What do you do at weekends?

[Deborah54]

Kids have flown the coop so it’s just me and himself. If we’re not in the garden or working on the house we’re stumped as to what to do. We don’t walk or cycle.
I’ve checked some of the local towns and nearby places that have events but it’s too early in the year for most things.

I’d like to plan something tonight and not waste half of tomorrow looking.
Any ideas please.

Other than normal leisure stuff like a little walk, meals out coffee and cocktails etc out main interest is cultural stuff. So galleries, museums, theatre (cheap, small cast, not big production pricy stuff) cinema or heritage sites. We do live in a city with lots of more rural heritage nearby.

I am also hugely partial to anything involving animals. Despite being late 30s and child free I will absolutely go to a petting farm!

We don't have anything like as much time for that as I'd like and I'm going to try and do more this year. If I didn't have a job application and house work to do tomorrow I think I'd have a drive to a local saxons heritage site museum. As I've been watching last kingdom and it's peaked my interest. Also yes watching box sets and films. So nothing madly exciting but I like it!

DH and I went for lunch and to the cinema yesterday to see One Life (fantastic film!) We hadn't been to the cinema in so long and had a lovely few hours out. Films are so much better on the big screen. We shared a big box of popcorn too!
Also love a good Farmers Market when they're on in local towns.

We are still in the parenting phase. But my parents have adapted to retirement with aplomb. We call them ‘The Hedonists’. They have a circle of friends they meet for brunch almost every Saturday. Then they usually see a film in the afternoon. Sundays they go for a walk in the countryside and then a pub lunch. Once a month they got to their nearest big city ( not uk) and see whatever art gallery offering is available. Sometimes they stay overnight. Both have become involved with photography and my father is really talented. He is about to do a solo exhibition. He took it up at 70! He was always good but has really gone for it. They don’t have dogs anymore because they travel too much but my mother does volunteer dog walking for our version of the cinnamon trust. They live good and full lives. I am quite envious tbh!

We are child free EOW, and sometimes just spend the time relaxing, going for short walks in the local countryside (I know you said you aren't keen on walking); cooking more elaborate meals (and eating them obviously); watching something together, such as a film series or box set or some sport (for example, we have watched lots of snooker this weekend - it is nice if you have or can develop one or two shared interests). Also reading, and going to bed early for more sex while we have the house to ourselves!

We wander into town and have a couple of wines, or visit a National Trust place, go to the cinema, drive to a pretty village which has an amazing farm shop for some yummy bits you can’t get at the supermarket. Go shopping for candles and a wander around a nice interior shop like Neptune choosing our dream buys. In the summer we’ll walk along the river to a nearby village which has a couple of pubs with great gardens. Sometimes we just lay in bed quite late eating eggs and watching a good series.

Posted too soon - if you are looking more for things to go and do out of the house, local Facebook groups can be good for this (it you ignore the angry posts about dog shit, racists having a go at the travelling community, etc). I am going soon to see a tribute band at a local social club for example which I found out about on the Facebook group, and have seen talks on there too, car shows fetes and so on.

I am also thinking of getting my husband and I passes for our local cinema - for about £12 a month you get a ticket to any film - I thought I might try it for three months and see if we got the use of it.

I've also booked for us to go away to watch a snooker tournament soon (belated Valentine's treat), and later in the year we have got a package to see a West End show with hotel night included - not much over £100 each, and a nice central hotel, seems quite reasonable. (I should add that, while not loaded, we are fortunately in a position to spend a little bit on entertainment at the weekends now - we have a camper van so don't tend to spend loads on one big family holiday but can take inexpensive trips throughout the year.

We are thinking of going to watch the local (fairly low league) football club soon, just to try it out - husband does support a big club but it's miles away, so a smaller local one would also give us some interest. Might wait till the weather is a bit warmer though!

With previous partners I have: gone to art galleries and museums in London and Birmingham mainly; had National Trust membership and gone to their properties/events they organise; gone to massive out of town garden centres for a look round; eaten out a lot more; gone birdwatching.

There is lots to do but you do have to find things that spark BOTH of your interests I think. Conversely, that might mean one of you going OUT of your comfort zone to start with, to find things you both love!

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

When you say "we don't walk" could you start walking? We go on lots of walks. Yesterday we had a hike in the Yorkshire Dales. We felt so much better, mentally and physically afterwards. We're also national trust members so visit stately homes etc. We also visit pretty nearby towns, just to wander about, have lunch or coffee and a cake. There don't need to be events to visit a town. Or if you really hate walking you could go to the cinema, out for lunch.