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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder what retirees do on a grey, wet Tuesday morning

234 replies

BeaQuiet · 02/08/2026 10:50

I'm just a few years from State Pension age but can't imagine giving up work completely (work 28 hours pw at the moment).

Summers like this, yes, I'd be perfectly content but AIBU to ask what retired people do on a wet Tuesday morning in winter. Especially as Wed, Thur, Fri etc are likely to be wet or grey too.

This was raised on a Mel Robbins podcast on ageing and it got me thinking.

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Mary46 · 06/08/2026 17:00

Well my friend is always minding kids seems to be presumed too you doing it. Retired people have their own lives too they earned it

undergound · 06/08/2026 16:51

ToCatchACat · 06/08/2026 14:04

Surely they check in with their children / grandchildren, find out how they can be useful and go from there?

🤣🤣

ShanghaiDiva · 06/08/2026 16:50

ToCatchACat · 06/08/2026 14:04

Surely they check in with their children / grandchildren, find out how they can be useful and go from there?

Snort!

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 06/08/2026 14:45

ToCatchACat · 06/08/2026 14:04

Surely they check in with their children / grandchildren, find out how they can be useful and go from there?

Nope. Don’t own any of them!

BIossomtoes · 06/08/2026 14:31

ToCatchACat · 06/08/2026 14:04

Surely they check in with their children / grandchildren, find out how they can be useful and go from there?

No we don’t. Why on earth would we? We don’t exist to be our children and or grandchildren’s slaves.

ToCatchACat · 06/08/2026 14:04

Surely they check in with their children / grandchildren, find out how they can be useful and go from there?

Comicalblackcat · 06/08/2026 13:53

I retired a long time ago and keep so busy I wonder how I had time to work. Still very busy although I have found it difficult during the heat waves but it’s taught me to have patience and relax in the cool and catch up with reading.

MadKittenWoman · 05/08/2026 19:16

Dance fit and Pilates, followed by swim, sauna, steam and jacuzzi.

mamaduckbone · 04/08/2026 17:19

Aydel · 02/08/2026 10:53

Museums, art galleries, a matinée at the theatre, a nice lunch somewhere, dress for the weather and go for a long walk. Write some short stories or a couple of chapters of your novel. Cook a really nice, complicated dinner. Curl up with the cat and a good book.

This sounds like absolute bliss. Can I please retire now? There are so many hobbies I don’t have time for.

FredaMountfitchet · 04/08/2026 17:13

My mother is 85
Pilates and yoga Mondays and Fridays
Gardening
Painting and renovating furniture
Outings and lunching with friends
Visiting a few who can’t get out anymore
Runs her immaculate large bungalow
Hair dressers and manicure appointments
Supporting her older sister
Oversees her 86 year old live in lover who is as sprightly as her .
Her social life puts me to shame .

Anonymouseposter · 04/08/2026 17:08

principalskinna · 02/08/2026 12:18

I'm laughing because everybody who's retired on here and say that they do interesting things and then list them, or things look really fucking boring.
genealogy, gardening and pottery ffs

shoot me now

Edited

What super exciting things do you do? These are hobbies that some people enjoy, they don’t find them really fucking boring , that’s just your opinion.
When you retire you can do exactly what you want so it’s not going to be necessary to shoot you now.
I don’t know why people have to justify their existence.
I would rather occupy myself any way I choose than get a part time job in B&Q or Waitrose.
Do people really prefer commuting in the rain. Some jobs are really fucking boring and some are very stressful. Being retired is great.

Cornishclio · 03/08/2026 23:26

BeaQuiet · 02/08/2026 10:50

I'm just a few years from State Pension age but can't imagine giving up work completely (work 28 hours pw at the moment).

Summers like this, yes, I'd be perfectly content but AIBU to ask what retired people do on a wet Tuesday morning in winter. Especially as Wed, Thur, Fri etc are likely to be wet or grey too.

This was raised on a Mel Robbins podcast on ageing and it got me thinking.

I would either stay in and read a book, do a puzzle or play the piano. Or go to the cinema or meet a friend for coffee or lunch or go to the gym or swimming pool or hang out with my daughter and grandchildren. Plenty of options.

TheChosenTwo · 03/08/2026 22:40

81 year old MIL volunteers at a food bank on a Monday and Tuesday morning, then has Pilates on a Thursday. She keeps her allotment well maintained, gets the train to London once a month to meet her friends for a gallery or museum and lunch, does a sewing club one evening a week, goes to the cinema and theatre, her and fil go on holiday every 3 months, walking holidays abroad mostly where someone drives their luggage from one location to the next. They walk as much as time allows when they’re at home, She reads a lot of books, cooks and is generally living the life I want to lead at 81. The last month or so I have knocked on their door 4 times just to drop in and say hello and she has been out every single time!
They have a cleaner who comes twice a week (they have quite a big house) because let’s face it, if you can afford someone else to do it so you can spend more time enjoying your life why wouldn’t you? I have one for the same reason, not for me spending my weekends cleaning my toilets or hoovering under sofas when I have a choice!

Funkylights · 03/08/2026 22:31

Yoga or gym

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 03/08/2026 22:29

@Allseeingallknowing
housework gets done when I run out of mugs or clean underwear. No one has ever had “I wished I did more housework” etched on their gravestone. 🤣

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 03/08/2026 20:21

Allseeingallknowing · 02/08/2026 19:13

With all these activity and good works, does anyone do any housework?

Unless I actually need them for reading, I don’t have my reading glasses on, so I don’t notice the dust.

Mary46 · 03/08/2026 20:15

It must be nice on a cold winter's morning not having to get up and be tied to times. Think this would be lovely.

Specialagentblond · 03/08/2026 19:51

My MIL and DS are off on the bus to town tomorrow. I’m not sure who is taking who but they have been planning it all evening.

Crikeyalmighty · 03/08/2026 16:53

FishPie2 · 02/08/2026 18:27

If you still have a partner everything is fine but when you are on your own it can be so boring. I hate rainy days and could happily stay in bed and watch catch up TV. Coffee meets bore me to death, I don't need to do much shopping and just wish there were decent exercise classes near to where I live but I have to make do with ytube. Swimming twice a week is about it so most of my spare money goes on train fares to places I enjoy.

I do think this can work the other way too, I’ve known a fair few retired who end up pandering to whatever the other person wants to do ( or doesn’t as in the case of quite a few) rather than doing things just for themselves. ( and of both sexes) - blokes that didn’t attend the car rallies or gigs because their partner wasn’t interested or women who didn’t work part time, volunteer etc because partner said it would be restrictive if they had commitments ( and then never wanted to go anywhere much or do anything)

alteredimage · 03/08/2026 12:16

BatshitCrazyWoman · 03/08/2026 05:39

It's interesting how this Odeon initiative varies round the country. It's on Monday here, and is £5. Still a bargain though, as that's more than half the cheapest ticket price. Love the cinema!

Our £2.00 Odeon is quite a modern one. All seats are at the same price. I need to avoid the fully reclining ones, as I would fall asleep. Quite the thought. A row of reclining pensioners all snoring, teenage years long past.

Epoisses · 03/08/2026 06:42

Allseeingallknowing · 02/08/2026 22:31

Presumably he doesn’t have time for hobbies then?

Housework takes about 3 hours a week! Plenty of time for him to do other stuff.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 03/08/2026 05:39

Bunnyofhope · 02/08/2026 21:53

Odeon do 'silvers' on a Tuesday. £2 for a movie, a coffee and two biscuits.

It's interesting how this Odeon initiative varies round the country. It's on Monday here, and is £5. Still a bargain though, as that's more than half the cheapest ticket price. Love the cinema!

caringcarer · 03/08/2026 00:42

I do an aquarobics class on most Tuesday mornings. I go to gym Thursday afternoons too but do sometimes change day if I have something else on. I like to have lunch out a couple of times each week. I like to cook so plan quite elaborate meals if having guests over. I like to bake, crochet and work in garden if it's not too hot. I only spend 30 mins in my garden jobs 2 or 3 times a week and it's surprising how much difference it makes. I read, watch sport on TV, netflix and meet up with a friend and occasionally I travel almost 200 miles to visit my sister's and stay overnight before returning. I have found I can always find something to do.

Norugratsatall · 02/08/2026 23:36

I am quite recently retired so haven’t yet experienced a grey wet Tuesday. 😊 but there would be plenty I could do. Declutter, sew, draw, read a book, do some gentle yoga, jigsaw puzzle. Possibilities are endless really…. One thing I wouldn’t do is sit down and reminisce about work…..

DeftGoldHedgehog · 02/08/2026 23:27

FredBares · 02/08/2026 11:36

Must we stay busy? How about reading, with a pot of tea and the cat?

What does the cat read? 😺