I used to get the house cleaned and laundry done on Fridays so we could have the weekend to do whatever, now I save it for the weekend to fill some time. Not much laundry or cleaning to do for just one. I do dishes about every 3 days. Of course I did inherit yard work, and I do not like it. I just started to get interested in my hobbies again. I can't seem to stick with it for long, but I do get in the sewing room and try.
Rachel

Everyone would definitely be different on this one. I work full time and put in a lot of overtime sometimes on Saturday morning. I enjoy cross stitching. This morning I was stitching at 7:15 am, left for work at 9, came in at 2, and am still stitching.

It's not that I work to fill my time, but I am fortunate that I enjoy my job. I also eat in restaurants alone though I don't enjoy going to the movies, never have. My thinking after Brian died was that if I didn't learn how to do things on my own, I wouldn't be doing many things. I didn't want to depend on others for entertainment.

I host a cross stitching retreat at a lodge once a year and several times a year I travel to other cross stitch retreats. So far I've only been out of state one time, but I still have 3 more retreats before the year ends two of which are out of state.

I lost interest for my stitching after Brian died and it took about a year before I finally got back into it again. It has come back with a vengeance and I think I enjoy it more now than I did before he died. He was my biggest cheerleader and would show off my work to others and help me pick out color palettes and fabric. I miss that, but I know that he wouldn't want me sit in the house and never do anything.

I'm an introvert by nature so I have to work at socializing. So instead of listening to others who say "go on a cruise"," buy another camper and go it alone", I've decided to do EXACTLY what I want to do and never mind what anyone else says. LOL.

So find your passion or something you enjoy and figure out ways to get involved with others while doing what you enjoy. I recently discovered that there are Adult Coloring Groups on Facebook. That looks like so much fun and so relaxing. .I've even bought my first two adult coloring books. Look them up on Amazon or eBay. Lots out there.

Our County Extension office offers classes on a regular basis from sewing to cooking and everything in between. Been meaning to try my hand at knitting.

Good luck to you. I hope you find something that works for you.

Nessie from KY

When I was newly widowed, I made friends with other women in a bereavement group. I found Sat night was a good time to invite two or three over for a simple dinner. It gave me a plan and gave them something to look forward to. They would reciprocate.
I now use Sat mornings for paying bills. I always treat myself on the weekend with shopping, even if it's just for a new pair of earrings, . Sunday is Church and lunch with a lady friend afterwards. D

This has also been my biggest struggle. I found a Sunday support group and that helps. For the last year my neighbor and I would go to dinner and a movie on Saturday afternoon. She is now going through cancer treatments, which put me in a tailspin even thinking she might not be on this earth much longer. She was diagnosed stage iv. So I am back to square one. I joined a meet up group and met some ladies for lunch and a movie. I meet lots of people volunteering and now doing more social things with them. My husband and I always spent weekends together ... Don't want to sit home and feel isolated.

Not sure if Im much help but I do understand how you feel. I looked so forward to the weekends with my husband. We would go look at things we wanted to buy or hoped to buy, go to eat some place or just drive around looking at houses or the country side. I miss that so much. I never wanted to be single and haven't been since I was a teenager so its hard to know what singles do. Its such a different world now than it was then. My son said something to me the other day that really made sense (not sure if I can do it or not) he said he was going to live FOR his dad and not without him. From the mouths of young people. take care of yourself and do what makes you happy

Lisa