I was on another thread today and noticed a few comments about winter boredom and people who had time on their hands. It made me wonder what does everyone else do to while away the winter days (when they aren't working that is).
I'm interested to hear what others get up to... in case I'm missing out on something! :-)
I also thought it might give anyone who is dreading winter in France a few ideas of inspiration to occupy the short days and long cold nights.
This also reminded me of something I learnt in economics.
In 1930 when Keynes discussed the future of capitalism he predicted within 100 years that we would all work 15 hours a week, have everything we needed and that our biggest battle would be to learn to enjoy our free time.
I've not exactly been faced with a dilemma of a 15 hour week, but I've gone from an 80 hour week to a 35 hour week.. which is pretty 'monumental' to me. Moving to France was a big part of enabling this. So having worked so much and having found this spare time like others I was face with what to do with it.
I'm think I'm lucky because I viewed the dilemma of how to fill my spare time as a wonderful opportunity.
One trick I learned was to get hobbies that maybe cost a bit up front, but after that they are pretty much free. That way money isn't a barrier to doing them - should money become an issue - or if you have opted for a less money focused life.
So over the last 15 years, little by little I've got the kit for all of these...archery, cycling, cooking, fishing, kayaking, karate, kite boarding, kite flying, hiking, gardening ,amateur self sufficiency.
I picked a place to live where I can do them on my doorstep so that really helped.
Snow boarding is also on the list as it's a favourite but we chose to live a long way from the mountains - doh - so that vice costs me a small fortune every year and it's a holiday more than a hobby.
My list isn't very inspirational but they work for me - I'm always looking for a new hobby though. :-)
So what hobbies does anyone else do in winter?
Although there never seems to be enough hours in the day, my OH bought me a 3 day photography course for Xmas, and now my chores have gone out of the window!!! I was a "happy snapper" and I thought took an ok photo, but no. In hindsight they were dreadful. I went for my 1st day in trepidation thinking that it could be boring, but it was 100% pleasure. The guy that teaches is an inspiration, patient and tailored everything we did to MY needs. He taught me how to properly frame my pictures which is where I was going so wrong, taught me how my camera actually worked, as I never used it on any other setting but auto. We trecked through markets, around lakes, spent one morning just photographing window shutters, which sounds dull but it was my favourite, took some food shots and did a morning of random animal photography (the most difficult as they refused to pose). The last afternoon we spent on the computer using techniques to enhance my best efforts to make them frameable! I now find myself leaving my handbag at home and instead carrying my camera everywhere I go and managing to save some money! I look around me all the time, instead of often at the ground, searching for that opportunity. My camera has become my eyes and has also enhanced my fitness as I'm walking more in search of that special photo. It was the best 3 days ever spent and I even got fed with delicious lunches. This course was in the Lot et Garonne (I think), or it could just be in the Dordogne!
On the down side, my house is in serious need of a spring clean as I'm rarely home!!
Well, it seems this thread has fallen by the wayside, but hey, it’s still winter, folks! - so here goes...
I decided to leave the UK and spend this winter in Normandy, with not much money. Things I have therefore found to occupy my time – besides trying to understand French and the French, and (more intriguingly) the English who live in France - are...
1) Wandering the local roads, sweeping up leaves, which I stuff into carrier bags, fashioning balls of about 300mm diameter (30cm for non-technical readers, and 1 foot for Brits born before 1984) – which I then leave (no pun intended) to dry. Since the carrier bags are one-size I call the dried items Boules-Identiques-Sans-Humidité, or 'BISH' for short.
2) Wandering the local woods, collecting branches and twigs of various sizes, which I weave into rolls about 300mm diameter by 600mm long (30cm x 60cm for non-technical people, and 1 foot x 2 feet for Brits born before 1984). Nobody I know makes these things, so I call them Roules-Uniques-Branchettes, or 'RUB' for short.
3) Sitting in my gite before a 10kw nominal output, steel-encased, glass-doored, organic-fuelled domestic furnace (a wood-burning stove for those of you born in a town, like me), stuffing my collected RUB & BISH into its 30cm by 2 foot orifice and wondering how to measure its output, convinced that it’s nowhere near 10kw, since my spectacles have frozen over. Again.
Does anybody else have any hypothermia-induced hobbies they’d like to share? :-)
Funnily enough I’m in a similar position, though haven’t moved yet, that comes in February. My summer hobbies in the past have been mountain biking , messing with or driving my Caterham 7 and gardening, Winter wise, I love skiing but like you a holiday rather than hobby, I wish! I’ve done a lot of mountain biking including off rd night riding , that will be getting back in my list of things to do in winter.ive been learning to play the guitar for a number of years, and banjo and harmonica, can’t claim to be brilliant at any of them but it’s fun learning. I like hobbies that have a fairly quick end result so cooking and baking are a good hobby /Necessity I’ve always done the cooking, last yr a bunch just of the people in the caterham owners club bought and built Airfix 1/24 scale Spitfires, I was among them as I used to love model making as a kid, got right into it and enjoy it still, have built all sorts from WW2 aircraft to modern super bikes. Bit geeky but I enjoy it. Home brewing might get a revisit soon, did that years ago and that’s a rewarding hobby. hic! I also maintain and restore Citroen 2cvs as a hobby , I’ve had 5 and they are a lot of fun, simple and easy to maintain.
Brilliant Sarah....... we also make bath bombs! 150g bicarb of soda / 50g citric acid. Add dried lavender or rose petals / a few drops of your chosen essential oil - spray witch hazel in the mix to bind it and then press into moulds. We have also bought little white organza bags so they can be used as presents! It's a really enjoyable hobby.
I found it quite hard, after the initial excitement of moving here, as my job in the UK was Clinic nurse specialist ie spent all day with people in a very rewarding job.
Now I belong to a Patchwork, Art, Randonnée group so that helps. I do like to interact with people and I think it’s more difficult to get involved with Charities here than in the UK. My husband is more self-motivating and loves painting gardening etc…
Today it was a lovely sunny, crisp morning so I went and played 9 holes of golf. A lovely walk and smack the little white ball around; and with the dog; so he also benefits from the exercise. Tomorrow I'm helping friends lay a new floor. Must remember to hoover up all the dead leaves around the garden on Friday and put them on the compost. I'm retired so i have choice: - "work" in the garden, DIY around the house, have a game of golf, arrange a lunch with friends, I really don't know where the hours go ..... In the evenings I tend to watch sport and drama on Sky TV; however we often play Scrabble after supper or read a book.
I make jewelry all year long, often trying new techniques & materials. Occasionally I sell pieces I make (big grin). From time to time I do other crafty things such as crocheting an afghan for our new granddaughter. This year I started canning again (jams, marmalades, chutneys, sauces) & enjoy eating the goodies throughout the year. The local markets have provided yummy ingredients, so it's fun to do the shopping before I head to the kitchen. Of course, we love exploring the area & always find something new (new to us) & interesting to visit. My Kindle gets a lot of use, as I generally read at least a couple of books each week.
Cooking is my poor weather hobby, running out of goodies since we have had a couple of weeks of good weather!
Gardening, watercolour painting and learning basque I can also add to the list. The painting and basque I go to classes for so they are also a great way to make new friends. Then there is the Club des Aines in the village, learning to play Mus.
Free time? What free time?
You need washing soda, citric acid, salt and baking soda, all available at organic shops like BioCoop, and you can get washing soda at Castorama.
Here's the recipe. It's in cups but if you stick to the proportions you can make it with any container. It may well fizz a bit if there's moisture in the powders. Leave it be and it'll end up by stopping after a few hours.
http://www.thankyourbody.com/all-natural-diy-borax-free-dish-detergent/
Use it with white vinegar instead of rinse-aid, and I put a squeezed lemon half in the machine to make it smell lovely.
If you're really living the French life, as a pensioner, then the problem doesn't present itself.....shopping, markets, cooking and of course eating and drinking! Café life also exists with too many 'lotos' - even after 25 years, I've never won, so I've given up!
Bonnes Fêtes.....
Sarah – How do you make dish washer powder? I'm intrigued!
Sarah, that sounds interesting, and probably good for the environment! Hadn't thought of that as a hobby, but what a great idea.
Studying French, writing a book, running an expat blog, reading, cooking. Am not so much into winter sports, but will take up pilates and/or yoga.
I am never bored!
I've just started making my own household products. It started with making my own dishwasher powder and has gone on from there. This weekend I'm making my own toothpaste from coconut oil and baking soda.
I’m the same as Maria - not enough hours in the day.
I Card make, scrapbook, do patchwork and lace making. Just started rag rugging too.
Looking forward to the holidays to have a bit of extra time.
Writing used to be one of my main hobbies but now I treat that as work I to have adopted "crafty" hobbies for the winter. I spin yarn from my alpacas, made my own Christmas cards, draw (really badly!) and read. When I have the time I do like visiting markets in different towns.