With all the kids I have no spare time, I wake up exhausted and go to bed exhausted. The only time I have to sit is in the tub and I have been known to nod off while soaking.
You'd think that when I come into my bedroom, our bedroom, where
Frank died in my arms, to sleep at night and when all the kids are in bed that I would cry and grieve and just be terribly sad. I am not. Or you'd think after they're in bed that I would use that hour and a half to do something I like. I get in the tub I get out and I go to bed.
I love that you crochet and make things. How I wish I was creative and could have the time to try! Enjoy your quiet time...FOR ME! :)
Cindy

I teach and have been on summer break since my husband passed. I have been in a mad cleaning frenzy...I have cleaned, organized, re-organized, moved things, moved them back lol. Kind of making myself crazy. Probably good school starts again soon because then I too will be exhausted all the time and not be able to catch myself coming and going.

For the first few months I laid in bed and stared at the tv. Couldn't even get enough energy to read. Unfortunately that messed up my shoulder and I'm still in pt for it! I seem to be getting a little better and now I've gone back to my sewing (in fits and starts), I'm reading again and watching some tv, although my sewing confidence is broken.

Facebook keeps me in touch with my friends without having to worry about whether I'll break into tears at odd times or not.
-Judy

Have you tried jigsaw puzzles? They keep your mind busy. I watch TV and play on the computer most the time. When I get in the mood I'll do some major cleaning.
A part-time job is good too.

It's odd.

I didn't feel as though I had much time to myself when I was a caregivermaybe a couple of hours each evening just after putting Kim to bed and this after four or so tedious hours of sitting on the couch as we'd (she'd) watch television. I didn't have energy for anything but wished I did.

Now, I have all of the time in the world. I'm living alone with cats. When I'm done working, I have 4 to 6 hours each night. What do I do? Other than taking the bike out for a ride or visiting the gym, I find myself with all of this empty time.

I've no idea what to do with myself.

Watching TV? Meh. Going to the movies? Meh. I used to program for fun (it's my day job too) but now I'm apathetic about it. Hang out with friends? They're all married and most with kids.

There's a whole lot of alone time. Then I get tired and my thoughts go to dark places.

I don't know what these "hobbies" are that other people have. If I had a year to just do whatever the hell I wanted, maybe I'd go amateur athlete: push my body to its limits, exercise off all of this weight I have, and then just keep at it. The cycling feels good. But I can only do so much in a day lest I be a wreck the next day.

So, yeah, "passing time". How does that work?

Work distracted me, at least until 5 pm end of the day. Otherwise, it didn't matter what I did to occupy myself, the grief was still there. Made it difficult to function, especially crawling out of bed in the morning to face another day.

I just put one foot in front of the other, took life a day at a time, and eventually was able to easily function on a daily basis, even enjoying something for a bit.

For me passing time is crocheting, knitting, creating something! I also get on face book and other media outlets to talk to others so I am thinking about something else outside myself. If I don't look outside me, the I am in a dark place and I don't want to be there.