A thing that you can get lots of other things for.

[Nobheadex]

Yes, this.

So when my eldest was a baby we got a ver ver posh pram and it had loads of extras available. Accessories. I loved buying the little bits for it, I had a cup holder and special mittens.

Then when the kids were a bit older I got a tent and loads of extra bits - internal bedrooms, lights etc. Thing was we all hated camping so really the only joy was my setting it all up in the garden and playing with it.

Then I had a campervan, same thing, loved buying extras and laying them all out and reorganising. Apparently I’ve always done this with my toys and dollies since I was a child.

Now I’m in my 50s I need a new thing. I tried kitchen wear, it didn’t do it for me as I don’t like cooking very much, although I do feel more smug when I put my frozen dinners in a Le Creuset casserole dish.

Im fully aware I sound like a sad fucker but please indulge me. What else is a thing that you can get other things for. Also please don’t say a horse. I don’t want a horse.

Hmm that’s a good question. I think completion is important. This allows me to move on to the next thingy.

Also, I'd like to formally register my appreciation of this comment.

Ddog? Mine have Xmas jumpers. Halloween outfits.. Beach towels for summer. Holiday collars and leads. Winter coats and jumpers. Winter lounge wear. Not to mention the toys....

Take up leatherwork. You can get lots of online tuition (look at Ian Atkinson), you can buy all different grades of leather and you need a shedload of tools.

You can make great presents - bags, purses, notebook covers, phone holders. It fills up your time as an item can take ages to make.

Leatherwork? Never thought of that.

This

I was going to say gardening-endless opportunities to keep adding-plants, pots, tools, sheds, lights...... the list goes on and on

Then you said you need an end point, definitely no end point, gardens are always a work in progress 🤣

How much did you get for them?

A food mixer. Kenwood in particular seem to have an accessory for everything: different graters, a mincer, a soup thingy….I’m always awestruck when I think about replacing my ancient but sturdy maximix and blender. I just get overwhelmed though and think I could do most of that stuff with a knife and a big spoon, but it might be just the thing for you. Also you would have to a get storage rack and perhaps some special cleaning implements to get into all the fiddly bits…..😅

I love a researching, buying and enjoying type hobby, so I absolutely get what you mean. My DH still harps on about the time I 'got into cycling', buying all the gear but only actually riding the bike once...

I suggest houseplants - they're beautiful, require a bit of upkeep but not too much and you've completed it once all of your windowsills and surfaces are covered.

I also have an aquarium (with an axolotl, he's lovely) which required a lot of research and set up but just ticks along with some gentle weekly maintenance now so is mostly completed.

Knitting is another good one. Very pleasing to get into various fibres and fancy little tools.

Pm me if you're interested - I've given it up now and I have a shedload of stuff - tools, threads, cutters etc.

Oh, or how about outdoor cooking/bbqing? You can get so many things and accessories for a fancy bbq/smoker/pizza oven, should you be inclined.

I was about to suggest a fire pit. You can get one of those swinging tripod pans, baked potato cooking thingies, forks for roasting marshmallows, then there’s all the different ways of lighting it and keeping it going to research.
Once you’ve completed that you can move into chairs, blankets, outdoor crockery etc….

Or a lady shed - much like a camper van but without the wheels.

I have an outdoor wood burner which I love. Thing is though, boundaries. I got some kindling and me and the DCs were writing our wishes on the kindling and then dropping them into the fire, which was all lovely. Then we started writing the stuff that pissed us off in the hope that burning them would make them go away and before I knew it, planks of wood appeared with things like “Mr. Rostron you dick, I hate French” and in they went. I was about to tippex my ex MIL’s name onto a plantpot made of tyres when I stopped myself.

So boundaries and edges are important.

If you have the money - audio separates. Put together an all-singing, all dancing surround sound system.

Allotment?!

You can never get over the joy of new plants and seeds, polytunnel, hose, shed... and you get produce! So a gift that keeps on giving!

Playmobil -entire worlds, theme parks to visit, special editions to collect. I am 55 going on 10

I would say sewing.

look up www.thefoldline.com for videos and patterns and there is no end to this. New fabrics, machines, patterns coming out all the time.

look up a fabric shop called ‘Guthrie and ghani’ they do kits every month.

im very similar to you and this is the answer. I keep buying fabric and patterns and never actually make anything but the optimism keeps me happy.

The sims? Then you’re buying less real shit and you can start again whenever you like!

Study with Open University - you need the laptop of course but then you need notebooks and pens and highlighters. You get the course text books but you can buy other books and read those and if you do it part time it can take you six years to collect all the module credits to graduate. And during the summer between modules you can move on to Openlearn courses and do a few of those which don't count towards your degree but help keep you in the mood.

Cross stitch? I started this a few years ago. Have since bought various kits, needle minders, frames, a folder to store completed ones, hoops plus I'm finding more and more accessories the more I do it.

Also, crafting is like having a feeder hobby. I started with crochet (collected a silly amount of yarn and hook sets), moved on to cross stitch and the collection above.
Have since added sewing to this (sewing machine, patterns, various fabrics, ribbons, buttons) and now knitting (needles and more yarn).

This spring I also decided to try my hand at gardening. It's amazing how many different types of soil, seeds, plants and pots you can collect (I started with 1 cactus inside and a trough of wildflowers outside last summer. So far this year I have 6 plants inside, wild flowers, herbs, lavender, strawberries, potatoes, chillis, peppers, carrots, sunflowers and Christmas trees outside).
And all this is before you consider greenhouses / potting benches etc, which look nice but lead you to buying solar lights and nice garden furniture and storage etc....

I was going to say Star Wars Lego, but this could work.

A cat. There are all sorts of accessories you can get for them, not to use.

A camera that can take a variety of lenses, tripods, etc.