“Keeping busy…”

I think it goes like this Clawdy

I'm busy doing nothing
working the whole day through
Trying to find lots of things not to do.
I'm busy going no where
Isn't it just a crime
I'd like to be unhappy but
I really can't find the time

Unless I've done something interesting, my response is 'not a lot'.

My response to the question is, "Keeping out of mischief."

I've had to wait in today for a parcel that needs a signature. When I told my friend she said that's so annoying. I didn't think so as I've been able to read my book and do nothing. Now I find Royal Mail has lost the parcel!

Busy= happily occupied

'What is this life' was written by the Welsh poetry William Henry Davies and not W.H. Auden.

If people ask me what I’m getting up to these days I usually reply, ‘Oh, the garden keeps me busy.’
Because they know it’s my main hobby it stops them enquiring further.
Compared to some of my busy friends I’m a veritable sloth! 😂

Worked from 15 til 59 when I retired early due to a medical diagnosis.
I try to do something towards keeping the house clean and tidy every day and OH does most of the shopping, cooking and gardening. Some days I just relax and do nothing but I don't feel guilty as I have a few hobbies to do. I'm not busy anymore but enjoying retirement at my own pace.

I retired at the end of March, I'll be 64 in a couple of weeks.

I started work at 13: babysitting, collecting glasses in local club, Saturday job on record dept of Woolworths

While at college I had evening/,weekend job as waitress

Brought up 2 children with little help
Youngest neuro diverse

Cared for 3 grandchildren while parents worked.

Had life time in childcare as NNEB nursery nurse

So, I feel I earned the right to do very little now.

The Good Morning thread makes me feel guilty at times that I'm not doing very much.
I enjoy having a clean and tidy house, love gardening and grow a few veggies. Walk the dog, try to use exercise bike daily. But I just love snuggling on the sofa with a good book or sitting in the garden after so many years of hard work.

When I retired my daughter advised me to take up hobbies. I haven't lol

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-gd2mmo-img-9985.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-aytznj-img-9984.jpeg

Sounds about right!

For a good few years I helped care for my gran and aunt as my DM died when I was 15, she was 43. My mums second eldest sister who helped gran died shortly after my 21 birthday and as I stayed with Gran I did the shopping, the ironing, and housework. I continued helping 3-4 a week after I got married, unfortunately Gran died when I was about 27. I worked full time up until I had my second son at the age of 33, with a lot of help from my DMIL, who helped with the children until she was diagnosed with leukaemia. I felt honoured to look after her until she died. Now I help my DS look after his 2 DDs, again another privilege 3 days a week. So on the days I don’t have anyone to look after I don’t feel guilty sitting doing nothing, I feel I’ve earned the right to spend my time doing whatever I want, and no one can guilt trip me ever.

I like the " busy doing nothing song" especially
I'm busy going nowhere
Isn't it just a crime
I'd like to be unhappy
But I really don't have the time.

I was busy my whole life with work my children and looking after my grandchildren while still working part time till I was 73.
I feel now that I don't need or want to be busy.

Lovely poem. These days I seem to be a one day on, one day off type of person and it suits me. I don’t want a busy timetable anymore. I’ll do anything to avoid housework.
When family phone to see how I am, I often say I’ve just had a walk when I haven’t, I’ve been reading my book😁

Doing nothing is incredibly hard work, much harder than doing something.

Yesterday was a really 'busy doing nothing' sort of day for me. And I didn't feel too guilty as I crocheted blanket hexies while I watched 2 movies, both for the first time. (Die Hard, not impressed, and Funny Girl which was better.)

My 'doing nothing' day was sandwiched between 2 gardening days at our community garden and they were indeed both busy sessions weeding strawberry beds. So I didn't feel bad having a lazy day in between.

I must admit tho, when I'm at home I do like to be doing something, but preferably hobby related and not housework.

Or one could just make up a complete pack of outrageous lies (for the sheer fun) and watch their faces😀
The arrogance of youth even if they are pushing fifty!

Wouldn't dream of shooting you down for that RosieandherMaw! In fact I have just told a relative that that is precisely my plan for today! Mmmm, enjoying it already 😁😄😁

I find just doing the ordinary daily tasks means I feel I’ve been very busy these days. Tidy the kitchen, walk the dogs, fix something to eat, catch up with gransnet. Then some washing might need sorting, or sticky dog nose/children’s finger marks ‘need’ removing, What’s for tea ? Walk the spaniel, do some scent work to tire the lab
Lie on the sofa with my book, wake up half an hour later. Organise evening meal
Watch nonsense to
Tired so esrly night, with book. Wake yo maybe half hour later, book face down, specs still on 🌞

What was that funny song from years ago - " Busy doing nothing!" One line was "Trying to find lots of things not to do!"
😁

I took early retirement to care for my mum and to take my fair share with my g’dtrs. The girls are now teenagers so don’t need granny to turn up at the school gate and Covid took my mum in 2022. Now I have few commitments and most of my time is my own. I have three close friends and we see each other separately every couple of weeks, I volunteer in a charity shop one day a week, I love sewing and make baby quilts for charity, ditto repurposing knitted goods. I listen to audio books. On the whole my days are not busy, there is no pressure, but they are nicely filled.
At a party for my son’s 50th yesterday, one of his male friends I hadn’t seen for a while asked what I was doing with myself. I told him and he said, ‘Oh, nothing much then,’ in a rather sneering way and moved away as though I wasn’t worth wasting his time on. To be honest that cut me. Earlier another woman in her early fifties, talking about her own mother, now in her late 70s and unwell, said disparagingly, ‘Oh, she just sits around all day with her bloody knitting.’ This is an elderly woman who until last year did all the housework and childminding for this ungrateful daughter.
The casual cruelty, the indifference to the feelings of others, was depressing.

Rosieandhermaw I love your post. I always feel I should tell family and friends I am busy so they don’t worry about me and I do keep busy which covers a multitude of things I choose to do but I enjoy time for me now and no longer feel guilty when I have a day spent reading a good book with my feet up.

Yes retirement is certainly not what many seem to think of having enough to do😄.

My first 10 years was spent looking after my mother, so that was a full time occupation. Since then I have had more time to please myself and it is delightful.

I would not return to full time occupation for less than £1million a week wage.

I'm glad others pointed out it wasn't Auden!

I have been retired for two years now and have yet to reach the stage where I do as I like.

Family commitments are such that there isn't very much time for me- my friends only want to meet in the day when I am busy and won't go out at night which is my down time but have no where to go.

In some ways I'm glad I haven't reached that stage when I might feel bored. I have so much to do it's ridiculous!

Someone said to me there is no such thing as retirement-you just get busier and they were right!

I hate doing nothing although it does happen sometimes I need to feel I m busy doing something or else the day is gone, wasted, never to return, so the days I ve got nothing on I try and declutter, tidy ( which doesn’t come naturally or enjoy) potter anything other than nothing
I hated retirement I stay well over retirement age and felt as useless as a lolly in a heatwave which is why I started doing voluntary work for the last 10/plus years

Being retired means I can choose what to do. I will answer in the garden in future if asked.

Not sure why, but no-one ever asks me what I've been up to but I like to be busy doing things while I can.