My granddad with his prize-winning garden around about the time I was born
When I was younger I never thought that retirement could be a full time job, I should have done, my Granddad had warned me.
Most Sundays when I was a young lad I would call round to see Granddad and my Grandmother. One Sunday, Granddad was in the lean-to green house on the back of his large shed. His shed had been his workshop before he retired. As he stooped down to pick up a watering can I asked him,
“What’s it like being retired Granddad?”
He turned to me and said,
“Son, I don’t know how I used to find the time to go to work.”
The last few months have been pretty much full with publishing our writing group’s first book, an interesting experience. Amongst all that I had a trip to the Royal Institution in London and a train ride pulled by the Flying Scotsman, a brilliant birthday present from my wife.
Walking my son and girlfriend’s dog twice a day occupies a good chunk of time, cycling once or twice a week makes a big inroad too.
I am trying to unblock my writers block that has lodged itself in my novel. I need a clear mind and fresh thinking, possibly, a cycle ride on my own will work its magic.
Fenlandphil's Blog 
Posted by Cathy Cade on December 11, 2018 at 7:44 pm
Regardig writers’ block… the advice that seems to work for me is to just write. I’m currently trying to write a short story to one of the writing magazines’ monthly prompts, and I’m struggling. this is my second attempt at this one, but something is coming through. Unusually, this one needs fleshing out rather than cutting – perhaps I’ve been writing too much flash fiction lately. It’s very true that diverting into other things (formatting, editing…) does take one away from the project that was all-consuming when you left it, and I’m struggling to edit a re-worked fairy story I finished some time ago.
With regard to retirement… I could never have attempted writing before I retired. It would have been too frustrating. I’d have got irritated with everyone for demanding my attention. That’s how I know this will never be more than a hobby for me, and doesn’t deserve to be. I have the deepest respect for every author who juggles writing with a day job – especially those who succeed.
Posted by fenlandphil on December 11, 2018 at 8:53 pm
I started writing the novel in 2010, then had to put it to one side because of work. The thing that caught me out most was changes in technology. The ideas I had technology wise when I started out were unknown then. Over the years some of the things I used as ideas have come about as products and inventions, what that says for a fertile imagination I don’t know.
Writing does help shape ideas and thoughts, you are right in that regard, someone said you can’t edit a blank page.
Regarding the act of juggling writing and work, a copywriter who gave a couple of lectures I attended said, “That is what 5 o’clock in the morning is for.”
P D James used to write at that time before going into work at her day job.