Living their best retirement: A nomadic pensioner and a tradie still on the tools

Miriam Ruberl is enjoying her nomadic lifestyle house sitting all over New Zealand and looking after pets. Photo / Supplied

Is retirement the dawn of a new age? Carmen Hall talks to two people who are in their twilight years and living life on their own terms. One is a nomad who has embraced a new lifestyle housesitting around the country. The other has endured a recent brush with death but can still do 100 press-ups a day and says being a builder has shaped his strong character.

Nomadic lifestyle opens up whole new world

Miriam Ruberl has never done ''desperate''.

So when the pensioner had to move out of a long-term rental in Rotorua after it sold and she was facing the prospect of becoming homeless, an invitation to house sit for a friend changed her life.

Talking to NZME from Christchurch, the former Grey Power Rotorua president has travelled the country housesitting for the past 18 months ''with only one night that I haven't had accommodation''.

She is not alone. Miriam is part of a team of retirees who joined forces to house sit.

''If I'm not available then somebody else is. This is a whole new world. I'm not the only one in this situation, there are dozens of us.''

Miriam was booked up until the middle of February next year and had been to places including Whanganui, Napier and New Plymouth.

''I'm meeting fabulous people I may not have met before. I have a social life, I'm living in some really nice places and I'm in perfect health.''

Currently, she was looking after two ''very sweet'' West Highland terriers, the house had a private courtyard and she had been loaned a car to go and get groceries.

In return, Miriam received free accommodation and was expected to keep the house clean and feed and exercise the animals.

Other pets she had previously looked after included cats, skinks, a frog, fish and a husky dog with ice blue eyes.

Aged in her 70s, Miriam, who is an artist, was upbeat and a firm advocate for having a positive mindset.

Not being able to secure a rental in Rotorua was a knockback but she says paying $250 for a one-bedroom bedsit out of her $400 superannuation meant ''I was stuffed''.

But now she is living within her means which has afforded her a lot of freedom.

''I knew I had to move my mind. So I moved to the next space, which was something like I'm in between homes, and managed to go to 'I'm of no fixed abode' and then I got to 'itinerant'.'

''But then I suddenly realised I'm actually just nomadic.''

Lucky to be alive and living in paradise

Michael Raymond is still on the tools after spending more than 50 years working as a builder. Photo / Getty Images

Michael Raymond is 70 years old and still on the tools.

The builder has spent more than five decades in the building industry and while nowadays it's only jobs around his own home getting his full attention, he credits the trade for ''shaping my character''.

The Tauranga father of five and grandfather of 13, who nearly died of Legionella about five months ago, credits another trait for pulling him through.

''I've always had a very competitive nature in everything I do.

''I'm still cracking 100 press-ups a day so I'm a serious contender.''

He also felt blessed to find God after being a bit of a ratbag as a child.

''I was a nuisance around the neighbourhood for years and years and I was always in trouble and in the headmaster's office at school."

But finding religion at age 22 changed Michael.

''We are not here by mistake and there is someone that loves us and if you get in tune with that spirit that puts the whole show together, you will be a very content person.

''When you do things right somehow life goes right, when you do things wrong suddenly they don't, it's just a rule of thumb for life.''

Helping with the Anastasis Christian Mercy ship in 1983 to organise aid for the South Pacific was another calling Michael had enjoyed.

Now a musician, he was enjoying his retirement and ''I am lucky to live in paradise''.

''I really care about the community and as a retiree, am I finished? Hell no. I play three different musical instruments, I sing and you can catch me down on The Strand.''