Seniors, Are You Still Doing All the Chores Around Your Home and Garden?

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
Location
USA
We still do all of our chores around the house and outside lawn areas. This week, after being away on our camping trip, the grass (and weeds) were overgrown, also the hedges in the front.

No House and Garden showcase home here, lol, but you have to do the basic maintenance so things don't get out of control. So, the past few days, along with cleaning out the camper and catching up on laundry, I've been out mowing, trimming hedges and pulling weeds. Still some to go, but will wait a few days and give my back a rest.

We also clean out our own gutters (ranch-style house), which are always filled with leaves and large pine needles from the Austrian Pines. Hubby does a lot of the maintenance on the house and vehicles.

How about you? Do you do all the work to maintain your home and property by yourself in your golden years?
 

I still do everything myself; painting, gardening, cleaning; but I use neighbours for electrics and a garage for the car; except oil, water, and tyres; not in my skill set!
 

I am waiting for that 'nice' Mr. Cameron to give me a raise so I can afford a cleaner and gardener:bigwink:

.............meanwhile I will plod on and do the jobs myself.:grin:
 
I do about everything that I still can. My lawns are taken care of by our community agreement. Anything to do with heights is strictly out. Knees don't like ladders. I do painting jobs inside, like rooms and doors, etc. Bending over for any length of time is a no-no. Arthritis in back won't let me or I'll pay for it next day.
Yea, inside I'm still pretty handy, out side work is kinda out.
 
We do all of the outside and inside work ourselves so far. We have a large lot, 1/34 acres. There is a lot of mowing
and shrubs to be trimmed. The house has cedar shingles, not siding, so a lot of painting and other work for hubby.
I do all the inside cleaning but I have to take breaks to save my back. As all women know there is no end of housework
because it needs to done over and over.
We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to do it but for how long will depend on our health.
 
We do everything ourselves. For the past few days and several days to come I've been rebuilding a bridge in addition to the garden, mowing and such. Brooke's been helping with the weeding and doing lots of canning.
 
Jillaroo, I sorry to hear that you have such injuries. Is it just you, or are you married? If you are alone, maybe a room mate would benefit you. You could give the roommate a good discounted rent. That way your cost is nill, and you would also have a friend.
I'm in a wheelchair 75% of the time, so if I didn't have Michael, I too would need to do something for help.
Get better soon, is my hope for you. :praying::fingerscrossed:
 
Vivjen, It depends on what part of Texas your from. East Texas stays green most of the year. West Texas is more on the dry side. We are in the east, so we mow year Round, unless we a freeze in the winter.
 
We still do most of the work at home, but not at the car or motorhome. Things have become too complicated and I no longer feel like getting covered in oil. Fortunately there is a very good garage near us that can fix just about anything. It just pains me to have to pay!
 
I do about 90% of everything around the home and yard by myself.
Outside work is brutal in the Texas heat, but I plan that work for early in the day during the summer. It does seem to take me so much longer these days. My garden is okay, but not great... cucumbers/ tomatoes/peppers like the heat. Everything else wilts.

Before my husband died last year, I remember telling him that I would probably sell and leave, but I'm managing on my own so far, with help from family when needed. Have accomplished much more than I thought I could do. It's a good feeling.
But if I had to give up general maintenance, I think I would seriously have thoughts about selling.
It hasn't overwhelmed me yet.
 
Sold the house several months ago and now rent a great two bedroom, two bath apartment in a 55 or older complex with pool/spa/fitness center and other amenities. I steamed the tile floors, washed some clothes/made the bed/cleaned the toilets, tub and shower/did the breakfast dishes/ did some dusting then took out chicken breasts for the stir fry dinner that I will do for this evenings meal. These little chores only took about one hour. When I had a house I hired all outside work done, since I don't enjoy outside chores.
 
We do all the work ourselves. I spent an hour yesterday getting some of the grass mown, even though the frosts have slowed down the growth.It's good exercise.:D
 
Ina said:
Jillaroo, I sorry to hear that you have such injuries. Is it just you, or are you married? If you are alone, maybe a room mate would benefit you. You could give the roommate a good discounted rent. That way your cost is nill, and you would also have a friend.
I'm in a wheelchair 75% of the time, so if I didn't have Michael, I too would need to do something for help.
Get better soon, is my hope for you. :praying::fingerscrossed:
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Hi Ina, Not possible to have a room mate where i live, i lost my husband in 1994 and it's only since i moved here 5 years ago that my health has declined, i am seeing the Doctor today who is new and hopefully she will have some good advice and avenues for relief from this pain. Thanks for your concern.
I am always asking when i go to the shops if they have any new Bodies, but alas they all say they are out of stock:bigwink:
 
I do it myself..although, I did break down and hire someone to mow for me this year. The ole back is thanking me. Oh and the inside I do myself as well..I've been painting one room now for months..I did not like the color of one wall, and don't like the new color either. :eek: so it will get done, later on..


Just a small portion, from last year..its a work in progress..:)



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Thank you, Seabreeze. My hubby and I built the arbor, bldgs, back porch and garden boxes. We did that in a three and half years. He died in 04, so I have kept it up and planted more things..:) Oh, we hauled all the rocks too..Some days I swear at him when weeding around the rocks..;)

When we moved in there was one tree in front and 1 one in back..It had been his moms home..
 
Vixen, your yard is lovely, the rocks give it a nice look. A beautiful yard is always a work in progress, add something every year.

I understand the maintenance job taking longer and longer to finish...lol, I've painted my metal fence before, I only get a section or two painted each day, but I guess these small jobs keep us moving.
 

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