Believe me Tony, there's no difference in busyness when you're retired - and nearly every retiree I've ever met has said, "Never been busier - don't know how I ever did any work!" or words to that effect. I have an ailing in-law, grandchildren, car, shopping, cooking, cleaning, house & garden to maintain, and lots of other demands on my time.

But I've never used paper or pads or anything else when performing - which has now been for over 50 years - whether working or retired. And I don't think I have an abnormal brain - unless it's on the small size!

What I do have is a capacity for practising, practising and practising, persistently, until words, tunes and chords stay in my head through thick and thin. And the irony is that the more you do it, the better you get at doing it. It's possible, for example, to rehearse a song in your head while doing other things - washing up, walking, on the loo, driving with the song on the car CD or mp3 player, etc. My tips:

1. Write the song/chords/notes, whatever, out in longhand on a piece of paper. This act of writing aids memory.
2. Start singing as much of the song as you can without looking at the paper.
3. When you get to a bit you don't know, take a peek at the paper and fill in the blank.
4. Continue until the blanks start to get filled in.

That's one way - I'm sure other 'Catters have similar tips.