be trusted. In fact, my son and husband both tested positive just before this last Xmas, and had just the symptoms of a cold, and I tested negative on my daily lfts. However, my husband has become even more reclusive, being frightened he will catch it again (even though his recent experience showed the effects to the very mild). To the extent that he is reluctant to go to a social evening with our bike club this week, saying "we'll catch covid again" - even though he was happy to go to the same event each month last year, without benefit of firstly the second jab and the booster. I despair of him! I feel like I'm trying to escape from quicksand just to get out to go for a walk with my sisters. And feel like I'm being suffocated and buried alive - I just can't deal with being stuck in the house for the rest of my days!
That said, I really like Mummer's upbeat post, so I'm going to try and be more positive and upbeat. I think it's easy to feel a bit depressed at this time of year, once all the sparkle and focus on Xmas has passed and we're faced with the grey days of the first few months of the year.
Just a word of caution about swimming - this is something I do insist on escaping from the house to get out and do, but last week our swimming pool had 'double-booked' and it was heaving with a huge amount of children having a pool party, with the usual regular swimmers all being crammed into a very small section of the pool. I am aware a number of us have made written complaints to the management about their unsafe practices, so just check with your local pool what measures they have in place.

Lissajulie don’t feel guilty. None of your situation is your fault. The move could turn out to be a good thing but in any case it’s life and will have its ups and downs. Do look after yourself as best you can. Try contacting your GP? And do come on GN to share / offload / find other perspectives. I hope you soon find the peace of mind you need.

Join the bored and despondent club

You are definitely not alone on that one

Good news is that we have control of it at the moment and heard immunity is helping that to happen as is the vaccine

So sorry bout how you are feeling but so very many are feeling just the same. I’ve done everything to avoid Covid but tested positive Tuesday after a PCR test and felt pretty awful but today bit better. Think positive it’s always a pretty miserable time of year but it’s getting lighter now n spring is around the corner. Get yourself out go for a walk you will be surprised how much better it will make you feel. We will get through this difficult time n life will hopefully get better. Take care

Thank you, that’s very kind.

Lissajulie. Well done for taking the plunge in posting and sharing your difficulties. Lots of people will now be thinking of you at what sounds like a pretty awful time ….

Hello! retirement is often a challenge for people. As you say you were happy and your time was taken up in a way that you enjoyed. There comes a big gap in one's life in retirement . It's a transitional moment. And there is loss to come to terms with. I've watched friends go through this process. In time they enjoy their own time and being able to do what they want, when they want. During this semi locked down time I imagine it's even more of a challenge. Try not to get too down. Just keep exploring things that might lift your spirits. There are lots of suggestions and ideas on here by others. Be gentle and kind to yourself as you go through this life event.

So sorry to read your story Lissajulie you certainly have had a time of it
Puts things into perspective Covid can be recovered from for a vast amount of the population

I haven’t posted on Gransnet before so am taking the plunge! Covid is almost superfluous to what has been going on in my life, but it certainly hasn’t helped. I spent 2018 on chemo for colon cancer and spent 2019 recovering. So just when I was ready to resume some kind of normality, lockdown hit. We were both retired and had planned to move at the beginning of 2018, to be nearer old friends and family. So that had been on hold due to cancer and then went on further hold due to Covid. We finally managed to move in July 2021, after a stressful year of house hunting, not finding anything and at one point, having our buyers pull out. I realised during that year that my husband was finding it harder and harder to keep PN top of things and I found myself doing more and more of the admin, finances and , literally, heavy lifting. Five days after we moved into our new house last July, he had a very bad fall. He continued to have more and was becoming more and more confused and two months ago was diagnosed with vascular dementia. He is only 70. To say I’m devastated would be an understatement. Having survived cancer, and finally arriving where I wanted to be, I’m facing a pretty bleak future I feel, as of course, is he. I’m overwhelmed with guilt that the move, which I pushed for, exacerbated things. And I’m permanently exhausted as I take on more and more care duties. I feel that Covid makes very little difference to my life as it is at present. I apologise if it sounds as if I don’t care about it, particularly to those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods. I realise I’m fortunate to have a roof over my head and a pension. But I’m struggling to see the way forward….

Am helping lead a walking group. Did training in September after I gave up Brownies. Do two Fridays a month, usually have about 15 friendly people. We don’t walk far, but it seems to be appreciated. This group has been going for 18 years,it is free. Also do yoga, and choral society, walk, garden and sometimes swimming,and Church. Just have to make your own judgements and walk away from anything you don’t feel safe at.

How about learning a musical instrument? It’s never too late and there are lots of community orchestras around who are very welcoming to adult beginners and returners.

This virus would run amok whoever was governing the country. It’s what viruses do. It has run amok everywhere on the planet and it will emerge in New Zealand however many times they lock down. I truly believe the present plan is the best- leave life decisions up to us. The media must carry much of the blame for the fear it has engendered in the population. I don’t listen to the news any more. I have been triple jabbed and had Covid 2 years ago in April. I take sensible precautions and just get on with life - U3A groups have started up again and I go to those - if I do pick up Covid, I trust it will be milder than before. I am ECV by the way but nothing is going to stop me living life again - not that many years left after all!!

Go swimming! I start every other day with a swim at my local pool, usually around 7.30am. It’s one of the best things about retirement. I can’t rhapsodise enough about how it resets my mind and body into a positive mood for the whole day.

I am totally fed up with it all even though life is pretty full on with various activities and volunteering stuff. It’s the lack of choice and not going on holiday which gets me down . I am usually optimistic and have loads of get up and go but I feel really low today. Heavy rain doesn’t help.
My advice is to go walking, there are plenty of walking for health groups; go swimming; try walking netball great fun.
Join a book group.? WI? Plenty of options. Good luck

I retired whilst on furlough. So I don't feel as though I did the whole last day thing at work. Like you I feel at a loose end. I have joined the WEA and take advantage of their courses. Once the pandemic calms down I will do swimming and Aquafit which I love. Have you thought of volunteering, there are lots of roles. It's a shame to lose the skills built up at work.

None of us are complete strangers to the effects of lockdowns and restrictions and it is reasonable to feel that all this has gone on long enough.

Are there any of the plans you had made for your retirement that you could implement now? A hobby that had been on standby or a completely new one?

Any form of outdoor excercise would probably be a good thing - lots of others have suggested walking, what about riding a bike?

I dealt with boredom - my own and a six year old grandson's by writing a weekly letter from my old Teddy telling the boy what it had been like being six years old in 1958 and how different everyday things like telephones were then.

Just an idea, but are there any bored children in your circle who might like something similar?

Most of us have piles of old photos we feel we "should" do something about - either discard, or make sure that they are clearly marked with who the people, places and events are for the next generation, if they are likely to be interested in them. Or you might want to hand them on to a local archive or historical association.

It might also cheer you up if you start planning whatever you want to do when life finally gets back to normal. If you are planning to travel then learning a bit of one or two languages as already suggested is sensible.

Sorry meant loved not luved!