What do you do as a hobby in retirement?

[twriggen]

My in-laws retired in the last couple of years, and my mother-in-law has taken up painting rocks in her "spare" time. They spend a lot of time outdoors so she's always picking up rocks that either look like something she can paint or just a good size for painting with smooth surfaces. This was the one she gave me when we were back there this summer to visit. I'm not sure what her message was but I really like it. It sits right at eye level at my work desk. (the mouse is just for a size reference)

 

[hittman]

My hobby …. Until the snow flies

 

[twriggen]

I can get behind that one, mine just have A/C.

 

[s4s4u]

I'm about to start a brand new business....at 65 yo

 

[turd]

Drink lots of beer. :ROFLMAO:

 

[wproct]

My hobby …. Until the snow flies

View attachment 82632

This was my life for about 40 years. Finally retired from it around 2014.

 

[jimbo1096]

Thought I would be doing several but life changes and moves on. Right now my past time is being with my four great grandchildren, doing a little reloading and some shooting when the weather and my attitude and Health are right. I've made a couple of trips and I would like to make more. I've got an old car that I like tinkering with, but this past year haven't had the energy to work on it. Maybe one day.

 

[gnappi]

Playing guitar, snakehead fishing, firearms/reloading, tropical fruit trees, photography, motorcycles (crotch rocket types) solar power, and DVD's my son calls me a vidiot -)

 

[roylt]

I'm about to start a brand new business....at 65 yo

Do tell??

 

[sfhogman]

 

[Jeepnik]

Besides the ones I had before I retired and have time for, I have recently gotten back in radio. GMRS for now but studying for my technician for HAM.

 

[Kevin]

My in-laws retired in the last couple of years, and my mother-in-law has taken up painting rocks in her "spare" time. They spend a lot of time outdoors so she's always picking up rocks that either look like something she can paint or just a good size for painting with smooth surfaces.

That painted rock is awesome! Looks like it's a great hobby! She must have painted other things before for practice.

 

[Danjet500]

Drink lots of beer. :ROFLMAO:

I'm with you.

 

[ex13F]

Shoot pistols behind my garage and nap. I am leaving in a few hours to go to the Wichita Mountains (Ft. Sill area) and attend the Comanche Nation Fair and probably take a nap.

 

[41Dude]

I thought I would make a little extra cash after retirement by dancing at the local strip joint.
Found out they do not want an old fat guy on their dance stage.
Also found out I do not like the taste of pepper spray :oops:

Other than that.
I do a little reloading. Have time for a lot of books and do errands for family and friends who do not want me to get bored.

 

[Huskerguy72]

I definitely shoot more, reload more. Completed my man cave, well mostly. More remodeling projects to do around the house so it survives when I am gone. Funny thing about fixing up a house, if you stay in it and live long enough, you will remodel what you already remodeled once before!

I do a lot of work at our church as a deacon. For the next three days our custodian is out so I am filling in with cleaning and setting up for bible studies. Have a gutter crew coming in and just finished a new roof which was around $60K. I keep plenty busy, too busy at times.

 

[RoninPA]

Of course my Ruger collection and working on guns/reloading but I have always loved working with wood. Since we have gone to just one vehicle (2025 Nissan Frontier Pro4X) I have been converting the other half of the garage into my woodworking shop. Finally was able to set up my new 13" surface planer along with a radial arm saw, 12" compound miter saw, 12" table saw, 8" band saw, disk/belt sander, and a few other tools. Still thinking about a lathe and maybe a larger band saw. Through the years I have collected old mail box fronts (with the combo lock to open them) and now getting ready to start building the boxes to mount them and give them to my daughters and grandkids. I cut a slot in the top so they can use them as coin banks if they want ( I have one I made years ago that is 6x6x6 that is packed full of quarters).

 

[Slyk Willy]

I'll

 

[Slyk Willy]

I'll be doing some work on this during the winter "maintenance season", until then...I'll ride.

 

[wproct]

Well, I've been in retirement almost 20 years. I did not work after retirement. We lost a company that employed around 4,000 employees, I was one of them. I did not seek a part time job because I had social security and a pension and other younger former employees needed the jobs more than I did. I retired in the summer and live in the country and would shoot a little virtually every day. Spent some time adding to my knife collection and did some gun trading. I then took up another hobby, disc golf, and started playing virtually every day, good exercise, not very expensive, and allowed me to be outside in a local city park and enjoy nature. After 12 years of disc golfing that has tapered off, my age was preventing me of keeping up with younger players and now play mostly solo when I do. Then about 2 years ago I took up playing the harmonica. My Mom had taught me to play a couple of tunes when I was around 12 and I decided to give it another go. I have always loved music but can't read music, too lazy, but with the harmonica I play strictly by ear and it came to me rather naturally. Ya just have to stay busy,

 

[vito]

I wish I had more in the way of hobbies. I have to admit that I am jealous of my wife and her passion for her quilting work. She can't wait to get into her workroom most days to work on one or another of the beautiful quilts she creates. My only passion, if I can call it that, is motorcyling. I switched from two wheels to three a few years back, but in the 12 years that I have been retired that is my major pastime. When winter comes, I do find that I get bored and end up watching TV more than I think is healthy. I also walk my two dogs for about an hour most every morning. They need the exercize and I guess I do as well.

Another activity that I have, but it can't be called a hobby, is my being a volunteer with a local non-profit hospice organization. A am a "veteran volunteer" where I have (right now) three fellow military veterans that I visit regularly, who all are in the dying process. Only one of the three is older than me, which makes me feel grateful to be as old as I am and still in relatively good health.

Despite the daily dog walking, the hospice visits, and riding my motorcycle I still have a lot of time to fill. Some days I just end up puttering around, like re-organizing the stuff in the garage. Maybe the key to happiness is really what James Taylor says in one of his songs, that the secret to life is to enjoy the passage of time I try to do that, but the reality of knowing that its not likely that I have that much time left makes me wish I had the desire to do something more meaningful.

 

[Brules]

I enjoy fly fishing and once I retired, I began tying flies and fishing even more. Next thing I know, the local fly fishing club made me president :). I stay very busy with the hobby.

 

[twriggen]

Drink lots of beer. :ROFLMAO:

I wouldn't make it to retirement without it.

 

[KingSnake]

I repair firearms during the week and shoot Cowboy and Wild Bunch on weekends.

 

[sceva]

My Grandsons

 

[Kevin]

I enjoy fly fishing and once I retired, I began tying flies and fishing even more. Next thing I know, the local fly fishing club made me president :). I stay very busy with the hobby.

I don’t fish, but fly fishing has always interested me. Feel free to post some pictures of the flies you’ve tied. I know that is a true art form.

 

[Cholo]

I don't have any real hobbies anymore. My biggest joy in life comes from my 2 youngest grandkids, 8 and 9. They are a pure pleasure and I'm fortunate to be with them quite a bit. My second biggest joy in life comes when I'm riding one of my motorcycles. Only on a motorcycle can I completely zone out and live only in that exact moment of time devoid of any negativity whatsoever. I'm not even thinking about what I'll do when I get home.

I traded my biggest Harley in for this in early Jan. It was freezing cold so I didn't get to ride it until our very mild Feb. I'm forever 21 when I ride this particular bike. My others don't give me that feeling.

 

[Brant]

Manage arthritis and back pain mostly. Pond fishing when I can.

 

[sfhogman]

I don't have any real hobbies anymore. My biggest joy in life comes from my 2 youngest grandkids, 8 and 9. They are a pure pleasure and I'm fortunate to be with them quite a bit. My second biggest joy in life comes when I'm riding one of my motorcycles. Only on a motorcycle can I completely zone out and live only in that exact moment of time devoid of any negativity whatsoever. I'm not even thinking about what I'll do when I get home.

100% agree. I could not have said it better.

 

[jav]

I been retired since 2019 she retired in 2015 we do a lot of traveling and when at home there is always up keep to the house to keep me busy . Range time 2 times a month . All in all we keep pretty busy we work out at the same gym 3-4 times a week . Still have 1990 bronco to tinker with . We have one beautiful granddaughter to spoil