General Chat

I will be accompanying my elderly m-i-l abroad to visit rellies over the bank holiday weekend and beyond.

We will have a house to ourselves but are likely to visit lots of cousins/nieces/ neighbours etc in a very welcoming community each evening.

I have met all these people before and they are all so lovely and kind BUT it is oh so boring for me - no TV or computer or radio or papers or books or magazines or anything.

So what do I do to keep sane in between cups of tea?I don't want to offend anyone and I know I sound mean but the truth is it's going to be dull. I am thinking of taking my trainers and going for long walks when possible, taking up quilting etc..... I need to be able to keep myself busy while m-i-l is chatting. Please help! I am getting homesick and I haven't left yet!

I feel awful for feeling like this but I am dreading it......

Hi Helen,

Do they have a dog you can walk?
I always have a brisk walk every morning.. it could part of your routine !!
Especially if you have an iffy knee like I do , I take a few walks a day :)

Do you have a mobile phone which you can tune in to the radio ? Oops may cost if you're going abroad.

Take some books or magazines with you , say you always read cos you like to have ' my time 'for a while.

Have you thought of having a small lappy or notebook as they are sometimes called, you can get one for less than £100.

Best of luck, hope you can make the time as pleasing as possible:))

Sandie.

You could also bring along some board games/cards to help while away the hours together.

...take up needlework, embroidery or knitting - or any craft you can do whilst sat there ready to put in the odd 'yes', or 'no'.
You can guage how bored you were by the amount of 'work' you got done - result?
Productive boredom!! LOL

And if all else fails,Helen,put a bottle of Baileys in your bag..lol......BCXX

Sandie, Donna, Maggie and BC, thanks for all your help.

The dog has long since been adopted and spirited off over the hills. So I think I could walk by myself, although this will be an alien concept to most of them who are younger than me!

I agree that the odd 'yes' and 'mm' could work well over a piece of embroidery or knitting, etc. I am going to have to go shopping.
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The only other option is to suddenly become terribly eccentric ....

They are Pioneers so don't drink, last time I had to quaff in secret in my bedroom! How to feel like an alcoholic!

I can read etc when alone but the thing is they seem to be by themselves very rarely, they are very community minded, which can be wearing to miserable anti-social people like myself!

Don't get me wrong, they are lovely, but very different to me and so I need a bit of help!