Solo nesting ain’t so bad

Time passes, here I shall stay for a while, home with bells on!

I am blessed. I have moved to my nice unit in a calm, peaceful environment. I have found somewhere I can afford, no complaints. I am appreciating the positives of solo nesting. What is solo nesting, you may ask? Solo nesting is when a single of any age is dwelling with no co-residents. Living alone.

Right now, what The Golden Girls brought to television back in 1985 is becoming a hot trend.  ‘Silver nesting’; grey-haired singles sharing accommodation.Well, I beat the trend. I survived silver nesting for over twenty years, looking after a late, single geriatric, doing chores with a cheerful heart. Upon reflection, I can think, ‘no biggies’. As part of silver nesting, at times I was also co-resident with some of the geriatric’s family, and assorted pets. Some things can test our patience, as senior chicks. As one of my sisters said, after her offspring finally left home, she felt no ‘empty nesting’. Neither do I, neither do I!

Solo nesting is a life of calm and peace. As retired folk, we must approach each morning we wake up as a bonus. We should aspire to realistic expectations, according to our age, health and mobility.

On the flip side, we retired folk must also aim to do what we can, while we can, for as long as we can. We must still have a ‘growth mentality’, seeking new challenges. People might call the baby boomers the ‘overcomers’. To the young ones, we are but fossils. We can learn new skills, but sometimes we do not want to change. We see nothing wrong with the old light bulb anyway!

I know that some solo nesters do like to travel, as well as take on new skills, heck, even some who are my quality friends like to participate in things like zoomers for boomers. They are social butterflies, party animals, some may say.

However, that’s not me, I am more of an introvert. I believe that online shopping was invented with me and my kind, the solo nesters, specifically in mind. Recluses unite, in a distant way!

A friend of mine is retiring, a grey boomer dude. He and his wife have ordered a luxury campervan, for travelling our great land, exploring new environments, preferably the many beautiful fishing spots in Australia, dinghy trailing behind. Fishing can be a fun solo sport, sitting in a patch of heaven by a river, waiting for the one that got away. Now is the time to enjoy whatever we aim to. At the same time, his wife is threatening to abide at home, solo, with the shower and indoor toilet, air conditioning and gas heating. I can imagine her waving him off to his next little trip. Solo nesting has its advantages, no compromises!

For fossil fun, we should hope to have enjoyable days. If we do not wish to master heaps of new skills, we can look for different challenges in our favourite activities. For example, I handcraft for charity, it’s volunteering done at home. I am now trying to make cartoon characters on bunny rugs, bright and colourful, for underprivileged young mothers. As well, I am coaching a friend on her learning how to crochet journey; a new skill for her and a nice, low pressure social event for me. She is already making lanyards for masks, a great idea. Always welcome, other solo nesting friends.

While solo nesting, I do have some healthy habits. I walk most days, depending on my pulsating knees, do seated Tai Chui and lift weights. While bulking up my prize ham arms, I do tend to focus on medicinal stinking thinking. But there is no turning back in life. I get on with appreciating solo nesting.
Old teachers go on teaching and talking, even when no one is listening. Fossil fun includes a daily positive plan. Think, “no biggies, no complaints”. Solo nesting, here I am!