If you don't live in a standard "normal" way, how do you live?

[curiositykilledthecatsplat]

Curious to know how people live if you don't live in "standard" way, how do you live? ie you live in a commune, you travel the world with your family etc etc

I pee in hotel kettles and have sex in other people's hot tubs.

@Mum2b43 of all the tales I read here this is my favourite - I’m so happy you were able to overcome everything that was thrown at you. God bless your grandmother, I hope she got to know how you got on. Your children are so lucky

I'm a gelatinous cube from the planet zarg. I own and run a moisture farm together with my three mothers, and sell my livers on the side.

@Wombats12 I had mental health officer status so could retire at 55. Took pension payout and bought a wrecked house in rural Ireland for cash. DH is rebuilding it. I do have another source of income, we are not relying on the pension though. And I have a DH who can build a house single handedly. Quite unusual I guess.

@Puffalicious

Not me- very, very conventional- but my awesome friend who lives on a very small, tropical island with her 4 year old and part of her job is scuba diving. We miss her, but she's living the life. She left the corporate rat race, travelled, found paradise and had a baby at 43. Go girl.

Oh wow! How wonderful. Her child will have an amazing start in life.

My late mum was a famous tv host in her home country. I was bought up in uk mainly but still have family in hone country, a driver, an apartment waiting for me when ever I want to visit etc. I'm very fortunate - Don't need to work but I do and I love my job.
I also don't have a partner or any children and self employed so free to travel as much as I wish.

When I say took early retirement, that was just from my NHS job, I still have a very busy work life (currently online), which suits me as actually stopping working would probably do for me...

Reading these posts makes me think I still don't live in a 'normal' way.. After my squatting days I lived in a house dh and I bought for 3 years without a functioning kitchen. Then we left our careers behind and moved to a country/destination where loads of people go on holidays.
This is where weve lived now for a bit over a year. We live next to a ski resort (dc ski every day after school) and swim in wild clean waters in the summer. We don't have normal jobs, it's more seasonal and we also have some rental income. We have wildlife running around in our back garden. I guess I thought we were normal now because we do actually live in a normal home where everything functions for a change..

Friend of DH regularly leaves his home country and does very exciting things like cycling all the way accross Africa and Eastern Europe. He's Aussie and earns enough money in 3 months to backpack for months on end around Asia /Africa etc.

I mean, sounds ideal if you like and trust the people who run your farm the rest of the year! Yes I have a great shepherd (a woman) and people I can rely on.

[quote theDudesmummy]@Wombats12 I had mental health officer status so could retire at 55. Took pension payout and bought a wrecked house in rural Ireland for cash. DH is rebuilding it. I do have another source of income, we are not relying on the pension though. And I have a DH who can build a house single handedly. Quite unusual I guess.[/quote]
We're retired too. Live in a busy rural area but fancy a very quiet rural place. Sounds marvellous. My DH defo can't build tho... 😁

@Puffalicious

Not me- very, very conventional- but my awesome friend who lives on a very small, tropical island with her 4 year old and part of her job is scuba diving. We miss her, but she's living the life. She left the corporate rat race, travelled, found paradise and had a baby at 43. Go girl.

This is inspiring x

@shewalkslikerihanna

I'm pretty average on the happiness scale I think. I have my ups and my downs. Sometimes I get all maudlin and sit and cry and wallow in self pity because nobody loves me or really cares about me the way blood relations do. But then I read threads on here or elsewhere, in which people are profoundly unhappy, depressed to the point of being on medication, addicted to alcohol or drugs, self harming or anorexic, and even suicidal -- people who DO have parents and children and partners and siblings.

@sjonlegs

Oh wow - great thread.

Interesting answers and I'm feeling rather jealous of all of them tbh ... apart from the 7 children (I struggle to cope with 3 teenagers)!

Damn - I wish I could add something exciting ... my life is far from normal ... but only because it revolves around my eldest son - who has profound medical and complex special needs (he has the mental age of a 9 month old). Let's say it keeps things real and very grounded ... but coping through all the daily challenges and appreciating all the little things. Let's say having a son with severe disabilities is a real 'shit filter!' We're rather brutally honest and not much breaks us!

and breathe and pass me my large wine glass :)

I salute you. I have a vague idea how hard your life must be because of a friend of mine

[quote MapleMay11]**@godmum56 I love your story. Such a privilege to be able to care for a special old friend when they've given you a lifetime of love.[/quote]
Yes I feel blessed that I can do it 😊

At 46 and 47 yo, my husband and I sold our house (once all 3 DSC had fled the nest or at uni) and spent 10 months backpacking around Australasia.

When we came back we bought a small house in my husbands home country and took short term contracts in London and rented an amazing flat on the Thames. The idea was to work as and when we had contracts, renting wherever we worked, and travel in the periods we had no work. Unfortunately COVID hit within 6 months of us returning so we’ve had no more adventures yet, but now renting a sea front property while we continue working from home.

DSC came and joined us for parts of our travels so we did not miss them too much and had some amazing experiences with them.

Can’t wait until we can go again, but as we want to backpack around South America next, it maybe a while until Covid allows.

So, Post divorce I ended up with a very large house and not much else...I went back to Uni at 48 to earn an English degree. I did this by renting out rooms in my house. I now rent out four rooms and teach Eng. Lit part time. I absolutely love my 'Hippy commune' !

I retired at 56 after 40 years work and at 57 took on the care of a one year old. Just as temporary arrangement. She's 18 now, I'm 74 and we still live quite happily together in central London.

@tommyhoundmum

I retired at 56 after 40 years work and at 57 took on the care of a one year old. Just as temporary arrangement. She's 18 now, I'm 74 and we still live quite happily together in central London.

This is lovely.

I was educated at a Steiner school so learned to write Sanskrit when I was 10 and part of our Biology lessons were learning how to milk goats. I can also perform Eurythmy and can still remember the entire Eurythmy alphabet. It was totally Bohemian and totally bonkers but in the very best way.

I then met DH at university, who was educated at a super traditional boys' grammar, so it really was opposites attract. For the next 30 years we led a totally conventional, text book, middle class lifestyle. Then 2 years ago, over a pint in a pub with a virtual stranger DH decided to take a punt on a fledgling business that he knew virtually nothing about. Well that fledgling business has since gone stratospheric and they have successfully landed 3 huge, national contracts which mean we will never have to worry about money again. And, that DH will realistically be retired before he's 53. Our plan is to split our lives between a cottage in Cornwall, a cottage in the Lake District and a Dutch barge moored in our nearby market town (DH a bit nonplussed about the Dutch barge, but I'm working on him). And, all this because of a chance encounter in a pub

Wow!

She always has been inspiring and, I reckon, always will be. My DC call her auntie and I intend to send them out there when they're old enough in a few years- to visit, dive,gain perspective.

wellstopdoingitthen he has indeed had a great start in life. She may come home at some point - if she does she kept her house here, so she's sorted.

@tommyhoundmum

I retired at 56 after 40 years work and at 57 took on the care of a one year old. Just as temporary arrangement. She's 18 now, I'm 74 and we still live quite happily together in central London.

That's amazing. Such a heartwarming story.

Mum2b43 wow. I'm so sorry life was shocking for you but your living proof where there's a will there's a way. And what a wonderful Nan you had - I'm sure she's extremely proud of you

Thank you wombat12. We do have arguments occasionally. We also have the biggest dog in south London who resembles a wolf.

Sorry, meant to quote and tag you.