You have two choices.

Good evening. I am dead chuffed when I get complementary emails dropping into my 'in' box, it puts a big grin on my face and gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Such a lot of you tell me I'm an inspiration, well let me tell you it works both ways, you are an inspiration to me. From the lengthy comments and emails you send me, I get an insight on what's going on in your world, and there are a lot of people who are far more talented and cleverer than I am. That's a new word I have invented, cleverer :o)) 

I get inspiration for blog posts from you. This quote came in on an email recently from a lovely reader.'I always enjoy your blog because it spits in the face of my worst fears- ending up alone in my retirement'.

As soon as I read that I thought, aha, yes, I may be alone but I am not lonely, there is a difference. Living a single life on your own is nothing to be fearful of, lovely reader. You have two choices, if you live in the middle of a town or city and stay indoors all day, you will be lonely, or you can say stuff it and get your coat on and go out and meet people. I have never let my singleness stop me from doing what I wanted to do. When I was a teenager I went long bike rides by myself. Took some sandwiches and had a picnic. When I got a motorbike I went even longer bike rides on my Honda 125. I once set off from my home in the Midlands, kept on going, and ended up in Aberystwyth. I was only there about half an hour when I had to set off back. Boy was my bum sore that day, ha ha. 

I wanted to go a bicycle ride in France so I booked myself on a coach trip. They wouldn't put my bike in the boot so I had to go without it, and have a walk round Calais instead. I wanted to go to Germany on a coach trip, so I booked it and went. We stopped for a break at Lubeck and I wandered off, then couldn't find the coach. They eventually found me. We went through Checkpoint Charlie to the Eastern side, for a look around. I asked all my mates if they would go on holiday to Moscow with me. No one did, so I went by myself. It was amazing, very cold but amazing. I fancied having a cottage in the Lake District but no one wanted to go with me, so I went anyway. Had a lovely time exploring, in my battered Bedford Viva van. 

Look at me now, all these walks I have done, and days out. I don't wait around for someone else to say, I'll go with you, I get on with it and do it for myself. No one is going to hold my hand. So, I know I have two choices, I either don't go anywhere, or I go by myself. 

So lovely reader, ending up alone in your retirement need not be scary, you have two choices. Stay in, or get out, and maybe join a group, get a dog, do voluntary work, help friends, chat with neighbours, coffee mornings, gardening, join a gym, keep fit classes, there are all manner of things you can do when you are retired. I'm sure lots of our lovely readers will add to the list of things you can do as a singleton. 

Retirement is when you stop living at work, and start working at living. Best of luck lovely reader, you'll be fine.Toodle pip.

Please excuse small writing, don't know how that happened. Too late to start messing around with it now, I'm off to bed. Goodnight.

x