Fifty Plus (50+) - So, when you're not doing the bike thing

Not riding, not working on 'em, not buying stuff for 'em...

What do you do? We're all 50+ and supposedly well-rounded. What else is there for you?

I'm sure it's been asked before but, hell, let's dredge it up again.
And if not, why not now?

Retired. :D Ride bike. :D Officate bike races. :rolleyes: Plan bike races. :cry: Celebrate when bike races over. :beer: Volunteer at animal shelter. :) Internet news junkie. :eek: So, if I remove all the non-bike stuff - I'm a retired news junkie who loves animals.

Retired from real job but still maintain a self serve car wash. Spend many hours with computer organizing my genealogy and also volunteer at local genealogical library. And apparently if I want something good to eat, I have to prepare it myself. Wife retired from cooking.

My wife and I have many good friends who are musicians. We spend many evenings going to their gigs, mostly at coffee houses, wineries, auditoriums etc. Often we all get together for some jammin', eating, drinking, and great conversation.

I have been a habitual reader for my entire life, so I spend quality time with books. Although I must say, the computer and BF have cut into my reading time.

Two of our grandchildren are exceptional athletes, ages 15 and 13. We spend many evenings attending their games. The 13-year-old (girl) has been promised a starting spot on the high school varsity basketball team next season when she is a freshman. She now starts, and has for 2 years, for a traveling team that has won tournements in many states from Florida to New York, not to mention leading her 8th grade team to a winning season. So watching basketball, softball, volleyball, and baseball keep me busy.

I have been pondering retrieving my spikes from their hook to play softball in a senior league. I think, after 35 years, I can still turn the double play, but my poor vision might dissuade me from an attempt.

Or most likely, I'll just sit on my ass and drink beer. :lol:

Edit* Forgot to mention I'm retired, for those who don't already know.

Retired, but just called back to work on a short-term (60 days) contract. I like photography and blues music. I can take pictures, but can't play music. Just married off both daughters. One son-in-law is a bike rider, the other is in a rock'n'roll band. Can't get better than that.

Besides the riding I build my own steel frames. I also like wood boats,I have two wood kayaks and plan on starting a 19' skiff in the spring. I just swapped the Toyota minivan for a new Volvo wagon,I'm enjoying driving a car again.

Oh, the easy life... I am not retired, I am of the clergy, Catholic and a priest, so will not be of the retired state for a while. Just past the 56 mark. So some of the other things I do is work...but also play with re-doing an old 1951 International pickup truck that we had when I was a kid on the farm. I do jig saw puzzles once in a while. I have a cabin / get away for my day off where I have more bikes than you can shake a stick at. That is where I play with making new models from old ones. So I too have to cut the grass and other maintenance..
and to all, thanks for being part of this site....and a bigger thanks to those who run the place.

Still working full-time with the same company (well-excluding mergers and acquisitions) for 30+ years. My friends refer to me as "Bank of Dad" as I'm supporting 3 college tuitions including the wife who is back in college......Open 24/7! Will have one more after these 3 are done. (Any and all deposits are very welcome!!)

Very involved in organizing and operating a time trial series that lasts 7 months.

Used to play 100+ rounds of golf a year....now probably 50+.

Enjoy following college football and basketball.

Work for a well known organization that used to have Retired in it's name, but now just goes by four letters. I love my job and plan to work another 10 years. I pretty much travel every other week, but enjoy it. I read a ton, and when I am home, like to do things around the house, and yard work. That's a good thing since it piles up pretty quick. I also enjoy going to visit my two grandchildren. Sheesh when I read this it's surprising I have time to bike.

I grow trees for investment and reforestation in Costa Rica. I also own a software company and am involved in rare woods. Becoming fluent in Spanish is also happening, I fish in virgin tropical rivers for fish I can't even pronounce as well.

We are also in process of having a house built, bridges, etc.

I am not well rounded though - cycling has made me much less round now.

We hunt, trial and train our terriers. We also breed and raise a litter of puppies now and then. We have ten Jack Russells and it takes a fair amount of time just to keep kennels clean and dogs played with and circulated in and out of the house so all get their share of individual attention. We are more into the performance events at the dog trials and conditioning the ones that are best at those games (racing and go to ground). We have a motor home and use it to travel a lot to the trials and enjoy visiting with our friends. We also travel a fair bit to hunt them. We've been fortunate enough to get a few that are pretty decent dogs, two in particular that are at or near the top of their game and are competitive on the highest levels. We've travelled over most of the U.s. and a fair bit of the U.K. playing various dog games. We're dog people. It's the dogs that got me on the bike by showing me I needed to do something for fitness to be able to keep doing what I do with them.

I have to confess - I also amuse myself on forums about this time of year, enjoying that fact that Costa Rica has never seen a snowflake... :D

Work for a well known organization that used to have Retired in it's name, but now just goes by four letters. I love my job and plan to work another 10 years. I pretty much travel every other week, but enjoy it. I read a ton, and when I am home, like to do things around the house, and yard work. That's a good thing since it piles up pretty quick. I also enjoy going to visit my two grandchildren. Sheesh when I read this it's surprising I have time to bike.

Have they managed to track you down yet :D ?

I'm still working full time--make that I'm working 6 days a week apparently for the rest of my career at the rate management is going.

When I'm not working, I moderate a genealogy forum (see signature) and a UK Wildlife forum (which is just starting up. It's at http://www.wildlifeuk.net/index.php in case anyone is interested).

The genealogy keeps me busy, the wildlife viewing keeps me busy. Bikes keep me really busy. I do a great deal of reading as well.

East Hill

28+ years with various versions of at&t (technology development and consulting mostly). Used to play golf every day (9 before work, 9 after) but now lucky to get occasional trip with the old buddies. One kid in college, three more to go (long road ahead on that topic). Currently lots of kid soccer stuff. During the warm months I put up a canopy ( http://dbg.home.att.net/patio_canopy.htm ) over the back patio and spend many long summer evenings building various bike projects. Mix in some red wine, bread and olive oil, and music, and those evenings keep me sane.

This has been asked before, but it is always an interesting comversation.

1. Music - I have my own male senior a capella group. We are currently working on a talent show for our church, a presentation to a senior center, and a performance in a local coffee shop. We are also going to cut our own CD with Christmas songs. This will be the first CD for any of us!! See and hear us here at:

http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/musicdownload.htm

2. Community Activities - I am very active in issues concerning those with disabilities. I recently formed a new organization and maintain another organization.

You can see them here:

Colorado Coalition to End the Waiting List (http://members.aol.com/ccewlco/)

Parents of Adults with Disabilities - Colorado (http://members.aol.com/padcoweb/)

3. Wife and I like to take road trips with the Bicycles in the van.

4. Have toyed for years with getting my certification in Personal Training. Have studied for the exam, but it seems everything else (health, etc.) keeps getting in the way.

5. And, of course, weight lifting. (http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/wtroom2.JPG)

Just a working stiff here--but a fortunate one. I work in public relations for the Univeristy of Virginia. I really believe in what we do here and love it that my place of employment has a museum, a dozen or so libraries, sports teams (including a first-rate student cycling club with a number of national champions), an orchestra, etc.

Yesterday, I was working with a world-class photographer on a BusinessWeek photo shoot. Today I'll be meeting with a graphic designer who's helping us reconfigure our web site, and I still have my hand in creating magazines, etc. It's all pretty interesting--but, of course, it's still work.

My wife teaches Russian here, as well. As the only driver in the house, I'm responsible for all of the shopping, light and heavy hauling, etc. So sometimes, it's hard enough to get in cycling time, but I also like to grow vegetables (often feeding the deer and other wildlife in the process), work out at the gym, hike with da wife (she doesn't cycle), hang out with friends, and, of course, cheer on the mighty U.Va. Wahoos. I also enjoy the fact that the college town I live in attracts interesting, quirky people who like to do things like run interesting, quirky restaurants. We're lucky that we have our choice of many fine, not-too-expensive ethnic eats.

Final thought--what an interesting collection of 50 plussers here. No wonder this is my all-time favorite online community.

Work fulltime, cycle, yard work, 13 yo daughter management and home theater as a hobby.

I spend my working time managing a couple of independent oil and gas companies. One of them operates about 100+ wells scattered across three states, and the other is an acquistions/royalty partnership. This takes from 30 to 50 hours per week. I no longer supervise the field work unless we're in a bind, and most of my traveling is in the company plane, so that makes it much easier.

We bought an older home several years ago, but owing to a bout with cancer (wife) and some other medical situations we've just now started remodeling on the money pit so that will take a good deal of my future time. I enjoy carpentry and landscaping.

I also enjoy long distance marksmanship and bird hunting, with the occasional feral hog hunt (no limit-no season) when the boys are home.

We follow the Texas Rangers, but root for the Red Sox during the summer. I gave up umpiring baseball after the sixth knee surgery.

Two grown boys in the Dallas metrolplex, and two in college, keep us pretty busy. We're still waiting for grandchildren. I finally got a daughter in law and have a prospect of another.

I like starting up new biotechnology companies in my free time. It's kind of job related, but it's also really my hobby. I'm acting CEO of two new start-ups and working on a possible third. I'm an ad hoc analysts for two venture capital firms. If I ever retire, I suspect I will do this full time.

I also build custom studio furniture in my garage/shop but since resuming bicycle racing I have much less time to build stuff.

My wife really enjoys opera while I favor theater, so we alternate and try to go to one or the other about once a month in Los Angeles.

This one may sound odd, but I really like public speaking so I get sent around the country to black tie gala events as keynote speaker for the research center I work for.

The economic doldrums here have lead to my early, involuntary departure from the work force. Less said about that the better. I pick up part time work when I can. Fortunately we're reasonably well set so things aren't dire and can still afford travel etc.

I read a lot more than I used to, and am getting acquainted with modern literary fiction.

I have had a lifetime love of classical music and renewed my long ago interest in audio a few years back. I've built my own speakers and amplifiers, and have previously posted my ongoing basement listening room/"man cave"/exercise room project here on BFS. I'm pretty handy and building things fills the time work used to.

Fly fishing is another pastime, but I only get up North for "serious" trout fishing a few times a season. I like to rough it (I used to backpack in my youth) and tent camp when I go. Otherwise I torment the bluegills at Stoney Creek metropark from my kayak when not riding there.

When still gainfully employed I bought a Subaru Impreza WRX (fast!!) when they first came out and tried autocrossing (a low-risk type of amateur racing) but lost interest. Partly because I sucked! But I entertain myself by heel-and-toeing thru nearly every turn in day to day driving. Yes, I still have the Subie. Modded it lightly with Progressive performance/lowering springs and a rear strut bar when I was autocrossing.

I still work full-time as a software engineer for a large internet information provider. I work 4x10 so I have those three day weekends every week. I plan on cutting back to part-time in a couple years. I like my job, have very flexible hours and lots of time off so I haven't decided when I'll retire.

- I volunteer for the Special Olympics and the local park district.

- I have 9 grandkids who keep me busy attending their events.

- Maintaining the house and yard keeps me busy. I'm better at home maintenance than bike
maintenance. My dad built custom homes and taught me to use tools before he taught me
to ride a bike:)

I like winter too, I'm an avid backcountry and telemark skier. It's all good, bring on the snow!

Just retired at 56 from a stressful social work job. Will do some work for the Juvenile Court on a very part time basis. Will finish building our house. We heat with wood, grow a large garden, can, dry and freeze food for the winter, prepare a lot of meals at home. Lift weights and do some running. Son told me about the website gymjones. It has really given me some ideas on how to better punish the body. Thinking about doing a brevet or two this year. Will need to put in far more base miles to accomplish the brevets.

Like to read and search for bargains on the internet. Rarely buy things. Have to many things now. Really try to minimize the my imprint on the Earth.

Very interesting to see this diversity. Now lets see what I am doing? (subject to change soon).
Manage an Automation Company.
That involves frequent travel.
That allows much reading on planes, airports, hotels.
Exercise 1.5 hours/day minimum.
Spend much time with my wife of 45 years.
That means dining at home with more good wine than is good for us.
That means hiking, biking, museums, dining out, traveling for fun, socializing with friends and family.
I love classical music and have a very good sound system, love good movies, pay for all channels.
Computer Chess. I spend more time with that than is reasonable.
Biking with my wife on a Tandem. Solo with my new Madone.
Any time left? Go hiking in the woods. Camp out in book stores.
Sleep? Perhaps 6 hours/day.

Still a working slob in software development. Like blues music and 60's garage band style. Can play a little piano and guitar. Photography buff, especially macro. Hang out alot with my wife of over 30 years. God bless her.

http://timothyv.smugmug.com/photos/131041488-S.jpg

I work full time as the bookkeeper for a log home company. I'm 52 and would like to be done with the every day work week in 5 or 6 years. My husband and I own a small cattle ranch, so lots of time riding horse back and taking care of all that. The ranch is the big thing that husband and I agree on letting consume a large part of our lives and money! One son in the Air Force in Delaware, one son riding colts for a horse trainer in California, and a 16 yr old daughter at home. The daughter does sports, and the boys are a reason to go somewhere and see something different. Reading and yard work are two other things I enjoy alot. For the last two years biking has been shoving all of the above, down a notch so I have time to ride.

Retired Telecommunication Specialist (federal civil service)
Collecting/restoration of antique (British) motorcycles (currently in final stages of 1953 Velocette LE), radio controlled model aircraft, bench rest shooting, and granddaughter keep me too busy.....

.Final thought--what an interesting collection of 50 plussers here. No wonder this is my all-time favorite online community.

+1 My thoughts exactly.

Let's see, I know I must do something that's not bicycle related. I'm still working full-time scheduling work through an airplane parts factory. That is definitely not cycling related.
I'm president of the local bicycle club with a strong leaning towards advocacy activities, so that has consumed much of my free time. Especially now as we are heavily into the preparations for our annual fundraising ride.
http://www.geocities.com/bicyclingclubofmilledgeville/aprilfools.html
I spend a lot of time working in my yard (12 wooded acres). I need to do more of that.
I love to get with some friends to play blues and other types of music. I sing and play harmonicas.
I'll be going to my son's middle school soccer games and band concerts in the coming months. My older son is off to college. I try to keep in touch as much as possible.
My wife and I enjoy going to the local college's theatre and jazz band events.
If I had more time I would be doing a lot more pond fishing for catfish, bream and largemouth bass.

Still working, sales management for a company that manufactures machinery in the forest products industry. Retirement is 1 1/2 years away! :D

When not obsessing about biking, play a little guitar (badly), enjoy listening to all kinds of music...live when possible, snorkeling in warm tropical water (when budget & time allow), tennis.

My brother is nearly finished building a replica Lotus 7 he designed himself, I'm the moral support. We will autocross it this summer when my wife and I are not riding.

What do you do? We're all 50+ and supposedly well-rounded. What else is there for you?

I'm an animator. I'm currently working on a short animation that will be shown in the Ozark Foothills Film Festival. I feel like I'm getting that career back on track after many years now that I am freshly released from the bonds of marriage. My other hobby is paying off my debts. Bicycling definitely helps that. I own a car, but it hasn't moved in almost 2 years. I pedal everywhere. I also help out with the Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas. Our next big event is riding in the local St. Patrick's Day parade. Then Bike To Work day after that.

Here's my own little company that I do when I'm not at my day job of Creative Director at Spinner Network Systems. Check it out!



Point Happy Interactive (http://www.pointhappy.com/)

http://www.pointhappy.com/gifs/Fastn40.jpg

We have ten Jack Russells.


Oh my god! My ex wife and I had two (brothers/litter mates) and they were an insane handful.

I guess you know the song "God Loves A Terrier" by heart. ;)

Own two small businesses with wife. For you corporate types this is a 24/7 deal at times. We both are on the Board of Directors of our local Histoical Society & Museum. Watch my granddaughter grow up. Read as much as possible. Woodworking and carving when I can fit it in. Have a second home 2,500 miles from my primary one. Lawn and gardening in the summer. Besides cycling, make every attempt to stay fit. Working with my son to buy another biz he can run. Trying to develop a solar energy idea we have been working on for a long time.

Build and ride bikes ..... holy cow I need some duck tape my head is going to explode.

Add.. Really loved Costa Rica. In 10 days I don't remember too many bikes on the roads? The motorists are crazy.

28+ years with various versions of at&t (technology development and consulting mostly).

I used to go up your way often for 5e training. But about 4 years ago I went to the Brown switch.

Wow!

Still working full time in the same field (Investments) for 28 years. Helping to raise 2 beautiful adopted twin daughters from China (now 11). Cooking some of the reputed BEST pork BBQ (Eastern style) in NC, as well as Asian, Indian, and Mexican dishes. Doing occasional volunteer work for church(es) we've belonged to. Reading as much as I can (including the Forum). Add in the training and riding time and not much slop here. And I envy all of you who have grown children, I'll be getting pushed around on a 'bent before I'm done with child rearing!!!

Cameraman here. I currently work for the state, but before that I worked for commercial TV for about twenty years. Really interesting stuff but as I get older the physicality of it all gets really old.

As for retiring, well I never saved and figure I can retire at about 115, give or take 5 years.

It has been interesting though. I have met Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., and Bill Clinton.

Several heads of state. Kings and queens. Lots of 'queens'.

A few years ago there was an airshow in the area and they were debuting the F-117. The base commander came over to me and asked where to put the plane. I said 'right there', and he had it pushed 'right there'.

About that time we flew out to Spokane with an air guard unit that was going to do water drop duty and supposedly all the arrangements were made for me to go along on some water drops. After a seven hour trip in a C-130 (and yes they do have a piss tube), the commander looked at me and said
'Are you crazy?' Seems we were not considered mission essential. Six more hours in another C-130 to get back. Two interviews, a bit of B-roll and 13 hours in a C-130. I did get to see a 'Sky-Crane' helicopter come in to get fuel. At that same airport a WWII bomber came in with an engine on fire and the pilot calmly stepped out of the cockpit and walked over with an extinguisher and put the fire out. Started wiping the engine down and I later saw him take off with a load of water.

I went to both the 2000 and 2004 presidential conventions and got on the floor all four times.....and yes, secret service agents have absolutely no sense of humor.

Being in an election cycle, and since we have the first primary in the south, all of the candidates are dropping in, with national press guys, so I will get beat up even more. At least until our primary next February; after which we will be forgotten.

More cop rides than I can remember. It is neat going down the interstate at 120-130 and not getting a ticket. And a cop can't tell the race of a car driver, especially at night.

One night we heard there was a truck/car accident on a local interstate. When I got there I got a couple of wide shots so the cop could see me from a distance and then walked closer. I could see that there was a mustang convertible parked under a tractor trailer. It was if someone had lifted the trailer and drove the car underneath. I saw the trooper and just shook my head, meaning I assumed the driver was dead. He understood my thinking and said
'Shes ok'. He concluded that she had just changed lanes and drove under the trailer, whose wheels were 2-4 inches off the ground. She crawled out without a scratch.

During one hurricane we went down to Myrtle Beach and the town had been evacuated so it was spookily quiet. A cop drives over and I wonder what I have done to piss him off, and he said that EMS had just left and that he was the last cop and he was headed out and I was on my own. Really felt alone.

I've only been in one helicopter with the door on it.

I almost talked an Apache helo pilot to let me ride on the outside while he hovered up a few feet and then back down. Almost.

On one helicopter ride in Montana we were at about 1000 feet above the valley floor with mountains rising above us on either side. The pilot yelled at me to look up one valley and here comes a B-52 below us. It came down one valley and turned up another one. Amazing flying, and I understand from another photog it is a really bumpy ride.

At a local army base they took us out to see some tank training. I talked them into letting me stand even with the front of the barrel, but off to the side. They said there might be a little concussion wave.
I bent over the tripod to steady the camera and BOOM. All I saw was sky. Me, tripod and camera on the ground. The guy in charge said I might have been a bit close. As I recall I had sand in every opening in my body that wasn't covered.

I used to shoot video for the local prison system, and was in about 15 of the states 30 facilities. Trust me, not a good place. Amazing body art, but I liked to leave at night.

Lots of neat memories, but 'jppe' might have to adopt me so I can go back to school to try to earn a living some day.

Guess I got to rambling a bit. Sometimes it just tumbles out.

[QUOTE=LastPlace]Lots of neat memories, but 'jppe' might have to adopt me so I can go back to school to try to earn a living some day.
QUOTE]

When I win the lottery you're now second on the list.....right behind the dream bike!!

Ramble on-fascinating tales!!

jppe,

Finally, a retirement plan.

Still work full time. The less said about that the better!

I own an Alberg 30 and sail the Chesapeake Bay.

I like to hike, row, kayak, canoe, and other outdoor stuff.

I hope to do some bike touring this year too, but I guess that is really outside the topic of this thread.

"Final thought--what an interesting collection of 50 plussers here. No wonder this is my all-time favorite online community."

My thoughts exactly!

When I'm not playing in my garden or romping with my Schipperkes I'm selling real estate. I also work on various fund-raising committees to benefit Housing American Families, breast cancer, diabetes, the local homeless shelter. Reading, working crossword puzzles, cultivating orchids, cooking, taking advantage of our proximity to Napa & wine country -- all that fills in the gaps.

Our kids live in San Francisco, about an hour west, & we take turns visiting. When we have grandkids we'll probably be visiting more frequently.

Well, we got my stepson out of HS last spring, sold our house in ME and moved to a small town in CO. :)
We chose this place b/c of the climate and what it would allow us to do.

I own an Executive Search Firm that places Tech and Ops people with food manufacturing companies around the country.

We telemark ski, (Monarch Mtn 20 mi away), ride road and mtb, (mostly road for me), fly fish (Arkansas River is a 5 min drive), cook (sub to Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Cooks Illustrated) and like to drink good wine.

Been here a month and I've skied 10 days, fished 3 and ridden 200 miles. :D

I run a small training and consulting company, and teach two college courses. I'm also into guitars, a summer garden, and photography... although I'd give up all of those before cycling.

Own two small businesses with wife. For you corporate types this is a 24/7 deal at times.

The good part of working for yourself is you only have to work half the time................and it doesn't matter which 12 hours you choose.:D :D :D

Run, drink beer with the Running Derelicts. Actually runners are, in my experience, worse (or better) drinkers than cyclists.

"Baetis" -- there used to be someone by that handle on the Fly Fishing mag Webforum some years back. You the same guy?

Still work full time. The less said about that the better!
I own an Alberg 30 and sail the Chesapeake Bay.
I like to hike, row, kayak, canoe, and other outdoor stuff.


very cool thread, nice jumbalaya of old fartes...
had a 'hole in the water' also (coronado 27 and a slew of 1-designs) a little while back, on the Magothy (Chesapeake finger), sailed alot...
ex almost 30 yrs in the business side of Ski/Surf/Sail-Sailboard, making sport of it - currently hidin from life as a graphic artiste... also workin on a number of video projects related to documenting disappearing real life, both natural and man-made.
terminally ill with altitude 'sickness' augmented with many 'water-borne' afflictions. Any angle off horizontal is a good place to be... except bed, I luv my bed. I try to luv as much and as 'many' as I possibly can.
art is life, life is art, Fibonacci is everywhere...
cycling... cycling is my magic carpet. as with only a few handsfull of things, it is perfection in the moment.
I always need input

I've always realized I was born to be retired, but I still make my daily bread by working fulltime in our municipal library system. Since we have large immigrant populations in our city, many of whom use the libraries as a primary resource for education and entertainment, I have managed to become functional (a long ways from fluent!) in Spanish and am thinking about working on Vietnamese, although the utility of that is limited. (I don't think I can wrap my little head around Arabic, Hindi or Chinese.) By nature and training I am a painter and I have worked off and on all my life as a freelance artist/illustrator/graphic artist, but I long ago became weary of the constant striving to find the next job and have scaled back my painting to just for my own pleasure and never worry about whether or not I sell something, although I do keep gallery representation. MUCH more rewarding. If I have a hobby (besides bicycle rehabbing/riding) it is making and playing native American flutes, both the carved cedar Plains style and the Southeastern cane flutes from my own heritage. I am married to my greatest treasure and best friend (30 years this month) who amazingly stayed with me through all those years of trying to make a living the hard way. The idea of being a "starving artist" seemed romantic when younger, but d**n its hard on the family! We have three kids, two in college, one married and in the Navy (nuclear subs) who is about to make us grandparents in May, so it looks like the next phase of our lives is about to crank into high gear. Life is still exciting.

- special ed teacher.
- jamming with friends or recording alone in my studio on guitar, bass and most recently Roland drums!
- woodworking on occasion.
- running on dreadmill or shoveling snow ; (

Spent 30 odd years in the Truck trade- supplying parts to keep the wheels of commerce rolling. I think my wheels fell off about 3 years ago and can't wait for 2012 when I retire. In the mean time- I have a further hobby that keeps the brain ticking over and that is Gardening. I used to show Alpine plants but no longer have the time or energy to do that- so content myself with keeping the grass cut- Doing the heavy jobs like Digging- and rotavating and raking and cutting hedges that I can't palm off to friends and relations. 6 years ago- my previous planning came to fruition and managed to set up the best gardening aid any keen gardener can have (Attachment below) All I have to do is keep the relations and the dog from using it and I will be set up for life.