By 8.35am we’d opened all our presents. It takes weeks to buy them, hours to wrap them and minutes to open them. I’ve been a very lucky boy – great pressies from Mrs Jones including some new trainers and a new running cap. It’s a beautiful bright sunny day and there was more than aContinue reading “Christmas Day 2020 is here at last.”
Category Archives: Time
After this long night, I’m up for the second coming
From bad to worse. Christmas cancelled, the new tier 4 lockdown, a mutant virus and now more than 40 countries banning Brits I’m desperate for something positive. Thankfully I’ve found it in today in an unlikely place, today is the winter solstice, our shortest day and longest night. I’ve always liked the fact that theContinue reading “After this long night, I’m up for the second coming”
Full retirement moves a step closer
Work, as I’ve always known it, will for me come to an end very soon. I’ve been letting my business whither on the vine, as a friend once described it, for a couple of years now. And last week I got the call giving notice on my last remaining contract. It was disappointing news butContinue reading “Full retirement moves a step closer”
Films about ageing
Ageing or aging – it’s something we all do all the time – and yet it’s rarely discussed and not many seem particularly positive about it. Apart from a few of life’s rites of passage such as leaving school, getting married, starting work it’s often viewed as the inevitable long march towards infirmity and death.Continue reading “Films about ageing”
Five emotional stages of retirement transition
Well there goes another month. When I started writing this blog I’d worked out that each month amounted to a third of a percent of my remaining likely lifespan. I thought it was important to make the most of every one. Now after this godawful year of Covid I’m just glad to see off NovemberContinue reading “Five emotional stages of retirement transition”
What to do when there’s nothing to do.
That was the challenge of our first lockdown 2 Sunday. We devote part of most Sundays, when we’re at home, to a family dinner. Usually the shopping, meal cooking and being with the kids takes up most of the afternoon and early evening. We love it but it takes time, particularly for Mrs Jones, soContinue reading “What to do when there’s nothing to do.”
Lockdown 2, my chance to build some muscle!
I’d vowed not to plan anything for this second lockdown, to just let these 28 days of bleak midwinter pass by slowly until life returned to tier 2 normality. Everyday though I find myself assailed both on and offline with advice on what to do to in these four weeks to keep me focused andContinue reading “Lockdown 2, my chance to build some muscle!”
Crazy times
I’ve enjoyed my extra hour in bed today. After a particularly fast for me 5k run – just under 28 minutes – and a session in our hot tub I’m still in bed now and it’s 1pm. It would have been 2pm if the clocks hadn’t fell back last night. I like the extra hourContinue reading “Crazy times”
We’re planning 2021, more in hope!
We’re going to start planning 2021 tonight. Amazing really after the fruitless exercise of planning 2020. I’ve hardly looked at the big year planner wall-chart I bought this time last year. It’s not even on the wall anymore, the only things that continued to happen were the annual due dates for insurances, tax that kindContinue reading “We’re planning 2021, more in hope!”
Happy First Meeting, Mr Chairman
In my ongoing quest to find purpose in my retirement life I have ended up becoming the chairman of the branch of a political party. To protect the innocent and the guilty I will not say which party or where. My rise to this lofty-ish position came somewhat unexpectedly following the resignation of the previousContinue reading “Happy First Meeting, Mr Chairman”