Hello everyone.

Mal is going to visit our son and his wife in Taiwan for 2.5 weeks in late February. Of course this has been the topic of much conversation since the plan was decided. I am not going by choice.

I have been thinking about being on my own for the time he is away and started ticking off the things I have never had to do.....

Pump petrol
Change a tyre
Mow the lawns
Fix anything
Open a tight jar

etc, etc

I was married at 18 and went from my father doing these things to my husband doing them. Now I am not a "shrinking violet" type of person, have always worked and got out and about so to speak.

I am starting to get an awesome new respect for widows and women on their own, and what their day to day life must be like, needing help sometimes and not always being in the position to ask anyone.

Anyone else got any thoughts?


Ali W

I understand what you're saying....sometimes I just wish there was someone else around to worry about those kinds of things for me instead of having to do it all myself......and other times its not a problem - and being on my own is fun!:}

The biggest problem I had when I was on my own Ali, was lightbulbs!! I have high ceilings and am too short to reach them, even when standing on a chair - so had to wait until my sons visited and got them to put them in for me. Made sure I did the long life ones, so they don't need replacing too often.
Now have a partner and fortunately he is very tall - so he can tackle those problems for me

I keep telling my hubby that all the things you listed Ali, are ' boys germs'. This girl is not about to catch those germs!! lol:}:}
Im old fashioned at heart, we all have our jobs to do, and buggered if Im gonna start pushing lawnmowers aboot the place, when there is a pile of ironing to do.

Lyn (P. Nth)

Ohhhhhhhh I would much rather push a loawnmower than do a pile of ironing.

And I love it when my hub is away so I can have some my time!!

Alison you will find yourself much more resourceful than you imagine! I found myself a single parent after 14 years of marriage (married at 18yrs - an absolute baby!) and amazed myself at the things I put my hand to and succeeded in doing. A new muffler on the mower, putting firewood through the bench saw, marketing and selling a house and then buying another. I would never have believed I was capable of these things when first married. All this self sufficiency came in handy when I remarried 7yrs later - to a sailor in the RNZN. You could almost guarantee the washing machine would spit the dummy on the day his ship sailed off on excercise for 6 or 7months and the fridge would go out in sympathy with the washing machine! So pleased the dear man is ashore permanently now - but I have to say that I have not lost that streak of independance!
Lucy

I lived alone until I was 35 and the only thing I couldn't do was release a mouse from a mousetrap. So hence I bought new mousetraps. Small price to pay.......not to have to do the job........or ask someone else.
Still fairly independant when I want to be. I too would rather do the lawns than the ironing!!!!!

If there is any advise you need just ask here - I'm sure we can help. Rachel.