Retirement blog : never too old to try something new even if it is modest

This is a first. I’m writing this in our summerhouse. But wait isn’t that the whole point of it? It’s called the summerhouse years blog because theoretically you write it in your summerhouse. True, but not this summerhouse. This is our second summerhouse, yes, I know most people only have one but this one is up at the vineyard. It overlooks the vineyard and the rest of Nidderdale. I know I’m biased but I would rate it one hell of a view. Arguably one of the best in the country.

Whatever your opinion on that issue, what is undeniable is that this is a first. This concept of doing things for the first time was prompted by a book on retirement titled, On with the Butter by Heidi Herman apparently after an old Icelandic saying,about living life to the full. Strange title but there we are.

The book in itself was a first. It was the first time I’d been asked if I wanted to receive a copy of a free book via the afore-mentioned summerhouse years blog. I’ve had quite a few requests from people asking if they could put a blog on my blog. Easy to say no to because their topics had absolutely nothing to do with my topic – retirement.

I’ve also turned down requests for advertising on the blog. Again often nothing to do with retirement or worse still to do with it (or old age) but not in a way I cared to be reminded of. So, no again.

But this was a first for sure. A free book, paperback or ebook. I opted for the electronic version. The one thing I’m not short of after lockdown is books. I’m not sure what they expect me to do with it. If it’s a free plug, then consider it plugged. I read it and enjoyed it. If they want more detail, then they will have to let me know.

The last chapter was about ‘firsts’. The recommendation was that retired people should never stop trying to have new experiences. Never too late to try something for the first time, and I think that’s right. So it did set me thinking what had I done this year that was a first?

Well one answer was not as much as I’d hoped on account of being in lockdown. Or is that merely an excuse? Not sure. I had of course published The Vineyard Years as a book, ebook and paperback. But I can’t honestly say that this was a first. But what is a first is the newly-available podcast.

True I can’t take much of the credit for this project as all the hard work has been done by my chum in OZ. He likes podcasts and has time on his hands. So you might argue I’m doing him a favour letting him set up my podcast (from the book, The Vineyard Years). I could but it wouldn’t be true. Without his hard work there would be no podcast. So yes, a genuine first however it came about.

Searching around for other firsts I revisited my lockdown activities. Mrs Summerhouse suggested my bench, but not my chair because I’d made chairs before, several in fact, but not a bench. Nor, as she pointed out, a gate. There’s the easel. First time I’ve ever ordered an easel in my entire life. But that’s about the end of it because the easel is still in its box.

I tried Zoom for the first and, if I have anything to do with it, last time. Otherwise technological first have been rare. I’m about to try my first virtual summer school but again that’s more of necessity than a wild, throw-caution-to-the-wind act of a retired person living life to the full. As in the above book.

Also on the day of publication of this blog, I could attend my first virtual AGM of Wine GB. And as a last bit of technology we now have Sky Q which means nothing to me but the children thought it would be a good idea. Anybody would think we watch a lot of TV – we don’t. About the only thing we’ve watched so far has been the modern version of The Twilight Zone. Not a first at all unless it being the modern version counts.

Mrs Summerhouse and I have combined, as a first, to put out her yoga videos to her class while they’re all socially-isolating. Doesn’t sound like much but let me tell you the technology of putting videos onto Youtube and sending them out has caused me quite a lot of discomfort. I’ll be glad when the classes get going again. It’s a first Jim, but not quite as we might wish it.

On a less happy note we’ve employed an agronomist for the first time for the vineyard. First time ever one of our vines has been carved up and sent to a laboratory for analysis to see what’s killing them. That’s new but again it’s born out of necessity rather than an adventurous spirit.

Maybe I need to rethink this idea of firsts in retirement. I think the concept is meant to be that of pushing at the envelope, stepping outside one’s comfort zone, that type of thing. Living your life to the full even though you are in your dotage. To be fair I have stepped outside of my musical comfort zone in the last couple of years – joining in gigs in Irish pubs, concerts in this country (modest though they may be), the summer-school gig. All have caused me some pain but I’ve pushed myself to perform. I even went as far as to join a folk fiddle group. Now that really was quite brave.

But if we’re talking hang-gliding, white-water rafting, wild-swimming, lion-taming, over-coming a fear of deadly snakes, being part (the one  tied to the board) of a knife-throwing act, driving round the world in a campervan or selling up, buying a boat and sailing around the globe, then I’m afraid I’m falling well  short.

Still each to their own I guess. Providing the mindset is to keep pushing oneself towards new experiences and avoiding phrases like, oh I can’t possibly try that at my age, then a person is probably using their retirement time as well as they can. But even that sounds like a bit of a cop-out. Maybe, what do you think?

PS. A final thought, today I wore a mask into a shop (as above in case you were wondering) for the first time ever in my life. I said to the guy behind the counter, in the olden days if a man walked into a shop wearing a mask you would have called the police. Today you might call the police if he’s not wearing a mask. How we laughed.