SWMBO works as required for the Red Cross doing office work, I was actively involved with Transplant Australia for a number of years including helping to organise our states Transplant Games and other duties. Just mainly do the odd jobs for aged neighbours now and then but otherwise not a lot. Some jobs I would like to do but can't due to medical restrictions (eg; volunteer driving). I rattled tins for Transplant Australia and Kidney Health Australia a few times but not recently.
When I was working, I also did volunteer telephone crisis counselling for Samaritans (similar to Lifeline) for awhile.
I had an email from a friend today who works as a volunteer for Wildlife care, she is caring for a baby possum on behalf of the Zoo whose mother died after being poisoned and the baby which was till clinging to it's mother was bought into the zoo. It is doing well and has gained a lot of weight.
-- Edited by Duh on Friday 30th of August 2013 12:23:21 PM
A good question Margaret...have been pondering that myself for awhile so would be interested to hear of peoples interests too as I am struggling to find something that I would enjoy volunteering at or joining.
Hey Margaret, My sister in Canberra has been retired for over 12 years and is more active than she has ever been. If she is not travelling or having trips overseas, she volunteers as a driver for Red Cross Blood Bank, picking up and dropping off people for blood donating. She is also Secretary of the local Over 55's Club, and organises walks every 2nd week, games days etc, She is in the ladies club called The Red Hat Club. There is many thins, clubs to join and meet new and interesting people........Myself, I joined The Men's Shed. A great way to meet like minded men in the area too.....Sarg.
A good question Margaret...have been pondering that myself for awhile so would be interested to hear of peoples interests too as I am struggling to find something that I would enjoy volunteering at or joining.
We do genealogy- chasing family trees, seeking documents, travelling to find headstones etc. There are lots of groups etc, and for a while I was doing some teaching. This year, however, I'm just doing some mentoring and individual support.
Just got a new camera and tripod, and want to join in the national project that's photographing cemeteries and headstones all over Australia. There's also a group doing war memorials.
I crochet, mainly for charity. This year I'm doing rugs for the Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. I want to learn Barvarian crochet next !
I read heaps- all of those great books that I was too busy to read when I was working- all the rubbish stuff I felt guilty reading while at uni, or stuff that had to be ignored because of needing to do "professional" reading instead.
We have a large garden on a double block, which takes a lot of mowing and pruning! and trips to the tip!
There's always the house, and the family and the kids to play with etc.................although housework is no more attractive than it ever was!
Getting lots done around the house- next is a roof over the deck!
If someone rings asking for help, we can drop it all and be off...........used to be "Sorry, I'm working"
We talk- to each other, to family, to friends.........those long conversations which we never had time for, rambling conversations, over lunch, dinner, on line, on the phone.
I love cooking and am trying to master the Webber........ damn the thing!!
Like Marj, we play with the van heaps, sorting, cleaning, "renovating" and mucking around. It's always ready to be hooked up and dragged off on a whim or a planned jaunt! Planning the next trip is always great.
I always planned to subscribe to the Opera when I retired- too busy for that now.
Love my iPad, and would love to learn to write and produce apps.
Planning to do meals-on-wheels next year.
...................and if I'm bored, I have a nanna-nap in the middle of the afternoon.
I'd rather not be back home, mowing lawns, slashing paddocks, mending fences (horses hate fences and spend their time destroying them and themselves) but then I'm not too keen on fences either. Like the horses I would rather be running free.
We have picked a small country town that we thought we could help and that is where we go regularly to assist with community jobs about town. We find it very satisfying to see the results of our labour helping others and these small communities are very appreciative of assistance from people with skills that the town is either lacking or short of. Of course we are being a little selfish as we go in our caravan and are actually still camping just not moving around.
I study - working on my 2nd degree. Play with the grandkids, look after my husband (he is on a DSP). We work out how the Hell we are going to get the bus registerable (kitchen coming soon!), ride our bikes when the weather is nice. This winter we have done several food/volunteer drives. We also do a shorebird count twice a year with the local NRM crowd.
In the next couple of months we are going to be helping my mother empty her old (very big, with great bones, but in need of some serious TLC) house, and I will be dealing with the fact that the dog will have to take his final car ride (16 year old lab with heart problems, going deaf and clind, arthritis in the hips, but the vet seems to think he is ok, and we will know when the time is right), and then we will be heading out into the big wide world, sometime in the next 6 months. I will continue to study, we will continue working on the design of our house-on-wheels, doing environemntal volunteering, and helping not-for-profit organisations as we go and riding our bikes. Only things we will miss will be the grandkids.
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The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
My wife Sue takes part in her local CWA which is a very active branch it's not just tea and scones there is a huge variety of activities, local, state and federal to become involved in, if you do become involved you will be amazed the changes for the better to all communities due to CWA lobbying.
As for myself I heartily recommend your local Men's Shed for all men there is usually a variety of activities to suit all men and if there is not something that suits your interest get in there and start that activity up for other men to enjoy.
After reading all the above comments, seems to me there's no shortage of activities and interests available for retired peeps. Anyone who's bored mustn't be looking. For me it's writing and photography, and I'm really looking forward to keeping a journal of my travels.
Since I retired last September I just don't have time to do extra curricular activities, not enough hours in the day now really. I get up around 7.30-8.00am and before I know it it's time to go to bed again. Bring on daylight saving.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
As the coordinator of the Community Engagement team (Rural Fire Service) I have a group of ladies who assist in providing information including the Bushfire Survival Plan book to people in the community and assist in discussing with residents in our area things that they can do to make their home safer,
and during events like Fires or storms there are many roles that we need to do for the protection of the Community and as we are all unpaid volunteers we also need to conduct events to raise funds for our local Brigades.
The Rural Fire Service is a State wide organisation in NSW with counterparts in other states who always are desperate for Volunteers as the younger generation are not into volunteering like the baby boomers have been. There are also roles in Communications, Logistics and Catering and if you are fit enough there is the Firefighter role on the big Red trucks.
If interested please pm me and I will put you in touch with your local brigade.
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Life was meant to be enjoyed Australia was meant to be explored
Happily doing both to the Max.
Life is like a camera, focus on what's important & you will capture it every Time
We live almost the same at home as on the road... sure at home theres a bit more housework, and more gardening but I'm a mad gardener and love it, visit every public garden I find while travelling. A bit of volunteering although have to be careful not to over-commit as we wont be home a lot. Much time spent walking the beach, birdwatching, walking along the river, reading, etc etc, just like in the van but much more comfortable.
Easy, considering we're now snails dragging our house around behind us (couldn't see any sense in keeping a house we had no intention of living in) and brothers, sisters, kids & grandkids in every state except Tassie. Obviously then, travel some more, lol although have been known to park up for a while if somewhere really turns us on.
Darrell & Sandra
-- Edited by oldboar on Saturday 7th of September 2013 07:08:22 PM
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Love the bush & our native environment. Conservationist, not a bloody Greenie.
Just got a new camera and tripod, and want to join in the national project that's photographing cemeteries and headstones all over Australia. There's also a group doing war memorials.
...................and if I'm bored, I have a nanna-nap in the middle of the afternoon.
Rosie, more information on the national project - website maybe.. I am interested in this.
Love the nanna-nap!
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Pay it forward - what goes around comes around
DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
Just got a new camera and tripod, and want to join in the national project that's photographing cemeteries and headstones all over Australia. There's also a group doing war memorials.
...................and if I'm bored, I have a nanna-nap in the middle of the afternoon.
Rosie, more information on the national project - website maybe.. I am interested in this.
Love the nanna-nap!
It's the Australian cemetery index. http://austcemindex.com/
Rosie .... Re the Australian Cemeteries index ... Sounds interesting but checked the website and find no info re volunteers to research and photograph headstones and or inscriptions ... Is there another link to contact them ???
Libby
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
I have just finished reading it and sounds like a really interesting thing to do. I am rather computer savvy to a certain degree and my daughter's partner is a professional photographer so may get some hints from him re enhancing photos.We actually photograph graves/inscriptions many times as we travel around but rarely do anything with them. this would be a good way to turn a aimless, haphazard and halfhearted activity into something interesting for us and hopefully someone else somewhere. Let us know if you decide to go with it - would be interested in how you bring it all together.
anyone else on the forum doing anything like this???
Libby
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.