Originally Posted by genejockey

My Dad had a series of fairly consuming interests outside of work, but I'd say his most consuming passion was gardening - not just flowers and veggies, but the whole yard. So, when he retired, he had lots to keep him busy. But he also did things like tapping the maple tree in their yard and making a really tiny quantity of his own maple syrup, or when he visited us in our old place where there were lots of olive trees around, picking a bucket full of them and curing them - in both cases, because it was something he'd never done.

The man retired at 78 and STILL lived another 22 years!