How did I ever have time to go to work?

I'm asking myself that question more and more these days. Yesterday it was two years to the day that I retired from paid work. My job took all my energy and all my time. I dreamed of having time on my hands to do all the things I sat and dreamed about as I looked out of the office window onto glorious, hot summer days back in 2006.



But if you don't watch it life has a way of biting you on the bum! The bad weather during the two summers of my retirement thus far have put paid to the boating trips and long weeks in the caravan that I had been planning.



I never give up hope though. Next year, or the year after maybe, me and 'im indoors will do all the floating and travelling that we dreamed about. He still hasn't retired fully you see. He still works four mornings a week but has all the school holidays off. Sounds wonderful doesn't it? Well it would be if it stayed dry during the school holidays, but of course it hasn't so far. Also (I'm going to grumble about other people's children now - sorry other people's children) as we can only go away in the school holidays, everywhere is twice the price, crowded and noisy. Mainly due to "other people's children". (There, I told you I was going to grumble.)



The good news is that 'im indoors has decided he's had enough of work (at last!) and plans to retire at Easter. All things considered that is. We have a financial commitment to my Mum until she sells her home in Essex because she's having to pay for stuff in two places, having moved near to me now. If, no let's be positive, WHEN the place in Essex sells then he'll retire. Let's just hope the place sells before the end of next summer so we don't miss out on more chances to get away.



You've probably noticed that I haven't been blogging on a regular basis for some time. I'm just getting used to a new routine. Now that my Mum's just round the corner I'm loving seeing her most days and my usual way of doing things has changed. Inevitably I suppose. I see Noodle 2 and her Mum most days too. We all go shopping together sometimes. The other day someone stopped us and asked if we were four generations of the same family. We were very proud to say, "Yes". "How wonderful", was the response, which pleased us immensely.



I've added a picture of the winter display of a type of clematis which I think is lovely this close to Christmas. This week we've moved the caravan into it's winter quarters and layed up the boat for the winter too. Sad jobs in a way but it was satisfying to get those jobs done and to know we don't have to worry about them now until the early spring.




Tomorrow is my birthday and we're having a family meal out in the evening. I'm really looking forward to it. Son's wife is coming too. We haven't seen her since July. Should I feel honoured?



When I retired I wondered how long it would take me to stop thinking about work. By that I mean comparing each day with how it used to feel to have to go to work. I wondered if I would slip into a routine that meant I would forgot which day it was and would just drift around.



I do still think of work sometimes but I have now stopped wondering what "they" are doing at 3.00 or 4.00 o'clock. Except on a Tuesday, when I look after Noodle 2 all day. Just me and her. Then I count my lucky stars, as I go round to my daughter's house at 7 in the morning, and remember that I'm the luckiest person in the world NOT to be going to work today!