Last year I found a new passion in myself in the form of bird watching and nature photography. It reignited a huge flame in myself and it is still today the #1 thing that will get me out of bed in the morning. I can't explain it but it is just so refreshing to be outside somewhere at least out of sight of modern society with only myself and my camera as company, taking in the sights, noting down species, and then feeling it all again when I'm at home going through my photos. My camera is over a decade old and my lens doesn't get me half as close as I'd like but I get by and have been saving for some upgrades I have my eyes on.
Until recently my partner and I were both working somewhere between part and full time. Unfortunately his chronic illnesses have caught up with him and he has been advised by his doctor to stop working as there are no reasonable adjustments his workplace can make for him. He can get around 600/mo on our equivalent of disability but it is not quite as much as he made while working. And so I have had to increase my hours up to full time. I work 8-4:30 every weekday and my weekends are spent taking care of my partner and doing the housework he is (physically) unable to do during the week.
In the process of doing this I have realised why the vast majority of bird watchers you see are old retired white men: they are the only ones who have both the time and money to do it. Before, I had the time to go out maybe once a week or two and the money for some very basic kit. Now I have the means to save a little for some better equipment as we are slightly better off financially but absolutely zero time to do go anywhere beyond our back garden.
Is this it? I just wait now until I get the odd bank holiday off work until I retire? Assuming I will even get to retire and assuming the wildlife and habitat haven't been killed off even more by the policies the current retirees voted in. I'm tired