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user 188522

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I had a fulfilling life before retiring. I bred pugs, owned a business, and worked with mentally and physically disabled young adults. My Male dogs are now too old to breed, and one now has dementia. I spend my days making sure he knows that he is loved and reminding him where he is. After retiring, I fell into a dark pit. I made a chore wheel for myself to cope. Monday clean kitchen and living room. Tuesday clean patio etc. Friday is Puppy (old Dog ) spa day. Puppy potty time is at 8am-11am-1pm -3pm and 5pm. I took up new hobbies - Facepainting- Repopulating the squirrel population. I go through life like a robot. I am 69 years old. If it weren't for my animals, I would not care if I made it to 70. I don't want to end on a sad note, but the truth is I am pathetic. I lack human contact, so glad I joined this forum! Lauren AKA Lady Grey
 
I'm glad you joined this forum too! I don't think that you are pathetic. You are taking care of other lives. That makes you caring and considerate. Retiring is really tough for a lot of people for many reasons. It does tend to isolate people too especially if they aren't living in a retirement community surrounded by other retirees. Also all of the thoughts that were tucked away and forgotten while you were busy working start coming back to the forefront hoping to be dealt with.
 
Welcome! So glad you're here. 🤗
Keeping occupied is so important with hobbies and new adventures - never too "old" either. Hope you stick around. Pugs 😍
 
You don't sound a bit pathetic to me at all - you're caring for (non-human) animals. I happen to like animals, so I like what you're doing. There are a lot of people out there who make things more difficult for animals, so you're providing some push back to that. Not a waste of time at all. I can think of many worse ways to spend a retirement.

I am curious about how you go about "Repopulating the squirrel population," but I'm a longtime squirrel fan, so all I can say is keep going!

Welcome!
 
I have a tenacious Jack Russell, squirrels never linger. Although, she does allow two stray cats to come to the front door, and they can be fed together. But anything else had better be fast!
 
Welcome to the forums :)
 
You don't sound a bit pathetic to me at all - you're caring for (non-human) animals. I happen to like animals, so I like what you're doing. There are a lot of people out there who make things more difficult for animals, so you're providing some push back to that. Not a waste of time at all. I can think of many worse ways to spend a retirement.

I am curious about how you go about "Repopulating the squirrel population," but I'm a longtime squirrel fan, so all I can say is keep going!

Welcome!
Due to the feral cats, I very rarely see squirrels. I finally found the perfect squirrel feeder that keeps birds out and squirrels to get nuts. It is an elementary flip-top box( not costly). It was the second one I tried, and Bingo, I got one squirrel ( I named Notch Ear) to come by daily. Two days later, another male appeared ( Ring Nose). Finally, a female ( White Tail) joined the community a week later. Since the breeding season is December-February, I sprinkled the ground with nesting material and let nature take its course. I will know if I am successful in May. Fingers cross! Ps. I also bought a scope so I can view them up close.
 
Lady Grey, I can relate to your retirement transition challenge. It's a problem most people face sooner or later, and for those of us that had exceptionally fun, interesting, or satisfying carers, it's tough to give it all up. My own brother lived solely for work and would never have given it up if he hadn't got cut at age 71.

Some people have or find a new purpose in life to fill the gap of their lost careers, but most like you don't. They may spend a few years catching up on house projects, traveling, or playing more golf, but few actually pursue a genuine, satisfying purpose for their life. Doing chores, having a daily routine, and staying busy may accommodate a tolerable adjustment, but it's not a satisfying solution. We need more.

Now, there are several purposes in life to pursue once one retires and has more free time. One can return to a different kind of work to make money, get social interaction, and feel some sense of value and productivity. Half of my retired friends have done this - having new post career jobs. It's a viable option, but since none of them actually need the money, I think volunteering - giving back to society - is a more worthy cause. The need is infinite and a senior's volunteer time so valued. Now that's an avenue for regaining a sense of work satisfaction back.

In my case, I've used retirement freedom to not only travel the world full-time, but to focus on my faith. Though I've been a life-long Christian, most of 35 years was dedicated to my career, and losing that has forced me to find a new purpose in life. With time and effort, I've turned my part time, passive faith into a full time, active one. The result has been life changing, giving me an ultimate purpose and joy for each new day and hope for the future.

I believe that having a close relationship with our Creator is the most important thing in life. It's why we exist. As we grow old, leave our careers behind, and become less enamored with worldly pleasures, our real purpose in life never changes. But as a retiree, it's nice having more time, wisdom, and incentive perhaps, to become passionate about it. There's so much to learn and do as a Christian to make use of the time we've been given here. Just being busy is not the goal, nor will it yield satisfaction. There needs to be purpose, and there's no higher one than knowing and loving God more each day, and showing love and care for others.
 
Thank you. I wish I were a Christian, but I am Jewish. The temple sisterhood will not allow anyone over 55 to join. Thank you for taking the time to write me back.
 
Thank you. I wish I were a Christian, but I am Jewish. The temple sisterhood will not allow anyone over 55 to join. Thank you for taking the time to write me back.
wait what??? your religion discriminates against you/your age? that's insane. don't they age at all, immortal? lol
 
You can go to service, but you cannot join the sisterhood.
Maybe you can join the sisterhood of traveling pants:

iu
 
I had a fulfilling life before retiring. I bred pugs, owned a business, and worked with mentally and physically disabled young adults. My Male dogs are now too old to breed, and one now has dementia. I spend my days making sure he knows that he is loved and reminding him where he is. After retiring, I fell into a dark pit. I made a chore wheel for myself to cope. Monday clean kitchen and living room. Tuesday clean patio etc. Friday is Puppy (old Dog ) spa day. Puppy potty time is at 8am-11am-1pm -3pm and 5pm. I took up new hobbies - Facepainting- Repopulating the squirrel population. I go through life like a robot. I am 69 years old. If it weren't for my animals, I would not care if I made it to 70. I don't want to end on a sad note, but the truth is I am pathetic. I lack human contact, so glad I joined this forum! Lauren AKA Lady Grey
Hello! I'm not "new" here, but have only sort of lurked this past year or so. I, too, have pugs and don't think you're pathetic at all. The sad part is, when people are "caregivers", whether to humans or animals, when that "job" seems to run out, we feel empty. I lost one of my 3 pugs about 4 years ago to cancer (he was only 7) and somehow I now have 6.... and 2 feral cats that claimed my house and I've rehabbed and released 3 raccoons. I sometimes think I was juggling all that to not have to address my "lone self".
YOU ARE NOT PATHETIC.
You are a value to this world.
You seem to have a kind heart.

Keep up the good fight and just let me know if you want me to smother you with pug pics.... Hahahaha
 

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