I need a new hobby, I need my legs to heal quicker so I can drive and be independent.

GrannyGravy13

I can get around the house with crutches and have been out to dinner to local restaurants (phoning ahead to ensure that I can have a chair to put my legs up)

It has just brought it home to me how much time I spend out and about and doing things I am not by nature a sitter 😹

This is a real reflection of my experience - not by nature a sitter. Being confined to barracks and dependent on my daughters or friends, even for milk/bread relatively soon after my husband’s death was a challenge.

Commiserations GG, I experienced similar when I broke my arm recently. At home more I found myself watching Escape to the Country, I was always aware of the programme but never really watched it. During my incarceration, I became hooked, worse than a drug habit it was. When I started going out and about I got withdrawal symptoms around 3pm so now, not always, I arrange my day around that programme, sad really Other than that I added German to my French on Duolingo and read a lot more.

Wishing you a speedy recovery it's a drag and I experienced a loss of confidence walking, although my accident was on a rough terrain . Now I do more walking on the treadmill at my gym. My husband perfected blow drying my hair, when my right arm was out of action, now he thinks he's a hairdresser, and insists he does it in perpetuity, allegedly I don't do it as well as him, neither does my "actual" hairdresser

I have no new suggestions Grannygravy but I do thank you for the first belly laugh in a long long time

Webcams of bird feeding stations in Europe and across the world. You need to be aware of time differences, but I could get easily absorbed watching all the different birds and critters popping up. Apart from that I relied on crochet and listening to audio books, especially biographies where it's not so essential to be able to remember what had happened previously..

I can get around the house with crutches and have been out to dinner to local restaurants (phoning ahead to ensure that I can have a chair to put my legs up)

It has just brought it home to me how much time I spend out and about and doing things I am not by nature a sitter 😹

Are you confined to bed as well as barracks? Or is it possible to go to another room for a change of scene ?

I've been confined to barracks a lot over the last year. I spend quite a bit of time on the internet. I watch youtube videos on various interesting topics and learn things. But sometimes you need to do something "active" as well. So I am shredding a lot of documents - which is quite cathartic. I had the shredder brought up to the bedroom and various boxes of old documents next to it and a couple of times a day I shred things. It makes me feel like I am doing something useful, de-cluttering etc. I can actually stand for short periods so it's a "change of scene" to stand and shred documents!

I am quite tech minded anyway so I also tinkered with a couple of old laptops and reinstalled Windows on them and got them all tuned up. I have a right arm problem as well so sewing or knitting isn't possible (small repetitive movements).

I am lucky to have a nice view out of the bedroom window.

I am able to walk a few steps so will go down on the stairlift to sit in a chair for a while as well sometimes. But if you have to stay off your feet/legs all the time then doing something hands on, and learning something really helps.

Particularly learning something new - it keeps your mind occupied and you can actually get a bit of thrill now and then!

Also keep positive and looking forward to when you can do more.

What exactly is adult colouring? Sounds good. I keep meaning to try audio books but haven’t got round to it. How long is your sentence GG?

I had three spells of three months in a period of fourteen months following spinal surgeries, I read, did a lot of knitting and watched quite alot of television, mainly old films, Four in a Bed, Escape to the Country.
Jigsaws and sudoku on my tablet.
I was still bored though, it’s a long time to try and fill.

Peppa pig is brilliant to be fair, that is big news. Hope you get better soon.

I’m just getting out and about a bit after nearly 4 months of being at home (or DD1’s house). I’m itching to get at the garden, but not yet allowed to dig, and not sure how to kneel down safely with my new hips, so have to look at the weeds and plot their demise with weed killer spray! I haven’t yet succumbed to Peppa Pig, but am addicted to Escape to the country, and Gransnet! Useless at painting, but may get some colouring books & pencils. I hope your incarceration ends soon gg13 before you start to climb the walls! But seriously I do sympathise with your plight, and hope that your fractured foot heals soon.

There are some really good podcasts around. I listen to them more than I watch TV now...

GrannyGravy13

yggdrasil

Try spinning:-) Gentle use of legs

I am allowed gentle bending of one leg since Monday, the fractured foot (other leg) is somewhat problematic.

I follow the exercises religiously, it’s the loss of spontaneity and independence which I find frustrating.

Thank you for your suggestions regarding tracing my family tree, my brother in law has gone back centuries, and has put it all on line for the rest of the family.

Lovetopaint037 I haven’t painted or drawn since my art O level, I might get the GC colouring pencils out and have a go.

When my late husband was ‘confined to barracks’ and unable to do his normal hobbies, we both took up adult colouring. Our children were doubtful (probably about our sanity!) but they were pleased and surprised to see that we absolutely loved it! I am convinced it kept my husband sane.

You made me smile GG. Just discovered needle felting, stabbing with a needle is very therapeutic!!

When I was laid up after an operation at the end of last year I watched Escape to the Country and binge watched old comedy programmes. Also reading cosy murder mystery books kept me going. Made me laugh about Peppa Pig and naughty Norman in Fireman Sam is amusing 😂😂 Hope you will soon be fully recovered.

I’ve recently started water colour painting- total beginner - using YouTube tutorials. I recommend a lady called Diane Antone though there are loads. You don’t need much in the way of equipment - decent brushes and some tubes of paint and some watercolour paper to start - jam jars for water and kitchen roll as well. You don’t need much space either. I’ve now signed up for some classes and can easily spend an afternoon painting flowers or a simple landscape.

Get well soon GG and everyone who’s not feeling too good 🌺

When I was confined to barracks during chemo I did watch a lot of light tv. One of my favourites was the Durrells. I also have quite a few games on my iPad which tax my brain.

Like having a baby, however, it is soon forgotten when you get out and about again.

I can understand how you feel, as am in the same boat. Cannot drive at the moment with cataracts, and have no date yet as to when I will be getting anything done. I have driven for over 50 years and did 10 years of 3 days a week hospital car driving, so am used to being the one doing the driving of course.

I have my secondhand mobility scooter - the yellow peril= and so at least I can manage to get a bit of shopping but my two places that I would go to when things are bad, are the top of swaledale and to the coast at Saltburn. So they are rather out of bounds at the moment and I miss them very much. Even more miss my garden at my old house with over 100 snowdrops, and just finding it tough.

So my things are, I go and play whist on wednesday evenings in a village. Another kind whist player is picking me up so that I can go, and it gives me some chance of meeting people and having a game. With the aid of a magnifying glass I manage to read the local paper and some books but not as much as normal. The weather has been so awful and I cant walk to the bus stop so have been at home for quite a time. However am trying to be positive by going through my wardrobe and trying some things on and checking if anything needs buttons or hems sorted etc. This is for hopefully something fit to wear when the weather improves!!

I am a great radio 3 listener and always enjoy Bach before 7 in the morning and sometimes there are plays on in the afternoon which I enjoy.Tonight I plan just to go to somewhere a bit darker up the road in the hopes of seeing the planets in an arc that we might get to see if it doesnt rain again. Time for a few crosswords or sudoko I think! Hope you improve quickly and the weather is kind to us all

Jaxjacky

I was gagging to get back into my car GG13 I had a trial around the block with a flicker of apprehension though.
Whilst confined I also planned garden planting and seed sowing, my fingers ordered a fair amount online too!

Online shopping has been a distraction, but having just looked at one of my credit card bills (waiting for the other one) I am resisting opening emails from companies I shop from for a while.

I was gagging to get back into my car GG13 I had a trial around the block with a flicker of apprehension though.
Whilst confined I also planned garden planting and seed sowing, my fingers ordered a fair amount online too!

yggdrasil

Try spinning:-) Gentle use of legs

I am allowed gentle bending of one leg since Monday, the fractured foot (other leg) is somewhat problematic.

I follow the exercises religiously, it’s the loss of spontaneity and independence which I find frustrating.

Thank you for your suggestions regarding tracing my family tree, my brother in law has gone back centuries, and has put it all on line for the rest of the family.

Lovetopaint037 I haven’t painted or drawn since my art O level, I might get the GC colouring pencils out and have a go.

Try spinning:-) Gentle use of legs

Seconding 25Avalon’s comment I first did this when confined to barracks with small children in a city where I knew no one. Now mainly at home because of DH’s frailty I’ve dug it out again. In addition to its other virtues it gets the adult DCs off the phone quickly.

Draw or paint a picture of anything nearby.

You could research your family tree if you haven’t already done so. All online and time consuming and interesting.