Eating like a geezer

[tangomonster]

Ever the contrarian, I'm actually eating later in ER than I did when working. For one thing, my whole schedule has shifted later (no more getting up at 5 a.m.! Now it's 7 to 8. No more going to bed at 10---now it's 11). Now that we are not dictated by the clock or forced to compress chores and leisure into a couple of hours after work, we no longer eat at 6---more like 7. I'm not saying I could handle the Barcelona thing where people eat dinner at 11 p.m., but this is a definite improvement.

And there aren't any Early Bird specials here, so that's not an incentive.

I agree that lunch is a great bargain in most places, although I don't think any Japanese places offer a $6.99 bento box like Old Guy gets---more like $8 or $9.

Occasionally we have to rush a little to be ready to watch the couple of TV shows we watch at 8, but maybe we will start taping them and play them back later...or forgo them all together.

[megacorp-firee]

Getting up as early as 10am each day, we have a healthy, small breakfast of oatmeal (geezer food) and coffee with our newspaper. Lunch is a healthy soup and salad around 1ish or a bit later. So we have a late(r) 6 or 7 dinner ... again trying (and sometimes succeeding) to eat healthy. steamed/grilled/baked fish, chicken, the occassional steak, with lots of veggies.

Do we qualify as geezers yet?

[cantlogin]

My problem is that I eat on the early schedule AND on the late one too. I really like eating. It's difficult to get enough exercise to avoid turning into a whale.

[boont]

We eat late, always have. Eight or nine o'clock most nights. I loved Barcelona because the restaurants don't even really open until 9pm and then you get the table for the entire evening.

Then you go out for drinks and to meet with friends. Go home about 2am and start it all over the next day.

The two hour siesta helps along with the lower alcohol wine unlike our high test Napa Valley style.

Works for me. I'd move in a second.

boont

[UncleHoney]

Originally Posted by megacorp-firee

Do we qualify as geezers yet?

Only if you sigh when you sit down.

[cashflo2u2]

Originally Posted by SteveR

I think a lot of the eating early phase of retirement is more related to age than anything else. Older folks tend to go to bed earlier so eating earlier makes sense. I guess they just run out of things to do other than eat and watch TV before they go to bed at 9 PM. My FIL gets up at 6 AM and has a very very regimented time schedule for eating and other activities....heaven help you if you upset his schedule. Dinner IS 5:30PM...everyday. Be prepared of pay the price of his wrath.

I hope I don't get that way when I am 80+.

Yes, that sounds like my Mother and some in-laws who are hyper geezers. Eat at 4PM sharp and God help you if you interrupt that routine. NO HEAT OR SPICE in the food anymore. Can't eat salmon or other rich foods because they "can't digest it". Can't see at night and tend to drive up over curbs. Need to wear those flip up sun shades that attach to the regular sun glasses during the sunny days. Are they just aging nerds or are we all doomed?

[Rambler]

Originally Posted by boont

We eat late, always have. Eight or nine o'clock most nights. I loved Barcelona because the restaurants don't even really open until 9pm and then you get the table for the entire evening.

Then you go out for drinks and to meet with friends. Go home about 2am and start it all over the next day.

The two hour siesta helps along with the lower alcohol wine unlike our high test Napa Valley style.

Works for me. I'd move in a second.

boont

I really had trouble in Barcelona on my free nights...started walking around looking for a place to eat around 7pm...nothing was open. When I finally found a place around 8 or 8:30, I was the only person in the restaurant. I know they eat late there, but figured there would be something open. One megacorp dinner we had there started at 10pm and ended at 1am, and the crowd was just arriving as we were leaving.

In our household, dinner is at 7pm...whether ai make it home on time or not. Once we FIRE, it will probably be between 6 and 7, although we may end up with only two meals: late breakfast and early dinner. Gonna play it by ear.

R

[lucija]

I loved Barcelona! It fit my "clock" just fine!

No one in my family is a morning person (with exception of my kids, who are, unfortunately, up at 6 AM). My parents, grandparents, etc... all night owls... some more, some less.

I have fond memories of my grandmother who lived into her early 90is. She was never up before 9:30 AM (usually around 10 AM), ate her main meal around 8-9 PM and never went to bed before 12:30 AM (usually around 1-1:30 AM). She, her sister and a couple of like-minded friends all lived within a couple of blocks of each other... they would get together every night and chat, play cards, etc till midnight or so. Sometimes they would meet in a near by bar/coffee shop and hang out in the midst of 20/30-something crowd at 11 PM. She lived this way till about 4 months before she passed away.

I was the only person in my school who could honestly say, I had no clue where my grandmother was at midnight!

[megacorp-firee]

Originally Posted by UncleHoney

Only if you sigh when you sit down.

SH*T ... I just did that...

[megacorp-firee]

Originally Posted by Rambler

I really had trouble in Barcelona on my free nights...started walking around looking for a place to eat around 7pm...nothing was open. When I finally found a place around 8 or 8:30, I was the only person in the restaurant. I know they eat late there, but figured there would be something open. One megacorp dinner we had there started at 10pm and ended at 1am, and the crowd was just arriving as we were leaving.

In our household, dinner is at 7pm...whether ai make it home on time or not. Once we FIRE, it will probably be between 6 and 7, although we may end up with only two meals: late breakfast and early dinner. Gonna play it by ear.

R

I'm a night-owl... Barcelona sounds great. uh what time do they go to w*rk there? Not planning on it, just curious.

[Rambler]

Originally Posted by megacorp-firee

I'm a night-owl... Barcelona sounds great. uh what time do they go to w*rk there? Not planning on it, just curious.

IIRC, our crowd starts around 9-930. We started at 730am when I was in the states, here (Asia) its about 9am formal start time but most are in front of their PCs by 830.

R