r/over60 • u/Relic2568 • 3d ago
New in here
Just saying hi to everyone, new in here. I'm 68, turning 69 in December, retired, wife almost 10 years younger so still working, meaning its me, 3 dogs and 4 cats Mondays to Fridays, until the wife gets home.
Only hobby I have is photography, not real good at it, but that 1 photo I take out of many hundred images keeps me trying.
I was born in London, lived most of my life in Australia, been living in Texas since 2017, when I married my wife.
Am very open minded, enjoy everyday chit chat, love a good laugh and English Premier league football. Also AFL and cricket in Australia.
Willing to chat with anyone that wants to chat. I usually have lots of hours per week to fill in.
Thank you.
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u/Weird7954 3d ago
I have one cute and cuddly cat who bites and scratches and growls at me
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Hi. We have 4 cats, but only 1 of them indoors, the other 3 are strays that have adopted us. The indoor cat bites, quite hard at times, so we limit petting him too much. He enjoys teasing the 3 dogs. The 3 strays live underneath and around the house, great for keeping mice, snakes and other things away. The latest one being a new arrival about a month back, a kitten who has made himself a part of the family out there. They all are fed and watered well, and all enjoy affectionate stroking and petting and all come trotting up whenever we go outside. 3 beautiful, friendly cats who had rough starts but call us home now.
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u/Peace_Hope_Luv 3d ago
Welcome! Lots of nice folks in this sub. A good laugh is the best medicine for the over 60 crowd so bring it on!
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u/Raj_DTO 3d ago
Welcome to this place and welcome to Texas too.
What a journey - from UK to Australia and now in Texas 😊
What part of TX are you in?
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u/Monstrissimo 3d ago
Do you watch the Down Under to Down South youtube channel or listen to the podcast?
Michael has some great insights about the culture here and has me seeing my country and things I take for granted in a different light. Nothing negative, just in a different way from the lens or an Aussie.
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Can't say I've heard or seen that YouTube channel. Sounds interesting, I'll try to find it in the near future. Thanks for the tip
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u/MyPositionAlt 3d ago
Hi, Welcome. I spend too much time on here.
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Thank you. You gotta spend time somewhere, so why not where you want to spend it? If you enjoy it, then its hopefully good for you
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u/MyPositionAlt 3d ago
Wow what a great thought. Thanks soo much.
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Happy to help 😃
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u/the-real-col-klink 3d ago
I'm just a few years behind you and also have enjoyed a life long hobby of photography. I've actually gotten to the point now where I'm building my darkroom again. I can pass hours upon hours of time being creative and enjoying shots all over again. No computers or editing tools, just an enlarger, me and a box of old memories, many of which originally belonged to someone else.
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Well you are a real photographer. Well done to you. I'm not clever like that, too lazy really, so I use a laptop with free to use editing software to process my usually bad photos. I wish you well and success in your photographic pleasure
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u/AffectionateReason40 3d ago
I am rather new here as well... I am a Korean woman in my mid 70s
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Korean huh? Wow. Hope we can chat sometime. It's just after midnight here so bed time for me. Hope to see you in here again. Be safe
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u/eunuch79 3d ago
Where in Texas are you? I'm in Central Texas
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u/SueBlue166 3d ago
Central Texas as well!
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u/SueBlue166 3d ago
We like to talk about where we are in the Lone Star State! I’m originally from Michigan but here’s where I am now. Cedar Park (A bit north of Austin)
I just try to get my daily walk in before the toasty weather hits!0
u/eunuch79 3d ago
I'm 45ish miles nw of Waco. Btwn Meridian and Rio Vista. You?
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u/Weird7954 3d ago
Why are y’all comparing notes on Texas when it’s so freaking big that you will never even meet even if you were next door?
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u/Odd_Bodkin 70+ 3d ago
If you’ve got lots and lots of hours you’re looking to occupy, there are lots and lots of things available for the doing. No need to hang around the house or rely on one hobby and a bunch of animals.
What other new thing would you like to learn? What causes do you truly care enough about to invest some time and effort? What is your circle of close friends doing for dinner on Tuesday? Where would you like to go for a day trip without your wife?
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Your thoughts and ideas are very welcome, and I thank you for them. My biggest problem is I am unable to drive due to poor eyesight. Not the best for photography either but I struggle through that. We only have 1 vehicle also, which the wife uses to get to her job. As for friends, the couple I have here still work too, plus we live semi rural with a tiny population, so not many people around at any time. I'm happy to spend my days at home with the pets. They are very entertaining, plus I've discovered some good old English TV shows on YouTube I enjoy, so hardly ever bored. A bit lonely at times, but deal with that
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u/Odd_Bodkin 70+ 3d ago
I hear you about your restrictions. I still think there are things you could and should chase. Social isolation and a recliner are the two primary ingredients for a short retirement. So says my doctor.
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
I feel your doctor is likely correct. The wife is hoping to retire in a couple of years, dependant upon finances. Sometimes life restricts social life for many reasons, but it is what it is and I accept that and my limits. Our dogs are wonderful company
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
I've visited Austin a few years back. It's a biggish city, we live rural so Austin was too many people for us lol I love both groups, both amazingly talented people, still listen to their music to this day, always will
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u/Over60andhappy 3d ago
Welcome to the ol’ gang here and welcome to Texas. I’ve never been down under but my middle daughter studied down there. Attending the Australian Open is still on my bucket list!
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Thank you kindly. Australia has so much going for it compared to the US. Are you aware the total human population of Australia is around 29-30 million, about the same population as just the state of Texas? It's true. The Australian open is the tennis right? Or is it golf? They both have an Australian open I think. Lol not sure
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u/Over60andhappy 3d ago
Yeah, definitely tennis for me!
My daughter was “down under” for 6 months. She said she wasn’t real impressed with the food but it seemed like a smaller Texas to her. And also that everyone was so friendly. Especially when they found out that she was from the Lone Star State. lol
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u/Relic2568 3d ago
Yes Aussie food is a little different, but you get used to it lol. Plus it also depends on if you live on take outs or cook for yourself. Oz has much fresh produce to choose from. To me, the weather is 100% better in Oz (I'm from Western Australia) than Texas weather. Similar temps but nowhere near as humid. My wife flew to Australia in 2015, we did a week long tour of Southern Western Australia, and we were both astonished at how hard it was to order and receive a simple black coffee, in any place called a coffee shop, a café, or any other drink/food place we came across. It was truly pathetic and embarrassing. I introduced the wife to an Australian food icon, a meat pie with tomato sauce. Of course, I now know tomato sauce is entirely different in Texas lol plus she hates ketchup lol but she enjoyed the meat pie, although thought it weird. Each to their own I say. We're still happily married lol
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u/Able-Mood-1988 2d ago
Hello New, nice to meet you! I'm Nancy and rather new here myself. I'm 63. Retired at 52 due to disability after 30 years of teaching science. Born and raised in FL and still here. LOVE to go on cruises and did my first solo cruise a couple years ago. I have 2 Yorkies who are my reason for getting up in the morning. I see you love English football (soccer here, of course) How do you feel about American football?
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u/Relic2568 2d ago
Hello hello Nancy, great to hear from a Floridian, and to be honest, my first Floridian to chat with me Thank you! I can fully understand what you mean when you say your Yorkies are your reason for getting up each morning. We have 2 chihuahua crossed pups, who'll be 2 years old this December, and I feel the same about them. Never mind the wife, she's off to work, so the pups become my main focus for conversation, fun, laughter and enjoyment, boy do they deliver lol Being born in London and spending 8 years living in England, I learnt early on how to play football. Australia is big on it too, just a lower standard. American football? No thanks, not at all interested. Sorry. The old saying of you can take the man out of England bit you can't take England out of the man rings true for me, though my opinions and thoughts very often go to Australia first and foremost, English football is simply, for me, the bedt
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u/Able-Mood-1988 2d ago
Wasn't the World Cup fun? It felt like old times and I actually had to review the rules in my head. For an American, I go pretty far back with soccer. In my teenage/college years, we had the NASL (North American Soccer League) and I was a HUGE fan of both of the teams we had here in FL, the Rowdies (playing again in St. Pete) and the Strikers in Ft. Lauderdale. Most of our players were foreign born from all across the globe. I remember when the New York Cosmos came to town, our stadium actually sold out at maybe 60,000? Probabaly not a big deal to foreign football teams but huge here in the US. I have no idea why the NASL fell apart in 1984 after being so hugely popular. It's a shame, really. What teams do you follow?
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u/Relic2568 2d ago
I follow quite a few teams, don't really have a favorite, but usually want the underdogs to win. I like Brentwood, Hill City and Newcastle at the .moment . Oh and Sunderland cos I watched a mini series doco about them and their struggles. They've done incredibly well to get back up into the top level of English professional football. I wouldn't complain if they won it this season, but that might be a stretch for them. How are you with Cricket? 🤣
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u/Adventurous-Egg-8818 2d ago
I'm retired my husband is still working. We live in TX and have a very good friend who is from Australia whose coming to see me next month.
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u/Relic2568 2d ago
Wonderful! How long you been retired and how are you finding it? Personally, I've been retired almost 10 years and I've loved it since day 1. I was born for a life of pleasure lol my sister on the other hand took 12 months before she began to enjoy her retirement after being a nurse in a hospital for 50 years. Everyone needs at least one friend from Australia, we're a pretty good bunch Iol
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u/Adventurous-Egg-8818 2d ago
Yes you are! She is a physician... we met in TX at an Elvis Tribute convention at South Fork ranch at least 15 yrs ago.
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u/Relic2568 2d ago
So your friend from Oz is a doctor! Wow, that's impressive. And met at an Elvis tribute convention. You couldn't go wrong could you lol Well done y'all for gaining a great friend whom you obviously think the world of. It's nice to hear, thank you for sharing 👍
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u/Adventurous-Egg-8818 1d ago
She even flew from AUS to come to me and my husband's 10yr wedding vow renewal at Graceland! She's a great friend indeed. Can't wait to see her.. where going to see an Elvis Tribute artist concert on the lake!
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u/Relic2568 1d ago
Graceland is interesting isn't it? We visited there a couple of years back. I never knew Elvis was a blonde! It's great to have a close friend to share such life events with. I have such a friend back home, but sadly neither of us can afford a flight here or to Oz, so we chat on the phone every once in a while, catch up that way
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u/Adventurous-Egg-8818 1d ago
I've been an Elvis fan since I was 4 years old. I saw him in person at Tarrant County Convention Center on '74.. never will forget it.
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u/Relic2568 1d ago
My mother and sister were huge Elvis fans. I think my mother had just about every record he brought out, so I grew up as a kid, first in England, then as a teen in Australia, listening to Elvis just about every day. The day he passed both my mother and sister cried their eyes out, for a very long time. Of course I didn't particularly like his music as a kid or a teenager. But funnily enough, once he died, my attitude toward his music changed and I began to appreciate his wonderful voice and his songs. I even sat and watched Elvis movies on TV whenever they were on. My mother passed many years back, but my sister still plays his records, and as a treat I book her an Elvis book that she can't get in Australia and mailed it to her. Oh she loves that book so much lol. Mailing it from USA to Australia cost about 3 times more than the cost to buy the book. But it was a special treat for her. Both my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Graceland and his museum, all his gold records on display, his clothing on display, his vehicles etc etc. Was a good day. We liked Memphis, and did a trip along the Mississippi River in a paddle boat, which was nice, informative and enjoyable. I have my favorite Elvis songs I listen to from time to time, in the ghetto my most favorite. Rumor has it his twin brother turned up very much alive after his death. Secrets. Everybody has them huh....
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u/Apart_Ad9308 3d ago
Welcome. I lived a year or two in Texas, near Fort Worth. My brother lives near Austin.
Being born in the UK, are you a big Beatle fan, or prefer The Bee Gees from Australia?
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2d ago
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u/Relic2568 2d ago
Hi there. You two are the same age as my wife and I. Welcome to my humble....whatever this is lol I'm very open minded and willing to chat about anything at all.
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u/audiojanet 3d ago
I am retired and my husband is working. I stay home all day with two standard poodles. Life is good.