mom2scouts Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 If you don't have young kids and don't have a job, how do you spend your summer days? I love summer because we have such long gray winters, but I'm looking at a boring summer and I want to find things to do outside. I used to plan fun activities and mini trips for my kids and we would swim at a small lake, hike, go to the zoo, bike around the neighborhood, go to different playgrounds, or do outdoor crafts, but now I only have one minor child at home who's a teen and she has her own activities. DH has always been a workaholic, but we used to do some fun stuff in summer. Now he spends most of his free time bringing home stuff from auctions or things he's found and tearing it apart to scrap. I have no interest in joining in that, especially since I'm at a point where I want to declutter and downsize, not bring home more junk! We don't have a vacation planned and nothing fun happens if I don't plan it. I've never liked to do things by myself, but I need to find some way to enjoy summer days, especially while dh is working. I can invite friends some days, but I don't have a lot of local friends who are available during the day. All I've come up with is going to the library weekly and taking my books to a park to read, hiking at some of the more popular parks, and exploring the downtowns of some small nearby communities. I don't like gardening or yard work, but I might be willing to do a little if it gets me outside. The swim lake and the local pools closed during the pandemic and never reopened, so sadly that's not an option. I guess I could go to the zoo by myself. Maybe learn a new skill like nature drawing or archery or...something? Sit on the deck and do homeschool planning for next year? Of course there's always housework and home projects (DH gets annoyed if I start those by myself and usually takes over), but they're usually not outside projects anyway. Please help me brainstorm! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 Volunteer Start a fun ladies adventure group like @Quill Take a class Around me I have seen some hiking groups that get together at state parks or nature centers. A lot of nature centers have fun classes. Hikes by the naturalist, learn how to kayak or canoe, bird watch, volunteer and learn about raptors, trail work, and on and on. Learn a new sport- horseback riding, sailing, tennis, pickle ball. I have seen adult lessons for all of these around me. Volunteer at a horse sanctuary. Join a team. Softball, masters swim team Are there any good adult/women camps around you? I have seen lots of these around and they seem fun. Or even ones that do trips. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 (edited) Well, I mostly work at my two part time jobs. And manage kids. This summer Dh and I will camp in NC for a week while Ds is at church camp. We grill out, hang out with friends and enjoy having no schoolwork. This summer, I will be helping our older one get ready for college. Ideas for you: Road trip? Friends or family you want to visit? A place you’ve always wanted to go? Maybe plan ahead - plan a vacation/trip for next school year or summer? Community service?! Mentor/teach struggling students? Deliver for Meals on Wheels? Immigrant/refugee assistance organizations? Food pantry? Volunteer at the zoo? Part time job? What did you do before kids and homeschooling? Find out why the lake and pool are closed and do something to change that?! Edited May 29, 2023 by ScoutTN 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 As a librarian, my brain automatically goes to checking on the library calendar to see what it might be offering. I know you mentioned checking out books, but summertime is a huge time for programming. Due to staffing and an extremely busy-with-kids summer reading program, my library mostly does adult programming in the late summer/early fall, but many libraries offer all kinds of summer programming for all ages. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 In addition to the above, check out your local parks. Ours offer walking clubs, hikes, nature talks, birding, etc 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 Volunteering for a lot more hours with the friends of the library because the weather is warmer and sunset is later so I could use public transport to get home. Cooking new stuff that requires a lot of prep work because my kids’ summer classes are online and so we have lots of time at home to do food prep. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 My summer days are the same as my fall, winter, and spring days, pretty much. I do most of my walking/hiking in spring and fall, unless I can get out early before it gets too hot. But mostly my daily routine is the same: laundry needs to be done, food planned, procured and cooked. I don't know where you live so this might not be helpful. Is there a city nearby that you haven't visited much and can explore? I walk around Philadelphia a lot (I live in the suburbs) but there are lots of museums I haven't been to, or haven't been since I took the kids years ago. I'm thinking of spending more time doing that. I might even check out one of the hop on/hop off bus tours. I know you said you don't like doing things alone, but if the alternative is not doing anything, maybe you'd find you can enjoy it. Your husband and mine sound alike except for the scavenging (not sure that's the right word for it). Mine is busy at work, but also very into gardening and tends to take over all the decisions about what to plant and where, etc. I am starting to claim some of my own space to do my own thing and telling him to back off. 🙂 My local library has some things during the day but... how can I say this... they are definitely geared to older adults. And though I am an older adult myself, I find the people very... old. LOL I don't mean to sound insulting! I am just more comfortable with people who are a little younger than me. A boomer chronologically only, in spirit I am solidly gen-x. I haven't found one yet, but I second the idea of finding a hiking or walking group. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Blue Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 Well, here are all the things I am doing/trying to do as an empty nester: (Disclaimer, I am an introvert) I bought one of those lightweight, single burner stoves. I can use it on the deck and have fun coming up with healthy, stuff to cook outside. I also take it to the park and cook a lunch, then hike (if I can), then bike. Sometimes it’s fun to just make tea or latte on the deck. We bought a super nice badminton net. It goes to the backyard or the park. Very portable. (Couldn’t find a place or person to learn pickle ball with). I learned how to set a tarp up over the open hatch of my car for shade for when I do said outdoor cooking. I learned how to play chess a few years ago. Chess.com. So much fun. Sit by the fire pit at night with lanterns all around and have supper. Sit with my cat while reading……with my favorite sounds from my favorite app…grandfather clock, rain, and spa music. Find a new healthy recipe to cook. Look for good new movies to add to my Prime list to watch at night. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 Paddleboarding is the big thing here not intensly just kind of hanging with friends. Lots of weekend festivals and concert just the little local things. Wineries are big here and the do lots of live music, corn hole or little markets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 4 hours ago, mom2scouts said: If you don't have young kids and don't have a job, how do you spend your summer days? I love summer because we have such long gray winters, but I'm looking at a boring summer and I want to find things to do outside. I used to plan fun activities and mini trips for my kids and we would swim at a small lake, hike, go to the zoo, bike around the neighborhood, go to different playgrounds, or do outdoor crafts, but now I only have one minor child at home who's a teen and she has her own activities. The biggest thing I've done that stuck is take up rowing. I started when my kids were teens, and now that they're out of the house I'm actually on the board of the club and running two of the programs (one for newbies, and one for experienced rowers, in which I participate as well). The club has mostly individual rowers, but I like having a program with other people who expect me to be there - I get much more rowing in that way! Since Covid, I've been trying to get outside in the summer even more, so I also took up trail running (I jog slowly around a nearby pond - about 2 miles), and I keep saying I want to bike more - I'm going to try to make plans to do that more regularly with a friend, as same as with rowing I can put things off and will do it more regularly if I've committed to do it with others. I've also paid more attention to my yard again, but not enough to say I've 'gotten into gardening', more like my yard no longer looks abandoned and consumed by weeds, lol. I did a vegetable garden in 2020, but that has been neglected again; if I'm going to grow veggies I need to find a way to do it so they can grow with little work on my part! Like, less weeding, and not eaten by bugs or critters. I also started volunteering at a food bank 2x a week. I do intake, they were looking for someone who was bilingual in Spanish, but it turns out my foray into Portuguese (also started during Covid) have been equally helpful. We also put in a patio and fire pit last year and it's been getting a lot of use! I'm even thinking of finally getting a grill! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 We have different interests, but if you like to be outside but not garden, maybe frisbee golf or pickleball (I do neither, lol!). My DH and kids like to do frisbee golf, and you can usually pick up used discs when you start. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathyl Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 (edited) Summers here have mostly been dodging the heat. I garden late in the evening so I can shower afterwards. I go to the gym earlier in the day, usually, when it starts to get up into the 90s and 100s. I've actually started reading fiction books again. Agatha Christie and Terry Pratchett. I look forward to the really good series that come out on the streaming channels. It's been hit and miss lately. When we lived in NH, dh and I would set a goal of visiting all the covered bridges in NH. Or all the Army Corp of Engineer created dams and such. That was fun. We always ran across unexpected things along the way. Some version of that here would be visit all the towns and see their old courthouses. Seems every town, big and small, has a giant old courthouse in the center of the old part of town. Interesting architecture. We ride around and look at other people's landscaping. I never even noticed stuff like that until I was forced to learn to garden (sort of). Now it's fascinating. My idea of landscaping in the past has always been 'go in and rip out everything around the house to keep the spiders and bugs away from the house, and so I can spray for termites'. lol My dh was not a happy camper with that approach. However, we recently rode down to south Louisiana, and I noticed that a LOT of houses do NOT have any landscaping around their houses. They put it all out in the yard away from the house. That's my kind of landscaping. 😉 I have to sew. Once I get into it it's exciting. I just have to force myself to get into it. I need to start swimming again. Been putting that off, too. I also need to get another bike so I can ride around the neighborhood. I also have about 10 jigsaw puzzles I randomly do. Sometimes I watch stuff while I do them. Maybe you could set some kind of goal for visiting all the ______ places in your area/state/region. Take pics, explore rabbit trails, find unusual places to eat, etc. Edited May 28, 2023 by kathyl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kidlets4me Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 I have the entire summer off and all of my kids are older and busy doing their own thing. Here is some of what I plan on doing I bought myself an inflatable paddleboard so I could take it out whenever I wanted without my DH's help. We have tons of lakes around here to take it to. Hiking Biking Working on my tan/swimming Reading- our library has an adult summer reading program I might do Take the bus into the city and take myself to the museum, bookstore, etc. Seattle has tons of touristy things I haven't done in years so I may do some of those. Sounders games- we have season tickets. I might go to a Mariners game too. Music in the park- our suburb does concerts every Tuesday night. I like to pack a picnic dinner. We also have movies in the park as well, or at least we used to before COVID. Roller Skating Bowling Movies- There are a few coming out this summer only I want to see like Barbie so I'll probably go by myself during the daytime Farmer's Market State Parks- there are a few I've never been to, planning on checking them out this summer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 1 hour ago, 4kidlets4me said: Sounders games- we have season tickets. I might go to a Mariners game too. Totally Jealous of your season tickets well DH would buy me season tickets but getting there from Tri Cites thay often is just nor practical. Someone needs to invent teleportation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 Our historical societies give talks all summer. Last year I attended a book signing/talk by Nathaniel Philbrick, went to two historical talks about local things, went on a weekend with dh, went on a vacation with the family, took a college class, and ran a bit. This year I have a few goals in mind. I want to walk 500 miles between the first day of June and the last of August. I want to run a 5k. Dh and I want to do a few bike rides together. I want to get my knitting machine working. I have two full weeks without ds13 at home, so I think I'll use one to explore areas further away from home and the other to go to museums I've been meaning to go to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 I have a job now, but I plan to maximize summer fun. Long walks by myself, outdoor concerts, lots of gardening, shakespeare festival. When it’s very hot I love popping into museums for the AC. And the desserts. But also the art 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted May 28, 2023 Share Posted May 28, 2023 I have a job, but when I'm not working or doing things for others, I love to walk in our local national park system, or just take any walk around the neighborhood (now with my dog). Really love to travel. Other than that, really just the same stuff I do the rest of the year. If I didn't have kids, I'd probably spend the time trying to keep the house in order, organizing personal files and such, using our library and museums, visiting with family / friends, playing music, maybe do some cooking, planting, writing for fun .... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 I discovered that our library does an adult summer reading program, as well as one for the kids. I'm thinking I might just do that. I really had a lot of fun with their reading challenge earlier this year so I'm hoping this will be a lot of fun too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 44 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said: I discovered that our library does an adult summer reading program, as well as one for the kids. I'm thinking I might just do that. I really had a lot of fun with their reading challenge earlier this year so I'm hoping this will be a lot of fun too. Ours had prizes too! Free entrance to fun local museums, attractions or fun activities! Some other good stiff too; it changes every year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballmom Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 I am hoping to find a little bit of me back this summer. I work FT that is pretty intense, but not having the added layer of school during the summer and two extra drivers in the house who can sometimes be sweet talked into dinner chefs open a world of after work hours possibilities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 (edited) Beach(I live on a lake with a beach in our neighborhood), read a lot in the hammock or inside in the AC, professional development courses (I’m a teacher and take plus teach some in the summer), bike, hike, exercise, small town outdoor concerts, canoe/kayak. Water fitness classes at the Y. Sit around on the deck. Historical re enacting. Go to my parents’ camp in the mountains to sit around and visit or hike/kayak. try not to cook or clean too much, 😂 And since I still have some kids at home- board games, arts n crafts, puzzles, driving to camps. Edited May 29, 2023 by Hilltopmom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 Summers are my happy times!! It's when I can enjoy long, sun-filled days outdoors after a cold, dark winter with minimal sunshine. I play go crazy with projects in the garden, tennis, kayak, cycle, train my pup and myself in agility, hike and swim outdoors. There is usually the odd campling trip or travel to visit friends and family thrown in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 I teach, so summer is recovery time. This year I have a summer goal to do some hiking. It's also my first summer not doing full-time care for my disabled dd (last summer's big project was transitioning her to adult foster care). We live in an area with so many hiking trails and I've never been on any of them except a couple that are paved. Dh and I have already started this goal and are doing our 3rd hike today. I will also get the house cleaned up (I always clean the carpets and the windows, plus other organizing projects) and I plan to read a lot. I would like to pretty much end my scrapbooking hobby as the kids are grown--I want to finish youngest's last scrapbook and it would be lovely if I also have time to do the last 10 years in the family scrapbooks and be done. Long term I will just keep up a few pages in the Christmas album for each year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted May 29, 2023 Share Posted May 29, 2023 This summer? Week 1- Disney World Week 2- much needed appointments/paperwork/doctor visits, etc.... Week 3-Work Week 4- Trip to Michigan Week 5, 6, 7- Work Week 8/9- Seattle trip Week 9/10- Disney World And, back to work full time half way through week 11...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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